Saw chain query

[joe_indi]

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a semi skip and full skip in comparision to a full comp chain?

Joe

[Ianab]

Skip chain is better when using a longer bar. You have less cutters in the wood, so you can use a longer bar than your powerhead would normally drive well. The skip chain also has more room to clear chips when it's in a long cut.
Disadvantages, it's slower in small wood when your saw has plenty of power and it's rougher cutting in small cuts like limbing.

Exactly when you should swap over depends on the saw power, wood type and even the operator. But generally, longer bar = skip chain, shorter bar = full comp. Semi skip is just in the middle for those that cant make up their mind ;)

Cheers

Ian

[sawguy21]

Good points Ian. I get requests for skip chain on shorter bars because fewer cutters to file. However, they need more frequent sharpening, fewer cutters doing more work, and the risk of kickback is higher. It really should only be used by the pros. Just my $.02

[Warbird]

Good points Ian. I get requests for skip chain on shorter bars because fewer cutters to file. However, they need more frequent sharpening, fewer cutters doing more work, and the risk of kickback is higher. It really should only be used by the pros. Just my $.02

What he said.  ;D

[rebocardo]

I haven't see any real change when using semi-skip, so I do not use it anymore. I did direct comparison between the three types on 20" and 28" bars with different types of chain (72 series, 73 series, etc.).

Now I use full comp for <=20" and skip for my 28"+ bars.

EXCEPT when I had a Husky 3120, I used full comp on the 36" bar because the saw was more then enough to run the chain and more then enough to kill me with full skip if I made a mistake while notching a tree from both sides.