\u00a9 2020 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Simply take your fraction (3/8) and divide the top by the bottom (you can use a calculator for this part). Thank to this number, users will know the distance between any three rivets on the chain, divided in half. For this example, I’m going to use the measurements of the chain that I measured manually above. You’ll need to do this for each step of measuring your chain manually. Gauge, pitch and chain length are all important, because they determine whether a bar is compatible with a given chain. Bar length 2. When you are thinking of buying a replacement chainsaw chain then you must know the number of drive links of your previous chain and also for measuring the gauge size you need the number. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Before we dig into the process, there’s some terms you need to be familiar with.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'burlybeaver_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_10',104,'0','0'])); As mentioned above, there’s three things you need to know to figure out the size of your chainsaw: pitch, gauge, and link count. To measure a chainsaw chain you need to find the pitch, gauge, and link count. So let’s get technical. You then match that number to the file size that is listed on the file chart. You also need to know this number when you sharpen your chain with a file guide. To measure the pitch of your chain, measure the distance between any three rivets on your chainsaw chain and divide this number by two. That’s because chainsaw chains actually have three measurements: number of drive links, pitch, and gauge. For example, if the pitch you have is 3/8″ but the box says 0.375″, convert your fraction to a decimal by dividing the top from the bottom. 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