Click below 👇👇👇 for the links to the other questions... ⭐30 DAYS OF QUESTIONS⭐ - (Links will be updated as the videos are put out) 👉DAY 1 - Is A Stihl 4-Mix Engine A 2-Stroke Or A 4-Stroke? ➜ ruclips.net/video/QF__8hs0bo8/видео.html 👉DAY 2 - Are John Deere riding lawn mowers made by MTD? ➜ ruclips.net/video/iCJsWsd6SLo/видео.html 👉DAY 3 - How Do I Break In A New Chainsaw? ➜ ruclips.net/video/NE4Q1Y8v2U4/видео.html 👉DAY 4 - Does Soaking WeedEater Line In Water Actually Help? ➜ ruclips.net/video/84hFN_jveMc/видео.html 👉DAY 5 - Why Does My Briggs Lawn Mower Say Never Change The Oil? ➜ ruclips.net/video/IVGmetgOcgo/видео.html 👉DAY 6 - Can I Use Outboard Mix Oil In My Chain Saw? ➜ ruclips.net/video/AlmegbfUJpU/видео.html 👉DAY 7 - What Is Your Favorite Chain Saw? ➜ ruclips.net/video/wMJeH0jCcHM/видео.html 👉DAY 8 - Why Does My Grass Chute Keep Plugging Up? ➜ ruclips.net/video/WtbhiNy42IU/видео.html 👉DAY 9 - What Does The Purge Bulb Actually Do? ➜ ruclips.net/video/sbDPU73fQQY/видео.html 👉DAY 10 - What Is Your Favorite Penetrating Oil? ➜ ruclips.net/video/jrzNv_Db0ZA/видео.html 👉DAY 11 - How Do I UnFlood My Chainsaw Or Weed Eater? ➜ ruclips.net/video/n0UnfoL5qWk/видео.html 👉DAY 12 - What Is The Best 2-Stroke Gas / Oil Mix Ratio? ➜ ruclips.net/video/-bsbKqZbyrw/видео.html 👉DAY 13 - Why Does My Leaf Blower Bog Out When I Pull The Trigger? ➜ ruclips.net/video/O4fMjSg7Z_U/видео.html 👉DAY 14 - What Does WARRANTY Actually Mean? ➜ ruclips.net/video/D-8054Q6vx0/видео.html 👉DAY 15 - Can I Remove ETHANOL From My Gas? ➜ ruclips.net/video/qZo4ItYiMCQ/видео.html 👉DAY 16 - Why Is My Pressure Washer So Hard To Pull Start? ➜ ruclips.net/video/Apipsdmf8qs/видео.html 👉DAY 17 - Why Does My Chain Saw Leak Oil? ➜ ruclips.net/video/3P5ITSFWUZg/видео.html 👉DAY 18 - Can I Use Old Dirty Motor Oil As Bar And Chain Oil In My Chain Saw? ➜ ruclips.net/video/ilRZNsBNE3Y/видео.html 👉DAY 19 - Should I Buy My John Deere Lawn Mower From Home Depot Or My Dealer? ➜ ruclips.net/video/IZRjSYwYhyc/видео.html 👉DAY 20 - Do Battery Powered Chain Saws Work Good? ➜ ruclips.net/video/Zb8XNGfHsQU/видео.html 👉DAY 21 - (FAKE NEWS) Honda Is Stopping Lawn Mower Production? ➜ ruclips.net/video/y4TSwWHFb-o/видео.html 👉DAY 22 - Will cleaning the rust off my flywheel help with spark? ➜ ruclips.net/video/w8-exMgUhuc/видео.html 👉DAY 23 - NO SPARK! How Do I Know If My Coil / Ignition Module Is Faulty? ➜ ruclips.net/video/HBFz_N0SxuY/видео.html 👉DAY 24 - Will I Destroy My Pressure Washer By Doing THIS? ➜ ruclips.net/video/22OlLNAZKa8/видео.html 👉DAY 25 - How Do I Fix An On/Off Kill Switch? ➜ ruclips.net/video/IyaUpGh19CI/видео.html 👉DAY 26 - Why doesn’t my lawnmower have an oil drain plug on it? ➜ ruclips.net/video/BXJbWWhMk0s/видео.html 👉DAY 27 - Why Is There Black Oil Coming Out Of My Muffler? ➜ ruclips.net/video/SNHdUh5tRoA/видео.html 👉DAY 29 - Why Does My Engine STOP Running After A Few Minutes? ➜ ruclips.net/video/m5LEwNi-geM/видео.html 👉DAY 30 - Can I Make A Lawn Mower Run On Propane? ➜ ruclips.net/video/UkYCa1WhFGs/видео.html
Steve can u help on my nopull backpack blower tool to adjust the carburetor the company lawn master won’t sell me one and says go to a dealership to have them adjust it can’t run too them every time you need a adjustment can uHELP PLEASE THANKS JIM🥸
Never long enough 🤣🤣, April is the entertainment today lol. Great advice Steve. Buy a bigger saw if you want a longer blade. Cheers 🍻 and April and Steve out!
Hey Steve I bought 2 chainsaws back in the 80s at a flee market, they were big everyone was commenting on their size. The biggest one was an old Landcaster saw it had a 48 inch long bar, it was roughly 6 inches wide and the brass fingers (not sure of there actual name) that were up against the saw were 5 inches long. This was a BEAST I got it to run it sounded like my Honda CR 250R dirt bike. I was told by a local lawnmower repairman it was 5hp, from the ground up it measured 15 inches, was roughly 13 inches wide and weight about 25 pounds. I paid $10 for the both of them couldn't pass it up and I have no trees. I ended up giving it to a friend that collects old saws he still has it on display in his garage. I truly appreciate your videos and that your better half is in them with you, you guys rock!!
The “brass fingers” are known as felling or bucking spikes. They give the operator leverage and help hold the saw against the trunk. I’m not a big fan of them as they prevent me from sliding the head of the saw down a log when bucking, forcing me to do a see saw motion.
