Opinions please... Need new bar and chain...

[nstueve]

Are Oregon Power Match bars worth the $$$???

I am going at some really big old oak this spring and my 6401 w/ 20" bar isn't going to cut it... Looking at 28-30in bars right now. Carlton is like $30-$35 cheaper than the oregon power match. Also I know my guage is .050; Is there any advantage to getting a .058 guage bar and chain?

Also does anyone have a Granberg guide for sharpening their chain... love it??? hate it??? waste of $$$??? I can file pretty close but don't have a shop with 100 miles of me so was hoping the Granberg would give me a better than fre
PS: my dolkita is already going to be converted to the 7900 kit with a P&P job by the time I run the 28-30in bar.

 

[oscar4883]

The Powermatch bars are not that pricey IMO. They are a good bar for sure. My experience with Carlton has been limited to the smaller bars but the ones I have been around have been wearing real well. If the Carlton is much cheaper I would go with that. If .050 is what is commonly used in your area just stick with that. Some of the fallers on here say that larger gauges like .063 wander less in large cuts. That matters in large falling cuts but to the overwhelming majority of people it is not an issue. The smaller Carlton bars I have are painted, however the larger ones are often clearcoated and the coating can be pretty thick apparently. Guys say it is a good idea to strip some of the clear off of the clearcoated bars.

 

[Bob Wright]

I have read that the reason for the bigger bar gauges is to carry more oil..Bob

 

[nstueve]

well these are the two I was looking at...
Bailey's - 30" Carlton Chainsaw Bar & Chain Combo

Bailey's - 30" Oregon Power Match Bar and Chain Combo 3/8" Pitch

Obviously, I'm not a pro at this but have been cutting wood a long time. I wouldn't know if there is or isn't a quality difference as I haven't ever had a Carlton bar and chain before. As far as what guage is being used localy... I have no clue... I don't think there are any stores near me that would sell chains any longer than a 18in-20in bar. So I really don't care on whether .058 guage is available local since I would end up back on Bailey's ordering one anyhow...

 

[tdi-rick]

Go the German Carlton bar, the steel quality and heat treatment is excellent and the tips are supposedly better than the Oregon ones according to a few Oregon users here.

Bar gauge should really be based on what's common in your area or what you aready have lots of.
eg here, 050 is virtually unheard of, everyone either uses 058 (Husky operators) or 063 (Stihl)

 

[cowroy]

It's your money. I bought a saw with a powermatch bar on it, and it works well but not any better than a Carleton. Save your money, and with what you save you might be able to pick up a extra chain.

 

[Great Smokies]

Total pro bars all the way, those things are rock solid.

 

[promac850]

I've heard a lot about Sugi-Hara, but don't be surprised at the price... very expensive, last I checked (about 2 months ago) a 20" bar was 110 bucks. Many here say they are the best you can get, as the steel is superior to all other bars. These are made by the Japanese, and as you know, they do know how to work steel.

I hope to buy some for my saws, but right now, that will not happen. Out of the budget.

 

[Arrowhead]

Total pro bars all the way, those things are rock solid.

Tsumura makes Total bars. I have 2 Carltons made by Tsumura.

I'd go with the Carlton, I like them better than the Oregons.

 

[dingeryote]

If you can get the Carlton, snag it.
German or Jap made carltons both have the edge over the newer Oregon Power match bars by a good margin IMO.
Harder rails, Better noses.

I have a Granberg I bought in hopes of occaisionally correcting my freehand filing. It works.


Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[tdi-rick]

[snip]
Many here say they are the best you can get, as the steel is superior to all other bars. These are made by the Japanese, and as you know, they do know how to work steel.

[snip]

Tsumura (or Total Super Bar)

None of the mount/spacer hassles a Sugi has, SKS51 Japanese tool steel, beautifully finished and they have upgraded the sprocket bearings in the last twelve months.

Having said that, the German Carlton bars are a very, very good piece of steel, it's just that the bar isn't finished near as well as the Japanese ones and the clearcoat should be stripped if you are doing long cuts in very tough timber.

 

[struggle]

Where about in Iowa are you from? Approximately.

There's a few of us here that might know of good mom and pop shops to go to on chain sizes or big ones for that matter.

 

[wyk]

Will that thing oil a 30" bar buried in oak? My 372 will actually fountain out of a 20" bar if I have it set to 80%. I have to put it back to half throttle.

 

[MCW]

As Rick mentioned Carlton has had bars over the last few years made by Tsumura in Japan, made in Germany by nobody knows who, or now made by Oregon that are simply black painted Power Match Plus bars. You'll do well to wear any of them out as they're all excellent bars however the pick is definately the Tsumura. The German bars have had a good run too and I've got nothing at all against the Oregons either. I've sold all three with no complaints from anybody at all except the clear coat melting off the German bars under hard cutting conditions.
Under ultra hard work the Tsumuras would be my pick but funnily enough are the only bar I've sold that has done one single nose sprocket in...

The Tsumuras have been that popular with Australian dealers that Jakmax (the Australian Carlton importers) have had to import Tsumura branded bars to satisfy demand after Carlton went with Oregon. Now both bars are available. Tsumuras only up to 24" in sprocket nose and the Oregons up to 36".

 

[tdi-rick]

Matt, that nose sprocket that failed, was it a new 4 rivet or one of the old style 6 rivet noses ?

 

[MCW]

Matt, that nose sprocket that failed, was it a new 4 rivet or one of the old style 6 rivet noses ?

4 rivet Rick. Happened to a New Zealand customer on a 20" but he still loves the Tsumuras. Not sure how much work the bar had seen or the circumstances it happened in though.

 

[Adam_MA]

I have and have used both Carlton and Oregon bars. I like both, they both have held up well, and the only complaint I really have is that the oil hole on the Oregon is very small. Other than that, the finish on the Carlton has held up better than the Oregon bars...

 

[nstueve]

Well let's be clear on the 050 058 thing... I came out of a very dark time when I owned a poulan wild thing and would buy chain by going to Home Depot or Lowes and find the Oregon chain that had my chainsaws model number on the back... I never knew the guage, pitch or number of drive links. I guess the other Iowa guys would know better than I what is commonly run around here...????

ok so how do I know if a Carlton it's made by Tsumura or Oregon if I buy it from Bailey's????

Also... Lets talk about chain... Is it all about the same???? I was thinking of getting a B&C combo and maybe a 2nd chain. However if there is a better brand of chain (steel is better or keeps edge longer), I would most certainly be open to buying the bar and chains seperatly.

Thanks for all the help guys!

Oh and to the gentleman that asked about oiling on my 6401 I believe there is a adjustment to turn the oiling system up when cutting through thick hard stuff... I'll look into it unless another Dolkita owner wants to chime in...

 

[motoman.5150]

Don't know where it was made but I got the same carleton bar and chain combo 30" from bailys just this past summer and the sprocket tip is loose already

 

[Bow_Extreme]

See this thread about bars and chains. It helped me through the process when outfitting the Dolmar. I too am a fan now of the Tsumura bars and Carlton chain. The rest of your questions should be answered in this thread:

http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/166234.htm