MS660 32" or 36" bar?

[Burvol]

Madsens sells bars over 32" in 063 thats where I got the misconception on gauges over 32" my local shop also sell bars over 32" only in 063.

I only run 63. Way tougher for just a tad more weight. I don't understand heavy cutting applications with long bars and 50 gauge. I know guys think it's WAY faster and lighter, but it is not as strong. 32" bars and over usually = Strong like bull animal (In my best Romanian accent) applications. LOL

 

[Burvol]

How i see kickback is not watching you bar tip and inexperience - the once in awhile mishap. But i have never had the chain break engage form kickback.

As you spend more time on a saw besides casual use and firewood, you will experience them. Petrified knots, hard limbs, pitch seams, ect. can all excite your bar, quick.

 

[Tzed250]

I only run 63. Way tougher for just a tad more weight. I don't understand heavy cutting applications with long bars and 50 gauge. I know guys think it's WAY faster and lighter, but it is not as strong. 32" bars and over usually = Strong like bull animal (In my best Romanian accent) applications. LOL

Stihl chain is the same thickness at the rivets for .050,.058, and .063, so the strength would be equal. Not sure about non-Stihl chain...


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[Burvol]

Stihl chain is the same thickness at the rivets for .050,.058, and .063, so the strength would be equal. Not sure about non-Stihl chain...


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The driver goes through the straps. Makes the package stronger.

 

[Cedarkerf]

Some of those Doug Fir knots from limbs that dropped years ago sometimes like hitting glass weird for "soft" wood. Everything but the wifes 260 is 063 have a roll of it.

 

[056kid]

can show you some bad assed hickory that will kill an agressive .050 in a hurry...

 

[Burvol]

Some of those Doug Fir knots from limbs that dropped years ago sometimes like hitting glass weird for "soft" wood. Everything but the wifes 260 is 063 have a roll of it.

Ask Gologit and Treesling'r about White Fir knots east of the Cascades, they are wicked. They are like glass, don't break even when dead, usually droop back down, green ones are rubbery and when loaded up can be a pain to release clean, kill the edge on your chain after a while and when they do break, they are stabbers.

 

[Burvol]

can show you some bad assed hickory that will kill an agressive .050 in a hurry...

I got a Hickory limb from some friends for my smoker, I was impressed at it's hardness for sure.

 

[056kid]

When you first dog in to one of them bastards, you had better have your eyes closed, the bark reallly reallly hurts, like no joke. That #### is BRUTAL!!




But black walnut is worse, if you get some in your eye, you might as well go & pour a 5th of vodka in there to clean it out, it stings BBAADD...

 

[Tzed250]

The driver goes through the straps. Makes the package stronger.

Right, all the Stihl drivers are the same thickness, .063, the .050 and .058 are thinned under the tie-strap. Same strength for each chain.


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[Burvol]

Right, all the Stihl drivers are the same thickness, .063, the .050 and .058 are thinned under the tie-strap. Same strength for each chain.


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Holding a chain of each. My 63 has thicker drivers all the way up. The 50 are flat all the way up.

 

[Tzed250]

Holding a chain of each. My 63 has thicker drivers all the way up. The 50 are flat all the way up.

My Stihl RS has drivers that are .063 btween the ties, .050 under them.


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[matt9923]

As you spend more time on a saw besides casual use and firewood, you will experience them. Petrified knots, hard limbs, pitch seams, ect. can all excite your bar, quick.

I here ya, i have had kickback but never had the bar hit me in the face or anything crazy. A small kickback it occasional as you said.
Also i run motley smaller bars here in the NE.

 

[jsd176]

I'm just curious I guess as too how much greater the chance of kickback is with the different geometry bars. I know a lot of it has to do with the operator and most kickback situations can be avoided. Maybe I should say, for two bars in the same kickback situation, is one more forgiving or does one have more of a tendency to cause kickback and is it a big difference or marginal?

 

[matt9923]

I'm just curious I guess as too how much greater the chance of kickback is with the different geometry bars. I know a lot of it has to do with the operator and most kickback situations can be avoided. Maybe I should say, for two bars in the same kickback situation, is one more forgiving or does one have more of a tendency to cause kickback and is it a big difference or marginal?

Id say it has more to do with chain then bar. But what do i know.

 

[Burvol]

Id say it has more to do with chain then bar. But what do i know.

Your right Matt, the chain is what does it. You want more kickbacks??? Run Skip.

 

[matt9923]

Your right Matt, the chain is what does it. You want more kickbacks??? Run Skip.

I like skip, easier sharpening to. A bit more jumpy

 

[moose42]

When I bought my 064 it came with 2 36" bars. One was a oregon .63 and the other was a Stihl .50. It came with two chains for the .63 and none for the .50 so I just went with the .63 and put the other one aside. I later bought a 28" .63 so I could just get a spool of chain. My buddy has a 660 with a 32" .63 bar and wanted a 36" so we traded. Now he felt like a man too. Then I modded my saw and we raced cuttin a log. I spanked his stock 660. So to really crush all of his hopes and dreams, I went out and bought a 42" bar! Now I have a lineup of bars, 28", 32", 36" and 42". And the best part is that they all are .63 with so I can just make chain off my spool, and my buddy can't use any of my chains! Hehe

 

[matt9923]

When I bought my 064 it came with 2 36" bars. One was a oregon .63 and the other was a Stihl .50. It came with two chains for the .63 and none for the .50 so I just went with the .63 and put the other one aside. I later bought a 28" .63 so I could just get a spool of chain. My buddy has a 660 with a 32" .63 bar and wanted a 36" so we traded. Now he felt like a man too. Then I modded my saw and we raced cuttin a log. I spanked his stock 660. So to really crush all of his hopes and dreams, I went out and bought a 42" bar! Now I have a lineup of bars, 28", 32", 36" and 42". And the best part is that they all are .63 with so I can just make chain off my spool, and my buddy can't use any of my chains! Hehe

Ill agree the stock 660 aint the most impressive.

 

[Tzed250]

I only run 63. Way tougher for just a tad more weight. I don't understand heavy cutting applications with long bars and 50 gauge. I know guys think it's WAY faster and lighter, but it is not as strong. 32" bars and over usually = Strong like bull animal (In my best Romanian accent) applications. LOL

Stihl chain is the same thickness at the rivets for .050,.058, and .063, so the strength would be equal. Not sure about non-Stihl chain...


.

The driver goes through the straps. Makes the package stronger.

Right, all the Stihl drivers are the same thickness, .063, the .050 and .058 are thinned under the tie-strap. Same strength for each chain.


.

Holding a chain of each. My 63 has thicker drivers all the way up. The 50 are flat all the way up.

My Stihl RS has drivers that are .063 btween the ties, .050 under them.


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You had me second guessing myself Burvol, so I checked.


First picture, measuring the driver in the area that sits between the tie straps.

Second picture, measuring the driver below the tie straps.

Andy schooled me on this years ago...


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