Oregon reduced weight bars

[2dogs]

The Chinese bars came about as a natural cycle in straight competition and old fashioned supply and demand.

If you survey what is happening now in Husqvarna dealers in the mid west and west you will see what we saw here in the east around 20 years ago.

Oregon is part of a huge multi national now and is majority owned/controlled by a very large New York banking concern.

When they bought Windsor they eliminated some competition and the prices for the Windsors began to climb and also there became delivery problems to larger distributors.

Now we have a situation where a company who is a sponsor here is selling the Windsor bars at less than the dealer cost end column is here in the east.

It is just like being a Husqvarna dealer in the 90s when the internet took off.

There is a lot to be said in staying with a supplier that has the same pricing structure for everybody so an independent can make a living too.......and not have to be harassed by his customer because his customer saw the same bar the independent is selling at XX percent less.

So you support Chrispy? I'm confused about what your point is. You don't like Bailey's or some other sponsor here because they sell for less than you want them to? I am not being sarcastic, I really don't understand what the bottom line is here. I do know a consumer has a choice in where he can buy his chainsaw goods. If he wants to support a particular business he can. I personally would like to buy a 100% American made saw produced by a 100% American company. It aint gonna happen but I don't lose sleep over it. I also don't buy foreign produce unless I have no choice. I know I am not going to find US grapes in January so I may buy some grown in another country. My choice. I support US agriculture and conventional farming methods, won't buy biodiesel or ethanol by choice, and urge my friends to boycot Canadian and other foriegn cattle. I also want to buy 2 or 3 lightweight bars EVEN THOUGH I should lose 20lbs myself.

 

[NBailey]

The Baileys site says they are a powermatch bar with the insert. For sure they are an Oregon Pro body?

Thanks for the info. We will be changing the website today. I have confirmed that the lightweight bars are made from "Oregon Pro" steel stock, which is different than the "Powermatch" steel stock.

 

[B_Turner]

Thanks for the info. We will be changing the website today. I have confirmed that the lightweight bars are made from "Oregon Pro" steel stock, which is different than the "Powermatch" steel stock.

That is good to know. Have the reduced weight bars always been made from the better steel? Mine are a few years old, probably.

My wife gave me my first RW bar for christmas a 3 or 4 years ago. Maybe she was telling me something?

 

[PES+]

I like Baileys..I just find people odd sometimes

So you support Chrispy? I'm confused about what your point is. You don't like Bailey's or some other sponsor here because they sell for less than you want them to? I am not being sarcastic, I really don't understand what the bottom line is here. I do know a consumer has a choice in where he can buy his chainsaw goods. If he wants to support a particular business he can. I personally would like to buy a 100% American made saw produced by a 100% American company. It aint gonna happen but I don't lose sleep over it. I also don't buy foreign produce unless I have no choice. I know I am not going to find US grapes in January so I may buy some grown in another country. My choice. I support US agriculture and conventional farming methods, won't buy biodiesel or ethanol by choice, and urge my friends to boycot Canadian and other foriegn cattle. I also want to buy 2 or 3 lightweight bars EVEN THOUGH I should lose 20lbs myself.

Such is the business.

I just find it interesting that some people draw arbitrary lines in the sand and you chose to boycott Canadian beef but not boycott Canadian bars.

*shruggs*

 

[Jonsered2095]

Thanks for the info. We will be changing the website today. I have confirmed that the lightweight bars are made from "Oregon Pro" steel stock, which is different than the "Powermatch" steel stock.

Then why are they called "OREGON® POWER MATCH® PLUS REDUCED WEIGHT BARS"?

 

[PES+]

opcorn: opcorn: opcorn: opcorn:

 

[Jacob J.]

Thanks for the info. We will be changing the website today. I have confirmed that the lightweight bars are made from "Oregon Pro" steel stock, which is different than the "Powermatch" steel stock.

That's what I figured. After running Cannon, GB, Oregon Power Match, Oregon Pro, Oregon Reduced Weight, Sugi Hara, and General bars for years I got a pretty good handle on the wear characteristics of all of the above. My reduced weight Oregon bars always wear slower than the regular Power Match.

