MS290 20" bar

[Lakeside53]

and another persective...

If the hemlock was fully branched, when it's down the upper 1/2 can be over your head. It's much safer to limb by walking the trunk with a long bar than to stand on the ground (and it's not always nice flat ground...) or, bend over on the trunk and limb with a short bar.

 

[fuzzle]

If the hemlock was fully branched, when it's down the upper 1/2 can be over your head. It's much safer to limb by walking the trunk with a long bar than to stand on the ground (and it's not always nice flat ground...) or, bend over on the trunk and limb with a short bar.

yep, yep, yep.

 

[GASoline71]

Right on Gary. And other thing to ponder, in lots of places on the coast, that tree that Gary cut down would be a pecker pole in relation to the other trees around it. Its my opinion, that if you are a seriuos, a saw that is a pro model around 70cc with at least a 24" bar is minimum for anything but climbing.

Some of the the Doug Firs in that stand are 4 footers... prolly close to 180' to 200' tall. Big mo-fo's! I might be bringin' one of those down next month.

If the hemlock was fully branched, when it's down the upper 1/2 can be over your head. It's much safer to limb by walking the trunk with a long bar than to stand on the ground (and it's not always nice flat ground...) or, bend over on the trunk and limb with a short bar.

The lower branches were big. Thicker than my forearm, and long. I'm 6' 5", and most of them were way over my head.

Gary

 

[Lakeside53]

The lower branches were big. Thicker than my forearm, and long. I'm 6' 5", and most of them were way over my head.

Gary

And you should see Gary's forearms Popeye has nothing on this sailor...

 

[fuzzle]

Some of the the Doug Firs in that stand are 4 footers... prolly close to 180' to 200' tall. Big mo-fo's! I might be bringin' one of those down next month.



The lower branches were big. Thicker than my forearm, and long. I'm 6' 5", and most of them were way over my head.

Gary

Think of how much faster you could have limbed that baby if you had stopped to put a bigger sprocket and a smaller b&c on that 044!

 

[Kevin McPeek]

So in the middle of the debate I am trying to pick up a few things.
Does changing sproket and b&c size increase/decrease the chain speed? If you have a bar with a nose sprocket does that need to be changed also? How would you go about calculating to proper number of drive links when you start mixing things up? Not that I am going to be doing any of this, I am just trying to understand how things work a bit better.

I am not a logger or anything like that, I am a woodturner who bucks, rips, and blanks wood. I have only fell one tree, which was anti-climactic, fell slow and easy right where I planned. I mostly get blow overs, and construction site clean-up stuff. Mostly in the 14"-20" diameter range, sometimes we get a big Mesquite or Eucalyptus (big out here is 24+") and we don't bother with smaller than 12"-14".

 

[GASoline71]

I wouldn't worry about changing your drive sprocket and such. It's a debate that rages on, and on, and on, and on, here. You would not have to replace the sproket tip on your bar if you changed drive sprockets.

Just stick with what is on your saw. The 18" bar will be perfect with the stock sprocket. The saw will pull a 20" bar... but will be happier with the 18".

Gary

 

[outdoortype]

Your 18" bar is ideal for your saw, the 290 will pull a 20", but the 18 will work better. I use alot of 18" on alot bigger saws, I think they are perfect for firewood saws. Find yourself a good Stihl dealer and ask them to set you up with YELLOW chains. They are what you want to get the most out of your saw. GREEN chains are a safety type, low kickback type that make you and your saw work harder. Unfortunately in this world of fear and liability, the green ones are pushed on new saws. Look at the packages, they are yellow on top. Look for codes beginning in RS (best) or RSC (very good)

+1 good post wood hick. I would recommend Stihl RS (yellow) or Oregon LP unless you drag your logs out through the dirt before you cut them. If so, I would recommend Stihl exclusively because it seems to hold it's edge longer.

 

[SawTroll]

..... Look at the packages, they are yellow on top. Look for codes beginning in RS (best) or RSC (very good)

I believe it is the other way around, but I can't prove it.......

 

[Kevin McPeek]

After cutting today I am thinking I'll look into the different chains. We were cleaning up a blown over honey locust that was about 36" at the base and I really expected a little more out of my saw.
When I would be doing a full bar cut it would bog down fairly easy. I put on a brand new chain and that helped but definitely not just ripping through stuff. My saw is only on its 3rd or so tank of fuel so I realize it isn't up to full potential yet but I hope it picks up more. My buddy said his 250 really woke up after 4-5 tanks so I am waiting a little before I make my final judgment.

 

[SawTroll]

15 tanks is more like it for complete run-in, don't make any final judgements before that "mark" is passed........

 

[Kevin McPeek]

At my rate that will be awhile. I guess I need to get into the woodshed and get out some logs to cut up into bowl blanks...maybe when it cools down a bit.

 

[Wood Hick]

No sir Mr. Saw Troll, RS is the older,better, full chisel that Stihl DQ'ed in 3/8".
RSC is the new answer, the "comfort" chisel chain( thus RSC ). The old RS is a faster cutter, still out there in .325 and .404. When I find some old RS 3/8 on the shelf I scarf it all up!

 

[SawTroll]

No sir Mr. Saw Troll, RS is the older,better, full chisel that Stihl DQ'ed in 3/8".
RSC is the new answer, the "comfort" chisel chain( thus RSC ). The old RS is a faster cutter, still out there in .325 and .404. When I find some old RS 3/8 on the shelf I scarf it all up!

You are the only one who has ever stated that, on any of the 8 or so saw forums that I follow.........

...are you confusing the RSC with the RSC3?????

 

[Wood Hick]

C'mon Sawtroll

Maybe I am confused, I am just a Wood Hick, but, I am talking about Stihl Rapid Super ( RS ) yellow chain that is older than Methusala! This is what I like the best and what I recommended to the new guy. It was dropped in 3/8" a few years ago, and Rapid Super Comfort (RSC) was the chain that was to take its place in 3/8". These are both non safety, yellow labeled chains.
RSC3 is a green chain, low kick, something I would not buy or use. Trust me bud, I have been wrong before, but I am missing your point on this one!

 

[Pablo26]

I think his point is that there is now RSC and RSC3. Sounds like you are referring to RSC3 which is green label, and SawTroll is referring to RSC, which should cut every bit as fast as the old RS, it just has a lower vibe chassis.

 

[SawTroll]

I think his point is that there is now RSC and RSC3. Sounds like you are referring to RSC3 which is green label, and SawTroll is referring to RSC, which should cut every bit as fast as the old RS, it just has a lower vibe chassis.

You got it right, the RSC may even be a tad faster than the RS, because it cuts smoother (just a thought, based on Oregon LP vs LG, not a fact by any means).........:greenchainsaw:

 

[Kevin McPeek]

I ordered an Oregon LP chain to give that a try figured it was a bit cheaper than a stihl chain so not much of a loss if I don't like it. From what I gather from you guys it sounds like it is a capable chain, maybe not all that a stihl is but a lot better than my green chains..?

 

[Tzed250]

I'm merely a human...

 

[pgg]

It's a waste of time and effort running over length bars on chainsaws, an 029 doesn't have the grunt to push 20" bars and chains, if a 20" bar is NEEDED, then ya need a gruntier saw to match it, the amount of people on this site who seem to insist on mis-matching bar length to saw power - well it's ridiculous! Methinks it's some type of deep-seated penis length insecurity syndrome or something. Sure, the chain still cuts with over length bars(barely) - but what's the point? Why would anyone deliberately de-power their chainsaws?