Bar length for 288XPG in soft wood?

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Pudsy

ArboristSite Member
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Howdy all,

we don't have a lot of truly big wood left in our little country so my experience with that is limited, hence looking for some advice here.

My (fairly) "big" saws are mostly classics (Alpina A90, Dolmar CC, Homelite 923 .. prolly forgetting some) but I also own a somewhat more modern 288XPG that I have been using for milling mostly. For that I've been running a 28" bar with ripping chain, but never had to burry the bar in the wood more than say 20-22".

The other day I burried almost all of the 28" bar in some fresh Oak for falling and bucking and it seemed to pull that sort of fine except that I felt I should have taken some time before the hap-snap job to sharpen the chain ;o)

In a few weeks I'll be helping a friend clearing a patch of woodland that will be mostly coniferous (Picea) soft woods like Pine and Spruce (a lot of it dead or dying). I'll be taking a truckload of 40-70cc class saws for the main work, but want to take the 288 as well, to make easier work of some really big trees (for our standards that is).

So I want to order a few loops of chain for a fairly long bar, but unsure about what the 288 will be happy pulling.

The bars I own that will fit this saw are 20"(72DL), 28"(92DL), 30"(102DL) and 36"(115DL) length and all are 3/8" @ .058 gauge. I do realize that .058 is maybe on the thin side for long bars, but this is what I have.

All chains that I can easily find seem to be full comp - no (semi/full) skip available at the more affordable stores by the looks of it.

So the question is: What bar should I best get a few loops for, considering the power of the 288 and full comp chain in soft wood?

I'm not really expecting 36" trees, but if the saw would be able to pull that I might be inclined to go that way to have some 'extra' length just to be sure and for easier bucking maybe.
But if that's way over the limit of what the saw will happily pull, there is no point really and I'll be content to keep it at 28" or 30" too (saving a few € on the loops also)

Thanks in advance for your opinions!
 
I have run 36" full compliment 3/8 on my own 288 in our softwoods and it does it okay- much easier on it with full skip 3/8. Not a recommended daily driver- but the saw will do it.
They seem happy in the 24-28" range for daily use.
Will add- our softwoods are fast growth- seedlings planted to being on a truck to the mill can be done in 25 years with Radiata over here.
 
Thanks for that Bob, that more or less confirms my gut feeling. I'll prolly go with the 30" bar and get a couple of new chains for that. If there is some bigger wood, I can always attack it from two sides if need be - a bit slower, but we won't be on the clock. Also have the 28" bar&chain for back-up.
The trees on the lot are around 40 years, give or take.
 
Thanks for that Bob, that more or less confirms my gut feeling. I'll prolly go with the 30" bar and get a couple of new chains for that. If there is some bigger wood, I can always attack it from two sides if need be - a bit slower, but we won't be on the clock. Also have the 28" bar&chain for back-up.
The trees on the lot are around 40 years, give or take.

Is there any gains from a 30 versus the 28 you already have?
In my way of thinking, 2 inch bar length steps are not economic. I would stick with the 28 and the next step up would be a 32" but the 28 would be my main bar.
 
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