I have a problem with my Stihl 260. When I am making a cut in a larger round-10" or bigger- the saw pinches in the cut and/or wanders off to the side-I get a crooked cut. I know I am not a wizard with sharpening, so I suspected I had a chain that had teeth that I had not sharpened evenly. However, the saw does the same with a new chain. I now suspect the bar. It is the original bar. I have probably cut 30 cord or so with it. I don't recall ever pinching it or twisting it, and I file the burrs every time I put a new chain on. Any thoughts? I am ready to buy a new bar but I thought I would pick your minds and see if anyone has any thoughts. Thanks.
Are the rails at the same height on both sides? If one side has worn (or been filed/dressed) lower than the other it can cause a crooked cut. Also, check to make sure both rails are straight with the bar and not flared outward.
You wanna make that 260 scream like never before, put a Picco B&C on it. I did that on my 026. I put a 16 inch LM Picco bar on it with the full chisel non-safety Stihl chain, and it is a dream machine. It slices and dices better than any kitchen gadget advertised on TV! Really, it is my new favorite saw. My guess is that you are using .325 on that saw. I had the wandering bar/cut/pinch problem on my Stihl 026 and 025 saws using .325. I flipped them to Picco B&C and never looked back.
I am using 3/8 on that saw. I'll look at the bar closer-I don't mind replacing the bar-it is 5 years old. I just wanted your thoughts. Thanks. Won't do any cutting for a month-it's deer season!
A replacement bar that size won't be very expensive. Unless you have a collection of long or expensive bars I wouldn't bother with the tools.
