404 or 3/8 8 tooth really comes down to how wide that torque curve is. Saws like the 462 hate it, 460's can tolerate it. It's really hit and miss on saws under 90cc. I know the 500 is very close to the 660 / 661 on paper but this is one of those situations where you might see what those extra 12cc can do for you. The extra depth gauge height on 404 really works the smaller saws hard. I'm all for it and run hard nose bars partly so I can swap between 3/8 and 404. If the 500i is happy to run it, 46RS is a great chain. Oregon 27X is a good 404 semi chisel chain as well. I found a uniquely Australian problem with Stihl Hexa chain on Friday. Its kerf is too narrow to clear the bark on green, stringy bark trees and the bar keeps getting caught in the kerf. 46RS fixed that problem.
@ChainsawUsers
3 ай бұрын
I guess what one man calls a great combination others will dispute. Yes wood density wood moisture and wood thats interlocking, all can affect what saw you use what gauge you use what bar size you use and what chain type you use and also what gearing you use ( Sproket size ). That said this is all useless if the end user can not sharpen a chain so it's razor sharp and set the rakers correctly. If you have a good knowledge of all these things a operator ( logger ) will choose his saw chain and bar size for the job. I really don't like a big heavy saw like ms 661at 7.5kg head weight add fuel oil and bar say 30 inches you are pushing 10kg. The 500i at 6.2kg light bar say 25 inch you be pushing about 8kg that is heavy enough to use. But even in the the Stihl 400 range of saws there are many options as well as the 600 series saws
@SawChainTheories
3 ай бұрын
@@ChainsawUsers Given how cheap rim sprockets are it's definitely worth trying but experience has taught me it doesn't always work as intended. High chain speed is the only time we have issues with chip clearance in our wood.
@ChainsawUsers
3 ай бұрын
If you download the stihl chart that shows chainsaw models and below us the recommended chain you will see 660 661 and 880 will say 3/8 and 404 chains. Simply put you need big saws to pull a 404 chain.
@PurpleNovember
3 ай бұрын
We’ve found that 404 is significantly more durable than 3/8 and stays sharper much longer. A 20” or 25” lightweight with 46RS or 46RSK and an 8 pin sounds awesome! We’re running a 36” full skip 404 on our 500i and it does great. I’m still tuning the chain to the saw so we’re going back and forth between a seven and eight pin but keep going to the 8 pin because it clears chips better. We run full skip for chip evacuation in our cutting conditions. We’re also wanting to play around with 404 on our 261 but haven’t done anything yet. I’m not worried about power because I know how to tune a chain. It’ll cut cookies a little slower than 3/8 but the 404 finishes the cutting quicker because it stays sharper longer and the wider kerf helps reduce pinching as the day goes on. Our cutting conditions are not typical though.
@ChainsawUsers
3 ай бұрын
I find as long as the chain is razor sharp and a 8 tooth sproket on a med saw say 80cc can handel a bar 20inch to 25inch. You won't be able to do this on a long bar as you would know it will just bog down. A MS880 comes with 8 tooth sproket but that is a huge saw
@adelarsen9776
3 ай бұрын
Well I've got a pro saw with a 404 bar and chain. It's 50 years old and only 60cc and it's got no chain brake... It's a German made Dolmar. Runs well but it's a museum piece. I changed my 261 to 3/8th 063 but I have never thought about changing any saw up to 404.
@SawChainTheories
3 ай бұрын
Is it a Dolmar CA?
@adelarsen9776
3 ай бұрын
@@SawChainTheories Yes, In mint condition. It's virtually unused. :-)
@ChainsawUsers
3 ай бұрын
8 tooth sproket can be used on a med saw provided you use small bar. Let's say you saw can run a 36 inch bar with 7 tooth spoket and it wo4ks well, in you were to put a 24 inch on and 8 tooth spoket it should work better. Only do this on med to big saw with smaller bar. I am doing this with MS500i 20 inch bar. The 500i can run 42 inch bar with full skip tooth chain
@SawChainTheories
3 ай бұрын
@@adelarsen9776 They are a cool old saw. I always compared them to the stihl 08s because they are the same size and both were intended to be universal power heads. The 404 on these was trying to give them some chain speed. They make peak power at 7,000rpm and peak torque between 4,700 - 5,000rpm.
@adelarsen9776
3 ай бұрын
@@SawChainTheories Cool, thanks for that. When I realised it was a special saw I cleaned it up and preserved it. My dad bought it in 1970 and never used it much because saws with chain brakes came out which are safer so the saw sat around. That's how I come to have a near new vintage saw. I'm thinking of selling it.
@papyboyington4135
3 ай бұрын
It would be good to show us what it looks like in the woods, to validate your words.
@ChainsawUsers
3 ай бұрын
This is common knowledge a 404 chain will always cut better than 3/8 provided you have a 660 or 880 404 chain is not used on smaller saws below 80cc
@papyboyington4135
3 ай бұрын
@@ChainsawUsers Ok, chains with skipped teeth or not?
@ChainsawUsers
3 ай бұрын
@papyboyington4135 skip tooth is only used on long bars. I can run 36 inch bar on my 500i but can run 48 inch with full skip tooth
Пікірлер: 18