036PRO with 28" bar

[slowp]

I agree and it will be a lot faster than trying to use a 28".

What is the fascination with long bars on small saws? More inches can get you into more trouble especially in storm cleanup work where you work often in less than ideal conditions.
Horses for courses, you wouldn't pull a semi trailer with a Honda, so why put oversize bars on small saws?

Gentle poster, I disagree. Having spent a bit of time opening roads in the spring, and after wind events, it is my opinion that the longer the bar, the safer one is. I don't like to get close to bits of trees that tend to pop up. Sometimes the trees surprise us and do unexpected things. Do you want to be close to it when it pops?

I have taken refuge behind a standing tree while cutting a blown over tree. Can't do that with a short bar.

I guess I could once again post a video of a Real Pro Logger guy cutting blowdown, with a 441? with 32 inch bar, and you might see the reasons. Note how he misjudges sometimes and pinches the bar. That happens too.

[video=youtube_share;3Beocx0KiOw]http://youtu.be/3Beocx0KiOw[/video]

[video=youtube_share;tJZmEV3vXBw]http://youtu.be/tJZmEV3vXBw[/video]

 

[Jay-D]

I have a nice shiny 25" bar I would gladly trade if you find that is too much... it would look nice on my 660... Ive run the 25 on my 361 in a pinch and it will move it an cut decent in hardwood as long as you let the saw do the work and not try an muscle it.

I know this bar and chain is a lot for the saw, but I'm having fun cutting the big stuff! Can't justify buying a bigger saw since I'm not in the cutting business and don't need to use it that often. I wouldn't trade the bar for anything, maybe an 044 or 066, but then I would definitely need a long bar. I thought it did pretty well. I'm not in a hurry.

Jay

 

[rwoods]

Slowp, I'm far from a pro but I agree with you 100%. In tangled messes I have far more instances where I want that long bar than the times it gets in the way or poses a greater risk. Ron

 

[justtools]

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I stopped by a Stihl dealer today to ask about a few saws, In his words the 362 was good up to a 20 inch bar, A ms460 was good up to a 25 " bar and a ms660 up to a 32" bar. I thought these were a little light myself as I run a 28 " on my ms460 with no problems. I like when you go to a pawnshop and they price the saws by bar length. At this one store The 40cc poulans with the 20" bars are the same price as a ms440 with a 20" bar. I took one of them home. Guess which one.

 

[madhatte]

I ran a 32" on my 026 one day so I could cut up a bunch of pallets without bending over. Wouldn't recommend it as an everyday setup, but for that job it worked well. I don't really think there's an algebra for "right bar length" that works better than simply using what you have to do the job.

 

[rwoods]

:agree2: You use what you got and as you can afford it you add more bar lengths and different size saws. Ron

 

[Jed1124]

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I stopped by a Stihl dealer today to ask about a few saws, In his words the 362 was good up to a 20 inch bar, A ms460 was good up to a 25 " bar and a ms660 up to a 32" bar. I thought these were a little light myself as I run a 28 " on my ms460 with no problems. I like when you go to a pawnshop and they price the saws by bar length. At this one store The 40cc poulans with the 20" bars are the same price as a ms440 with a 20" bar. I took one of them home. Guess which one.

Stihl recommends up to a 32 on a 460 and up to a 36 on a 660. I also run a 28 on my 460 with full comp RSC and have no problems at all in hardwood. I would go to skip chain if I stepped up to a 32 though.

 

[Trx250r180]

ive ran 28 bars on the 036 cut fine just not wood over 20 inches for me ,was a little nose heavy so balance of saw was not as good as it is with a 25 bar ,saw balance can actually wear you out faster than a heavier saw that cuts faster, put that same 28 inch bar on a ms440 or 460 and hold top handle on both saws ,the bigger saw wil be almost level and the 036 will nosedive bad ,something else to consider with bar length and powerhead size

 

[Jay-D]

I've gotten alot of feed back from this thread. I think what it all comes down to is are you cutting to make money or cutting to have fun and help friends. I think the 28" bar does pretty damn well for a non professional. I will not be using it all the time, but it gets me though my needs. I have cut pines at 30"+ and red oak at 28". Cuts though quicker than two cuts with a 20" bar. As they say, haters gonna hate.

Jay

P.S. I love this forum. I have wasted more time at work reading and sucking in as much info as I can. Thank you AS.