Chainsaw chains from America???

locky76

I remember a while back there was a discussion on buying chainsaw chains from America and the potential savings.
Has anyone got a recommeneded website which they've used and which deliveres to Ireland.
Thanks in advance;).

johngalway

http://myworld.ebay.com/asc_auto_parts

This guy, have bought from him a couple of times. Good quality gear at the right price. Bit slow on the communication front so if you need questions answered you kinda need to hammer away a bit until ya get a reply. But it's the genuine article he sends.

bob charles

If you employ someone to use a chainsaw without a CE mark you will be liable if there is an accident, if your employee gets injured your insurance wont cover such a machine so you will foot the bill. Just be warned. any could do with one myself for self use, the bushman is tough work for anyone out of there teens as we dont be using those arm muscles as much as before :pac:

reilig

locky76 wrote: »

I remember a while back there was a discussion on buying chainsaw chains from America and the potential savings.
Has anyone got a recommeneded website which they've used and which deliveres to Ireland.
Thanks in advance;).

This guy is based in louth. He sells some very reasonable Oregon chains in any size you need. Just contact him with the size you want and he'll sort it out for you. I don't think you'll beat his price by bringing chains from the US - and you won't get stung for any import tax either.

VNP

A contractor told me a couple of weeks ago that you re paying 2 prices in irish shops, to buy online from the UK sites, possibly the US might be cheaper?, suppose it depends on whether your buying spools or just a couple of chains, def cheaper if the latter, There s no CE mark on a chain either (yet) just make sure you re not buying some yoke without kick back reduction guard links as they're still available for special jobs.

O.A.P

VNP wrote: »

A contractor told me a couple of weeks ago that you re paying 2 prices in irish shops, to buy online from the UK sites, possibly the US might be cheaper?, suppose it depends on whether your buying spools or just a couple of chains, def cheaper if the latter, There s no CE mark on a chain either (yet) just make sure you re not buying some yoke without kick back reduction guard links as they're still available for special jobs.

I make a point of not getting chains with anti kickback links (teeth) because the few times I have tried with them it felt like blunt chain, am I wrong?

VNP

Maybe it was a blunt chain Unless you need chains without specifically you might aswell get the chains with them, they re for your own benefit. I dont think theres a big differ in the cut rate, depends what job ur at.

O.A.P

It might have been it was not on my saw but I put it down to the safety chain at the time and told the man who owned it to invest in the proper stuff. I felled some trees and cut them into rings for him, he was there with his own saw, for a day or two and asked me to use it for a few cuts and see what I thought. Thats what I thought.

johngalway

I 100% doubt any Irish seller will be cheaper than the above Ebay link, including postage.

reilig

Just resurecting this thread to say that I found a great source in the usa for keenly priced chainsaw chains.

http://stores.ebay.com/Simplethings-Small-Engine

I've just received 4 chains from him. 2 are 20 inch chains for my hysky 365.
They cost $36 in total (That's €27 or €13.50 each - They cost €35 from my Husky Dealer.

2 are 14 inch chains for $11 each - that's €8.30 each - they cost €22 from the dealer.

Total postage is $13 or under €10 and delivery took 5 working days.

Worth a look if you have a bit of sawing to do. You can hardly get a chain sharpened for €13.50.

pakalasa

That's great. Thanks.
I'm about to buy one myself at the moment.

barryoc1

Just looking at that site Reilig. Bit of a novice when it comes to buyin chains. I have a Husky with 18 inch bar. Can anyone tell me whats the difference between these two chains that i see on that site for an 18 bar.
Husqvarna Chainsaw Chain 18" .325 Pitch .050 Gauge 72DL
Husqvarna Chainsaw Chain 18 inch (62 drive links)
I presume there is a difference in the amount of drive links but why? Which one would be the normal one, or is there a normal?? Bottom chain is bout 3 dollars cheaper also.

reilig

barryoc1 wrote: »

Just looking at that site Reilig. Bit of a novice when it comes to buyin chains. I have a Husky with 18 inch bar. Can anyone tell me whats the difference between these two chains that i see on that site for an 18 bar.
Husqvarna Chainsaw Chain 18" .325 Pitch .050 Gauge 72DL
Husqvarna Chainsaw Chain 18 inch (62 drive links)
I presume there is a difference in the amount of drive links but why? Which one would be the normal one, or is there a normal?? Bottom chain is bout 3 dollars cheaper also.

