What to do with this Bar?

[Wildman1024]

I got some new chains today and the new 925 I got needed a new one and a few spares. When I took the bar off, I cleaned it up good with a scotch brite pad, used my new bar file and inspected it real good only to notice a few cracks. The cracks are small and a shame cause there is a lot of life still left in the bar.

Here's the question. Do I take a chance and keep running it for now or should I discontinue use on that bar and just replace it immediately?

 

[flushcut]

I think you could TIG weld it and regrind if you are really want to keep the bar but I've never done it or heard of it being done. When they crack or get beat up I buy a new bar and hang the old one on the wall.

 

[gulity1]

I dont think I would chance saftey its not worth it when it goes wrong

:monkey:

 

[catman963]

Yea I think I would sent that baby to the scrap pile there man!!

 

[Wildman1024]

Yea I think I would sent that baby to the scrap pile there man!!

Yea that's what I was thinking. Just wanted to be sure

 

[SteveH]

I wouldn't use that bar. Just me.

 

[Justsaws]

Toss it. It would be different if it was an expensive or rare set up but it would not be worth the effort on that one.

 

[clearance]

If it isn't bent I would use it. But thats just me. Never seen one bust in half yet, but I have seen lots of chipped and cracked rails. Filed out lots the best I could too.

 

[Analyst Man]

Here's the question. Do I take a chance and keep running it for now or should I discontinue use on that bar and just replace it immediately?

Scrap it, don't take any chances. I once had a cheap 6ft aluminum ladder that I kept loosing my balance on. I replaced it after I snapped the Achilles tendon in my right leg, so I can tell you from experience that it don't pay to be cheap.

 

[Gypo Logger]

Although you could use it still, it looks like a cheap laminated bar. I'd use it till you find a better one. When you decide to ditch it, I'd put it in a vise and see what it takes to break it in half.
Gypo

 

[Justsaws]

It will probably never break in half during use. It could however cleave off a chunk of the rail. That crack looks like it would terminate in the weld divot. The center lam would/should keep it from breaking in half without a lot of effort.

Cracked and chipped rails are fairly common and only an issue if the cracks and chips grows in such a manner that the rail separates or fatigues an area fast enough to wear through the groove depth prematurely. They can be a sign of a bar that was poorly made or improper maintenance and saw use.

 

[Justsaws]

Although you could use it still, it looks like a cheap laminated bar. I'd use it till you find a better one. When you decide to ditch it, I'd put it in a vise and see what it takes to break it in half.
Gypo

Lots of vigorous bending and maybe a bit of whacking.

 

[clearance]

It will probably never break in half during use. It could however cleave off a chunk of the rail. That crack looks like it would terminate in the weld divot. The center lam would/should keep it from breaking in half without a lot of effort.

Cracked and chipped rails are fairly common and only an issue if the cracks and chips grows in such a manner that the rail separates or fatigues an area fast enough to wear through the groove depth prematurely. They can be a sign of a bar that was poorly made or improper maintenance and saw use.

When I was thinning (spacing) we all ran Husky 266XP saws with 18" bars. All the little trees were cut with the back of the bar, quickly, like just pounded through in a flash. The bar rails would always chip, even with constant filing, new bar every month or so. Thats the way, production. Anyways, before that and since, I have never seen bar break clean through. Had lots of chains come off, but I think the safety police are getting a little hysterical here.

 

[Rftreeman]

I would take it to my buddy and have it tigged but that's just me and he would do it for free so if it didn't work I wouldn't lose anything...

but it really depends on the price of the bar and/or availability.......

 

[isaaccarlson]

toss it(on your belt) and see if you can get a solid bar.

 

[Justsaws]

When I was thinning (spacing) we all ran Husky 266XP saws with 18" bars. All the little trees were cut with the back of the bar, quickly, like just pounded through in a flash. The bar rails would always chip, even with constant filing, new bar every month or so. Thats the way, production. Anyways, before that and since, I have never seen bar break clean through. Had lots of chains come off, but I think the safety police are getting a little hysterical here.

Chain pounding or stacking causes a lot of the chips which can become cracks. Some bars were just not tempered correctly and cracked during use like it was a design function, Sandvik/Windsor for instance. The new damaged bars I see these days almost always splay rails before they crack. They still chip but way more splayed rails than large cracks, GB for instance.
Oregon is still Oregon so only God knows what it is going to do. Windsors still chip but the days of the giant cracks went away a years ago. The newer chain chasis designs have to have a big influence on this as well as the newer bar metallurgy and tempering QC.

Safety police get hysterical by design. We used to call them Caution Nazis at one facility where I worked. The best thing about them was they were wonderful for slowing down progress which always equaled more $ to me.

I do not think that I have ever seen or heard of a laminated bar that has broken in half during use. Lots and lots of cracked ones. I have torn lots apart, flex them and they shear or pull the welds.

I have seen a solid bar lose a good portion of its rail when it hit a concrete floor. Lots and lots of cracked ones with big chips. The cracks towards the body always seem to stop near the transition from rail to body or continue along the transition.

If anybody has seen any that cracked across into two separate pieces it I would be interested in seeing pictures if they happen to have them. I have broken them in half but it took a lot of bending that would not equal typical use.

In general on this forum I believe that it is probably better to error on the side of caution when it comes to items or situations that could be dangerous.

 

[BarkBuster20]

The best thing to do is buy a new bar for most of your use, when you come accross a nasty stump, or a cutting situation where your bar and chain may be dipped in the dirt (cutting roots) use that old bar.

 

[lawnmowertech37]

Yea that's what I was thinking. Just wanted to be sure

Think safety here that thing is not worth using cause that crack in it looks serious

 

[Fish]

Lots of vigorous bending and maybe a bit of whacking.

Not since I was a teenager.........

 

[Slamm]

Holly cow, its just a cracked rail. Use the thing until you can't or send it to me so I can use it, why would you throw it away??

If you weld the thing you will take one crack and make two out of it, most likely.

The crack isn't even enough to affect the chain in the slightest, but do whatever you want, LOL.

Safety nuts, heres is how I explain them. On a scale of 1-100, say cutting wood with a chainsaw is a 70 and not using chaps and a helmet makes it an 85. Cutting with this bar will then make it an 87.

You see, the overall risk of personal damage is so small when compared to the overall task, that is drives some like myself and others crazy with this Safety Nazi crap. Then there are others ........ the Safety Nazi's that will almost worry more about that dumb little cracked bar, but aren't themselves wearing a chainsaw proof vest or coat, gloves and groin protector. They are almost always hippocrites and always 100% illogical in their thinking and practice.

My opinion,

Sam