putting a new 18' or 20 thin kerf B&C on the 455. Any suggestions......besides getting a different saw? Originally had a 20 and it seemed sluggish, so I put on an 18 thin , and that one's getting a bit long (short) in the tooth......so to speak. The bar is worn a bit too much, and I can't seem to keep the chain tensioned well. Probably replace the sprocket too, unless I have a spare from the original swap.
I will defer to the experts on this one, Paps... Barcroftb, Armbru84, amateur cutter, walt, DexterDay, MasterMech (wait... who? ), Scotty Overkill, many more....
Yeah, that's who I thought would respond...... J/K....I kid.....but you knew that. I, being the crazy uncle and all.
Hello Uncle Dave! The bar and chain you mentioned, I think would suit your saw well. The thin kerf will be less material taken per cut, equating to less drag on the saw. I'm acutlaly going to get a thin kerf bar and PMX chain for my mill after the holidays. They sell long bars and special PMX chain over the pond, and they claim it is quite less stressful to mill with, and easier on the powerhead.
Yep, that's why I put the 18" thin on....it really made the saw feel like it had more power, but I lost a bit of reach. I use thin kerf blades on all the shop saws too.
I would lean towards the 18”...will make it seem a little stronger. Narrow kerf bars are a good way to go on the smaller powered saws.
If 18's too short, try the 20" narrow kerf bar setup. How many tooth drive sprocket? Go from 8 to 7 maybe?
I rebuilt an 029 with an AM 390p&c . I put a woodland pro 20”nk bar and chain on it ,and it cut quite well . Kind of apples and oranges ,but that’s my only experience with nk bars and chain .
If memory serves , I put a 7 on, but I'll need to check. Ok, so far, everyone seems to agree on the NK to make it feel stronger. I'm leaning toward the longer setup though, since I've already done the 18". Next is which B&C combo is recommended for longevity? I can get Oregon chain at the Amish general store for under $15. Maybe I should just hit Bailey's for a look-see.
Bailey's chain selector guide gives me the option of 78 or 80 DL (20" chain) with the same gauge and pitch. Both NK. Why is that?
I have several Forester bars (Green printing) that have held up well. Better than the last Oregon I had. I do not know if they offer a NK setup tough. Amazon has a selection.
They’re keeping me busy. Work is intense right now but I’m looking forward to slowing down for the holiday after this coming week. They’ve predicted a little snow for Sunday so I think I best stock up on milk and bread lest I don’t make it through this weekend!
Is your 455 completely stock? If not, a couple small mods might wake it up a tad. Here's a decent thread with good input from Doc Al. Might be able to save a few bucks and get the reach back being able to put the 20" back on. 55 Rancher porting or muffler mod
Yep. Seemed a little sluggish today. I was thinking the extra reach would be nice, but with a skinnier B/C. I like the balance with the 18".