This has been a great series! Thanks! I have a little Stihl MS170 that came with a 16" bar that I replaced with a 12" because I cut smaller logs with this saw, so I don't need a 16" bar on it, and the 12" bar gives it more cutting power. That, and an adjustable carb made a big difference.
There's other things you didn't really mention. If you really need a longer bar and you don't want to overwhelm the powerhead you can always use a full skip chain. There's other things that can help too like just leaving the rakers a little higher than you normally would. Just make sure that your oiler can keep up with longer bar and chain or you'll burn them up.
Actually about the skip chain you're wrong! I've ran a saw my whole life since I was a young boy and I would rather have a regular chain if it's sharp and can sharpen it really well then I can cut faster with a regular chain rather then a skip chain
@dennislovett9379 There's a ton of variables to consider. You can't say one or the other is better for every saw in all wood. There are a lot of guys on the West Coast in particular that would disagree with you
Great little video. I proved something similar to myself years ago. I had a small saw with a 16 inch bar. I thought it would be a good idea to put some bucking spikes on it to make it easier for me to cut firewood to length. I found I could quickly overload the engine if I tried cutting too fast. Things have to be balanced.
April, it’s not the size of the ship but the motion of the ocean. Steve, you must love MGD beer. There are 12 bottles up on your shelf. Great videos! Enjoyed them and your humour!
April and Steve: Great series, love to see a repeat. What about a show on using a chain saw to cut lumber? There are various jigs out there to do that. I have a fairly crude set-up that I have used to build pine furniture. It’s way more work than I’m willing to do again. I know there are special lumber ripping chains available; I just ground most of the top plate from my cutters, seemed to work ok.
Great vid Steve and April! I have an echo cs590 timber wolf came with the 20” bar and I put a 28” bar on with a muffler mod and leaned the saw out alittle to get it to hit the 12-13,000 rpm limiter on it and holy cow does it pull that bar and chain combo like it’s a hot knife thru butter only thing besides that is taking the saw apart and make the oiler pump more- even with the screw adjusted out all the way it wasn’t enough. Works great now!! I want to put a 34” if I can I am highly convinced it’d pull it no problem!
Engine size is extremely important when looking to put on a longer bar. 50cc and below, I'd stick with a 20" or smaller. Once you get into the 60cc class and larger, it's easier to get out to 28-32"+ bars. There's a couple keys here. First, with smaller engines, you could look to go down in pitch. Say from a 3/8" down to a .325 or even down to 1/4" pitch. The smaller pitch chains have a narrower kerf and require less power to cut at full length since they're taking less wood. When you get to the 28"+ bars, consider moving from a full comp chain to a full skip. That will help tremendously since there's less cutters the engine has to try to pull.
You can get away with a 24" bar on some 50cc saws but in general you're correct. I've seen people run 24" bars with 3/8" chain on 545s and 550xps for example. Seemed to work fine although I'm pretty sure you would want at least semi-skip (don't think I've ever seen someone who prefers that sequence but you get my point 😅). I thought about trying 24" 3/8" (with a 3/8" sprocket of course) full skip on my 545 mk2 but it just cuts so well with the stock 20" .325" I couldn't justify it. With my 572xp I run 32" full skip when I need the length but I feel it's at its best with a 24" full comp chain. Very impressed with the versatility of that saw 👌 I've yet to find the wood that makes that saw struggle in the slightest. Even ripping/noodling White Oak etc. with the entire bar buried...it's a beast for it's weight
When upgrading to a longer bar, you need to make sure you purchase the proper size chain for that bar. Anyone can upgrade to a longer bar, but you need to know the pitch, the gauge, and number of drive links required of the new saw chain for that bar. The new saw chain also needs to properly match the sprocket of your existing chain saw. There’s more to it than just changing your bar.
Thank you for the informative videos ... i'm sure this has been mentioned in other comments. I will mention it again. Be sure to say that a longer bar requires more oil. some saws have adjustable oil flow. some do not.
Great info as usual.BUTT as I age the bars get shorter ( take it to the bank ). Then I learnt to bore cut with shorter bars. And then the shorter bars, now down to 16" ,are so much easier to sharpen and touch up more often. The saws are easier to carry and cut ( My fav now MS261 for 90% of use ). Good info with your sidekick especially.
My favorite saw (until someone stole it) was an inexpensive 42cc Craftsman saw with a 20" bar. Before you laugh or think I'm crazy for putting that big of a bar on a lower powered saw, i did it for the exact reason you described. The biggest tree I ever cut with it was probably 10" thick. I could have gotten away with a Mini-Mac (which I own), but the convenience of having more bar area cutting tiny trees and branches was worth it. I now have to use my old Stihl 028 with a 16" bar. It has more power, but is heavier and not as convenient. If I replace the bar I'll likely go with a minimum 20" bar or bigger. Still won't bog down cutting a 2" sapling. I also know some people reading this will find it funny that I'm calling a 20" bar big, but my saw is for very light duty use only.
I do very light duty trimming too with my lawn maintenance/exterior cleaning business & honestly I use my Ryobi Brushless Sawzall w/the long pruning blade for 90% of the bush/tree trimming that I do for clients. I've had a Poulan 3314 saw for about 5 years that my dad gave me. Wasnt running, but just needed a new spark plug, air filter, & fresh Echo Red Armor fuel mix & it's ran phenomenal ever since. Was contemplating going up to a 16" or 18" Oregon bar, but now I realize I guess the chain speed/cutting speed diminishes slightly which is a bummer. glad I atleast know that now before doing the swap. Would yall just leave the 14" factory bar/chain that came with it alone and just use as is? im not really dropping trees in my line of work, but could be nice when deer hunting or making 4 wheeler trails.
As a guy who uses older Husqvarna and Stihl chainsaws pretty regularly (not professionally), I gotta say you have covered about every question or thought I've had about these saws and their operation. One thing I have to say, I like the Husq's priming capability, which my Stihl doesn't have. Is there a way to improve the Stihl's cold weather starting? I don't want to use starter fluid too often as it seems like it could explode at some point. Thank you Steve and April!
