28" bar on a 272xp

[DHwreckage]

Hi guys,

first time posting on here even though i just picked up a 272 on the tradin post. I was curious what you all thought, the 272xp i got is coming with a 20" bar and i was thinking of adding a 28" bar with a skip chain for the bigger pine i cut. I do not cut full time but run a saw to clean up some fire damage twice a year here in CO and when im in the back country and roads have been blocked + around the house during fall with the wet snow we get that tears up trees. My main question is if you think the 28" with a skip chain will be too much for the 272xp? I already have a smaller saw with a 16 and 18" bar set up so im thinking a bit bigger bar may give me some more options. let me know what you guys think.

 

[lfnh]

"...28" bar with a skip chain for the bigger pine"

that will work.
turn up oiler, cutters sharp
tsumara lite bar (or other reduced weight) make a big difference over std wt bars

 

[KYsawman]

Twenty eight will be fine in soft wood even with a full comp chain. Keeping the chain sharp is important on long bars- less stressful on engine, clutch, etc.

 

[cus_deluxe]

Yep, a healthy 272 will handle a 24” full comp in hardwood fine, 28” in softwood should cut fine, assuming (as said above) the chain is properly sharp

 

[cgraham1]

Yep. I prefer a 24”, but a 28” will work fine. Get a reduced weight bar if balance is a concern.

 

[old CB]

All of the above is good advice. But here's another take:

I live and work fulltime several miles uphill from Boulder. My go-to saws are either a 346xp with 18" bar for small stuff and/or limbing, or a 372xp with 20" for the rest. I rarely have need for more bar. We just don't have many big trees here where you'll need more. (Unless you're into the cottonwoods down on the plains, and some others in town.)

Bigger bar means more expense, longer chain loops, more cutters to sharpen, and so on. It also means more out there to possibly get you in trouble (easier to dig into dirt). I like having the least and simplest setup that I need, and less weight to carry all day.

I see guys around here with 80cc saws, 28--32" bars . . . to cut trees mostly 12--18" dia. Makes you look cool, I guess.

Today I pulled out the Dolmar 7900 w/ 24" bar for a 26" spruce. First time I've run that saw in months.

I wouldn't want to talk you out of anything. But look close at what you're cutting. Then decide what you need.

 

[hseII]

All of the above is good advice. But here's another take:

I live and work fulltime several miles uphill from Boulder. My go-to saws are either a 346xp with 18" bar for small stuff and/or limbing, or a 372xp with 20" for the rest. I rarely have need for more bar. We just don't have many big trees here where you'll need more. (Unless you're into the cottonwoods down on the plains, and some others in town.)

Bigger bar means more expense, longer chain loops, more cutters to sharpen, and so on. It also means more out there to possibly get you in trouble (easier to dig into dirt). I like having the least and simplest setup that I need, and less weight to carry all day.

I see guys around here with 80cc saws, 28--32" bars . . . to cut trees mostly 12--18" dia. Makes you look cool, I guess.

Today I pulled out the Dolmar 7900 w/ 24" bar for a 26" spruce. First time I've run that saw in months.

I wouldn't want to talk you out of anything. But look close at what you're cutting. Then decide what you need.

Less Bending Over.

 

[DHwreckage]

All of the above is good advice. But here's another take:

I live and work fulltime several miles uphill from Boulder. My go-to saws are either a 346xp with 18" bar for small stuff and/or limbing, or a 372xp with 20" for the rest. I rarely have need for more bar. We just don't have many big trees here where you'll need more. (Unless you're into the cottonwoods down on the plains, and some others in town.)

Bigger bar means more expense, longer chain loops, more cutters to sharpen, and so on. It also means more out there to possibly get you in trouble (easier to dig into dirt). I like having the least and simplest setup that I need, and less weight to carry all day.

I see guys around here with 80cc saws, 28--32" bars . . . to cut trees mostly 12--18" dia. Makes you look cool, I guess.