I'm no expert on chains. I use enough of them, but I always just give the make and model of my saw when buying them and ask them to give me the chain that suits it.

As far as I can understand, both chains that you have identified above are 18". One has 72 drive links, one has 62. The one with 62 drive links will have longer links than the one with the 72. Therefore, it might not fit the sprocket on your saw or it may fit and cause excessive wear. You need to count the number of links on the chain that is already on your saw and buy one with the same number of links. What you buy should also have the same gauge and pitch as what is already on your saw.

Most of these guys that are selling chains will be able to tell you exactly what chain you need if you give them the make, model and bar length of your saw - that's how I always do it.

Tora Bora

reilig wrote: »

I'm no expert on chains. I use enough of them, but I always just give the make and model of my saw when buying them and ask them to give me the chain that suits it.

As far as I can understand, both chains that you have identified above are 18". One has 72 drive links, one has 62. The one with 62 drive links will have longer links than the one with the 72. Therefore, it might not fit the sprocket on your saw or it may fit and cause excessive wear. You need to count the number of links on the chain that is already on your saw and buy one with the same number of links. What you buy should also have the same gauge and pitch as what is already on your saw.

Most of these guys that are selling chains will be able to tell you exactly what chain you need if you give them the make, model and bar length of your saw - that's how I always do it.

OR, if you happen to have the box the last chain you bought came in.
Details on there.

snowman707

reilig wrote: »

Just resurecting this thread to say that I found a great source in the usa for keenly priced chainsaw chains.

http://stores.ebay.com/Simplethings-Small-Engine

I've just received 4 chains from him. 2 are 20 inch chains for my hysky 365.
They cost $36 in total (That's €27 or €13.50 each - They cost €35 from my Husky Dealer.

2 are 14 inch chains for $11 each - that's €8.30 each - they cost €22 from the dealer.

Total postage is $13 or under €10 and delivery took 5 working days.

Worth a look if you have a bit of sawing to do. You can hardly get a chain sharpened for €13.50.

had you to pay any customs duty?

reilig

No. If I had I believe it would have been 20%. Even at that the chains are cheap.

snowman707 wrote: »

reilig wrote: »

Just resurecting this thread to say that I found a great source in the usa for keenly priced chainsaw chains.

http://stores.ebay.com/Simplethings-Small-Engine

I've just received 4 chains from him. 2 are 20 inch chains for my hysky 365.
They cost $36 in total (That's €27 or €13.50 each - They cost €35 from my Husky Dealer.

2 are 14 inch chains for $11 each - that's €8.30 each - they cost €22 from the dealer.

Total postage is $13 or under €10 and delivery took 5 working days.

Worth a look if you have a bit of sawing to do. You can hardly get a chain sharpened for €13.50.

had you to pay any customs duty?

CJhaughey

barryoc1 wrote: »

Just looking at that site Reilig. Bit of a novice when it comes to buyin chains. I have a Husky with 18 inch bar. Can anyone tell me whats the difference between these two chains that i see on that site for an 18 bar.
Husqvarna Chainsaw Chain 18" .325 Pitch .050 Gauge 72DL
Husqvarna Chainsaw Chain 18 inch (62 drive links)
I presume there is a difference in the amount of drive links but why? Which one would be the normal one, or is there a normal?? Bottom chain is bout 3 dollars cheaper also.