It’s a hassle but I have a bottle- like a restaurant mustard bottle that I give a squirt to the carb . Pops pretty quickly and I clean the air filter while it’s off. A lot better than pulling it 20-30x
I put a 20 inch bar on my Stihl MS260 which came with 16 inch bar. Much better for ground level work and better than being bent over like a dog on a football:)
I bought my stihl ms 291 saw with a 18 inch bar. I changed it to a 24 inch bar because it makes limbing the fallen tree for firewood much easier. I don't have to stoop over .
Hi Steve and April! What about the gear drive saws? Are they stronger and mightier to handle longer bar and chain compared to same saws with no 'G'- drive?
You do some great videos Steve. But I have a question today. Have you seen a bar on a Stihl MS251 C-BE stuck on the stud? Runs fine, but I went to flip the bar and I cannot get the bar to slide off the stud. Any suggestion on how to get the darn bar off and then do I have to replace that gear? I can't figure out why it would be stuck.
LOL your wife comments on lenght! After years of cutting cedar/junipers in the Texas Hill Country my opinion regarding chainsaws is that "less is always more." Folks should use the smallest possible saw that will get the job done, since it saves their back, body, and energy. All of my saws have bars at least 2" smaller than they came with. I run a 12" on myStihl 201T. A 16" on my Echo 501 and a 16" on my Echo 590. There is quite a bit of energy wasted in fritction when spinning a larger chain around a bar, not to mention the operator having to heft that weight.
Put a 24 inch bar on my Husqvarna 340 20 year old saw I inherited from pops. So much better than the 16 my dad bought it with. I don't cut anything wider than 8 or so inches and mostly a few inches or less just trimming. Upgrading the bar for distance use has me using it way more often now😂
I bought a Stihl 650 with a 32" bar so I could run a chainsaw mill. It ended up that I needed a 42" bar to fully use the capacity the mill. I had the saw ported and polished as soon as I bought it. I then bought a 24" bar for cutting firewood. The 32 is good for cutting briars. It rips through them quickly without getting my face.
I have the Husqvarna Rancher 450 and it does a good job on my property. But I have a few pam trees I want to remove. The first one I cut down literally clogged up everything it could with fibers and fiber dust something fierce. Took me an hour plus to unclog. I think there is still junk hiding in the crevices. Is there something special I can do to prevent this cleaning nightmare when I cut down the palm trees? Also, what would make the crankshaft chain sprocket develop wear grooves on it with only a few hours of being used? I broke a tooth off of the chain sprocket within 6 months of purchase. I only do residential work with it and super careful with maint and safety.
@@kenbrown2808 Anything over about and inch and a half becomes a bit of a struggle to keep the blade from binding. I imagine in the BC rainforest, a “sapling” could be up to 5 or 6”, given the relative size of the mature trees.
@@tomrogers9467 yeah. my teeth don't have any set to them. and they have a simple bevel, so they really don't cut chips out. I'm really tempted to see if I can set the teeth and file them into a better angle.
3cc's for every inch as a general rule. But it depends what and WHERE your cutting. In Australia many 90cc saws are run with a 24" b/c, 70cc with 20"b/c etc. Density of wood dictates this. But hey how you cut is important too, u want to be on your knees or standing up. As I age I prefer to stand up and buck so a longer bar is nice.
my Stihl MS260 has a 32 inch bar, with a semi skip chain. and that's exactly why I run that configuration. but it can still make a full 32 inch cut. I just have to let the chain do the work instead of horsing on it.
I plan to get an Extractigator so I don't have to cut small saplings, just pull them up by the roots. My Husky, I think a 292XP?, runs a 28" chain for ripping trees into boards. I swap out for a 16 or 18 for little stuff. It could run longer than 28, but that is all I have needed. I wold have to look to see the max recommended length.
Depends on the wood you're cutting, I think. Out west, we always bought bars longer than what came with the saw. Softwoods. In Ohio, a Stihl dealer wouldn't sell me a bar longer than the one on the saw. When I moved back to Oregon with that saw, the Stihl dealer said she'd never seen that saw with that short a bar. Go figure.
I put a 28 inch light bar on my 500i it came with a 25 inch lightbar but I believe its capable of 36 so I'm told.. she is a ripper! April and Steve out! Please continue this I really enjoy your show.. 👍🏻
I usually run an 18 or 20" bar on a 50cc saw. A 20 or 24" bar on a 59cc saw and a 28-32" on my 72cc saw. Bein able to stand up and buck is nice,but not always practical. Im just a firewood guy and usually cutting oak from 12" - 26". Currently im runnin an 18" ms250, a ms310 20",and a ms441c with a 28". Id rather use the ms250 or ms310 because with the 28" bar the 441 is absurdly heavy. Id leave the 18" bar on the ms250, but the ms310 could probably run a 24" ok. I dont have much use for any bar over 28" im not killin myself loading a 300lb round of oak.
I have older mid-size chainsaws (Jonsered CS-2152 & Husqvarna 257), and I like using a .325 pitch chain with them. I also have them set up the same so that I interchange bars/chains between them. I tend to use 18-20" bars (.325 pitch, .050 gauge, with the same K095 tail mounts). If I wanted to run longer bars, I would pick up a 60+ cc saw & start using a 3/8 pitch chain. If the bar was longer than 24", I may consider using a skip chain versus a full.
Steve, I was doing the experiment with checking for ethanol in fuel. I had a different outcome than the video. I had a film go below my mark. What could that mean? I did take a photo.
My brother has a Stihl MS 290 Farm Boss with a 20 inch bar. He had a dead ash tree that was 46 inches in diameter. We bought a 36 inch bar and chain off the internet for $140.00. I put the bar and chain on the saw and had no problems cutting down the tree and cutting it up. The bar and chain paid for itself for what the tree people wanted to cut down the tree. I put the old bar back on the saw for future use.
