“Using the wrong size bar or chain can damage the chainsaw and injure the chainsaw operator,” says Vince Christofora of Woodstock Hardware. Read on to learn how to measure your chainsaw’s bar and chain. Sometimes called a chainsaw blade, the chainsaw bar is the metal “Arm” that holds and supports the chain during cutting.
Measure the distance between any 3 consecutive rivets that hold the chain assembly together. The rivets are noticeable between the drive links and the cutters – the cutting teeth that lie on top of the chain. The pitch, together with the number of drive links, describes the chain’s length when seeking replacement chains.
The following explains how you measure a chainsaw chain and also includes some important tips for chain care. You may need to remove the chain to do this, but might be able to loosen the chain and then spin it above the bar to count. If you have ever wondered about what those numbers on a chainsaw bar meant, or was confused as to how you might match your existing chain to one in a store – worry no more.