big bar on a 441cm

What is the reality of running a 36" bar on a stock 441cm? I think Stihl rates them to a 32".

The guy I cut the 65" oak with is offering to buy a 36" bar and chain for me to help cut that beast up and give me half the wood. I bring the 441, my splitter, and my trailer to haul my wood home.

Will I be better off going 32", or will the 36" be fine?

 

32" if you don't have the HO oiler.

 

Good point. I hadn't considered the oiler factor. Will running winter weight oil when it's not that cold out help? If so the 32 still might be the right choice, but oil better.

What should I expect to pay for a 32" es?

 

Biggest I've run is 28".

What's the consensus on running a thinner oil(mineral/canola) vs. standard bar oil with the bigger bar

 

I already have a 28". I'm sure that would work fine, but if someone offers to buy me a bigger bar I kinda feel like I should say ok.

 

Thinner oil will help get it to the tip. It will probably pull a 36" at it's own pace.

 

That's what I've noticed running (free) mineral oil, oil tank empties quicker.

Not sure why as these are positive displacement/gear type pumps right? my assumption is lower viscosity flows through the bar hole a bit easier

 

How much is an ho oiler? I knew I should've got the cmr, but nobody has them around here.

 

Swap bar for beer, keep the 28" and take a bit longer with a much happier saw.

Then proceed to drink beer.

 

Beer....I like beer...

 

Really though, the blocks I could make with the 28 would surely be hard to maneuver around. A bigger bar would just make bigger blocks.

It's not like we could move a 65" round easily if I got through it all in two passes anyway.

I still want a free 32 or 36" b/ c though.

 

what about a couple 28" chains instead of a another bar and....beer

 

Any thoughts on pushing a saw that hard when it's only 5 tanks into its life?

 

I was thinking the same thing. Figure what the bar and chain would cost, and then get that many chains. $22 a chain for Oregon LPX.

http://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?category_id=145&item=806

I never ran bigger than 24" on mine. A 660 is coming to mind for this big ol' tree.

 

Ask him if he'll buy you an 880 and he can keep the wood

 

I dunno...I wouldn't over-rev it this young. I'm not sure the load matters as much. I still feel a shorter bar will be easier to keep rpm up. That's a difficult load anyway with oak. It'd be one thing if we were talking pine.

 

I agree with everything said. I think I'll still take him up on a 32. Probably won't use it much, but I'll have it and it should last me a lifetime.

 

I do have access to a 660, but it's not mine. It's in the shop right now for a mm and some regular maintenance. I know i can use it for this, but I'm really loving the 441 right now.

 

Or, I could get the 36", use the 660 for now, then have the 36" for the 441 after its trip to Tennessee, and after the ho oiler.

 

I believe the mount is different once stepping up to 660... Better ask the creamsickle lovers...