Tell April that my 20 incher should to be long enough for... well, just tell her. 🤣😂🤣😂🤣 But seriously, I was going to check with Oregon to see if a 32" bar would be OK for a Poulan Pro PR5020 20" 50cc. I bought their 20" bar and chain kit because reviews told me that the Poulan Pro bar and chain that came on it are subpar, both of them. I anticipate that a 20" cut should be good for what I need it for, but one tree may need longer. I have a feeling that 24" would be the longest recommended since that's what you said and mine is 50cc instead of 55cc. However, I may use the 20" for all I can and if the larger tree needs longer, I'll get the length I need to finish up after what the 20" could. That way, I wouldn't be loading the bar, chain and engine with full length cut(s). Thoughts on that, please. Thank you and April for this timely video. These women make you blush as easily as women me. 😜 Two thumbs up. 👍👍
Chainsaw powerhead/ bar compatibility largely depends on power delivery. I like to use the ten speed bicycle analogy. Just because the bicycle has 10 speeds and gear 10 is the fastest gear doesnt mean I can peddle in tenth gear uphill. Why? Because I dont have the necessary power to do so. Put too big of a bar and chain on a saw and it wont have the power to cut through, say, a 30” wide piece of oak. As Steve said, bar and chains are matched to the saws power.
Another time you can put a longer bar is with a chainsaw mill. You lose a lot of bar length with them and within reason a longer bar is beneficial. But listen to your saw. If it's straining you've got too much bar.
Hey Steve , not for nothin , but how about at the end of the 30 days you do a shot and a beer for us ? Love you guys , thanks for all April and you do ….
Well I put a 18 inch bar on my High Performance MS 170 Stihl ( that is about 3 years old and is a whole 30cc ) along with a Bigger Carburetor ( that can be adjusted now ) and a Bigger tooth sprocket ( I believe it has one more tooth than original sprocket ) and a muffkin mod . My local Mom and Pop Stihl dealer said you can't do that it won't work ----- but it did now that High Performance 30cc saw will cut .
I tried it without success .once I changed the drive sprocket cause a bigger bar required bigger chain I found the oil port in the bar did not align with the port in the chainsaw case ,something I did not foresee.
A lot of the firewood channels on RUclips are running Stihl 500i’swith 30” & 32” bars on them and they all seem pretty happy with that setup and don’t seem to have any breakdowns due to bar length, but time will tell if the lager bars are to much for the saw to handle buckin big logs.
I’d think that using a saw for felling saplings, with all the weight of the bar and chain exerted sideways to the mounts would be much more failure prone than using the saw “normally” with the load transmitted to the mounting studs at right angles.
Remember to add a longer chain if you add a longer bar. 🤪 You'd think that is obvious but have you read some of the warning labels on stuff being sold nowadays? Reminds me of a stupid joke: Q - Why are manhole covers round? A - Because manholes are round. 🍻
That's manufacturer's protecting themselves against idiot customers and their lawyers. I love the warnings they put on food products. Can of tuna (warning contains fish). Jar of peanut butter (warning contains peanuts). It's insane!
Thirty years ago a saw was a saw. Small, bigger, bigger, and so on. Now we have home owner, rancher, and commercial. The only one with adjustable features is the commercial grade. The chair oiler. Choice of sprockets. And more horse power for weight. So, if it is not commercial, chances are a longer bar won't get enough oil. Go ahead. Ask me how I know.
I though about puting a longer bar on one of mine. Three Stihls all with 20" bars. There are not that many trees left around that I cant reach across, cut in to it part way then cut down. and I only have one size chain that wii fit all of them. james out.
Click below 👇👇👇 for the links to the other questions...
⭐30 DAYS OF QUESTIONS⭐ - (Links will be updated as the videos are put out)
👉DAY 1 - Is A Stihl 4-Mix Engine A 2-Stroke Or A 4-Stroke? ➜ ruclips.net/video/QF__8hs0bo8/видео.html
👉DAY 2 - Are John Deere riding lawn mowers made by MTD? ➜ ruclips.net/video/iCJsWsd6SLo/видео.html
👉DAY 3 - How Do I Break In A New Chainsaw? ➜ ruclips.net/video/NE4Q1Y8v2U4/видео.html
👉DAY 4 - Does Soaking WeedEater Line In Water Actually Help? ➜ ruclips.net/video/84hFN_jveMc/видео.html
👉DAY 5 - Why Does My Briggs Lawn Mower Say Never Change The Oil? ➜ ruclips.net/video/IVGmetgOcgo/видео.html
👉DAY 6 - Can I Use Outboard Mix Oil In My Chain Saw? ➜ ruclips.net/video/AlmegbfUJpU/видео.html
👉DAY 7 - What Is Your Favorite Chain Saw? ➜ ruclips.net/video/wMJeH0jCcHM/видео.html
👉DAY 8 - Why Does My Grass Chute Keep Plugging Up? ➜ ruclips.net/video/WtbhiNy42IU/видео.html
👉DAY 9 - What Does The Purge Bulb Actually Do? ➜ ruclips.net/video/sbDPU73fQQY/видео.html
👉DAY 10 - What Is Your Favorite Penetrating Oil? ➜ ruclips.net/video/jrzNv_Db0ZA/видео.html
👉DAY 11 - How Do I UnFlood My Chainsaw Or Weed Eater? ➜ ruclips.net/video/n0UnfoL5qWk/видео.html
👉DAY 12 - What Is The Best 2-Stroke Gas / Oil Mix Ratio? ➜ ruclips.net/video/-bsbKqZbyrw/видео.html
👉DAY 13 - Why Does My Leaf Blower Bog Out When I Pull The Trigger? ➜ ruclips.net/video/O4fMjSg7Z_U/видео.html
👉DAY 14 - What Does WARRANTY Actually Mean? ➜ ruclips.net/video/D-8054Q6vx0/видео.html
👉DAY 15 - Can I Remove ETHANOL From My Gas? ➜ ruclips.net/video/qZo4ItYiMCQ/видео.html
👉DAY 16 - Why Is My Pressure Washer So Hard To Pull Start? ➜ ruclips.net/video/Apipsdmf8qs/видео.html
👉DAY 17 - Why Does My Chain Saw Leak Oil? ➜ ruclips.net/video/3P5ITSFWUZg/видео.html
👉DAY 18 - Can I Use Old Dirty Motor Oil As Bar And Chain Oil In My Chain Saw? ➜ ruclips.net/video/ilRZNsBNE3Y/видео.html
👉DAY 19 - Should I Buy My John Deere Lawn Mower From Home Depot Or My Dealer? ➜ ruclips.net/video/IZRjSYwYhyc/видео.html
