# stihl ms290 farm boss: which chain/bar to use



## castiron (Aug 23, 2010)

What I have:
stihl ms 290 farm boss, 20 inch bar, 3/8 pitch, 72 link, (I think it is .050 gauge). It is the low-kickback stihl blade and I have several low-kickback Oregon chains (green label or green dots on 'em).

What I use it for:
I cut 75% softwoods (lodge poll pine, noble fir, douglas fir) and 25% hardwood (just about anything found in Boise, Id). I cut 3-5 cords a year. 

So far I have been mostly happy with the chain/bar combo I have been running. There are times when bucking large diameter rounds that it seems like the saw is a little underpowered, but it still gets the job done. But it is getting close to time to get a new bar. 

What is the advantage of the non-low-kickback bar/chains? Or should I just keep on rolling with my combo.

Also, can someone recommend a brand for bar/chain to use?


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## akult (Aug 23, 2010)

Try a quick search. There are countless threads for what you are after.


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## matt33 (Aug 23, 2010)

My Stihl MS290 is equipped with an 18" bar and I generally use Stihl RSC chain (Rapid Super Cut, yellow dot). My cutting is the opposite of yours; I cut 75% hardwood and 25% soft. IMHO, Stihl chain tends to hold an edge better than Oregon/Husqvarna chain.


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## castiron (Aug 23, 2010)

Well I found a lot of info on the sticky's

Lemme ask more specific questions. 

What is the advantage of the rapid cut over the green dot stuff? 

I am pretty overwhelmed by all the options on the bailey's website for my saw. 

Say if I was happy with the Oregon brand and I cut wood for exercise and fun as much as fuel wood (so not interested in saving weight), what oregon bar should I get? 

If I was looking for a chain that had a good balance between keeping an edge and speed of cutting, what Oregon chain should I get?


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## samdog (Aug 31, 2010)

I've done that search as well, and I came to the conclusion that many folks on this board and another as well, say to use the 18" bar with a .325 RSC chain. There are definately others that say they use a 20" but it seems alot of opinions are that the 290 is undersized for a 3/8" chain and 20" bar. Just what I've seen.
I'm not the expert though. Others are.

BTW - I have an 18" with the stock safety chain. As soon as I wear it out I'll change over to an RSC chain.


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## sunfish (Aug 31, 2010)

> What is the advantage of the rapid cut over the green dot stuff?


Cuts faster...

My Brother runs 18", 3/8, simi-chisel on his 290. He logs and cuts firewood. 
Says 20" too long and full-chisel doesn't stay sharp long enough.


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## Hedge Hacker (Aug 31, 2010)

I also have a 290. I run the 20 inch bar with the rsc chain and for the most part i mainly cut hedge. I am more than happy with the way it cuts. If also do most of my cutting for the joy of it. great way tp pass the time.


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## Anthony_Va. (Aug 31, 2010)

If I were using a 290 for the same cutting that you are doing, I would either dress it with a 20" Stihl bar and .325 RMC (semi chisel) chain, or an 18" Stihl bar with a 3/8 RMC chain. If your wood is mostly very clean (no dirt) then I would probably get the RSC (full chisel) chain. It will cut a little faster than the RMC but will dull quicker in dirty wood. 

The green label stuff is all junk compared to the yellow. If you know how to handle a saw, you will not notice anything different with kickback. 

I would look at the Sugihara bars on ebay. They're pretty cheap and are well made Japanese steel bars. A little lighter than some others too. Any Oregon or Stihl bar you can afford will be fine for you though.


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## 2000ssm6 (Aug 31, 2010)

hedge hacker said:


> i also have a 290. I run the 20 inch bar with the rsc chain and for the most part i mainly cut hedge. I am more than happy with the way it cuts. If also do most of my cutting for the joy of it. Great way tp pass the time.



+1


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## 8433jeff (Aug 31, 2010)

Why throw away the baby with the bathwater? .325 is a marketing scheme, I just switched from it on a similar sized saw to oregon LPX in 3/8 and its not any slower, might be quicker. In hardwoods, yeah 20" might be a lot of bar, but if you're happy then stay with the length. 200rndd025 would be a laminated 20" replaceable sprocket 3/8 in .050, and if you do switch to .325 remember to switch to sprocket also. Rim style is my preference, but spur has a place in the world also. Two bars could be an option (16"-18" and a 24" for the softwood rounds), but longer than 20" needs to be skip IMHO.


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## mark360T (Aug 31, 2010)

i run 3/8 on my 290 i run rsc on my 18in. bar and 72LGX on my 24in. bar both chains are good imo. I think you would be good with a 20in. bar and oregon 72LGX or STIHL RSC chain in 3/8


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## vhmtach38 (Sep 1, 2010)

Mod that restricted muffler, change the sprocket to .325 then order the Arbormax combo #AMC 20SS63 from Bailey's with extra chains. Retune your saw. Grin then smile.


