Husqvarna chainsaw questions

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Syleng1

Syleng1

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So I’ve got two Husqvarna chain saws. 5 years old 450e 18” blade and my brand new 562xp with a 20” blade.

There are a few types of chains for this- a low kickback and a more aggressive chain. What is that more aggressive called?

also the 20” blade on the 562xp needs to be longer. I was going to go 28” - how do you figure out what is the correct blade and chain for a 28”?
Current chain and blade is 3/8” .058” 72 link.
I want to go longer but not sure if longer changes chain width and link size or does it just mean more links.

I’m not new to chainsaws, but I know there are better resources than just dealer for parts.
Thanks,
Joe
 
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Skip tooth chain. You better hold the hell on when you use it.
 
Skip chain. Rakers removed. I recommend a 1/4 skip or 1/2 skip. Still has rakers, but 1/2 skip only uses half the rakers of a normal chain and 1/4 skip has 1/4 as many. A 28 is the largest bar the 528 is set up to run. Maybe go on some of the arborist forums and look around a little.
 
Garrett Ellison said:
Skip chain. Rakers removed. I recommend a 1/4 skip or 1/2 skip. Still has rakers, but 1/2 skip only uses half the rakers of a normal chain and 1/4 skip has 1/4 as many. A 28 is the largest bar the 528 is set up to run. Maybe go on some of the arborist forums and look around a little.
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Thanks- the dealer said when I bought the saw that the 562 can pull a 28” blade. He recommended a 24” but I took the 20” cause it came with a few spare chains. I’ll have to read up on how chains are designed cause it seems right now it’s easier to pick a camshaft or stall speed than a chainsaw chain. Lol! I had no idea there were so many choices.
 
I make my own chains. Most of the chain stores carry the harry homeowner "safety" chain. You want a tooth with the chisel point, its got a 90° to it instead of being rounded. Also as mentioned, the rakers have a lot to do with cutting speed.
If your chain has been sharpened a few times you may need to cut the rakers down. If they are sitting too high it wont cut well.
I have a 455 rancher and it will handle the 24" no problem. I usually run a 20 but throw the 24 on when I need it.
 
MoparMike1974 said:
I make my own chains. Most of the chain stores carry the harry homeowner "safety" chain. You want a tooth with the chisel point, its got a 90° to it instead of being rounded. Also as mentioned, the rakers have a lot to do with cutting speed.
If your chain has been sharpened a few times you may need to cut the rakers down. If they are sitting too high it wont cut well.
I have a 455 rancher and it will handle the 24" no problem. I usually run a 20 but throw the 24 on when I need it.
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.......And if the rakers are filed too low, the saw won't cut smooth and will chatter like hell!
 
I'd say that the chains are called different regions of the country. Around here, they're called Chipper Chains. I bought 2 for both my Stihls a few years ago. When I asked for them at the chainsaw place, they made sure I knew what I was getting myself into. I've been asked less questions at the gun store....lol.
 
i believe "full chisel" and "half chisel" are also terms that come into play

depending on what type of wood you want to cut, and why
 
Going from a 20 inch to a 28 is a pretty big leap. I would personally go to a 24 inch with a 3/8 chain which will take 84 driver links. Chisel or a rounder tooth will depend on how dirty the wood is you’re cutting. The chisel isn’t going to like dirt much and will go dull faster than a rounder tooth. As far as the homeowners chain, the box will be green on the side where the more aggressive chain will have yellow on the side of the box. (Pre cut Oregon chain loops). The visual difference is that the depth gauge right in front of each tooth will be just a single piece of metal whereas the homeowners chain will have more than one piece of metal in front of each tooth eliminating the tooth from taking such a big bite. If you do go 28 inch I do recommend skip tooth because you with be down a bit on power to drive a full comp chain.
(More teeth)
43 years professional woodcutter
 
Full chisel and half chisel rings a bell. Give me a break, its been 25 years since I worked at the small engine shop. :) I bet you I sharpened 10,000 chains. In the winter there was days that I just sat and sharpened chains for 8 hours a day. The boss passed away and I got all the equipment.
 
MoparMike1974 said:
Are you sure its not a 562XP ? Didnt find anything on a 462.
562 says it can handle a 28"
https://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/chainsaws/562-xp/966570302/
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Yea! My mistake 562xp. That came with 90degree chisel and they cut like insane. I can see why you go 1/2 or full skip with larger bar. Allows the engine to run wide open since less chisels are hacking at the grains. My 450 has a few 90 degree chisels and there is a major difference between that and the Johnny home owner store bought chains.
 
It's called a bar not a blade. Sorry, I had to.
 
I Aus they are called chisel and half chisel chains and yes with a 28 inch bar you will want to hang on
Years ago my husky 625 hardwood i droppped to a 18 inch bar with a half chisel chain and sliced telegraph pole into sections for stepping stones, the shorter bar increased chain speed so was like a hot knife through butter
Standard bar was 24inch
 
What is better- buying pre made chains or buy a roll and make your own? Cost is pretty cheap for pre built chains. I have like 15 chains for my smaller 450- love that saw. But only 4-5 for the 562xp. Great saw but once the large tree is down I grab the smaller one and go to town. Unless the trunk is like 30” diameter or more then I use the excavator to pick it up and cut it to length with the big saw.
 
