Chain for 346XP

[Noodle]

I recently purchased the 45CC 346XP (love the saw, btw) and want to pick up a spare chain or two.  Trying to navigate the Husqvarna chain numbers has me cross eyed.  Here is what the saw came with:
Bar: 608 00 01 86 (18")
Chain: H25 (.325" pitch, .058" gauge)

Per http://www.usa.husqvarna.com/files/husqvarna/local/usa/documents/BarChainFitUpChart.pdf the 346XP can run a H30 (.325/.05) chain or a H38 (.325/.058) but there is no reference to the H25.  Not sure the difference between the H25 and the H38 but if you start looking at the recommended file guides and depth gauges for each, they reference different part numbers??

What chains will work on my stock bar?  Is there a big difference between running a .05 vs a .058 gauge chain?  Is one recommended over the other depending on what kind of work you are doing.

Thanks for any guidence,

[ENTS]

For all intents and purposes, you must match the pitch and gauge of the chain, bar, and drive sprocket.  Here is a helpful guide to saw chain terms etc.  It's on the Oregon site but most pertains to all chain.  In fact, if I'm not mistaken, Husqvarna chain is really Oregon chain (I'm sure someone here will correct me if I'm wrong).  For example, my 353 takes H30 Husqvarna or 95VP Oregon chain.  They're identical.

Here's the link:  http://www.oregonchain.com/tech/ms_manual/ms_02.pdf

Hope it helps.

Later,

[SawTroll]

H25 (21BP) is the semi-chisel version of the H21/21LP - get the LP, and you will be set for clean wood.....

The 95VP/H30 will not do the NE346xp justice - just forget....

[ENTS]

S.T.
I only used the 95vp as an example.  In this case, the 95vp wont work since he'd have to change out his drive sprocket and bar (.058 vs. .05).

This is the old edition 346.  Would you explain why the narrow kerf (95vp) chain is not a good match.  I believe this would be in line with one of Noodle's ques.  "Is there a big difference between running a .05 vs a .058 gauge chain?  Is one recommended over the other depending on what kind of work you are doing.'  Something to do with torque and higher revs??

You're a busy man SawTroll.  When do you have time to cut, work, and take care of SW?  Oh that's right, it's 24hrs. of day light up there. ;D ;D

Have a great one.

[NYH1]

You should be able to run any chain that is .325" pitch, .058" gauge with 72 drive links.  Your bar and chain are set up to match one another.  Don't try to run a .050 gauge chain on an .058 gauge bar.  The "gauge" is the width of the drive links that ride inside the groove in the bar.      

I believe the H25 chain is the same as Oregon's 21BP chain.  My New Edition 346XP came with a 16" bar and H21 chain (Oregon 21LP).    

I'm pretty sure that H30 and H38 are the same chains, Oregon 95VP.  H30 is .050 gauge and H38 is .058 gauge.

I've never ran the 45cc 346XP so I don't know if you'd be better off with the H21, H25 or the H38.  Sorry.              

[NYH1]

SawTroll, Noodle said his saw is the 45cc 346XP.

[jokers]

95vp is a very good chain for this size saw. The 21lp will cut faster in clean wood if the saw pulls it without bogging, but it won`t hold an edge as long. There are other smaller chisel alternatives such as the Oregon .325 LGs which are still available in many shops and Carlton or Woodsman Pro .325.

[SawTroll]

S.T.
I only used the 95vp as an example.  In this case, the 95vp wont work since he'd have to change out his drive sprocket and bar (.058 vs. .05).

This is the old edition 346.  Would you explain why the narrow kerf (95vp) chain is not a good match.  I believe this would be in line with one of Noodle's ques.  "Is there a big difference between running a .05 vs a .058 gauge chain?  Is one recommended over the other depending on what kind of work you are doing.'  Something to do with torque and higher revs??

You're a busy man SawTroll.  When do you have time to cut, work, and take care of SW?  Oh that's right, it's 24hrs. of day light up there. ;D ;D

Have a great one.

Thank you, and the 95VP works great on a stock 45cc 346xp, but on the new 50cc one there are better options.

I actually got around to some cutting with my NE one yesterday, with a 21LP set-up, and I have a 3/8" set-up waiting.......

Btw, the sprockets is the same, regardless of gauge.

[Noodle]

Thanks for all the great information.  Sounds like either an Oregon 21BP or 21LP 72 link .058" gauge will work.

btw, is the new 50cc 346XP a huge improvement over the 45cc version?  I have to say the 45CC is light and very powerful.  The 50cc must rock.

[ladylake]

Troll   After you get that 3/8 on there let us know how it cuts.  I'd guess a little faster in 6" and under and quite a bit slower in 10" plus.   Steve

[SawTroll]

Troll   After you get that 3/8 on there let us know how it cuts.  I'd guess a little faster in 6" and under and quite a bit slower in 10" plus.   Steve

I have about the same general expectations, but I believe it depends on the wood as well..... ;)


...and then there is the .325x8 option...... ;D

[SawTroll]

Thanks for all the great information.  Sounds like either an Oregon 21BP or 21LP 72 link .058" gauge will work.

btw, is the new 50cc 346XP a huge improvement over the 45cc version?  I have to say the 45CC is light and very powerful.  The 50cc must rock.