The difference is the chain pitch.
You usually have .325 and 3/8 pitch the 3/8th pitch is generally for saws of 60cc or over.
.325 is 60cc and under.
The second important part is the gauge, which is the thickness of the drive link. This is usually 0.58 on Huskys with .325 chain. Rarely you can encounter .050 stuff but that is usually narrow kerf chain.
If you have a Stihl they usually run .063 gauge chain.

Eleganza

With conventional 3/8 chain as a bar gets older you can step up the gauge to keep it cutting straight.

older japanese small saws used 1/4 chain
small saws typically use 3/8 low pro.
medium sized saws use .325
large saws use 3/8
very large saws use .404 gauge

3/8 chain can have a gauge .050 .058 or .063.
Old Japanese saws used to run on .050 and after the bar got worn they could be stepped up to .058
Most other 3/8 bars were on .058 that by about the 4th or 5th chain could step up to .063. Those saws would be mostly the swedish and american stuff and the more modern saws from around the world.

Stihl use the wider gauge .063 by default.

A bar should be ground and filed before a new chain is fitted as the chain will last longer and there is less chance of the tie straps wearing down to the rivets and breaking during use.

the type of chain to use and number of drive links may be imprinted on the bar if it is still the original bar or else it will be in the manual.

The prices being quoted for chains seem high here so I'd guess people are being ripped off and driven to the internet but I would say that the local distributor is ripping the dealers off on rolls of chain too.

As for brands, Oregon and Stihl are good.
Carlton was fine but an absolute bitch to hand sharpen as you go up the pitch sizes.
Sandvik chain was great but haven't seen it in ages.
OEM chain from electrolux would be great but you would never know if you were getting real OEM chain as it comes on unbranded rolls.

I've seen ebay ads for chain which appears to be chinese junk that I'd avoid

If you want an agressive chain get full tooth chain e.g. from Oregon look for LP instead of SP chain.

I considered selling chains and bars online but the postage costs are prohibitive as chain is heavy and the market limited.

snowman707

good advise ^

my maintenance man only uses oregon and we do a fair amount of sawing including some rough going , usually get 2 years from a chain , ( 2 saws with old chains used for rough work)

I sharpen them my self with an ordinary file holder and the saw clamped in a vice and every so often get the bar filed

pakalasa

reilig wrote: »

Just resurecting this thread to say that I found a great source in the usa for keenly priced chainsaw chains.

http://stores.ebay.com/Simplethings-Small-Engine

I've just received 4 chains from him. 2 are 20 inch chains for my hysky 365.
They cost $36 in total (That's €27 or €13.50 each - They cost €35 from my Husky Dealer.

2 are 14 inch chains for $11 each - that's €8.30 each - they cost €22 from the dealer.

Total postage is $13 or under €10 and delivery took 5 working days.

Worth a look if you have a bit of sawing to do. You can hardly get a chain sharpened for €13.50.

Reilig, did those chains work out OK.
I'm going to order some from them.

reilig

Top notch chains. I have a lot of cutting done with them since I got them. They are as good as any chain that I bought from a dealer. I got files from him before Christmas. He's great to deal with.

pakalasa wrote: »

reilig wrote: »

Just resurecting this thread to say that I found a great source in the usa for keenly priced chainsaw chains.

http://stores.ebay.com/Simplethings-Small-Engine

I've just received 4 chains from him. 2 are 20 inch chains for my hysky 365.
They cost $36 in total (That's €27 or €13.50 each - They cost €35 from my Husky Dealer.

2 are 14 inch chains for $11 each - that's €8.30 each - they cost €22 from the dealer.

Total postage is $13 or under €10 and delivery took 5 working days.

Worth a look if you have a bit of sawing to do. You can hardly get a chain sharpened for €13.50.

Reilig, did those chains work out OK.
I'm going to order some from them.

pakalasa

Grand, Thanks.
He's away at the moment, getting a tan somewhere I suppose..