👉DAY 20 - Do Battery Powered Chain Saws Work Good? ➜ ruclips.net/video/Zb8XNGfHsQU/видео.html
👉DAY 21 - (FAKE NEWS) Honda Is Stopping Lawn Mower Production? ➜ ruclips.net/video/y4TSwWHFb-o/видео.html
👉DAY 22 - Will cleaning the rust off my flywheel help with spark? ➜ ruclips.net/video/w8-exMgUhuc/видео.html
👉DAY 23 - NO SPARK! How Do I Know If My Coil / Ignition Module Is Faulty? ➜ ruclips.net/video/HBFz_N0SxuY/видео.html
👉DAY 24 - Will I Destroy My Pressure Washer By Doing THIS? ➜ ruclips.net/video/22OlLNAZKa8/видео.html
👉DAY 25 - How Do I Fix An On/Off Kill Switch? ➜ ruclips.net/video/IyaUpGh19CI/видео.html
👉DAY 26 - Why doesn’t my lawnmower have an oil drain plug on it? ➜ ruclips.net/video/BXJbWWhMk0s/видео.html
👉DAY 27 - Why Is There Black Oil Coming Out Of My Muffler? ➜ ruclips.net/video/SNHdUh5tRoA/видео.html
👉DAY 29 - Why Does My Engine STOP Running After A Few Minutes? ➜ ruclips.net/video/m5LEwNi-geM/видео.html
👉DAY 30 - Can I Make A Lawn Mower Run On Propane? ➜ ruclips.net/video/UkYCa1WhFGs/видео.html
Steve can u help on my nopull backpack blower tool to adjust the carburetor the company lawn master won’t sell me one and says go to a dealership to have them adjust it can’t run too them every time you need a adjustment can uHELP PLEASE THANKS JIM🥸
April, it's not the length of the bar that matters. It's the skill of the user. Great informative video.
Also depends on how much wood is involved.
(couldn't resist)
heard the ladies were more interested in how thick the tree was not necessarily how tall it was....could be wrong
Length +skill+thickness
Do you want to be on the ground bucking on your knees or do you wanna stand up straight and buck? Bar length dictates this option.
😆😂🤣😅😂😆😂🤣😅😊
Never long enough 🤣🤣, April is the entertainment today lol. Great advice Steve. Buy a bigger saw if you want a longer blade. Cheers 🍻 and April and Steve out!
Hey Steve I bought 2 chainsaws back in the 80s at a flee market, they were big everyone was commenting on their size. The biggest one was an old Landcaster saw it had a 48 inch long bar, it was roughly 6 inches wide and the brass fingers (not sure of there actual name) that were up against the saw were 5 inches long. This was a BEAST I got it to run it sounded like my Honda CR 250R dirt bike. I was told by a local lawnmower repairman it was 5hp, from the ground up it measured 15 inches, was roughly 13 inches wide and weight about 25 pounds. I paid $10 for the both of them couldn't pass it up and I have no trees. I ended up giving it to a friend that collects old saws he still has it on display in his garage. I truly appreciate your videos and that your better half is in them with you, you guys rock!!
The “brass fingers” are known as felling or bucking spikes. They give the operator leverage and help hold the saw against the trunk. I’m not a big fan of them as they prevent me from sliding the head of the saw down a log when bucking, forcing me to do a see saw motion.
This has been a great series! Thanks!
I have a little Stihl MS170 that came with a 16" bar that I replaced with a 12" because I cut smaller logs with this saw, so I don't need a 16" bar on it, and the 12" bar gives it more cutting power. That, and an adjustable carb made a big difference.
Good advice!! Just because you can.. doesn't mean you should.... that applies to LOTS of things!!
Weekly answer questions sounds great. Thanks for ALL the videos you have done, they are very helpful.
Thanks Steve and April well done. Take care of yourself and family and be Blessed ❤️❤️.
Excellent answer.
Great answer Steve
There's other things you didn't really mention. If you really need a longer bar and you don't want to overwhelm the powerhead you can always use a full skip chain. There's other things that can help too like just leaving the rakers a little higher than you normally would. Just make sure that your oiler can keep up with longer bar and chain or you'll burn them up.
Actually about the skip chain you're wrong! I've ran a saw my whole life since I was a young boy and I would rather have a regular chain if it's sharp and can sharpen it really well then I can cut faster with a regular chain rather then a skip chain
@dennislovett9379 There's a ton of variables to consider. You can't say one or the other is better for every saw in all wood. There are a lot of guys on the West Coast in particular that would disagree with you
Great little video. I proved something similar to myself years ago. I had a small saw with a 16 inch bar. I thought it would be a good idea to put some bucking spikes on it to make it easier for me to cut firewood to length. I found I could quickly overload the engine if I tried cutting too fast. Things have to be balanced.
April, it’s not the size of the ship but the motion of the ocean. Steve, you must love MGD beer. There are 12 bottles up on your shelf. Great videos! Enjoyed them and your humour!
April and Steve: Great series, love to see a repeat. What about a show on using a chain saw to cut lumber? There are various jigs out there to do that. I have a fairly crude set-up that I have used to build pine furniture. It’s way more work than I’m willing to do again. I know there are special lumber ripping chains available; I just ground most of the top plate from my cutters, seemed to work ok.
Great vid Steve and April! I have an echo cs590 timber wolf came with the 20” bar and I put a 28” bar on with a muffler mod and leaned the saw out alittle to get it to hit the 12-13,000 rpm limiter on it and holy cow does it pull that bar and chain combo like it’s a hot knife thru butter only thing besides that is taking the saw apart and make the oiler pump more- even with the screw adjusted out all the way it wasn’t enough. Works great now!! I want to put a 34” if I can I am highly convinced it’d pull it no problem!
How do you like your Echo CS-590 Timberwolf? Debating between that and the Stihl MS-271 in a 20 inch bar.
Good series so far . Lots of good info to be had . I was praying there was a brewskie hiding behind that saw. Thank God there was . CHEERS...
