MS261cm bar question

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Fisherpilot

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Good afternoon

I recently bought a used 261cm that came with a stock 20” bar. I’d like to put a 18” bar on it and am leaning towards a Tsumura 18” light weight bar and maybe a 3/8 chain. Prob is that I’ve run a saw a fair amount but never made any changes to a saw. Always kept “as is”. Currently a 20” stihl bar (.325 and .063). I think 81 links.

I’ve done some searching online but am a little confused. Found a 18” bar but don’t know if my sprocket would work with it. Tried the search function on the site but am still new to it so I’m sure I’m doing it wrong. I’m guessing I would need to replace the sprocket.
Any recommendations or links so I can read up and educate myself would be much appreciated

thanks
 
Good afternoon

I recently bought a used 261cm that came with a stock 20” bar. I’d like to put a 18” bar on it and am leaning towards a Tsumura 18” light weight bar and maybe a 3/8 chain. Prob is that I’ve run a saw a fair amount but never made any changes to a saw. Always kept “as is”. Currently a 20” stihl bar (.325 and .063). I think 81 links.

I’ve done some searching online but am a little confused. Found a 18” bar but don’t know if my sprocket would work with it. Tried the search function on the site but am still new to it so I’m sure I’m doing it wrong. I’m guessing I would need to replace the sprocket.
Any recommendations or links so I can read up and educate myself would be much appreciated

thanks

If you want to switch you’ll have to replace the sprocket yes. I run a 3/8 050 18” guide bar. It’s 66dl. Lots of guys stay with the 325 but do what you like. Like I said, I run the 3/8 and it runs great so I’m all for it
 
Beat me to it. I second this

I’ll have to agree with your also haha I actually wasn’t very impressed with the
.325 pitch on this saw . Even after I filled the gullet of the chain out and took the rakers down a little more than the gauge recommended you would have to “force” it to cut good . Now it bites itself in and goes to work . Gotta be a little careful in the hardwood . It’s easy to stall the chain in the good hard beech


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28ea7f08fd7769de0b2bb20656cd13fa.jpg


Not the best angle but it cut that log without issue
 
That’s the exact bar I’m running. I run Stihl chain on everything unless i got it with a saw. Think I have a couple Oregon. Actually have square ground on it currently but round ground waiting at the dwaler

Big difference between square and round ground ?


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Big difference between square and round ground ?


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Supposed to be about 15% faster I believe and of course that varies but it also dulls even faster in dirty wood. And it’s a lot harder to file. I got it mainly to learn and practice filing. I’ll be running mainly round. But I do really like running the square
 
Supposed to be about 15% faster I believe and of course that varies but it also dulls even faster in dirty wood. And it’s a lot harder to file. I got it mainly to learn and practice filing. I’ll be running mainly round. But I do really like running the square

I gotta look it up sometime . Same idea as sharpening round or is it a totally different process ?


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I gotta look it up sometime . Same idea as sharpening round or is it a totally different process ?


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I’m still very new to it so mainly just reading knowledge on my part. It takes a serious understanding of how the cutter works and takes more exact angles and corners. Supposed to be way more difficult but if you can get good at it it’s supposed to be very rewarding. So I see it as my new challenge. Want to eventually get a grinder for it as well but that’s a bit expensive too. Probably look for a good used simington grinder.
 
I’m in north central TX and have a ton of post oak that I’ll be cutting. A lot of fallen tops and some standing live trees that be thinning out. Hoping to get a good all around chain and have several on hand
 
I’m in north central TX and have a ton of post oak that I’ll be cutting. A lot of fallen tops and some standing live trees that be thinning out. Hoping to get a good all around chain and have several on hand

I’m in southeast TX in the piney woods. Lots of pine, oak, elm... I’d go with round full chisel and enjoy. If it’s been down for a while you can go to seminchisel but I run full chisel for pretty much everything
 
I’m in north central TX and have a ton of post oak that I’ll be cutting. A lot of fallen tops and some standing live trees that be thinning out. Hoping to get a good all around chain and have several on hand

I’m not sure about oak in your kneck of the woods but up here in Maine the stihl RSK chain chews right threw it . It’s softer than some of the other hardwood


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