 

[RiverRat2]

That's what I figured. After running Cannon, GB, Oregon Power Match, Oregon Pro, Oregon Reduced Weight, Sugi Hara, and General bars for years I got a pretty good handle on the wear characteristics of all of the above. My reduced weight Oregon bars always wear slower than the regular Power Match.

I just switched to them last year and I have to agree,,, The rails/edges seem
more durable than the powermatch,,,I run a few of them Power match on my 20" stuff!!!! just my .02!!!!

 

[Jonsered2095]

Then why are they called "OREGON® POWER MATCH® PLUS REDUCED WEIGHT BARS"?

opcorn: opcorn: opcorn: opcorn:

Well... Anyone care to comment?

 

[Jonsered2095]

The two bars are night and day,the Sugi's (I have 3) are almost as heavy as a Powermatch, while the Reduced Weight is much lighter. Besides, like mentioned the Sugi tips are junk and hard to find to boot, in my neck of the woods.
I have been running Reduced Weight's for bout' 6 years and have never touched anything else since. If tweaked they are easily fixed and the rails are tough like the Oregon Pro bars, not as soft as the Power Match.

It is a pity they are not made in shorter lenghts, like 24" and 20".....:censored:

We have requested shorter lengths and they are looking into it right now. As for where they are made, the bodies are essentially "Oregon Pro" bars made in Guelph, Ontario. They are then shipped to Portland, Oregon where they are machined out and the aluminum is inserted. So, they are made both in Canada and the U.S.A. (As of this winter).

The Baileys site says they are a powermatch bar with the insert. For sure they are an Oregon Pro body?

Thanks for the info. We will be changing the website today. I have confirmed that the lightweight bars are made from "Oregon Pro" steel stock, which is different than the "Powermatch" steel stock.

That is good to know. Have the reduced weight bars always been made from the better steel? Mine are a few years old, probably.

My wife gave me my first RW bar for christmas a 3 or 4 years ago. Maybe she was telling me something?

Then why are they called "OREGON® POWER MATCH® PLUS REDUCED WEIGHT BARS"?

Both the PM and RW bars are the same bar as the RN; the only differences are the nose and the insert. The bar and rails are the same.

RN = standard nose
PM = Pro nose
RW = Pro nose + Aluminium insert

 

[B_Turner]

Thanks for the info. We will be changing the website today. I have confirmed that the lightweight bars are made from "Oregon Pro" steel stock, which is different than the "Powermatch" steel stock.

The new mdsns catalog has an "article" on the Oregon reduced weight bars. They say the steel is #4130 tool steel the same as the regular PowerMatch bars.

So which is it, the same steel as the PM or the Pro?

 

[NBailey]

Update from Previous Statement

The "Oregon Pro" bars and the "PowerMatch Plus" bars are apparently milled from the same steel stock. The Oregon Pro bars are surface ground and clear coated, where as the powermatch plus bars are just painted.

 

[B_Turner]

The "Oregon Pro" bars and the "PowerMatch Plus" bars are apparently milled from the same steel stock. The Oregon Pro bars are surface ground and clear coated, where as the powermatch plus bars are just painted.

That makes sense and seems consistent with how I interpret the Oregon web site. Thanks.

 

[Jonsered2095]

The new mdsns catalog has an "article" on the Oregon reduced weight bars. They say the steel is #4130 tool steel the same as the regular PowerMatch bars.

So which is it, the same steel as the PM or the Pro?

If you contact Oregon direct they will tell you that the nose design of RW bars is the reason for the same wear characteristics evident in the PM* bars.

*PM = Pro not Power Match eg. 323PMDD025


Basically an RW bar is a PM [Pro] bar + insert = same wear, less weight, more bend. All three bars are made from the same blanks, but you add either the pro nose, or pro nose + insert [RN, PM, RW].

 

[Meadow Beaver]

You're darn right Jonsered2095 it's just a OREGON PRO with an aluminum core.

I heard Tsumuras with the wholes drilled in them are pretty good.