Engine size is extremely important when looking to put on a longer bar. 50cc and below, I'd stick with a 20" or smaller. Once you get into the 60cc class and larger, it's easier to get out to 28-32"+ bars. There's a couple keys here. First, with smaller engines, you could look to go down in pitch. Say from a 3/8" down to a .325 or even down to 1/4" pitch. The smaller pitch chains have a narrower kerf and require less power to cut at full length since they're taking less wood. When you get to the 28"+ bars, consider moving from a full comp chain to a full skip. That will help tremendously since there's less cutters the engine has to try to pull.
Excellent information I totally agree with everything you said.
You can get away with a 24" bar on some 50cc saws but in general you're correct. I've seen people run 24" bars with 3/8" chain on 545s and 550xps for example. Seemed to work fine although I'm pretty sure you would want at least semi-skip (don't think I've ever seen someone who prefers that sequence but you get my point 😅). I thought about trying 24" 3/8" (with a 3/8" sprocket of course) full skip on my 545 mk2 but it just cuts so well with the stock 20" .325" I couldn't justify it. With my 572xp I run 32" full skip when I need the length but I feel it's at its best with a 24" full comp chain. Very impressed with the versatility of that saw 👌 I've yet to find the wood that makes that saw struggle in the slightest. Even ripping/noodling White Oak etc. with the entire bar buried...it's a beast for it's weight
Stihl MS-271 or the Echo CS-590 Timber Wolf?
More like 70cc up for a 28 bar..
@@Saxondog Good 60cc saws can run a 28" bar. Especially if you run full skip. A 562xp or something will pull full comp 28" chains fine though
I have a 32 inch bar for my MS66, but it's for cutting boards with a chainsaw mill. Other wise I use a smaller bar.
When upgrading to a longer bar, you need to make sure you purchase the proper size chain for that bar. Anyone can upgrade to a longer bar, but you need to know the pitch, the gauge, and number of drive links required of the new saw chain for that bar. The new saw chain also needs to properly match the sprocket of your existing chain saw. There’s more to it than just changing your bar.
Thank you for the informative videos ... i'm sure this has been mentioned in other comments. I will mention it again. Be sure to say that a longer bar requires more oil. some saws have adjustable oil flow. some do not.
This 30 days of questions is fun and I bet April is a handful.Yall keep on keeping on. Thanks!
Great information but I don’t know what kind of beer to drink when installing the longer beer? Would a lager be appropriate? 🍺
Sounds like you had a few “bars” already! 😂
Great one Steve, I love my bar as it is. I just "dance" a little bit more around the trunk to get the job done if its to big. its fun to🤠
Great info as usual.BUTT as I age the bars get shorter ( take it to the bank ). Then I learnt to bore cut with shorter bars. And then the shorter bars, now down to 16" ,are so much easier to sharpen and touch up more often. The saws are easier to carry and cut ( My fav now MS261 for 90% of use ). Good info with your sidekick especially.
My favorite saw (until someone stole it) was an inexpensive 42cc Craftsman saw with a 20" bar. Before you laugh or think I'm crazy for putting that big of a bar on a lower powered saw, i did it for the exact reason you described. The biggest tree I ever cut with it was probably 10" thick. I could have gotten away with a Mini-Mac (which I own), but the convenience of having more bar area cutting tiny trees and branches was worth it.
I now have to use my old Stihl 028 with a 16" bar. It has more power, but is heavier and not as convenient. If I replace the bar I'll likely go with a minimum 20" bar or bigger. Still won't bog down cutting a 2" sapling. I also know some people reading this will find it funny that I'm calling a 20" bar big, but my saw is for very light duty use only.
I do very light duty trimming too with my lawn maintenance/exterior cleaning business & honestly I use my Ryobi Brushless Sawzall w/the long pruning blade for 90% of the bush/tree trimming that I do for clients. I've had a Poulan 3314 saw for about 5 years that my dad gave me. Wasnt running, but just needed a new spark plug, air filter, & fresh Echo Red Armor fuel mix & it's ran phenomenal ever since. Was contemplating going up to a 16" or 18" Oregon bar, but now I realize I guess the chain speed/cutting speed diminishes slightly which is a bummer. glad I atleast know that now before doing the swap. Would yall just leave the 14" factory bar/chain that came with it alone and just use as is? im not really dropping trees in my line of work, but could be nice when deer hunting or making 4 wheeler trails.
Thanks!
I will Leave mine the Way it Came!
Great Series!
Another video with great advice.
thanks for sharing your wealth of information.
Thanks Steve and April.
APRIL!!!! I'm shocked. LOL
😲
As a guy who uses older Husqvarna and Stihl chainsaws pretty regularly (not professionally), I gotta say you have covered about every question or thought I've had about these saws and their operation. One thing I have to say, I like the Husq's priming capability, which my Stihl doesn't have. Is there a way to improve the Stihl's cold weather starting? I don't want to use starter fluid too often as it seems like it could explode at some point. Thank you Steve and April!
It’s a hassle but I have a bottle- like a restaurant mustard bottle that I give a squirt to the carb . Pops pretty quickly and I clean the air filter while it’s off. A lot better than pulling it 20-30x
@@jeffpeters1014 That's a good idea
Thanks Steve ,❤
Have had a Stihl MS260 for over ten years. It came with a 12" that was a joke. Put an 18" on it right after buying it and it's been great.
Watch out with Google and Wikipedia. Sometimes bad info. You on the other hand good info. Great question and answer. Thank you
You're Welcome...
I put a 20 inch bar on my Stihl MS260 which came with 16 inch bar. Much better for ground level work and better than being bent over like a dog on a football:)
Stand up and buck !!
Love the videos Steve and April. I'm hoping to see you finish make one saw from 2 after this series.
Question: Can I use a regular/standard 3/8 kerf on a narrow kerf chainsaw if I change the bar and chain to a 3/8 instead of a .325 ?
You guys are great! Thanks!
I bought my stihl ms 291 saw with a 18 inch bar. I changed it to a 24 inch bar because it makes limbing the fallen tree for firewood much easier. I don't have to stoop over .
