Anyone recommend switching 325 to3/8 chain on a 346 xp?
I'm running 3/8 on mine, i switched cause i'm running a 16" bar on the 562 xpg also. I think it takes away some power tho.
I wouldn't. That saw is meant to scream. Why do u want to? Holds an edge a little longer. I have a 254xp and most folks switch to 3/8 on them but I use .325 and it flies through the wood. Almost too fast for fir...oops I just cut through my hinge. Doh! :-)
Both work fine, but I prefere to use .325 (regular .325, like 21LPX, not the nk stuff).
.325 is just a little nicer to work with, and mostly a little faster (on a stock saw at least).
There is nothing wrong with trying both, just remember to use comparable chain (like Oregon LPX in both pitches).
Yep I recommend it. 325 sucks. More cutters to file and dulls faster.
Quote from: ga jones on May 10, 2014, 07:05:46 PM
Yep I recommend it. 325 sucks. More cutters to file and dulls faster.
3 more cutters on a 16" setup, 33 vs. 30 - hardly a big deal.
And why would it dull faster. Steve
The cutting edges have more surface area so they tend to dull a little slower. They tend to cut well enough - longer may be a better way to describe it. It probably becomes more of an issue in your dirtier wood. But what wood isn't a little dirty.
I prefer a faster cutting saw that tends to stay in its power band better and I use micro chisel to cut down on sharpening time. But that's me.
This only applies to smaller saws. But you wouldn't run 3/8 on a climbing saw would you?
I run 3/8 picco on my ms200t. Not sure if you are were referring to standard 3/8, but just wanted to mention it.
Quote from: ladylake on May 11, 2014, 05:59:42 AM
And why would it dull faster. Steve
Mostly heresay + that there may be more crappy .325 chain brands and models around, giving it a bad reputation.
When making comparisons, you have to use basically the same chain make and model in both pitches. Stay with Oregon and Stihl, and be "picky" regarding which model you use.
I like Carlton better than Oregon, I think it's tougher than Oregon chain.
Quote from: JohnG28 on May 12, 2014, 08:14:03 AM
I run 3/8 picco on my ms200t. Not sure if you are were referring to standard 3/8, but just wanted to mention it.
I meant standard.
To be honest I was disappointed in my last stihl and oregon chains. In my non scietific tests - aka just using them. I switched back to husky. I know oregon makes the husky chains but they seem to have a little harder edge in the .325 class anyway. Not to start another which chain is better thread but just saying. :)
Quote from: JohnG28 on May 12, 2014, 10:41:40 AM
I like Carlton better than Oregon, I think it's tougher than Oregon chain.
Carlton chain is rather crude - I have some, but don't really want to use them.
There are of course reason that they often sell for less money, and there aren't any miracles going on!
Care to elaborate on being crude? I never noticed anything wrong with them and they hold an edge a LOT better IMO. But to each his own. ;D
Carlton is a good quality chain for the dollar, its just that it's the same chain it was over 30 years ago.
Oregon and Stihl have had many upgrades since.
Quote from: HolmenTree on May 13, 2014, 06:36:40 PM
Carlton is a good quality chain for the dollar, its just that it's the same chain it was over 30 years ago.
Oregon and Stihl have had many upgrades since.
I have no opinion either way. I don't but enough chains to really make a comparison. My question is, if it ain't broke, does it need fixing?
Quality control seems to be an issue with the manufacture of todays Carlton sawchain from what I've experienced.
From my experience recently on loops of Carlton I was hand filing, I'd come upon a cutter that was so hard the file could barely cut it....... throughout the life of the chain.
Also had depth gauges and even the whole side plate of the cutter break off too when still new.
Todays Stihl and Oregon chain has gone through a long history of technical upgrades. Anti-Vibe and Comfort which are trademark designs have made their chains cut much smoother insuring a longer reliable productive life. Also other advances in case hardening technology in manufacturing and todays computer design technology has been a big upgrade also.
I used to use Carlton chain (and Total, which I was told was the same thing). You had to sharpen it a little different than Oregon (Carlton didn't like the 10˚ down angle on the file when sharpening).
I gave up on it 4 or 5 years ago when I ran into the same problem HolmenTree describes with the hard cutters - ruined a couple of files trying to figure out why I couldn't sharpen it. I also had a couple of the teeth crack - one down the middle of the top plate, and one on the side. All of these problems can be symptoms of problems with the heat treating of the steel. The frustrating part was that it wasn't just one chain that was bad. I had four or five chains with problems, each with only a couple of bad teeth on each loop.
Thanks HT and John. I haven't seem any of those things, but I suppose I don't run through chain like a pro would either. It has been good for what I've used it though, I mainly like that it holds an edge for a while. Every Oregon chain I have tried just doesn't hold an edge for long in comparison to the others I have. Carlton ones can be a pita to file at first but I really don't notice it now.
Quote from: HolmenTree on May 14, 2014, 08:49:44 AM
Todays Stihl and Oregon chain has gone through a long history of technical upgrades. Anti-Vibe and Comfort which are trademark designs have made their chains cut much smoother insuring a longer reliable productive life. Also other advances in case hardening technology in manufacturing and todays computer design technology has been a big upgrade also.
Stihl just copied the feature from Oregon after the patent run out around 10 years ago.