Today I pulled out the Dolmar 7900 w/ 24" bar for a 26" spruce. First time I've run that saw in months.

I wouldn't want to talk you out of anything. But look close at what you're cutting. Then decide what you need.

all super great points CB thanks, thats why im on the fence on the 28". may just go 24 and call it good but i have to double check some of the trees ill be cutting down.

 

[cgraham1]

28” reduced weight bar = same weight as 20” bar. More cutters maybe, but not if the 28” is skip chain and the 20” is not (I don’t think any of my 20” chains are skip, and I have a bunch of them).

You may not need it all the time, but it’s nice to have when you do need the extra length. Plus, he already has other saws with shorter bars, and the 272 is coming with a 20”, so it won’t have to wear a 28” all the time, just when he needs it.

 

[DHwreckage]

Thanks for all the replies guys, its good to know that i should be able to run a 28" bar and chain on the pine up here if i need it. now i just need to figure out if it would be worth it to get the 28" aside from looking awesome! Also dammit graham, every time you post somewhere your stupid sig comes up and i wonder why i don't have a Dolmar yet, that saw looks amazing!

 

[Eric howes]

Where I'm from people dont use long bars at all. 16 to 20 in the common length. To me anything long just gets in the way and makes more work trying to avoid stuff with it

 

[Skeans]

We use to run 32’s with full comp or semi skip on the 272’s and 181’s here in the Doug fir as well as the alder.


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[DHwreckage]

i ended up getting a 28" bar and im trying to find semi-skip round chisel, does anyone have a line on where to get some decent semi skip chain (3/8 x .050)? i checked with the stihl dealer and they only have skip and full.

 

[Marshy]

Thanks for all the replies guys, its good to know that i should be able to run a 28" bar and chain on the pine up here if i need it. now i just need to figure out if it would be worth it to get the 28" aside from looking awesome! Also dammit graham, every time you post somewhere your stupid sig comes up and i wonder why i don't have a Dolmar yet, that saw looks amazing!

It wears on ya. I finally caved and got a project 7900. Careful, its addicting (they say).

 

[muddstopper]

I run a full comp chisel chain on a 24in bar on my 272. It flys thru oaks and other hardwoods. Pine would probably just fall apart seeing the saw coming.

 

[lfnh]

Try Google "72kgx"
for round file chisel semi skip oregon chain

Alternative is 72ck
For square file chisel semi skip oregon chain.
This can be worked back into 72kgx with round file. Wouldn't personally but an option

Depending on bar maker, good chance 93 drive links will work, but check part number to be sure.

 

[Robin Wood]

272 is older model and i assume its been used quite abit ?
how's the compression ? with moderately good compression it will still pull a 20"
but 28" is quite a stretch for 70cc saw, then again you guys cut softwoods so it wont matter much i suppose

 

[Cliff R]

If the P/C is in good shape your 272XP will be fine with 28" skip, I run the same set-up on my 268XPS on occasion. You have to be conservative when applying load in big logs and when it's time to lower the rakers. At least when cutting hardwoods, softer pine wouldn't be nearly as finicky....IMHO.....Cliff

 

[Skeans]

272 is older model and i assume its been used quite abit ?
how's the compression ? with moderately good compression it will still pull a 20"
but 28" is quite a stretch for 70cc saw, then again you guys cut softwoods so it wont matter much i suppose

A lot of it comes down to how the chain is set up, as I put earlier we use to run 32’s on them but with square chisel and were able to chase the back cut on alder.


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[DHwreckage]

272 is older model and i assume its been used quite abit ?
how's the compression ? with moderately good compression it will still pull a 20"
but 28" is quite a stretch for 70cc saw, then again you guys cut softwoods so it wont matter much i suppose

its been rebuilt with only a few tanks of gas on it so its in pretty damn good shape. Just tuned it up here and it runs like a bat out of hell!