I went from a 22’ Homelite to an 18” Stihl. Love the new saw but certainly miss the extra length for the same reason as you stated.
I bought a 266xp new with 24'' bar,best saw I've ever owned still runs like a dream.
Thank you I always heard about that you answer the question that I need you to answer thank you for the video and can't wait for the next one
Change the drive sprocket helps out.
Hi Steve and April! What about the gear drive saws? Are they stronger and mightier to handle longer bar and chain compared to same saws with no 'G'- drive?
Any insight on skateboard conversions and what chainsaw will be easiest to use.
Great channel, guys.
I've learned heaps. 👍
Thanks for watching!
And yes, Steve is correct. Thanks, Guys!
Opposite end of the spectrum but sometimes a 20" bar on a 90+cc saw can be down right fun!
You do some great videos Steve. But I have a question today. Have you seen a bar on a Stihl MS251 C-BE stuck on the stud? Runs fine, but I went to flip the bar and I cannot get the bar to slide off the stud. Any suggestion on how to get the darn bar off and then do I have to replace that gear? I can't figure out why it would be stuck.
LOL your wife comments on lenght! After years of cutting cedar/junipers in the Texas Hill Country my opinion regarding chainsaws is that "less is always more." Folks should use the smallest possible saw that will get the job done, since it saves their back, body, and energy. All of my saws have bars at least 2" smaller than they came with. I run a 12" on myStihl 201T. A 16" on my Echo 501 and a 16" on my Echo 590. There is quite a bit of energy wasted in fritction when spinning a larger chain around a bar, not to mention the operator having to heft that weight.
Thanks.
Thanks Steve as I had always wondered about that myself & now I know! 👍👍🍺🍺
I have a homelite super XL925 that originally had a 20 inch bar that I recently put a 34 in bar and chain on it and handles the bigger bar just fine
Great opening to this question Steve and April, Steve had the best comment 👏 🤣
I was taught by an old timer that would run a smaller bar then stock. He said he was inpatient and he didn't have time to wait for a saw to catch up.
Faster to sharpen that way too
Also depends on chain (full comp, full skip, or semi), also oiler ability
The longer bar could help you reach out to prune a limb as well. How bigger of a bar could you put on that jonsared saw?
Thank you team always wanted to know that cheers
I've got a 42cc chainsaw 18 inch bar ! I replace it with a new 16-inch bar and chain and it cuts better with a shorter bar!
Put a 24 inch bar on my Husqvarna 340 20 year old saw I inherited from pops. So much better than the 16 my dad bought it with. I don't cut anything wider than 8 or so inches and mostly a few inches or less just trimming. Upgrading the bar for distance use has me using it way more often now😂
April there must be a beer for Steve on his work bench on next video on day 30th. He's right cheers from me.
I have the exact same Jonsered bottle opener! So cool!
Right on
I bought a Stihl 650 with a 32" bar so I could run a chainsaw mill. It ended up that I needed a 42" bar to fully use the capacity the mill. I had the saw ported and polished as soon as I bought it. I then bought a 24" bar for cutting firewood. The 32 is good for cutting briars. It rips through them quickly without getting my face.
Thanks buddy 🇺🇲
some saws won't deliver enough oil for a longer bar... all the Husky pro saws have an adjustable oil pump.
I have the Husqvarna Rancher 450 and it does a good job on my property. But I have a few pam trees I want to remove. The first one I cut down literally clogged up everything it could with fibers and fiber dust something fierce. Took me an hour plus to unclog. I think there is still junk hiding in the crevices. Is there something special I can do to prevent this cleaning nightmare when I cut down the palm trees? Also, what would make the crankshaft chain sprocket develop wear grooves on it with only a few hours of being used? I broke a tooth off of the chain sprocket within 6 months of purchase. I only do residential work with it and super careful with maint and safety.
I would think a brush cutter with the saw blade would be better to cut the saplings.
that's relatively new tech. and I'm actually not as happy with the performance of the saw blade I got for my brush cutter as I expected to be.
Not only that, but leaving a minefield of angled spikes is a recipe for death if you or someone else trips.
@@kenbrown2808 Anything over about and inch and a half becomes a bit of a struggle to keep the blade from binding. I imagine in the BC rainforest, a “sapling” could be up to 5 or 6”, given the relative size of the mature trees.
@@tomrogers9467 yeah. my teeth don't have any set to them. and they have a simple bevel, so they really don't cut chips out. I'm really tempted to see if I can set the teeth and file them into a better angle.
@@kenbrown2808 you could try a regular coarse saw blade with the correct diameter ( or even smaller) if the arbor hole would fit.
3cc's for every inch as a general rule. But it depends what and WHERE your cutting. In Australia many 90cc saws are run with a 24" b/c, 70cc with 20"b/c etc. Density of wood dictates this. But hey how you cut is important too, u want to be on your knees or standing up. As I age I prefer to stand up and buck so a longer bar is nice.
Hell yeah you can... I had an ms170 with bigger clutch and bigger cylinder and it had a 20 inch bar on it
my Stihl MS260 has a 32 inch bar, with a semi skip chain. and that's exactly why I run that configuration. but it can still make a full 32 inch cut. I just have to let the chain do the work instead of horsing on it.
Why does your chainsaw bar get sharp edges. Is it from over tightening the chain? How do you know when to replace your bar?
I have an 8 inch bar that is bent and I wanted to know if a 10 inch bar would work?
I plan to get an Extractigator so I don't have to cut small saplings, just pull them up by the roots. My Husky, I think a 292XP?, runs a 28" chain for ripping trees into boards. I swap out for a 16 or 18 for little stuff. It could run longer than 28, but that is all I have needed. I wold have to look to see the max recommended length.
Question, how do YOU measure the length of the bar.
So it's ok if I get a 22" instead of a 20" bar when you want it slightly longer without bogging the motor nor affecting the sprocket. Is that correct?
Depends on the wood you're cutting, I think. Out west, we always bought bars longer than what came with the saw. Softwoods. In Ohio, a Stihl dealer wouldn't sell me a bar longer than the one on the saw. When I moved back to Oregon with that saw, the Stihl dealer said she'd never seen that saw with that short a bar. Go figure.
