What bar/chain combo do you use on your 346xp?

[rbtree]

13" 3/8" bar on the 346....it isn't good for anymore than that anyways

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdZ3Xm-46cQ

and the 2nd NE that Jasha ported, running 58% faster than stock. I have the first, 54% faster.....only...sucks, eh?!! ...ummmmm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BD6oG1wk92w

nuff said

 

[wigglesworth]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdZ3Xm-46cQ

nuff said

That saw is a custom 1 of a kind Big bore.

 

[Showme]

Running .325 16" w/ 21LP & 28RC (.058)

 

[woodyman]

13" .325X.058 on a ported NE346XP.Excellent limbing set-up:jawdrop:

 

[Freakingstang]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdZ3Xm-46cQ

and the 2nd NE that Jasha ported, running 58% faster than stock. I have the first, 54% faster.....only...sucks, eh?!! ...ummmmm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BD6oG1wk92w

nuff said

Dude....I'm talking small bore STOCK saws.

I mean I physically put a 28" bar on my 5100 and it cut a couple pieces of wood with it just for AS giggles.....


That is the damn problem with this site..Everyone thinks modded saws and stock saws are the same..... I mean the 346 I have has wiped some serious azz in the past......

 

[Freakingstang]

Is the 346 that peaky that it has to stay screaming its ball's off? It seems to me the general consensus is that it doesn't have the kahunas to take the load of 3/8" chain. :dunno:

In stock form, you will be very disappointed with it and 3/8 chain, that is why so many run .325 on it. IMO, it doesn't have the nutz to pull it. even with the .325 on the 346, the 5100 is faster with 3/8.....

 

[wigglesworth]

In stock form, you will be very disappointed with it and 3/8 chain, that is why so many run .325 on it. IMO, it doesn't have the nutz to pull it. even with the .325 on the 346, the 5100 is faster with 3/8.....

Weird.....I run 3/8's on my 026 with no prob.

 

[mountainlake]

Dude....I'm talking small bore STOCK saws.

I mean I physically put a 28" bar on my 5100 and it cut a couple pieces of wood with it just for AS giggles.....


That is the damn problem with this site..Everyone thinks modded saws and stock saws are the same..... I mean the 346 I have has wiped some serious azz in the past......

Right, why do these modded saws keep showing up on here and then make it sound like a stock or muff modded saw can pull more chain than it can. What % of people on here are running ported saws? Steve

 

[SawTroll]

In stock form, you will be very disappointed with it and 3/8 chain, that is why so many run .325 on it. IMO, it doesn't have the nutz to pull it. even with the .325 on the 346, the 5100 is faster with 3/8.....

In my case, the Dolmar is a tad faster with .325 (21LP) than with 3/8" (73LP), and the 346xp is a tad faster than the 5100S wioth .325 (same chain and bar).

All differences are too small to matter in practical use!

Both saws are stock minus spark screen.

PS;
I also tried both 7- and 8-pin with .325 on both saws, and 7-pin was faster by a tad on both saws.

This was in one log, on one day - results may be different another day, in another log..........

 

[WACutter]

I'm looking pretty seriously into picking up a Husky 346xp. Trying to decide what bar to order with it. What do you guys prefer to use on your 346xp's and how does it run for you?

Right now,

OE = 16" .325
NE = 16" 3/8

On the OE, you are probably better off with .325. On the NE, 3/8 is fine, and I'd be comfortable running up to a 20" on it. All stock saws no cat mufflers. If you're "burying the bar in hardwood", then whip out a bigger saw. My guess is that most here have more than one saw

 

[danrclem]

I run .325 LP with an 18" bar. I knew that with the light bar that the 346 has it wouldn't make a whole lot of difference in weight or balance with an extra 2" sticking out front.

It seems ok but I don't have enough time with the saw to give an answer as to how I really feel about the combo but it seems to pull it good. I got it that way just because I wanted a little more reach and my back doesn't like bending very far. When I'm cutting wood the first thing to give out is my back.

I don't think I'll be cutting any 18" + wood with it unless I'm just trying to see what the saw will do.

I don't think that you could go wrong with an 18" or a 16" and I know you can't go wrong with a 346.

 

[valtra6350]

Welcome here!

...but those options are not good ones.....

Sawtroll, Why? Sometimes I would like to have 15" But most of the time 13 works great

I Know 15 isn't much for a 371,but is mostely use to cuth at the timber post.


I am sorry for the bad English .

 

[Billy Jack]

13" .325X.058 on a ported NE346XP.Excellent limbing set-up:jawdrop:

A bar that short scares me. I know it's practical, but.....


My 51 is my small saw, and I just installed a 16" Carlton with .325 (20BPX). Any smaller than that and I tend to lose sight of the bar.

 

[gwiley]

I don't understand putting these short bars on the 371/372. My stock 372 pulls a 28" bar with LGX through red and white oak just fine.

My stock 350 pulls an 18" with LP through hardwood fine as well - is the 346 much different? In fact, I dropped 2 red oaks this weekend (24" and 14" DBH) and got some ooooohs and aaaaahs from the guys watching.

The 350 performed so well (hand filed chain) that they were calling me "american logger wiley" and one of them said to my 13 year old son "Your Dad must do this a lot".

It sounds to me as though a lot of this advice for puny bars is some sort of setup so that folks can point and laugh later

 

[TommyGun]

Does it make a difference on how the saw balances between the 16 or 18 inch bars? I want the saw to balance well, yet still maintain enough reach that I won't always be bending over as much.

 

[SawTroll]

Does it make a difference on how the saw balances between the 16 or 18 inch bars? I want the saw to balance well, yet still maintain enough reach that I won't always be bending over as much.

Sure it makes a difference for the handling quality of the saw - 15-16" is the "sweet-spot" for the 346xp, and 20" for the 371/372xp, for balance.

 

[SawTroll]

Sawtroll, Why? Sometimes I would like to have 15" But most of the time 13 works great

I Know 15 isn't much for a 371,but is mostely use to cuth at the timber post.


I am sorry for the bad English .

Those bars will make the saws "rear-heavy", and they will not let the saws do their best effort, unless you put large rims and the very best chain on them. The H30/95VP is pretty useless on the NE346xp, unless you just limb spruce with it.

You don't need a 371xp, if all you need is a 15" bar.

 

[TommyGun]

Thanks for all the replies.... looks like ill be ordering the 346xp with the 16 inch bar! Just need to go down to the dealer and turn over that wad of cash I have been saving up

 

[highpointtree]

Thanks for all the replies.... looks like ill be ordering the 346xp with the 16 inch bar! Just need to go down to the dealer and turn over that wad of cash I have been saving up

Keep in mind, your not juggling saw's your cutting with them. I don't want my saw balanced even. I would prefer a little heavy on the nose like a trailer on a hitch.(tounge weight) not trying to balance on the log in front of the dawg spikes. your trying to keep the weight of the bar and chain in the cut doing what its supposed to do. we aren't talking about an 088 with a 4 ft bar with the nose dragging in the mud. my vote is for a 18" b&c , bending over sucks and not good for the back either

 

[dingeryote]

Currently a 16" German Carlton w/ Carlton .325 .050 chisel, but the Stihl RMC loops are waiting.

I have given up on anything but the 16" bars.

The 18" dosn't change the fact ya still gotta bend over, and it does change the handling of the saw enough to be noticed when snipping saplings while hunched over between Blueberry bushes, and working around in the brush of a windrow.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote