Do You Know How To Measure A Chain Saw Blade And Chain? | Tools and Resources

By CullenBlakeman
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At some point, you will likely feel it is necessary to replace the chain from your well-used chainsaw and it will be important that you know both the length of your chainsaw blade as well as the length and type of chain you will need. Looking at charts can get confusing but it really isn't that hard once you know what to look for in determining the length of both the chainsaw blade and chain.

The length of the chain will be determined by the length of your chainsaw bar. Some companies actually make this easy for you by including the bar size as part of the model number. Oregon chainsaws do this for you with the length of the bar as the first two numbers of the 10-digit number stamped on the blade at the end nearest the motor.

Don't have an Oregon chainsaw that easily shows you the length of the blade? Then here are some tips for figuring it out yourself.

How Do You Measure A Chain Saw Blade?

Measuring a chainsaw blade is actually quite simple. Just measure the blade from where the bar comes out of the casing, all the way to the end of the bar. No need to measure around the perimeter.

Blade and bar are two terms that are both used to indicate the same item. This is the blade that extends from the casing of the motor and carries the chain which is what does the sawing for you.

Chainsaw blades are measured in two-inch increments. The most popular sizes are 16, 18 and 20 inches, although you may find some saws with blades ranging from 10 inches to 42 inches in length. If you don't think your blade ends in an even number, round up to the nearest measurement.

The Proper Way To Measure A Chain Saw Chain

To measure the chain on your chainsaw, there are two things you will need to know ... the number of drive links and the pitch of the chain.

A drive link is simply a tooth on the chain and your chain's length is determined by the number of drive links (or teeth). The pitch of the chain also affects the size of the drive links.

To determine the pitch of the chain, simply measure the distance between any three rivets on the chain and then divide that amount by two. The chain pitch must match the pitch of the drive sprocket and also the bar nose sprocket. You will find the pitch stamped on the drive link.

To be more specific, a 1/4" pitch chain might have 52 drive links and be 2.17 feet in length, while a 3/8" pitch with 52 drive links would be 3.18 feet in length. The number of drive links has a direct correlation to the blade length.

When in doubt, check with the chainsaw manufacturer or anyone who actually makes chains and they should be able to help you further.

About the Author

So now that you have learned how to measure a chainsaw chain and chainsaw blade and are ready to find a replacement, come see the deals that update daily at ChainsawDeals.com

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