In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

need a bigger bar

Discussion in 'Chainsaws and Power Equipment' started by tjcole50, Mar 29, 2015.

  1. tjcole50

    tjcole50

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2015
    Messages:
    177
    Likes Received:
    610
    Location:
    ohio
    Currently have a 20" on my 576xpat. Want a 24" to run full time. Or should I get a 28" for when the need arises? Which bar first... go
     
    Eric VW, $ooline and Moparmyway like this.
  2. Chvymn99

    Chvymn99 Moderator

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2013
    Messages:
    20,812
    Likes Received:
    109,331
    Location:
    KC Metro
    I've got my 28" Cannon attached to it. I like the balance, but a 24" would do good too. Its a great handling saw...Just all depends on what you see the most. Me I pull it out with my bigger wood. I've got enough other saws to carry up to that 24" sector of life.
     
  3. Moparmyway

    Moparmyway

    Joined:
    Sep 3, 2014
    Messages:
    846
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    Location:
    New York
    I agree with Chvymn99, just get the 28"

    I had been running 28" setups on my 70cc saws for a few years. Then I got a 32" setup for one saw, figuring I would keep 1 saw setup for 32" and 1 saw setup for 28" .................. forward to current times and they are both wearing the 32" setups and the 28" setups havent been off of their nail in the barn for over 3 years now.
     
    Eric VW, jeff_t, mdavlee and 2 others like this.
  4. CTYank

    CTYank

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2014
    Messages:
    360
    Likes Received:
    850
    Location:
    CT Panhandle
    My 576XP-AT arrived with a 28". Wanted that for milling, and crosscutting the bigger stems I encounter. But ... since I had K095 20" & 24" bars for my Dolly 6100, and they take chain with same # of DL as 20" & 24" D009 bars of 576, well, WTH, 20" & 24" D009 Oregon bars don't cost much from Frawleys. The 24" bar is a good choice for black locust & other tough hardwoods.
    Just one thing though, running a 20" bar on a 576, the chain had better be SHARP, or you'll hit the rev-limiter. :dancer:
     
    Eric VW, mdavlee and Chvymn99 like this.
  5. bassJAM

    bassJAM

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2014
    Messages:
    1,999
    Likes Received:
    6,021
    Location:
    Cincinnati, OH
    I keep a 20" on my Dolkita 7900 95% of the time, and I absolutely love it! There's a 28" hanging in the garage for when I need it, but it just throws the balance off too much to leave it on there full time. I've used a buddy's MS440 with a 24", and it seems like a great compromise if you only have one bar, but it's still slightly nose heavy. I think having a 20" and 28" is the best solution.
     
    splitoak, $ooline and jeff_t like this.
  6. PullinMyPoulan

    PullinMyPoulan

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2014
    Messages:
    603
    Likes Received:
    1,553
    Location:
    Manistee National forest
    My Dolkita 7901 is wearing a 24" most of the time which just feels right. Its also great for noodling:saw:
     
    Eric VW likes this.
  7. mdavlee

    mdavlee

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2013
    Messages:
    4,380
    Likes Received:
    10,479
    28" isn't much longer than a 24" which is actually 25" so I say skip 24" myself.
     
  8. jeff_t

    jeff_t

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2013
    Messages:
    1,215
    Likes Received:
    2,799
    Location:
    SE MI
    I think having two saws is a better solution. One with 20", one with 28 or 32". I hate switching bars.

    Then a 40cc saw with a 14-16" bar.
     
  9. dgeesaman

    dgeesaman

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2014
    Messages:
    662
    Likes Received:
    1,952
    Location:
    Elizabethtown, PA
    If you intend to run the bigger dual dogs I'd go 28".

    David
     
    Eric VW likes this.
  10. millermodsaws

    millermodsaws

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2015
    Messages:
    657
    Likes Received:
    2,010
    Location:
    64479
    A 28" oregon RW is super sexy. Lol.
     

    Attached Files:

    splitoak, Eric VW and concretegrazer like this.
  11. MasterMech

    MasterMech The Mechanical Moderator

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2013
    Messages:
    9,648
    Likes Received:
    26,024
    Location:
    Greenville County SC
    Some good advice here.....

