Skil 16 IN. Full House Chain

Why I reached for this chain

Framing with a carpentry chainsaw is all about control and surface quality. I often need cuts that won’t be hidden—rafter tails, stair stringers, exposed beams—where a ragged kerf means extra cleanup or a remake. That’s why I tried Skil’s full-house chain for the 16-inch worm drive carpentry saw. It puts a cutting tooth on every link, effectively doubling the tooth count of a standard chain. On paper that should mean smoother cuts with less chatter. In practice, it largely delivers—if you know when to use it.

Setup and compatibility

I fitted the chain to a 16-inch worm drive carpentry chainsaw from Skil. The install is straightforward if you’ve swapped chains before: loosen bar nuts, release chain tension, slip the old chain off, and feed this one onto the drive sprocket and bar. Tensioning is the same drill—lift the bar nose slightly and snug until there’s no slack on the underside while the chain still pulls freely by hand with a gloved tug.

A reminder: this chain is designed for the 16-inch worm drive carpentry platform. Don’t assume it will fit other saws without confirming pitch and gauge. Even among 16-inch bars, specs vary.

Cutting performance

The promise of a tooth on every link is a smoother, more controlled cut. In construction lumber, the difference is real. Crosscuts through SPF 2x moved without the surging feel I sometimes get on a standard chain. The saw settled into a predictable feed rate, and I could hold a scribe line with less dancing. On LVL and PSL beams—materials that tend to highlight every wobble—the chain stayed on course and left a more uniform surface texture.

Plunge cuts are a sweet spot. Dropping into subfloor or trimming an opening in sheathing, the chain eased in with less hook and less tendency to lurch. That extra tooth density seems to spread the bite, so each tooth takes a smaller chip and the nose transitions more gently into the cut.

Cut quality

If you’re chasing clean edges, this chain helps. On plywood and OSB, tear-out along the top veneer was noticeably reduced. Rafter tails came off the saw with a surface that only needed a light pass with a block plane or sanding sponge. For site-built stair stringers where the edges show, it saved me a couple of minutes of cleanup per stringer—small wins that add up.

Kerfs looked more consistent, too. With twice the teeth, the chain leaves fewer scallop marks. You still see a chainsaw texture—it’s not planed—but it’s a finer, more presentable version.

Speed and power demand

There’s no free lunch. More teeth mean more cutting edges in the wood at any moment, and that asks more of the motor. On the worm drive saw, which has solid torque, the chain ran happily at a moderate feed rate. Try to force it, and you’ll notice the saw pushing back sooner than with a standard chain. I found the best results came from letting the saw and chain set the pace—steady pressure, but no gorilla feeding.

Chip evacuation was fine in clean, dry lumber. In pitchy stock or damp material, the extra tooth count can hold chips longer. Good bar oil flow and a quick pause to clear chips on deeper rips kept things moving.

Bottom line: it’s not the fastest chain. If I’m demoing or ripping dirty stock, I’ll take a standard or semi-skip chain for speed and tolerance to grit. If I want clean, accurate cuts, I’ll take this one.

Vibration and control

The full-house pattern smooths the ride. I felt less chatter through the handles, which made it easier to stay on layout lines. That also means less fatigue over a day of repetitive cuts. It’s not silent—nothing with a chain is—but the tone is less harsh. Combined with the worm drive’s balanced feel, the package is confidence-inspiring in awkward positions, like notching a beam overhead.

The dark speedcoat finish

Skil’s dark, low-friction coating isn’t a gimmick. Fresh out of the box, the chain spun freely and seemed to shed resin better than bare steel. After a few days, the coating on the working edges burnished but remained on the links and non-cutting surfaces. I noticed cleaner noses on plunge starts and fewer squeals when the bar was pinched momentarily in tight cuts.

It’s still no substitute for oil—keep the oiler set appropriately. The coating buys you a margin in heat and friction, not immunity.

Durability and maintenance

A chain with twice the teeth takes longer to sharpen. That’s obvious, but it’s worth planning for. If you hand-file, expect more bench time or bring a spare to swap midday. I stuck to the manufacturer’s filing angles and depth gauge settings and had no trouble restoring bite. Because each tooth does less work per pass, I felt the edge held up well in clean lumber. Hit a hidden screw or sand, and it dulls just as fast as any other chain.

Tension stayed stable. The chain stretched a touch during the first hour, as new chains do, then settled. The rivets and links showed normal wear after a week of mixed framing tasks.

Where it shines

• Finish-leaning framing: exposed beams, rafter tails, stair work where the saw marks remain visible.
• Layout-critical cuts: birdsmouths, notches, and compound angles where control matters more than speed.
• Plunge work in sheet goods: fewer blowouts and tidier openings in subfloor and wall panels.
• Shop setup tasks with the carpentry chainsaw: trimming laminated slabs or timber pieces to length with less cleanup.

Where a standard chain is better

• Demolition and dirty lumber: grit and fast feeding favor a conventional chain that clears chips aggressively and sharpens quickly.
• High-volume ripping: if you’re ripping miles of wet lumber, speed matters more than surface quality.
• Nail-prone remodels: save your premium chain for clean stock.

Safety and feel

The smoother bite doesn’t erase kickback risk, but it does tame the entry into cuts. I felt fewer sudden grabs at the nose and fewer surprises when contacting knots. That said, the usual cautions apply—bar tip awareness, proper stance, and a sharp chain. The extra control encourages good habits; it doesn’t replace them.

Value

This chain earns its keep by reducing post-cut cleanup and improving accuracy. If your work includes visible cuts or tight joinery on site, that time saved is worth more than the few seconds per cut you might give up in speed. If your day is mostly blocking, bracing, and rough opening work, you won’t see the same payoff.

Tips for best results

• Let it feed: resist the urge to force the cut. The chain rewards a steady hand.
• Keep it sharp: touch up more often rather than waiting for a big session. The smoother cut depends on crisp edges.
• Oil generously: help the coating do its job, especially in resinous or engineered material.
• Swap strategically: keep a standard chain in the kit for rough work, and use the full-house chain when cut quality matters.

Recommendation

I recommend this full-house chain for anyone using a 16-inch worm drive carpentry chainsaw who values clean, accurate cuts over raw speed. It brings noticeable gains in surface finish, line-tracking, and plunge control, with manageable tradeoffs in feed rate and sharpening time. It’s not a do-everything chain; pair it with a standard chain for rough or dirty work. Used where it shines—finish-leaning framing, layout-critical cuts, and plunge work in sheet goods—it makes the carpentry chainsaw feel more like a precision tool than a blunt instrument.