RandyMac
Stiff Member
It was OTJ training, it is all but N/A now.
How much can a 16" bar really cut?
- Thread starter PLMCRZY
- Start date
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PLMCRZY
Addicted to ArboristSite
Well sweet guys i knew they were all just jealous of my new saw!
Like i said around here i wouldnt say alot of them get over 16" in diameter. The saw was bought to trim limbs and occasionally take down a tree or 2.
Like i said around here i wouldnt say alot of them get over 16" in diameter. The saw was bought to trim limbs and occasionally take down a tree or 2.
Anthony_Va.
XPW Fan Club
You can do alot more with that saw than what your buds are telling you. I would stick to trees 24" or less, for the saws sake, not the bar. It's hard on a smaller saw like yours cutting 30" trees, but it can be done. Hard on you too. Alot of work cutting a 30' tree with a smaller saw. While it's nothing for a 460-660 Stihl, or a 372-390 husky.
If you need to cut alot of big trees, get a big saw to go with what youhave, or keep it around 20-24" to be easy on the saw.
If you need to cut alot of big trees, get a big saw to go with what youhave, or keep it around 20-24" to be easy on the saw.
AustinPSD
ArboristSite Lurker
This ends up being a function of:
- bar length
- chain type
- displacement/horsepower of the saw
- your skill level
- site conditions, including lean of the tree, wood condition, tree type, degree of precision required for felling
You have a 36cc saw with a 16" bar, and probably low-profile semi-chisel/safety chain. This is good for limbing, trimming/pruning at ground height, a felling trees up to about 150% of the bar length (probably 24" diameter max), provided you have the skills to correctly notch and make the back-cut for the tree diameter.
While you "could" fell a larger diameter tree, up to maybe 2X the bar length, you need to consider how safe, how long, and what other factors come into play.
It then turns into more of a "should you" verses "could you" question.
This saw is great for felling, bucking and limbing trees with a diameter of 16" or less at the root flare, with most any lean angle (given reasonable skills) or wood condition.
It is less than ideal for trees with a diameter greater than the usable bar length, which is really less than 16" (this saw has a usable bar length of between 15" and 14", depending on one's optimism).
I've had to use small saws (less than 42cc, 16" to 14" maximum bar length) on big trees. It isn't fun. It is not terribly safe. It is a lot of work. It is hard on the saw, and the sawyer. If you plan to regularly fell trees larger than 16" at the root flare, or buck trees/logs that are larger than 16", you need a bigger saw. Not just a bigger bar... you need more displacement/horsepower, a saw capable of pulling a longer bar and chain, and skills to use it.
I have found the need for two, three or more saws to really get the job done right, a small top handle saw for climbing, use from a bucket or lift for limbing and sectioning, and larger saws for use on larger trees for felling/bucking.
A big pro saw makes a world of difference in terms of productivity, ease of use, and most importantly safety for me, and safety for those around me, and reducing the potential of damage to surrounding property.
- bar length
- chain type
- displacement/horsepower of the saw
- your skill level
- site conditions, including lean of the tree, wood condition, tree type, degree of precision required for felling
You have a 36cc saw with a 16" bar, and probably low-profile semi-chisel/safety chain. This is good for limbing, trimming/pruning at ground height, a felling trees up to about 150% of the bar length (probably 24" diameter max), provided you have the skills to correctly notch and make the back-cut for the tree diameter.
While you "could" fell a larger diameter tree, up to maybe 2X the bar length, you need to consider how safe, how long, and what other factors come into play.
It then turns into more of a "should you" verses "could you" question.
This saw is great for felling, bucking and limbing trees with a diameter of 16" or less at the root flare, with most any lean angle (given reasonable skills) or wood condition.
It is less than ideal for trees with a diameter greater than the usable bar length, which is really less than 16" (this saw has a usable bar length of between 15" and 14", depending on one's optimism).
I've had to use small saws (less than 42cc, 16" to 14" maximum bar length) on big trees. It isn't fun. It is not terribly safe. It is a lot of work. It is hard on the saw, and the sawyer. If you plan to regularly fell trees larger than 16" at the root flare, or buck trees/logs that are larger than 16", you need a bigger saw. Not just a bigger bar... you need more displacement/horsepower, a saw capable of pulling a longer bar and chain, and skills to use it.
I have found the need for two, three or more saws to really get the job done right, a small top handle saw for climbing, use from a bucket or lift for limbing and sectioning, and larger saws for use on larger trees for felling/bucking.
A big pro saw makes a world of difference in terms of productivity, ease of use, and most importantly safety for me, and safety for those around me, and reducing the potential of damage to surrounding property.
RandyMac
Stiff Member
My standard advice, go 90-100cc, don't be a panzy when buying a bigger chainsaw.
Nosmo
Addicted to ArboristSite
My 16" bar on my MS260 has about 14-1/2" which is usable.
Nosmo
Nosmo
SawTroll
Information Collector
Exactly right Poppa Troll
As an example this is the usable bar length on some of my saws at the moment (measured from tip of spikes):
390XP: 24" bar - usable 21.6" (GB Pro Top)
7901: 20" bar - usable 18.1" (GB Pro Top)
5100-S: 17.5" bar (64DL) - usable 16.3" (Factory Laminated - tough little bar!)
3120: 44" bar - usable 40" (GB Ti Orange)
I've fallen for the old "wow that 24" bar made it half way through, must be a 48" tree" only to realise it was only 43" odd later on
Looks like you have large dawgs on some of those saws.....
MCW
Somebody's talking crap here & it ain't the tree!
Looks like you have large dawgs on some of those saws.....
The 3120, 5100-S and 7901 are stock but the 390 are the heavy duty ones