Great video
I put a 28 inch light bar on my 500i it came with a 25 inch lightbar but I believe its capable of 36 so I'm told.. she is a ripper! April and Steve out! Please continue this I really enjoy your show.. 👍🏻
I run a 32" GB titanium on my 500i
I usually run an 18 or 20" bar on a 50cc saw. A 20 or 24" bar on a 59cc saw and a 28-32" on my 72cc saw. Bein able to stand up and buck is nice,but not always practical. Im just a firewood guy and usually cutting oak from 12" - 26". Currently im runnin an 18" ms250, a ms310 20",and a ms441c with a 28". Id rather use the ms250 or ms310 because with the 28" bar the 441 is absurdly heavy. Id leave the 18" bar on the ms250, but the ms310 could probably run a 24" ok. I dont have much use for any bar over 28" im not killin myself loading a 300lb round of oak.
I have older mid-size chainsaws (Jonsered CS-2152 & Husqvarna 257), and I like using a .325 pitch chain with them. I also have them set up the same so that I interchange bars/chains between them. I tend to use 18-20" bars (.325 pitch, .050 gauge, with the same K095 tail mounts). If I wanted to run longer bars, I would pick up a 60+ cc saw & start using a 3/8 pitch chain. If the bar was longer than 24", I may consider using a skip chain versus a full.
Steve, I was doing the experiment with checking for ethanol in fuel. I had a different outcome than the video. I had a film go below my mark. What could that mean? I did take a photo.
My brother has a Stihl MS 290 Farm Boss with a 20 inch bar. He had a dead ash tree that was 46 inches in diameter. We bought a 36 inch bar and chain off the internet for $140.00. I put the bar and chain on the saw and had no problems cutting down the tree and cutting it up. The bar and chain paid for itself for what the tree people wanted to cut down the tree. I put the old bar back on the saw for future use.
Chainsaw bar size.. Cutting into younger saplings? Pretty much any length Prune Star will do.
Here's a ?.
Why are there different string trimmer string diameters? Is it important to use the correct size? Won't thicker last longer?
Is a 248n to big for my 44cc Is poland wild thing
Tell April that my 20 incher should to be long enough for... well, just tell her. 🤣😂🤣😂🤣 But seriously, I was going to check with Oregon to see if a 32" bar would be OK for a Poulan Pro PR5020 20" 50cc. I bought their 20" bar and chain kit because reviews told me that the Poulan Pro bar and chain that came on it are subpar, both of them. I anticipate that a 20" cut should be good for what I need it for, but one tree may need longer. I have a feeling that 24" would be the longest recommended since that's what you said and mine is 50cc instead of 55cc. However, I may use the 20" for all I can and if the larger tree needs longer, I'll get the length I need to finish up after what the 20" could. That way, I wouldn't be loading the bar, chain and engine with full length cut(s). Thoughts on that, please. Thank you and April for this timely video. These women make you blush as easily as women me. 😜 Two thumbs up. 👍👍
Chainsaw powerhead/ bar compatibility largely depends on power delivery. I like to use the ten speed bicycle analogy. Just because the bicycle has 10 speeds and gear 10 is the fastest gear doesnt mean I can peddle in tenth gear uphill. Why? Because I dont have the necessary power to do so. Put too big of a bar and chain on a saw and it wont have the power to cut through, say, a 30” wide piece of oak. As Steve said, bar and chains are matched to the saws power.
ever since I put a 41" bar and chain on my ms170, never looked back 👍👌😎
Another time you can put a longer bar is with a chainsaw mill. You lose a lot of bar length with them and within reason a longer bar is beneficial. But listen to your saw. If it's straining you've got too much bar.
Hey Steve , not for nothin , but how about at the end of the 30 days you do a shot and a beer for us ? Love you guys , thanks for all April and you do ….
Debating between the Stihl MS-271 and the Echo CS-590 Timberwolf in 20 inch bar. 🤔
So let's say I'm not using the chainsaw for cutting, just for display...will a 36 inch bar FIT any chainsaw? Like a Stihl 028 AV
Well I put a 18 inch bar on my High Performance MS 170 Stihl ( that is about 3 years old and is a whole 30cc ) along with a Bigger Carburetor ( that can be adjusted now ) and a Bigger tooth sprocket ( I believe it has one more tooth than original sprocket ) and a muffkin mod . My local Mom and Pop Stihl dealer said you can't do that it won't work ----- but it did now that High Performance 30cc saw will cut .
I tried it without success .once I changed the drive sprocket cause a bigger bar required bigger chain I found the oil port in the bar did not align with the port in the chainsaw case ,something I did not foresee.
A lot of the firewood channels on RUclips are running Stihl 500i’swith 30” & 32” bars on them and they all seem pretty happy with that setup and don’t seem to have any breakdowns due to bar length, but time will tell if the lager bars are to much for the saw to handle buckin big logs.
I’d think that using a saw for felling saplings, with all the weight of the bar and chain exerted sideways to the mounts would be much more failure prone than using the saw “normally” with the load transmitted to the mounting studs at right angles.
Remember to add a longer chain if you add a longer bar. 🤪 You'd think that is obvious but have you read some of the warning labels on stuff being sold nowadays? Reminds me of a stupid joke: Q - Why are manhole covers round? A - Because manholes are round. 🍻
That's manufacturer's protecting themselves against idiot customers and their lawyers. I love the warnings they put on food products. Can of tuna (warning contains fish). Jar of peanut butter (warning contains peanuts). It's insane!
Thirty years ago a saw was a saw. Small, bigger, bigger, and so on. Now we have home owner, rancher, and commercial. The only one with adjustable features is the commercial grade. The chair oiler. Choice of sprockets. And more horse power for weight. So, if it is not commercial, chances are a longer bar won't get enough oil. Go ahead. Ask me how I know.
👍👍👍Thanks
I though about puting a longer bar on one of mine. Three Stihls all with 20" bars. There are not that many trees left around that I cant reach across, cut in to it part way then cut down. and I only have one size chain that wii fit all of them. james out.
Stand up and buck