    A 28" lightweight bar would be a slam dunk. I have a a 20" and a 28" Light for my 441 and it seldom wears the 20". The 28" Light weighs the same as the 20" ES too. A little bit nose heavy compared to the 20" but compared to a solid 28" it's night and day.
     
    Eric VW, Chvymn99 and mdavlee like this.
  12. Guido Salvage

    Guido Salvage

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2013
    Messages:
    1,735
    Likes Received:
    4,938
    Location:
    The heart of the Bluegrass
    I have an 18" bar on my 044...
     
    clemsonfor likes this.
  13. Moparmyway

    Moparmyway

    Joined:
    Sep 3, 2014
    Messages:
    846
    Likes Received:
    1,953
    Location:
    New York
    My 044 wears a 32" :yes:
     
    clemsonfor, Eric VW and mdavlee like this.
  14. tjcole50

    tjcole50

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2015
    Messages:
    177
    Likes Received:
    610
    Location:
    ohio
    What lw 28" would be recommended. Although im not currentlt dropping anything so weilding the 28 may be a problem in the piles im cutting at. Little over 20 acres all coming to the ground. So far just working on the downed stuff have only dropped probably 6-8 trees when the weather doesnt allow me to drive through woods I will drop on the outside into a field. Today was rough truck is covered in mud haha. Some were referring to 2 saws. I have a mm 550xp wearing 16" that currently clears the brush and limbs before I get to serious bucking
    Next year I will more than likely add a 562xp with a 20" probably should just go 28" and actually put the double dawgs on the 576 that are sitting on the bench

    Edit I should slow down on the cutting. Told the wife I wouldnt cut anymore until I split and stack the 20 truck loads od rounds next to our building .... but saw time is fun time
     
    clemsonfor, jeff_t, Deacon and 3 others like this.
  15. bassJAM

    bassJAM

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2014
    Messages:
    1,999
    Likes Received:
    6,021
    Location:
    Cincinnati, OH
    That's the way I look at it. I was looking at dropping money for a Sugihara 28" light weight bar, but after running a 24" bar I decided that I'd still rather run a short bar most of the time. Regardless of weight, a 28" bar seems to get in the way more than it helps for me, so I opted for a normal steel 28" bar to save some money, knowing I'll rarely use it. I prefer to run my 20" until logs get to about 24" in diameter before I switch out. So what's the most common sized tree you'll be working on? If you're looking at a lot of 30"+ trees, spend the money on a light 28" bar. If most are mid 20's, you might be happy with a 24". For me, the majority are trees in the 18-22" range, with the occasional 30" monster.
     
    dgeesaman likes this.
  16. KaptJaq

    KaptJaq

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2013
    Messages:
    721
    Likes Received:
    3,567
    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    Would this bar be big enough?

    [​IMG]

    Oops, my bad, wrong site. Never mind.

    KaptJaq
     
    splitoak, thistle, dgeesaman and 5 others like this.
  17. mdavlee

    mdavlee

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2013
    Messages:
    4,380
    Likes Received:
    10,479
    Once most of you get a 28" light bar you'll use it a lot more than you think. I want a 20" on my 50cc saw for reach. I run a 34" a lot on my 046 now.
     
  18. bassJAM

    bassJAM

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2014
    Messages:
    1,999
    Likes Received:
    6,021
    Location:
    Cincinnati, OH
    ^lol, I went down from an 18" to a 13" on my 50cc, and doubt I'll ever switch back to the longer bar! It's gone from a light saber to a scalpel!^
     
    clemsonfor likes this.
  19. mdavlee

    mdavlee

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2013
    Messages:
    4,380
    Likes Received:
    10,479
    My back hurts thinking about those short bars.
     
    splitoak, clemsonfor, Deacon and 2 others like this.
  20. thistle

    thistle

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2013
    Messages:
    2,736
    Likes Received:
    9,753
    Location:
    Polk/Guthrie Counties,IA

    I keep a 28" on the 288XPW,even when cutting 12"- 20" stuff.Sure saves on the back not having to bend over near as much.

    That stays on there almost exclusively,except for the rare occasions when needing a longer bar.

    Like yesterday when I finally got around to roughing out that monster 36" Honey Locust that had sat since August 2012.A few shallow cracks,half the bark had started to rot & fall off & both ends were dark,but after the first outer slab was removed,it really showed how wet it still was inside.
     

    Attached Files: