Stihl MS291 sprocket, bar length question

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BrandoninColorado

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I'm a new member on this site and also new to cutting firewood. I was gifted a ms291 from my Pops to harvest my own wood and for use around my small farm. Well I learned a lot this year, cutting. Unfortunately I put my saw through hell while learning. My 325 sprocket has been gouged deep and I have a new one coming from eBay. My bar is destroyed, mushroomed bad and near the tip probably a good 1/4" wore on top and bottom. I was pushing the tip to cut when hot. My 2 chains are stretched to where they will not tighten up anymore. Here's my question. The chains for this 20" saw are pricey, I see much cheaper ones for a 3/8". I already purchased the 7 tooth spur sprocket but since I need a new bar and chain what are my options? I'm mechanically inclined for repairs. Should I go smaller bar? Should I have switched to a rim sprocket ? What's my best option moving forward? Also, off topic, my buddy and I started a wood business and he brought an 029 super into the mix. It kept dying and the guy at Ace said the compression what shot. I want to rebuild it for my buddy as a Christmas gift. I have no experience with small engines but I can turn a wrench and read instructions. How hard will this rebuild be and what parts will I need? Thanks in advance
 
motorhead99999 said:
The 290s are a pain in the butt to rebuild but once you figure one out it isn’t to bad. I always thought .325 and 3/8 chains were about the same price. I haven’t bought and .325 chains in a while. If your gonna rebuild the 029 and the cylinder is bad might as well order a kit for a 039.
Click to expand...

Really, Ican beef it up for him? That sounds like a good idea. Can someone who's never done it before do a rebuild? Everyone has a first time, right, I just don't have a mentor and hoping YouTube has a good video on it
 
Welcome to AS @BrandoninColorado. Make sure the 3/8 chains are not 3/8 picco chains which is less expensive. I like .325 18" on my 290. Lots of different bars out there so make sure you get the right one to match your chain. IE drive link count. and chain size match. Lots of YouTube videos on rebuilding saws. I'm sure the is one for the 029. Some one more knowledgeable about what parts you need will be along shortly.:)
 
BrandoninColorado said:
Really, Ican beef it up for him? That sounds like a good idea. Can someone who's never done it before do a rebuild? Everyone has a first time, right, I just don't have a mentor and hoping YouTube has a good video on it
Click to expand...
There’s a ton of videos of YouTube. That’s how I did my first one.
 
This is great. Thanks for all the quick responses. So on my 291 ya think I should downsize to 18" bar? So then what chain would I need, how many dls to be compatible with my 7 tooth spur sprocket. Another observation I noticed is how much cheaper the spur sprockets are for the 260s and only one # is different on Mpn and it looks the same. What keeps it from being compatible the 291?
 
BrandoninColorado said:
This is great. Thanks for all the quick responses. So on my 291 ya think I should downsize to 18" bar? So then what chain would I need, how many dls to be compatible with my 7 tooth spur sprocket. Another observation I noticed is how much cheaper the spur sprockets are for the 260s and only one # is different on Mpn and it looks the same. What keeps it from being compatible the 291?
Click to expand...
I'll send ya some info on the DL's when I get to my computer in the morning.
 
I’ve got a 290 I picked out of a junk pile.
It had a .325 sprocket originally but it split and I replaced it with a 7t 3/8 oem stihl sprocket I found on eBay. Why? well that’s what I found on eBay and all of my other full size saws are 3/8 drive. It makes sense to me ‍♂️
I’ve also done a muffler mod and tossed on a 25 inch bar and chain that came off a ms650.
Cuts well enough in pine.
 
Rove said:
I’ve got a 290 I picked out of a junk pile.
It had a .325 sprocket originally but it split and I replaced it with a 7t 3/8 oem stihl sprocket I found on eBay. Why? well that’s what I found on eBay and all of my other full size saws are 3/8 drive. It makes sense to me ‍♂️
I’ve also done a muffler mod and tossed on a 25 inch bar and chain that came off a ms650.
Cuts well enough in pine.
Click to expand...
motorhead99999 said:
Honestly not sure about the spur sprocket. I would think there the same but not sure. My 290 with muffler mod has had a 20” bar on it with .325 since new probaly 8-9 years and has served me well. Just keep it sharp
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Yep, keep it sharp. I finally figured out I was sharpening one side of teeth more than the other. Crooked cuts. Probably aided in all the damage I did. I gotta get some pics up here for you guys. I abused that poor saw in ignorance. I hope nothing important took a bad toll. I'll get some pics taken. Anyways, I ended buying an electric sharpener from Harbor Freight. It's helped immensely.
 