Wow, I didn't know there were so many hard-core chainsaw guys on here.

I have a fairly large parcel of land composed mostly of oak stands and copses, and since I got tired of being a slave to the HVAC and the electric utility companies, have been relying solely on firewood for heat.

Luckily I have a really good chainsaw dealer nearby, and I have been leaving the choice of chain up to them. I just tell them that I want a chain that cuts really well, and they fix me up. One time I cut the rakers too low on one of my chains and my saw would stall out; it couldn't pull the chain with the rakers that low. I am going to study this thread and try to learn something. Thanks a lot.
 
@Bill Crowell ....you must live out in the sticks somewhere if you can still get away with burning wood for heat in CA? Somebody from CA on another forum said the enviro :realcrazy: were dogging him to death for burning firewood as a main source of heat. My wife & I have a wood stove fireplace insert, and it sure is nice in the winter! As soon as our wood comes off the splitter, we stack it on pallets. I set it up on our porch with the tractor, so we don't have to handle it 27 times between the splitter and the stove....lol.
 
Syleng1 said:
Thanks for the clarification.
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No problem. I really don't like that I felt a need to say anything but I work with chainsaws for a living. LOL. It just had to come out.

JDMopar said:
@Bill Crowell ....you must live out in the sticks somewhere if you can still get away with burning wood for heat in CA? Somebody from CA on another forum said the enviro :realcrazy: were dogging him to death for burning firewood as a main source of heat.
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That sounds like he may not have a spark arrestor on his chimney. It's actually very trendy to burn firewood, especially in the city. I notice a lot of people buying those bundles of 5 logs at the supermarket. I would like to get more facts on that.

I am a wildland firefighter with the US Forest Service. I have been a Hotshot for the last few years but previously, and back to it in 2020, I have been on wildland fire engine modules. We do a lot of firefighting out here but a lot of fuels reduction projects and prescribed fire in the winter months when there isn't much fire weather. Chainsaws, pulaskis, various hoes, and shovels are standard tools (along with 1"-1.5" hose and a pump). We use different chain for different purposes. Brushing chains and chain for limbing, we use full comp for obvious reasons (small thickness you want to have a cutter on the wood at all times). I think it's been answered but full skip is good for larger cuts, bucking, and dirty wood.

Get a raker gauge and a filer. For in between maintenance get a round file of the right size and keep the chain tuned up and you will get more time in between full sharpening. Find the most beat up tooth and take an amount of licks out of it to make it look good. Do the same number of licks on each following tooth.

If you have a large property or just a few different needs I would set the smaller saw up for limbing and brushing with a full comp chain. Set the bigger saw up with a full skip, more aggressive chain and longer bar for those big logs.

Find out what bar you're going to use (sounds like you have figured that out) and read the bar. It has the information for the chain stamped on the power head end of the bar. Gauge, pitch and drive links are all there so then all you have to do is find out how aggressive you want to cut.

Now, do you guys want to talk about felling trees? Bitchcuts, humbolt, undercut? Leaners, catface, candlesticks? Know how to read limb weight? How about cutting trees with fire in the top to stop the ember wash? Doing that in the dark is scary but sometimes you gotta get under it!
 
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So as the OP I live in a town on New England with no rules other than if your within 200ft of a neighbor... the outdoor chimney must be higher than their roof line. I own 14 acres backed up to a State forest. Closest neighbor is 1/8 mile away so I’m good.Plenty of wood for the house but when we bought the house it was totally surrounded with over growth brush, trees and crap. I actually own a pole saw too 12” stihl. But my saws an I have become best buds. I believe there are better chains and bars for the saws kinda like customizing your car. I’m no expert but I’ve been running saws as a farm worker for years. Pretty good too. But always looking for a better way to do stuff. Not ready to jump out of a plane yet to fell a tree. Lol!
 
Beautiful! 14 acres with the guarantee of no neighbors on at least one side! You are definitely in need of some saws. I would love to see the forests of New England. We don’t get the range of fall colors like you do. Green and brown, that’s it.
 
go-fish said:
Beautiful! 14 acres with the guarantee of no neighbors on at least one side! You are definitely in need of some saws. I would love to see the forests of New England. We don’t get the range of fall colors like you do. Green and brown, that’s it.
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i believe it was Mark Twain who said “if you don’t like the weather in New England, wait 15 minutes.” Lol! New England is great- the politicians need to be changed. If you ever come to New England pm me. Glad to show you around. We can hit 6 states in one day.
 
I should be able to stay warm for awhile:

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Oh definitely so! You know what say about heating with wood in the northeast don't you? The only person who it keeps warm is the one that's trying to keep up with fire... Done a lot of it and miss having it, though. There's nothing like getting right next to wood and coal heat when you need to warm up, though.
 
That leaner looks like a problem. Carful with that one. Look where your binds are and have an escape route.

It’s still Fire season here in CA. No substantial rain yet. We got a fire right before lunch yesterday and worked it till 1 am. Slept in the fire engine and woke up at 5:30 and found some spot fires outside of the containment lines.
Our practice is to get hose lays started on it , saws come in and cut the brush and make a containment line. Mop up is next. That entails taking out any remaining heat on the line and interior. We occasionally get help from retardant dropping aircraft. Yesterday we got dumped on. This is my engine. I got soaked.

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