OT, .63 Gauge Chain

Bryce Frazier · Sep 15, 2015

Anyone out there run .63 on their chainsaws?

I got my hands on a 32" bar for my 288 XP Husqvarna, but, it is .63 gauge, and I have never been around it.

EVERYONE I know over here has told me to stay away from .63, and to just run .50, which is what I have on my other 288 with the 28" bar.

After looking at the price difference, I decided not to buy the proper chain yesterday, just didn't make sense to me. I think I need to resell this bar, and go back to 50 gauge, your thoughts?

I just figured then all three of my saws would be using the same chain, and if need be, I could at some point buy a roll of chain, and start making my own (which is a for sure possibility). Having an "odd ball" size just doesn't seem wise...

Thanks, Bryce

MichiganMike · Sep 15, 2015

Stay with the same breed of dog. Change the sprocket also. Best of luck... MTP

RGMartin · Sep 15, 2015

The newer Stihls are .063" the last Carlton chains I bought were under $15(20"). I don't know why you would buy the wrong chain for a bar intentionally.

onefarmer · Sep 15, 2015

Don't worry about all your saws having the same gauge chain unless all the saws can use the same chain. I don't see what difference going to a .063 would be besides some strength and it shouldn't cost that much more.

As for buying chain bulk and making your own loops, it works great. How much it saves depends on the cost of the bulk reel of course. I've been watching ebay and picking up partly used reels. I went as far as making an Excel spread sheet where I can input the total cost of the reel I get, length of it and it will calculate the number of loops in various lengths and how much should be left over.

MichiganMike · Sep 15, 2015

Bryce, I reread your post. I thought you got the saw w/ the bar. I would keep the bar you bought. Buy a chain and sprocket. Then I would use it for bucking the bigger stuff.You never know what kind of deal you may walk into later... MTP

Bryce Frazier · Sep 15, 2015

Starting to think you are right...

I built the power head from spare parts, then hopped it up, so it has a good bit more snort than it did from factory!!

I was on the market for a bar, and at the time, couldn't afford the $90 for a 28" bar (which is what I wanted in the first place), so I did some trading and this popped up!! Just grabbed it, even though it was wrong, because in all actuality, I only paid about $20 for the bar, and it is worth 3 or 4 times that!

I should be able to find a sprocket somewhere, and a Chain from the local JD dealer (who carries Stihl) then I should be good to go!

Around here in this part of the country (North Idaho) we don't really have huge trees anymore, but, just the other day I was hired to get a White Pine on the ground that a guy bought to make beams out of... 28" bar just dissapeared inside the tree, Tree was 41 inches across.... Wowwwww.... :0

2x4 · Sep 15, 2015

my big Stihls run the 0.63 gauge in .404 pitch. You will need this type chain & a .404 sprocket on the saw to run that bar. This is a stronger (thicker) chain than your other saws which most likely run 0.50 gauge with 3/8ths pitch. I would go with using the stronger chain on the big logs, since all you have to do is make sure the right sprocket is on the saw.

T.R.K. · Sep 15, 2015

Price difference? Where I work, the .063 chain and the .050 are the same price per link.

Lots of larger stihl saws run the .063. If you do put the bar on, be sure your clutch sprocket can hold the .063 chain. I think this only applies if you run a rim sprocket on the clutch, as the paddle type sprockets should work fine.

Bret4207 · Sep 17, 2015

I would have thought a "professional logger" would know that you have to use the correct gauge chain for the bar. .050, .058 and .063 are common as dirt. And the sprocket isn't going to need changing either, although a rim drive might. Longer bars tend to use .063 for the added strength needed for the extra torque the longer bar/chain develops.

Bryce Frazier · Sep 17, 2015

Wow.... You are just never going to let that go are you?! I don't get it...

I would have to change the sprocket because I run different "performance" clutches on my saws, and they have a specific floating sprocket on the inside, and they are set up for .50 gauge chain.

Stay off my dam posts. I don't care to hear from you.

Thanks, Bryce

Bret4207 · Sep 18, 2015

Cursing is a violation of the TOS agreement here. It's also a sign of an immature personality. Grow up.

Bryce Frazier · Sep 18, 2015

Well, according to some of the things you have said to/about me in the past, I AM 5 years old, and dumb as a flat rock, so, I guess it is fitting....

Thanks for your input, Bryce

blue924.9 · Sep 18, 2015

(quoted from post at 05:36:23 09/18/15)
Cursing is a violation of the TOS agreement here. It's also a sign of an immature personality. Grow up.

you may want to look at that again, since you want to get technical there is in fact no curse words in that post

OT, .63 Gauge Chain

Bryce Frazier

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MichiganMike

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RGMartin

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onefarmer

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MichiganMike

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Bryce Frazier

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2x4

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T.R.K.

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Bret4207

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Bryce Frazier

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Bret4207

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Bryce Frazier

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blue924.9

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