Which bar length do you most commonly use on a 50 C.C. chainsaw?

[SawTroll]

I have a MS260 "pro".. I would love to run a 12" bar on this saw. The shortest bar that I have been able to find is 16". I talked to Stihl directly, the engineer that I talked to said that 16" is the shortest bar that Stihl will "Authorize" for use on the MS260. Freakin A!!! I am not "authorized" to run a shorter bar!?!?!? as a "pro" user, if I need a longer bar, I grab a bigger saw.

13" is standard on them here, but I am not a fan of that short bars on a 50cc saw - for limbing it is OK, but not for general use......

 

[SawTroll]

was on 41.6cc long time and 15" only. 16'' for a little more reach 325 chain.

Dont get the idea behind 16" burried on a 50cc saw.

361 has its work with a 16" in hardwood why push a 50cc on it???


Chain being a major factor but 10% less sharp takes a bigger proportion of power on a longer bar or smaller engine. So you will strugle earlier


For bar lenghts go to Stihl.de and compare the available bars versus the US site for the same saw.

I dont understand why but the european bars are always much shorter.

2cents of a novice

That is because we don't suffer from gigantomania.....

 

[2000ssm6]

I am not in Norway, I wanted this saw for limbing. I also have my ground guy run it alot. Cutting a 6" limb with a 18" bar seems kind of crazy to me. It is easy to lose track of where the other end of the bar is. Or if you are cutting out towards the tip of the bar, you lose a lot of leverage and control of the saw. I think it is much safer to have the bar length that you need and no more. My main saw is a 441 with a 16" bar on it. Yes, I carry a 20 & 25 inch bar with me in the truck. I have had the 20inch bar on the saw twice in the last year, and haven't had the 25inch on the saw, ever.

But my point is, right or wrong, I bought a "pro" saw and I feel that as the "pro", I should be able to choose a shorter bar and not have some snotty engineer tell me that I am not "authorized" to run a shorter bar. As soon as something happens to this saw, it will be replaced with a Husqvarna.

I would think a tree guy would have a smaller saw than a 026, do you climb? I got a few 026s that run 16" but also have a tiny echo with a 12". The tiny echo is used for tiny stuff, like 6". You are killing your back with that 16" 70cc. Your logic of saws and tiny bars me............

 

[woodyman]

I was going to vote but you did not have the size bar I just ordered from Baileys.I am going to put it on the 026 I just got (I will be doing the muffler mod on it shortly).Its the ArborMax 17 inch,.325,.063 and the chain is WoodlandPro 23RC chisel.The saw I got came with a very worn bar on it and funds are low so I will give it a try opcorn:

 

[bclure]

I would think a tree guy would have a smaller saw than a 026, do you climb? I got a few 026s that run 16" but also have a tiny echo with a 12". The tiny echo is used for tiny stuff, like 6". You are killing your back with that 16" 70cc. Your logic of saws and tiny bars me............

I do have smaller saws, I do climb. A) My 200 does not get used on the ground, period. B) the 019 and the CS300 and the 200 are all top handle and I wouldn't have any ground guy run them.

Hmm? Running a saw with the bar you "need" and the power you "want"? Makes sense to me. I used to measure my manhood by the length of my bar. My primary saw was a sachs-dolmar 123 with a 24" bar. that is probably why I am 200 pounds of muscle today.. A little twig boy of a logger convinced me to try the shorter bar and I haven't looked back.

 

[Rookie1]

Wow I feel left out I dont own a 50cc saw.

 

[spike60]

I always use a 16" myself, but in the store 80% of them go out with 18". In some ways it's just peoples perception of getting "more", but it does give them the ability to make the occasional larger cut. But I think most saws in that size range handle/feel better with a 16"

 

[SawTroll]

..... But I think most saws in that size range handle/feel better with a 16"

:agree2:


You are absolutely right - but there is nothing wrong with a spare longer bar for special occations.

 

[skid row]

I am not in Norway, I wanted this saw for limbing. I also have my ground guy run it alot. Cutting a 6" limb with a 18" bar seems kind of crazy to me. It is easy to lose track of where the other end of the bar is. Or if you are cutting out towards the tip of the bar, you lose a lot of leverage and control of the saw. I think it is much safer to have the bar length that you need and no more. My main saw is a 441 with a 16" bar on it. Yes, I carry a 20 & 25 inch bar with me in the truck. I have had the 20inch bar on the saw twice in the last year, and haven't had the 25inch on the saw, ever.

But my point is, right or wrong, I bought a "pro" saw and I feel that as the "pro", I should be able to choose a shorter bar and not have some snotty engineer tell me that I am not "authorized" to run a shorter bar. As soon as something happens to this saw, it will be replaced with a Husqvarna.

Can't figure why you would want a 12" bar on a 026. :monkey:

 

[bclure]

Can't figure why you would want a 12" bar on a 026. :monkey:

Try running the shortest bars you can for a week.

 

[2000ssm6]

Try running the shortest bars you can for a week.

Why?

 

[bclure]

Why? You might like it. You may find that you have been carrying around extra bar for nothing. You may find that it reduces the leverage the saw has and gives you more control. You may find that it easier to keep track of the tip. You may Think WOW! this STINKS!!! Give me back my 36" bar! Everybody has different styles and opinons.. Shouldn't THAT be the measure of a saw that touts itself as "PRO"? The ability to have it configured to meet different styles and needs? Stihl tells me that as an american, I am not authorized to have a shorter bar..

 

[Stihl 041S]

I have a tophandle with a 8" bar, just for clearing dam faces, trees are all real small and keeps the tip out of the dirt. The shortest bar is good enough.

 

[Cerran]

So far I've been pretty happy with the 16" bar and the 0.325 95VP chain.

Anyone else have a take on the 95VP chain? I haven't tried a loop of anything else on my 346XP to compare it to.

 

[2000ssm6]

Why? You might like it. You may find that you have been carrying around extra bar for nothing. You may find that it reduces the leverage the saw has and gives you more control. You may find that it easier to keep track of the tip. You may Think WOW! this STINKS!!! Give me back my 36" bar! Everybody has different styles and opinons.. Shouldn't THAT be the measure of a saw that touts itself as "PRO"? The ability to have it configured to meet different styles and needs? Stihl tells me that as an american, I am not authorized to have a shorter bar..

I just don't see why you would run a short bar on a heavy saw.

Short bar, lighter saw......

Anyway, happy sawing!

 

[Bruce Hopf]

My McCulloch Mac 1-10, 2, 10-10 Automatics are 54CC's, are rated to handle a 28" Bar no problem. Bruce.

 

[jlh26oo]

I was going to vote but you did not have the size bar I just ordered from Baileys.I am going to put it on the 026 I just got (I will be doing the muffler mod on it shortly).Its the ArborMax 17 inch,.325,.063 and the chain is WoodlandPro 23RC chisel.The saw I got came with a very worn bar on it and funds are low so I will give it a try opcorn:

I didn't think about in-between sizes since I was just going off the Stihl chart, but now that you mention it, over 80% of the vote is equally split between 16" and 18", and 17.5" is the weighted average if you throw out the open ended categories. I never would have guessed a 12" to 28" range though!