Turns out my Wife was right

[Bob Hedgecutter]

I could do with a couple extra inches......

So I've been running a Stihl 038 Magnum for years (brilliant saw) and recently inherited an MS 440 when my grandfather passed. Both saws have a 20 inch bar which makes no sence obviously. I tend to pull my saw out once a year mainly to fill my woodshed and deal with all sort of size trees (pine and macrocapa) I'm planning to put a longer bar on one of the saws but not actually sure which one would suit it.... thinking 24 or 28 inch i 30 inch will be pushing the limit on either. Any thoughts/advice?

Being a fellow Kiwi and cutting the same kind of stuff you cut- often for the same reasons....... I occasionally run a 30 inch bar and full comp full chisel chain on my 460- most often it wears a 25 inch bar full comp combination, but the 30 is there when needed and I have never had a problem with insufficient oil delivery. However, it makes a big difference if the chain is dull (as with all saws!) or the bar groove, oiler holes and internals of the clutch cover are plugged up with oily dust.
Also makes a difference if you are cutting freshly felled or old felled long dead logs.
I would happily run a 24/25 inch with full comp on your 440- keep the chain sharp and the saw clean and it will eat up all you can feed it with our trees- a 50-100 year old Pine here is not the same as a similar aged tree in the States. Sometimes a big old Mac can test your oiler, but green and clean (not too many big knots) is easily enough cut. Gums on the other hand...... I would not run much more than a 20 inch combo on the 440.
28 inch would be about as bigger bar as I personally would be prepared to go with the 440 and then probably not as a fulltime fitment.

If you are being offered old man Pine for firewood- consider the limbs before the trunk. They are easier cut (less diameter) easier split and are more dense with a higher resin content- makes excellent firewood!

 

[Farmer_dave]

Being a fellow Kiwi and cutting the same kind of stuff you cut- often for the same reasons....... I occasionally run a 30 inch bar and full comp full chisel chain on my 460- most often it wears a 25 inch bar full comp combination, but the 30 is there when needed and I have never had a problem with insufficient oil delivery. However, it makes a big difference if the chain is dull (as with all saws!) or the bar groove, oiler holes and internals of the clutch cover are plugged up with oily dust.
Also makes a difference if you are cutting freshly felled or old felled long dead logs.
I would happily run a 24/25 inch with full comp on your 440- keep the chain sharp and the saw clean and it will eat up all you can feed it with our trees- a 50-100 year old Pine here is not the same as a similar aged tree in the States. Sometimes a big old Mac can test your oiler, but green and clean (not too many big knots) is easily enough cut. Gums on the other hand...... I would not run much more than a 20 inch combo on the 440.
28 inch would be about as bigger bar as I personally would be prepared to go with the 440 and then probably not as a fulltime fitment.

If you are being offered old man Pine for firewood- consider the limbs before the trunk. They are easier cut (less diameter) easier split and are more dense with a higher resin content- makes excellent firewood!

Cheers all really good information. I love the old man pine with all the resin it throws off serious heat and a sharp chain goes through it like butter.

Not so fond of cutting mac bit harder onn the saw but it burns a bit slower and cleaner.
I just don't see the point of running 2 similar size saws with the same sized bar and I certainly wouldnt run anything smaller than 20 inch. 24 might just be enough but 28 would be ideal.

I was hoping to run the larger bar on the old 038 magnum but the 440 does have the power advantage.

 

[foeke]

I think, the older the saw, the less finickey.
Less over engineering.
But that's why it's a rule of thumb.

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