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## GASoline71 (Sep 1, 2010)

Most 029/290's out west are set up from the dealers with 3/8" chain. Stick with that on the 20" bar and switch to RSC chain. Once you ditch the green dot stuff... you'll notice a big difference.

Gary


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## CentaurG2 (Sep 1, 2010)

Stihl 290, 56.5cc of hard azz stihl displacement. Should run just a pinch behind my ms361 no?? Best selling stihl chainsaw in the world!

Stick with the bar and chain that came standard on your saw. Stihl engineers designed that combo for a reason. No logic in trying to change what cost stihl a million or two in R&D to figure out. In the real world, the difference between “reduced kickback chain” vs yellow stuff is negligible and probably less than that, if you don’t know how to sharpen a chain.
I am sorry to tell you that lacking power in large wood has little to do with the bar and chain in this case but I think you might have already figured that out. You could always upgrade. Cost of a bar and a couple of chains and a trade in……


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## MaddBomber (Sep 1, 2010)

Stihl RSC is outstanding chain, but requires a higher degree of maintenance. I used it on my MS260.... extremely more agressive than the RMC3 chain it came with. Loved it until I had to sharpen it..... Like all full-chisel, it needs uniform cutter angles and lengths..... One messed up cutter will dull the entire chain quick. A real pain if you're hand sharpening. 
Personally I'd go with RMC..... not RMC3. On a do-all saw I must say I like it better. The cutting speed is slightly slower; especially in big wood, but I'm not racing. The sharpening guidelines aren't as unforgiving, and it will cut longer between sharpenings IMO.
Another consideration is the more aggresive the chain, the more resistance on your saw. If you're feeling under-powered in big wood, this can be magnified by a more aggressive chain.
Once again.... Muffler Mod and RMC is what I'd do.


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## BloodOnTheIce (Sep 1, 2010)

36" hard nose running
.404 46RSFL Full skip, square ground chain
8 pin sprocket.


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## MaddBomber (Sep 1, 2010)

BloodOnTheIce said:


> 36" hard nose running
> .404 46RSFL Full skip, square ground chain
> 8 pin sprocket.



:agree2: Perfect for an ms290!!! HOLY:censored:!?!?!?


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## CentaurG2 (Sep 1, 2010)

BloodOnTheIce said:


> 36" hard nose running
> .404 46RSFL Full skip, square ground chain
> 8 pin sprocket.



Sweet! Now that’s a mod challenge if I have ever seen one. What would it take to get a 290 to pull that??


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## 8433jeff (Sep 1, 2010)

A 660.


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## MaddBomber (Sep 1, 2010)

CentaurG2 said:


> What would it take to get a 290 to pull that??


One at both ends of the bar...... Maybe.


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## ta2guy (Sep 1, 2010)

BloodOnTheIce said:


> 36" hard nose running
> .404 46RSFL Full skip, square ground chain
> 8 pin sprocket.



It will pull it, just can't put it in any wood.


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## Birdhunter1 (Sep 1, 2010)

On my 029Super I have found the sweet combination for it to be an 18" roller tip bar with .325 Stihl RSC chain and take the rakers down to .035.

Of course you need to wake the saw up a bit to really pull this but I cut mostly hardwood and rarely any pine/cedar or stuff I would call softwood.


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## amateur cutter (Sep 1, 2010)

BloodOnTheIce said:


> 36" hard nose running
> .404 46RSFL Full skip, square ground chain
> 8 pin sprocket.



:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:
That's funny!


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## BloodOnTheIce (Sep 3, 2010)

CentaurG2 said:


> Sweet! Now that’s a mod challenge if I have ever seen one. What would it take to get a 290 to pull that??



I'll build one this winter.


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## CR500 (Sep 3, 2010)

Anthony_Va. said:


> If I were using a 290 for the same cutting that you are doing, I would either dress it with a 20" Stihl bar and .325 RMC (semi chisel) chain, or an 18" Stihl bar with a 3/8 RMC chain. If your wood is mostly very clean (no dirt) then I would probably get the RSC (full chisel) chain. It will cut a little faster than the RMC but will dull quicker in dirty wood.
> 
> The green label stuff is all junk compared to the yellow. If you know how to handle a saw, you will not notice anything different with kickback.
> 
> I would look at the Sugihara bars on ebay. They're pretty cheap and are well made Japanese steel bars. A little lighter than some others too. Any Oregon or Stihl bar you can afford will be fine for you though.



well said I agree the green dot is for people that scared of their saw


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## SawTroll (Sep 3, 2010)

Well, you can always re-use the bar on a better saw later....


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