Welcome to the site and to wood cutting. I always buy OEM parts and after my learning curve when I started I just chalk up the expense as part of the learning curve.I prefer a 20'' bar because you get a longer reach so it makes bucking easier on the back because you don't have to bend over so much, especially if you are tall. You can reduce bar wear by flipping it over from time to time and not cutting with the tip all the time. Spread the wear by cutting on different places on the bar. Chain sharpening takes time to master and you will make mistakes as part of your learning curve.
The best thing is as soon as it starts getting the least bit dull, is to hit it with the file.
Heat is your biggest problem with chain stretch. When a chain gets dull it creates more heat, and heat will stretch the chain and take the temper out of the steel. The teeth will ether get softer of harder and glass over.
Keep it out of the dirt and if you do hit the dirt, stop cutting and sharpen and clean out the bar groove and while you have the bar off, flip it when you put it back on.
When I first started I would keep cutting after I hit the dirt and I went through lots of chains. If the log is on the ground don't cut all the way to the bottom and risk hitting the dirt, stop just before you get to the bottom of the cut and roll the log so you don't risk hitting the dirt on that last bit of the cut.
When I first started I had to sharpen every tank of fuel and even only got half a tank and my chain would get dull. Slow down your cuts rather then trying to cut faster and that will reduce heat on the bar and chain. Crank the oiler up to wide open to reduce wear and help with cooling. I can get 4 or 5 tanks of fuel before I sharpen now and I can run a chain till the teeth get so short they start breaking off before the chain stretch runs out of adjustment. It's gonna cost you money during your learning curve but you will soon get the hang of it and that will diminish as you get better. Your bar and chain will start lasting longer and you will have to sharpen less as you get better. Tree forks will make your chain dull faster because your cutting wood with the grain of the wood goes in all directions and it will cut slower so don't force it for speedy cuts.
Don't fret about cost while you are learning, you will make mistakes as we all have been there done that.
As you get better, your cost will go down. There are advantages to spur sprockets just as there are for rim sprockets. There are advantages and disadvantages to both types of sprockets. But you will eventually figure things out as you get better. Good luck and be safe.
 
IMO,you don't want to change to a 3/8 pitch.My son did that with his MS290 a few years ago and switched back the following season.To him,the change hurt the power of the saw.
Personally,I see nothing wrong with you leaving a 20" bar on the saw.Just don't bury it in the wood and you'll be fine.I can't see any difference in cutting a 16" log with a 20" bar and cutting with a 16" bar.Still cutting the same amount of material.If I wrong,I hope someone can tell me why since we all can still learn.
Most likely your burned bar came from running a dull chain and/or not having your oiler set correctly.Modern oilers aren't as wasteful but you still need oil on the chain.Set a piece of cardboard up and run the saw facing it with the tip of the bar a few inches away.You should see a fine line of oil on the cardboard.If not,you aren't getting enough oil.
In addition to learning to sharpen your chain,learn bar care.Cleaning the groove and making sure the hole for the oiler are lean will help as will dressing the bar.You don't have to have a fancy bar dresser.A good flat file will smooth the mushrooming as will a bench grinder or sander used very carefully.
Some other things I will suggest.Check with site sponsors for supplies.I have used Bailey's and have been pleased.
If your firewood sideline gets going well,you need to think about upgrading to a professional saw.The MS 261 will have a little more power and be 2lbs. or so lighter than what your 291 is.If you are cutting larger wood regularly,you might also think about an MS 362 which will give you about a full hp above the 291 at the same weight.Or,if you are really getting into cutting bigger trees an MS 461 would be good.I cut with an MS 362 and an MS250.The 362 has a 20" bar and the little 250 cuts better than it should for it's size with a .325 18" bar in 12" or so and smaller. Haven't cut anything my 362 couldn't handle but if I was cutting a lot of 20" plus,I'd want larger.
Finally,if you haven't,invest in some saw chaps and eye and hearing protection.Much cheaper and less painful than an ER co pay.I bought a pair of Labonville chaps from Bailey's and haven't been sorry.They also have a Woodland Pro line which also meets UL specs,I'm fairly certain.
 
3/8 cuts a wider kerf than .325. And there are fewer teeth on the chain doing the cutting. With the same power from the saw it will cut slower.

The best performance mod is to learn how to sharpen chains well and to keep them sharp. A sharp chain does much more for fast cutting than a muffler mod or anything else.
 
Welcome to the site, you are in the right place!


So if I am reading this correctly you wore out a bar and stretched several chains in one year of firewood cutting? Are you sure the saw is oiling correctly? Are you cutting after the chain gets dull?
 
BrandoninColorado said:
Yep, keep it sharp. I finally figured out I was sharpening one side of teeth more than the other. Crooked cuts. Probably aided in all the damage I did. I gotta get some pics up here for you guys. I abused that poor saw in ignorance. I hope nothing important took a bad toll. I'll get some pics taken. Anyways, I ended buying an electric sharpener from Harbor Freight. It's helped immensely.
Click to expand...
Hey Brandon.
Welcome to our fantsatic site here.
I also have an MS291 bought new and it is a good saw for my 10 cord a year firewood.
I run an 18" bar/chain combo on it and find it a perfect size for me.
Just learn that hand filing and keep those chains sharp.
I also opened the oil hole on my bar some as mine doesn't have an adjustable oiler so it helps to keep enough oil when I need it.
Remember to check spark plug and clean air filter regular too.
Just like any machine, regular maintenance will prevent break downs.
The more you use it, the more maintenance needed.
Good luck with that nicety of making a working saw for your buddy too.
 

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