Best long bar for the money?

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034avsuper

034avsuper

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I'm going to be the new owner of a 394XP soon, and wondering what bar I should get for it. I will be ordering from Baileys soon, so I will get the bar from them. What's the best bar for the money that they have? I've heard to stay away from the Oregon reduced weight. What's the longest length bar this saw will run? I understand that the bar can be longer if you're using skip tooth chain? Does skip tooth cut slower than full comp? Thanks in advance.
 
2dogs

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I'm going to be the new owner of a 394XP soon, and wondering what bar I should get for it. I will be ordering from Baileys soon, so I will get the bar from them. What's the best bar for the money that they have? I've heard to stay away from the Oregon reduced weight. What's the longest length bar this saw will run? I understand that the bar can be longer if you're using skip tooth chain? Does skip tooth cut slower than full comp? Thanks in advance.

I have a 394XP that I bought new 10 years ago and run it along side an MS660. The 394 wears a 42" bar running Oregon 75CJX (3/8 .063 Dura Pro full skip) filed round. I bought this bar on sale from Bailey's for around $40.00 years ago to fall some large oak stumps (bigger than 42" at the cut). The bar has worked fine. I do prefer Cannon bars but there is a great difference in price, not worth it to replace it. The Cannon bars are better with much harder rails than Oregon or Stihl though if Stihl made a 42" bar I could recommend it, with an adapter. Ebay is another source for long bars but watch the shipping. Madsen's or Bailey's are both class acts to deal with.
Pico03-15-09063.jpg
 
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This. The Windsor bar is the best bar for the price when it comes to bars 28"+ if weight is a concern and ya don't feel like spending $150+. They are slimmer and more lightweight than Stihl ES and Oregon PM bars, and nearly half the cost of the Oregon and Stihl lightweight bars. Not quite as light, but MUCH lighter than the standard bars from those makers.


http://www.arboristsite.com/classifieds.php?do=viewitem&itemid=654

shameless plug. Anyway yeah I go skip on anything over 32, with that much bar buried in wood you need to clear the chips. If you have a bar like a 42 buried skip is faster in this neck of the woods anyway. Also sharpening full comp takes to long.
 
tdi-rick

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I would stay away from any .058ga bar. There is not nearly the selection of chains as in .063 or .050. For me I prefer .063.

Not true, just depends on where you are in the world and apparently even the US.
IIRC some on the east coast have better access to 058 than 050, just depends on area.

Outside of the US 050 is virtually unheard of and hard to find.
Huskie and Dolmar's default gauge worldwide is 058, Stihl's 063.
 
2dogs

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Not true, just depends on where you are in the world and apparently even the US.
IIRC some on the east coast have better access to 058 than 050, just depends on area.

Outside of the US 050 is virtually unheard of and hard to find.
Huskie and Dolmar's default gauge worldwide is 058, Stihl's 063.

OK I'll assume your reading skills re the American language are lacking. Please reread my post slowly. I did NOT say that .058 is harder to find in any given locale. I said the selection of chains is more limited in .058. If you have doubts then log onto Bailey's and verify what I said. And who cares about the rest of the world, the OP is from Canuckistan.
 
Anthony_Va.

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The Total super bars are really nice bars for Huskys. I'm just not sure how long they make them. I have seen a 28" though. Tsumura makes them.

Here's you a link to a 41" Cannon bar on Ebay. LINK

Cannon bars are also very good. I would say they make the best longer bars. They are good and straight and very rigid. They are pretty heavy, but most long bars arent too dand light. They are expensive though. The 41" bar is 200 bucks.
 
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paccity

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2dogs, stihl dose make a 42", have 3 . to the op's question oregon powermatch, and the stihl bars are good value. need to order a bar adapter so i can run my 32's on the 288.
 
paccity

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You have 42" new bars that are made by Stihl and fit the MS660 adapter?

i run .404 on the 066 and 088. 066 has two adapters i made 2mm thick that slide over the 12mm studs like a thick washer, then thake a file to the oiler holes and angle the hole so it oils .dont use it that way much . but untill i get 088 fixed it get used that way.
 
tdi-rick

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OK I'll assume your reading skills re the American language are lacking. Please reread my post slowly. I did NOT say that .058 is harder to find in any given locale. I said the selection of chains is more limited in .058. If you have doubts then log onto Bailey's and verify what I said. And who cares about the rest of the world, the OP is from Canuckistan.

The only chain not made by a manufacturer in 058 is square, so yes, technically you're right, but all other types of 3/8 sawchain are made in all three gauges AFAIK by all the manufacturers.

Just because Baileys doesn't stock something doesn't mean it isn't made or available elsewhere.
Have a look in the manufacturers catalogue ;)
 
2dogs

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The only chain not made by a manufacturer in 058 is square, so yes, technically you're right, but all other types of 3/8 sawchain are made in all three gauges AFAIK by all the manufacturers.

Just because Baileys doesn't stock something doesn't mean it isn't made or available elsewhere.
Have a look in the manufacturers catalogue ;)

Appology accepted. Thanks.
 

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