Shorten bars

[sonny580]

Ya, shorten a 14 or 16" bar down to 6, 8 or 10 max for trimming branches off logs. 6 or 8 would be the best.
I dont need all that extra bar sticking out and wearing on the chains, plus hitting stuff on the other side.
I want to take 1 small saw, shorten the bar and use it only for cutting limbs off.--- nothing like major logging business,--just personal use by myself.
I have been looking for 8 to 10 inch bars and cant find anything with the right end to fit any of my saws. pole saw bars have different sized slots and bolt patterns, so they are out.
If the section was removed from the center, from what I measure, would still match up when welded back together.
I know most guys want the super long bars, -- but for me they are useless for what I cut and rob power, hard to hold, and wear the bar and chain a lot faster than a short one would.
This is just an idea I am wanting to do, so IF it dont work,--nothing lost, well cept a bar.
Never had any luck with battery powered stuff so that is not an option. --- good old gas power, short bar and I am all set to cut branches! lol!
Was looking at top handle saws and they are too costly for me. I have a couple baby beaver Macs. here that I have fixed and they would be super with the short bar for 1 handed use. They now have the 14" bard on them.
Been looking at a top handle Sthil on upcoming sale but it has a 14 or 16 on it so that again wont work for me.
I know shorter bar means more "in your face" lift when you hit the gas but I been around saws all me life so the safety thing is taken into consideration as well.

 

[GenXer]

My mother picked up a small electric hand held with about an 8" bar and chain on it. It was a Stihl. Not much for cutting time with the small battery, but it has a smaller bar and chain.

It's a GTA-26

 

[blades]

should be able to get a 12" for those macs. The 10" around also . won't find anything listed Mac oem wise so you have to go by mount sizes. width and length of slot ( in mm works best nowdays). for me it is not hard to open one up wider and put a new tension hole in maybe need to reposition or grind a slot for the bar oil. all do able with a dremel or similar - I cheat have milling machines. was a time in the early 70's all I had was a drill press and a xy table ( cheapie) that I would clamp on the drill press table and slowly accomplish what I needed. the old red neck geterdone.

 

[northmanlogging]

Ya, shorten a 14 or 16" bar down to 6, 8 or 10 max for trimming branches off logs. 6 or 8 would be the best.
I dont need all that extra bar sticking out and wearing on the chains, plus hitting stuff on the other side.
I want to take 1 small saw, shorten the bar and use it only for cutting limbs off.--- nothing like major logging business,--just personal use by myself.
I have been looking for 8 to 10 inch bars and cant find anything with the right end to fit any of my saws. pole saw bars have different sized slots and bolt patterns, so they are out.
If the section was removed from the center, from what I measure, would still match up when welded back together.
I know most guys want the super long bars, -- but for me they are useless for what I cut and rob power, hard to hold, and wear the bar and chain a lot faster than a short one would.
This is just an idea I am wanting to do, so IF it dont work,--nothing lost, well cept a bar.
Never had any luck with battery powered stuff so that is not an option. --- good old gas power, short bar and I am all set to cut branches! lol!
Was looking at top handle saws and they are too costly for me. I have a couple baby beaver Macs. here that I have fixed and they would be super with the short bar for 1 handed use. They now have the 14" bard on them.
Been looking at a top handle Sthil on upcoming sale but it has a 14 or 16 on it so that again wont work for me.
I know shorter bar means more "in your face" lift when you hit the gas but I been around saws all me life so the safety thing is taken into consideration as well.

well... I think yer delusional but...
IF I were to attempt this I would just cut the power head end off and re-slot and drill it, but I have access to and the ability to run a milling machine.

For cutting and welding the 2 sides together, this has been discussed at length recently, but dude wanted to lengthen the bar... Shortening would likely be easier as you can make the cuts where the bar is the same width and save yourself a good deal of head ache, but you will still have issues getting it lined up perfectly.

and to head it off at the pass, no you won't "ruin" the temper, they ain't tempered, you won't ruin the hardening, cause they ain't hardened, its not going to explode and kill everyone in a 100' radius (it just wont ******* relax people)...

anyway, I find a longer bar makes limbing easier, less bending over and you can keep the power head close to your body rather then holding it out and up, as for wearing out chains and bars? keep the tension correct and a good oil they last just as long as short bars, granted I've only worn out one (******* Oregon garbage... though I did machine it and build my own light bar out of it before it finally died)

 

[blades]

i was fighting with an older bar last fall , nothing i did to the chain or mounting of the bar corrected is habit of cutting in an arc. Took me a bit before the lamp lit up. yep the bar grooves are worn way wide even an 063 is sloppy ( running 050) just haven't had time to run the rail closer over it yet and see if i can get a bit more life out it. got other bars so its not emergency thing.

 

[sonny580]

I keep all my bars closed up with the roller press, ---helps a lot for a while til one side wears thinner that the other, -- then your screwed!
Did find a mini mac 25 with a 10" bar on it. 8" would be better but it will do til I figure out how to shorten the long ones.
I gotta have a short one hander to use up in my bucket truck and the long bar saws dont do the job.
Cant hold branches with one hand and saw with the other with long bars.

 

[northmanlogging]

I keep all my bars closed up with the roller press, ---helps a lot for a while til one side wears thinner that the other, -- then your screwed!
Did find a mini mac 25 with a 10" bar on it. 8" would be better but it will do til I figure out how to shorten the long ones.
I gotta have a short one hander to use up in my bucket truck and the long bar saws dont do the job.
Cant hold branches with one hand and saw with the other with long bars.

a top handle saw is built for this... not entirely sure If I've ever used one with BOTH hands... and they come with 12-18" bars generally

 

[camel2019]

Personally I’d just use the same saw I used to fell the tree. I’m going to bigger Bar less bending over and safer in a kickback.

 

[sonny580]

The Mini-Mac 25 is a top handle jobber. still biddin on a couple 009's,---dont have much hope of getting them cause my pockets aint deep enough!

 

[Lightning Performance]

The Mini-Mac 25 is a top handle jobber. still biddin on a couple 009's,---dont have much hope of getting them cause my pockets aint deep enough!

Have 009s on a shelf somewhere.
They cut ok if they run right.

 

[sonny580]

Got the 009 L from the auction. acts like it has a carb problem. stumbles between idle and full on.

 

[blades]

ethanol likely cuprit