.050 and .058 gauge chain

[snowshoveler]

I was just checking some chains and have noticed that these chains,both oregon and stihl in the 72 and 73 are the same width on the top.
I always thought the .050 took a narower bite and was therefore a bit faster.
Am I just being silly or did they used to make the drivers thin all the way to the top. Now they are stepped.
Maybe I am just loosing my marbles.
  Chris

[Stihlnorm]

gauge refers to the thickness of the driver only, has no impact on the cutter design or size. Also determines the width of the chain rail in your bar.

[snowshoveler]

I knew that the gauge refered to the thickness of the driver....050 is 50 thou and .058 is 58 thou. which is also the groove width in the bar. I had always thought that the "narrow" chain was actually Narrow.
After measuring things with the fancy new vernier caliper, I find that the 72 and 73 chain is the exact same everywhere except for the spot on the driver where it enters the bar. The rest of the driver is .058 wide.
I guess my point is why bother to make the 72 chain at all. Should be cheaper to make and stock the one thickness.
Chris

[Al_Smith]

They tell me that 58 thou chain is popular in Australia .

[Corley5]

We use 58 up here.  Most saw shops don't stock 50.

[bandmiller2]

Always thought .058 was a husky thing and .050 stihl.Have any of you fellas tried a .058 in a worn .050 bar groove.? Mayby we need a tool to clean out a .050 groove to .058. Frank C.

[Al_Smith]

I think it must be a regional thing .I collect saws and the ones from around here in praticular Mac 10 series have .050 bars .Some of the west coast saws have 58 thou bars .

I've also noticed that perhaps some areas of the PNW prefer .063 gauge in 3/8" chain size .It's not seen in these parts .

For actual cutting in a working situation the gauge would have little effect on how the saw cuts .In a racing situation the lighter framed .050 would be the choice  no doubt .

[saltydog]

Ive ran 50s in 58 bars never had a problem .just more room for oil

[sawguy21]

What bandmiller said. For some reason .058 seems to be a Swedish thing, we never saw it before Husky and jonnyred hit these shores. Stihl stuck with .050 but used .063 on the big torquey lay owns and the 070/090. We get very little call for .063 anymore. The one that puzzles me is .325 pitch with .063 drivers, what is the purpose?
Some guys will run all three sizes as the bar wears, an 050 bar worn enough to run .063 has mighty thin rails. ;D

[ladylake]

Sure it make it easy if they would make either .50  or .58 the only size for .325 and 3/8 chain.     Steve

[birddogtg]

Here in Ohio.050 seems to be the most common in 3/8 but one thing that has always confused me is all the Stihl .325 pitch bars and chain are .063 gauge. Like a 290 is going to rip as .050 in half.

[AdkStihl]

.063 drivers will carry more oil than an .050, however some of the newer, longer bars (STIHL) will most likely be .050. Reasoning.....less rotating mass.

[Al_Smith]

If you research it they also made heavy chain like .404 and 1/2" in 50,58 and 63 thou .Why I have no idea but they did .Fact I have two .404 by .058 bars and the chain is getting pretty rare for them .

I could never figure out the .325 by .063 either .

[AdkStihl]

If you research it they also made heavy chain like .404 and 1/2" in 50,58 and 63 thou .Why I have no idea but they did .Fact I have two .404 by .058 bars and the chain is getting pretty rare for them .

I could never figure out the .325 by .063 either .

I run .404 x .063 on my 08 w/ 17" bar.
In the early yrs they came originally with .404 and its really only a conversation piece and backup saw.
It is however becoming harder to find.

[Al_Smith]

What .404 by .063 ? Not really Baileys has it by the ton .The price has risen a tad bit though since I last purchased any .

Now if you are talking about chipper chain ,the real stuff that is rather rare these days .Probabley new old stock from an old saw shop or flea bay .

[AdkStihl]

STIHL square ground - half skip
Bought what my dealer had left on the reel.

[Al_Smith]

Quite frankly a .404 chain if bought locally would most likely need to be ordered .The only thing sold locally that would use that size would be a Stihl MS 880 and they only sell one about  every two years maybe three if that .

Personally on stuff like that I just order it from Baileys  and get it in 2-3  days .