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Tried a new saw chain on a storm cleanup job and learned a hard lesson fast
Last month I was doing a huge storm cleanup after that windstorm knocked down a bunch of oaks in the neighborhood. I had just bought one of those new low-kickback chains for my Stihl 261 thinking it would be safer for climbing. First big cut on a limb that was hung up and the chain just bogged down and started smoking. Ended up having to hand file it mid-job to even get through the rest of the tree. What I learned is those chains are meant for smaller stuff and maybe homeowners but not for production work. The drag was way too high and cost me at least 45 minutes extra on a job I quoted for 3 hours. Has anyone else had a bad experience switching to a safety chain on bigger diameter wood?
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nina_butler2d agoMost Upvoted
You ever bought a tool because of the name brand and then realized it was just a cheaper version with a different sticker? Sounds like that chain was more about marketing than cutting.
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sarah_brown3d ago
Hate to hear that man, it's rough when a tool you trusted lets you down on the clock. I've been burned trying a new blade or bit mid-job before and it always ends up costing more time than it saves. Hope the rest of that cleanup went smoother after you filed it out.
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jason_kelly82d ago
Oh man, tell me about it. I tried using one of those multi-bit screwdrivers on a ceiling fan once because my regular one was in the truck, and the bit literally snapped off inside the screw head. Had to spend an extra hour with a pair of pliers just to get the dang thing out, never again.
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