Second life longer on a bar?

[SamT1]

So I’m really kicking myself right now. As some of you have read my bar life threads cutting mesquite in sand blown country in Texas. 20 cords is good bar life. I swapped to tsumura bars this fall and I’m getting 25 probably from them. Just as a test though I put an .058 chain on one and I’ve been running it ever since. I’ve gone around 30 more cords now with the .058 and it’s it’s starting to get loose. I figure I can slip an .063 in it now and go again. I bet I’ve thrown away 100 bars easily over the years.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

Have you ever used a Cannon bar?

 

[SamT1]

No, I’ve always been scared it wouldn’t last any longer and I’d have blown an extra $60

 

[rarefish383]

I remember some of your first posts. I was thinking, what in the heck is this guy doing? Then you started talking about the wind blown sand, it started to make sense. The thing is, I have bars that are 40-45 years old, and went through 20 years of commercial work with my Dad, that are still 100% serviceable. If I lived down there, I'd either move, or die of firewood withdrawal!

 

[SamT1]

I remember some of your first posts. I was thinking, what in the heck is this guy doing? Then you started talking about the wind blown sand, it started to make sense. The thing is, I have bars that are 40-45 years old, and went through 20 years of commercial work with my Dad, that are still 100% serviceable. If I lived down there, I'd either move, or die of firewood withdrawal!

you get used to using up the bars. I never knew any Better growing up. You’d be shocked how many home owner types bring saws by my place that won’t cut. They have a new chain and the Bar is so smoked the chain just lays over.
I bet I have 5-6 new bars laying around, keep an 18 .050 stihl pattern on the dash of all my pickups for when you need to get work done and your cutting concave. There’s 2 new ones on my sharpener stand. One for a Poulan countervibe and the other Stihl. I have a 30” I use now and then for a tree job. The last 10 or so I used up are hanging under my sharpener, glad I didn’t chunk them yet!

 

[rd35]

Yep I'd probably go nuts if I had to cut firewood in Texas where you are. My MS260 still has its original bar in great shape after cutting over 150 cords (not face cords.....4'x4'x8' cords) of Indiana hardwood firewood (oak, hickory, ash, hard maple, etc). Our ground here is red and yellow clay...no sand. I never thought about how fortunate we are here when it comes to bar life (uh...chainsaw bar life...not.......like pubs or taverns).

 

[Ted Jenkins]

So I’m really kicking myself right now. As some of you have read my bar life threads cutting mesquite in sand blown country in Texas. 20 cords is good bar life. I swapped to tsumura bars this fall and I’m getting 25 probably from them. Just as a test though I put an .058 chain on one and I’ve been running it ever since. I’ve gone around 30 more cords now with the .058 and it’s it’s starting to get loose. I figure I can slip an .063 in it now and go again. I bet I’ve thrown away 100 bars easily over the years. View attachment 803867

I am sorry for your problem, but I have been trying to tell people this for years. I work with sandy dirty wood all the time which devours bars. One tip is the oiler needs to be stepped up by 200%. More oil means that that the bar is kept cleaner by washing away the sand. The saw you are using is not going to cut it. A older slower speed saw last much longer. However if you can get a 150 cords out of a bar that is not bad and then you do not have to change saws. You need chain anyways so have three sizes is no big deal. Thanks

 

[rwoods]

Just because I have read it doesn't mean it is true, but years ago I read that there was actually method behind the madness of three different thicknesses of chain drivers - you start with .050 and as your bar wears you advance to .058 and later to .063. Given the price of a new bar in today context, I replace the bar instead of following this regiment except for relics. But I am not trying to make a living with a saw.

Ron

 

[SamT1]

I am sorry for your problem, but I have been trying to tell people this for years. I work with sandy dirty wood all the time which devours bars. One tip is the oiler needs to be stepped up by 200%. More oil means that that the bar is kept cleaner by washing away the sand. The saw you are using is not going to cut it. A older slower speed saw last much longer. However if you can get a 150 cords out of a bar that is not bad and then you do not have to change saws. You need chain anyways so have three sizes is no big deal. Thanks

I’d rather buy bars than go slower. I even have an 8 pin on this one. But your right, I collect the Poulan countervibes and I get much better bar life it seems. I’m not sure if it’s being able to give it a pump of oil here and there or the speed. I wish the 441 had a bigger oil tank, it currently runs out at the same time as the gas, actually it’s too dry for comfort if you run it all the way out of gas.

 

[rupedoggy]

Don't know if this is good advice but it is free. Try cutting with the top of the bar. The oil is first introduced on the top rails. It has to travel around the corner to get to the bottom rails. If it is standing mesquite and you can cut from bottom-up, then the oil will throw of some of the sand as it flings off the end of the bar. There should be more oil at that point at any rate.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

I’d rather buy bars than go slower. I even have an 8 pin on this one. But your right, I collect the Poulan countervibes and I get much better bar life it seems. I’m not sure if it’s being able to give it a pump of oil here and there or the speed. I wish the 441 had a bigger oil tank, it currently runs out at the same time as the gas, actually it’s too dry for comfort if you run it all the way out of gas.

Try a Cannon.