This probably is a silly idea

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Dapper Dan

ArboristSite Operative
Joined
Nov 25, 2007
Messages
488
Reaction score
100
Location
Monmouth, IL.
Why doesn't some bar manufacturer offer a plated bar of some sort instead of paint.

I know, I know you are supposed to USE a chainsaw but I clean my saws everytime I use em and they still look like crap after the paint starts comin off the bar. Maybe this bothers me cause I've been in the autobody & paint business for 25 years.

It seems silly to paint something that, in use, doesn't have a chance of staying on.


Bought an 028 Super the other day that came with both a 16" and an 18" bar, both real ugly but usable. Wound up taking my die grinder with a scotch bright pad and cleaned the remaining old paint and surface rust off the 18" bar. I did this with the intention of then repainting but it looks pretty darn good as is, almost like it was chrome plated. Sure I'll have to keep it oiled to prevent rust but that is no big deal.

Got me to wondering why no one offers a bar with some sort of hard plating instead of paint.
 
Last edited:
A good quality clear will stay on the bar. I like to use a urethane on my good bars.

I like the "machined" look too...

The Stihl ES bars seem to have the best paint, but they all wear off over time.

The only bars I have used that keep a finish on them are the Tsumara bars (Total Super) that have the clear finish over them. I had a couple that were 2-3 years old that still looked new.
 
Cheaper and faster to paint than get them plated. Good idea it could be done a 2 thou flash chrome would do the trick. I wonder if the rails would be too hard after? That area may have to be left alone.
 
Sandvik had chrome plated bars back in the day. A timber faller buddy of mine saw them at the shop and snapped two right up. He thought he was too cool for school, the first day out with those bars. The joke was on him though, it was a sunny day and every time he turned the saw on its side to make his face cut that shiny bar flashed the sun right in his eyes...

I never saw him with one of those bars again.
 
"The joke was on him though, it was a sunny day and every time he turned the saw on its side to make his face cut that shiny bar flashed the sun right in his eyes..."

LOL....I never thought of that either!

Still....there are any number of types of hard plating that are satin type finishes. Electroless nickle comes to mind, for one. I'm sure there are many others.
 
"The joke was on him though, it was a sunny day and every time he turned the saw on its side to make his face cut that shiny bar flashed the sun right in his eyes..."

LOL....I never thought of that either!

Still....there are any number of types of hard plating that are satin type finishes. Electroless nickle comes to mind, for one. I'm sure there are many others.

Have you noticed depending on the manufacture some saws retian there original paint for years? I have two Mac' both well seasoned and still have the original paint. Now the letter's did wear off but the bar paint is still there. I think it's som sort of thick coating not paint. What about powder coating?
 
"What about powder coating?"

Dunno...haven't much experence with that.
Recently got an Oregon "Powermatch" bar for my 660 and the very first outing the red lettering smeared really bad, white paint still on though.

If they made bars out of some rust restiant alloy, put no paint on them then laser engraved the logo on the bar you would have a bar that looked presentable for most of it's life span, I think.
 
"What about powder coating?"

Dunno...haven't much experence with that.
Recently got an Oregon "Powermatch" bar for my 660 and the very first outing the red lettering smeared really bad, white paint still on though.

If they made bars out of some rust restiant alloy, put no paint on them then laser engraved the logo on the bar you would have a bar that looked presentable for most of it's life span, I think.

We powder coat at work and I belive most bars are powder coated, looks like it to me anyway. We use a lot of titanium nitrate coated cutting tools in the machine shop its a nice gold color its harder than carbide and stays bonded to steel when cutting steel so i would say titanium nitrate would last forever cutting wood. Sure wood be purdy to :hmm3grin2orange:
 
Oh man, million dollar idea....

Titanium nitride like on drill bits! A hard surface that reduces friction and wears pretty darn well. What could be better? And oh the gold...... pimp my bar! Hope I'm allowed to say that?:confused:

Anyway, the titanium nitride is actually available in numerous colors and degrees of gloss from shiny to flat. Much depends on the metal finish before coating. Worked for a a gunsmith for a while and we used this finish on some high end stuff for customers. Not cheap but tough for sure.

JD in PA
 
"What about powder coating?"

Dunno...haven't much experence with that.
Recently got an Oregon "Powermatch" bar for my 660 and the very first outing the red lettering smeared really bad, white paint still on though.

If they made bars out of some rust restiant alloy, put no paint on them then laser engraved the logo on the bar you would have a bar that looked presentable for most of it's life span, I think.

was this purchase recently ? kind of makes me wonder who actually made the bar
 
was this purchase recently ? kind of makes me wonder who actually made the bar

You mean The Oregon bar?
Yes couple months ago from Baileys.
I assume Oregon made it, that what the sleeve said.
Sure is ugly after only one use.
Looks like someone took a rag soaked with lacquer thinner and swiped over it, smearing the red lettering.

In fact when I get to the shop today I just may do the very thing.
Take some lacquer thinner and clean off ALL the paint.
Might be less shiny than the scotch brite method.
Thinner may not cut it though if it is, in fact, powder coated.
If it looks OK I'll simply give it a coat of Rem Oil after each use.
 
I like the brushed or machined look myself. Also fond of the black tip on brushed steel bar.:cheers:
 
Thought about Powdercoating mine.
Let's see pearl white with black chrome letters.........
Do ya think I'll get laughed outa' the woods?
 
Isn't the bars a high tempered steel? I would think but adding these finishes that are cured by more heat like powder coating would proably make them brittle. I'm sure it's a engineering thing that isn't worth adding the extra cost to the product. But it would be nice to have the paint stay on and lookin purty:cheers:
 
Back
Top