Nothing wrong with .050 gauge, if that is more common in your area.

Nothing wrong with the ol' 346, but the new one is quite a bit stronger, and has a wider useful powerband, in addition to more max power.
It doesn't rev as high though, 14.1K max, and is a tad heavier.

The old one was concieved more as a high-speed limbing saw, while the new one is an excellent small allround saw.... 8) 8)

[ladylake]

Troll   After you get that 3/8 on there let us know how it cuts.  I'd guess a little faster in 6" and under and quite a bit slower in 10" plus.   Steve

I have about the same general expectations, but I believe it depends on the wood as well..... ;)

...and then there is the .325x8 option...... ;D


In soft wood it would be a little bigger before the difference showed up. Around here it's oak ash elm and butter(basswood and birch)   Try cutting some dried out red elm, almost as hard as steel.   Steve

[SawTroll]

Troll   After you get that 3/8 on there let us know how it cuts.  I'd guess a little faster in 6" and under and quite a bit slower in 10" plus.   Steve

I have about the same general expectations, but I believe it depends on the wood as well..... ;)

...and then there is the .325x8 option...... ;D

In soft wood it would be a little bigger before the difference showed up. .....

I believe so, I mostly cut birch, but is is really slow-grown, a 16" one can be 100 years old, so they are not butter......

[ENTS]

.....

Btw, the sprockets is the same, regardless of gauge.

You're absolutely right.  Brain disengaged at time I guess.

Later,

[SawTroll]

.....

Btw, the sprockets is the same, regardless of gauge.

You're absolutely right.  Brain disengaged at time I guess.

Later,

Happens to everyone, now and then......

[Cut4fun]

If I was going to run .325 on a 346. I would be using in 325 Stihl RS or RSC for clean wood and Stihl RM for the dirty wood cutting.
If running 3/8 I would have Oregon LGX, Square Chisel Oregon CL, Oregon LG Round Chisel, Stihl RSLK, Stihl RSC for the clean wood and Stihl  RM for dirty wood. JMO.
You can buy Stihl chain for about the same as the rest online.

Do they have Oregon LGX in .325? If so add that to the .325 list and try it out for clean wood.

My stock Partner 5000's pull 3/8's with 7T just fine without any bogging in 16" bar buried in oak and ash. My stock Partner 500 and 5000 with .325 and Stihl RS with hogged out cutters to use 7/32 file instead of the 3/16  file  (just something I tried and liked) also do not have any problems with bogging.  I also have the 5/32 cutters in  Oregon and Carlton .325 chain on a few 5000's and they just cut slower due to the cutters.

[SawTroll]

If I was going to run .325 on a 346. I would be using in 325 Stihl RS or RSC for clean wood and Stihl RM for the dirty wood cutting.
If running 3/8 I would have Oregon LGX, Square Chisel Oregon CL, Oregon LG Round Chisel, Stihl RSLK, Stihl RSC for the clean wood and Stihl  RM for dirty wood. JMO.
You can buy Stihl chain for about the same as the rest online.

Do they have Oregon LGX in .325? If so add that to the .325 list and try it out for clean wood.
...

Like some others, you keep dismissing the Oregon LP/LPX chain - but they are among the best out there.......

[Cut4fun]

If I was going to run .325 on a 346. I would be using in 325 Stihl RS or RSC for clean wood and Stihl RM for the dirty wood cutting.
If running 3/8 I would have Oregon LGX, Square Chisel Oregon CL, Oregon LG Round Chisel, Stihl RSLK, Stihl RSC for the clean wood and Stihl  RM for dirty wood. JMO.
You can buy Stihl chain for about the same as the rest online.

Do they have Oregon LGX in .325? If so add that to the .325 list and try it out for clean wood.
...

Like some others, you keep dismissing the Oregon LP/LPX chain - but they are among the best out there.......

I tried one loop of LP 3/8 and it was given to me to try out and use up and I will not buy any after trying it and using it up, nuff said.  I am really surprised you like LP ST after they have added all that extra WEIGHT in the chain with those extra drive link bumpers  :D  8).

Was just given 2 more LP types by ATOP of Sweden to try out in my chain testing,  in 058 gage. One is a Square filed LP and the other is a Goofy filed LP, filed on their ATOP guides. I didn't like the cut of the goofy filed one, but that Square filed one was fast and smooth and tested with the best of them in my 11 chain test I just did. The ATOP square guide is still just a proto type and Admicks has the first 500 produced ordered.

Pics of Oregon chain types in this link.  http://web.archive.org/web/20070331080353/www.brownandwiser.com/oregon_cross_ref.html

[SawTroll]

I am really surprised you like LP ST after they have added all that extra WEIGHT in the chain with those extra drive link bumpers  :D  8).

:D :D

Those small ramps doesn't add much weight, and the rakers are much "slimmer" than on LG, RS, RSC etc.

Both Carlton and Stihl messed that basic design up when they sort of copied it, but that's another story........ :

[NYH1]

You can buy Stihl chain for about the same as the rest online.

Got a link?  Thanks!  ;)