Oregon or Windsor?? Sweet spot for 046

[davefr]

My Stihl 046 has a 32" bar and I'd like to downsize.

What's the sweet spot for a 046? I want more than 24" but less than 32" and would like a bar that makes the saw more balanced. I'm thinking about 28".

Any opinion on Windsor by Sandvik or Oregon Power Match?

They are both pretty close in price at Baileys and Madsens.

 

[tundraotto]

dont know about sandvik but the oregon 24" powermatch kicks butt - its just a really heavy bar - makes you work. It is not a laminate bar made of 3 layers of steel with the middle layer being hollow - but a solid steel bar and this makes it - I say again heavy! - i dont know how much you could handle of this in a 28" - i would not really wanna even try. But it is really strong - bent it to a Z one time with the help of a 30" red oak and took a sledge to it and widened the groove back with the chainsaw socket/screwdriver and the thing is almost as good as new - cuts straight and you can only tell the 2 really slight bends in it when you look at it closely. i would get the 24" but thats just my opinion.

 

[HUSKYMAN]

Cant say I have ever turned one of my bars into a "Z" yet! Is that what you have now, is a 24"? I always prefer shorter bars myself. My buddy has an 046 with a 24" bar and that is all he uses. There is nothing around here you cant cut with a 24" except willow tree trunks.

 

[confused]

davefr,

I also have a Stihl 046 and i have an assortment of bars for it 18,24,36" all running 3/8 chain. The bar that is such a pleasure to run is the 24" Stihl Rollomatic E Super. With a chain on the bar and the saw full of gas and oil the saw is almost perfectly balanced. If you set the saw on the floor it will just tip forward with that bar on it. An one more thing if you think that the 046 rips wait till you get that shorter bar on it. But i would recommend the 24" with a chain it balances near perfection

confused

 

[tundraotto]

lol - well almost a z, the tip was 8" left of the base with two neds on it - tractor did not have enough punch to push the tree over once it was cut and the saw got pinched - rolling on the bar while the tip was still jammed in the notch. My baby came throught it without a scratch.

Like said before though, 24" is plenty long unless you are a pro logger. I like cutting the tree up on the ground with the tip while barely bending my neck over - it reaches really well, and eats it up!!