The Lowdown on Replacement Mini Chainsaw Chains
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Replacing a mini chainsaw chain can be quite challenging if you can’t get one from the manufacturer of the mini chainsaw you bought.
Many of the mini chainsaws on the market today are not produced by well known chainsaw brands. This is particularly true in the 4 inch, 6 inch and 8 inch bar segments of the market.
Once you get to the 10 inch bar segment then things tend to get easier. This is perhaps because these bigger chainsaws cost more and so a new chain costs less as a total percentage of the original cost.
Also, it thus makes more sense for these manufacturers to have specific replacement parts available to assure people that their product is worth buying. By doing this the brand signals it is in the market for the long haul.
Buy a new chain, or buy a new chainsaw?
In the mini chainsaw segment, things are a bit different. A new set of chains might cost 20 to 25% of a new mini chainsaw. This is because they are usually sold in sets of two, four or even eight.
So would you choose to replace the chain? Or toss the whole tool out and get a brand new one?
In many ways, that will depend on your experience with your mini chainsaw up to that point.
If its working well for you, then a new chain would be an attractive option. If not, well then maybe a different mini chainsaw would be worth looking at.
Quality Replacement Mini Chainsaw Chains
The only reliable way to judge quality here is time in the market and customer reviews.
In other words, if the replacement chain has been around a while and has generated mostly favorable reviews, then that’s as good an indication of quality as you are going to get.
So, based on those criteria, the HONOSON mini chainsaw replacement chains fit the bill.
NB!! Some of the the pictures below feature mini chainsaws as well as the replacement chains we are talking about. The mini chainsaws are for illustrative purposes ONLY! i.e. they show the sort of chainsaw the chains are designed to fit – the mini chainsaws do NOT form part of the packs described
Hope that is clear 🙂
Honoson 4 Inch Replacement Chains
Although the pic on the left shows a pack of 4, you can buy these in a variety of packs as listed below.
As would be expected, the price per individual chain drops as the pack size increases.
They are not brand specific so will fit most 4 inch bar mini chainsaws.
The chain is made of carbon steel and is designed with general cutting duties in mind. For example the manufacturer states that these chains are suitable for cutting wood, plywood, laminated flooring, chipboard and even ice.
Vital Statistics according to the manufacturer:
Drive links: 28
Gauge or thickness of the drive links: 0.43 inch
If this sounds like a foreign language or you are just interested in finding out more to ensure you buy the right replacement chain, then read this useful article
Honoson 6 Inch Replacement Chains
These 6 inch replacement mini chainsaw chains come in packs of two or four chains.
As with the 4 inch variety above, they are designed to fit almost any mini chainsaw with a 6 inch bar. Likewise, they are designed with normal mini chainsaw “duties” in mind.
And now might be a good time to clear up any confusion. A six inch replacement chain is not 6 inches long. It fits a chainsaw with a six inch long bar. So think of it more as a reference to size than actual length!
Vital Statistics as per manufacturer:
Drive links: 37
Gauge: 1/4 inch
8 Inch Replacement Chains
There are a selection of 8 inch replacement chains available
They vary in terms of number of links, pitch and gauge so you need to check those aspects before you commit to buying any of them!
You can find a variety of replacement chains that will do the job if you take the trouble to scratch around.
Alternative Strategies (1)
The idea here is to buy a mini chainsaw brand that you know can supply you with another chain whenever you need one.
The Omola 4 inch mini chainsaw is an example of this option.
Besides being an absolute boss of a mini chainsaw, the initial purchase does not offer any spare chains.
However, they do offer a chain for this mini saw that can be purchased separately at any time.
That really is first prize. You can either choose to purchase a spare chain when you buy the saw OR you can wait and see how well the chain stands up to your usage requirements and buy one later at your convenience.
And of course you know that there will be no compatibility issues.
Alternative Strategies (2)
Buy a mini chainsaw that comes with at least one replacement chain.
This is not difficult to achieve as many brands will try to enhance their offering by including many different associated items along with the mini chainsaw.
The only potential downside here is that if you cut your way through the additional chains, then you are left with the same original problem.
i.e. toss the chainsaw and start again or find decent replacement chains!
Alternative Strategies (3)
Perhaps the best strategy, if you can find it, is to buy a mini chainsaw which includes spare chains with the initial purchase AND has the option of buying replacement chains as and when you need them.
One of the well rated brands that you can do this with is Seesii. Both their 4 inch and 6 inch mini chainsaws come with spare chains and have replacement chains that can be bought separately
The eight inch version does not come with a chain but the manufacturer says you can contact them for a replacement when you need one.
In Conclusion
So there you have your options for finding replacement chains for your mini chainsaw.
For most of us “ordinary’ gardeners who don’t want to get caught up in the technical side of chainsaw chains, buying a mini chainsaw brand which has a known supply of back up chains would seem the smart way to go.
Good luck! 🙂