# What are the signs when a bar is worn out??



## Dr_dewey (Apr 8, 2005)

i ask this for a friend. my bars are ok.


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## Lawn Masters (Apr 8, 2005)

Normally when it wont cut straight because the rails are so severly worn that it is no longer able to keep the chain cutting straight, or when the area behind the nose is worn heavily due to running the chain too loose, or when the bar groove is drastically wider than new. such as an .063 ga bar becoming an .080 or larger gauge bar groove.


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## DarioMO (Apr 8, 2005)

Good that you asked it...I want to know too 

I've got a couple of bars that have some wear around the tip area...if you are looking at it horizontally (round tip at right) wear is about 1 o'clock and 5 o'clock. The chain won't de-rail or something but just wondering how much later can I use it before it reach an unsafe condition.

Dario


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## Newfie (Apr 8, 2005)

Dr_dewey said:


> i ask this for a friend. my bars are ok.




If you had to ask, how do you know they are OK?


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## tawilson (Apr 9, 2005)

Good question. I've been wondering the same thing. I've got the Bailey's tool for grooming the bar rails. I also have a sanding disk on my radial arm saw for evening out the rails. Without measuring it, can you tell if the groove is too wide? Will that cause the saw to not cut straight? Also, how about depth of the groove? Can you take the bar down too much or will the groove width be the death of the bar?


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## Lawn Masters (Apr 9, 2005)

Either one will probably kill a bar. too shallow a bar groove, and the chain wont stay on the bar properly, too wide, the chain can flop from side to side making the saw bind in a cut. neither scenario is good.


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## galde (Apr 9, 2005)

A crooked cut can be caused by uneven bar rails, uneven sized teeth on left and right side of chain, a slanted bar slot, uneven sharpness of left vs right teeth, a twisted bar, or a combination of any or all of the above. A slopppy fit of the chain in the bar groove by itself shouldn't cause the cut to go to one side or the other. Lots of people routinely run .050 chain in .058 bars or .058 chain in .063 bars. This wears the bar and chain excessively, but does not by itself cause a crooked cut. A bar groove too shallow will quickly ruin the drive links on the chain. Simple wear of the bar is easily corrected by dressing and polishing the rails, tightening a too-wide grove, deepening a too-shallow grove, straightening any bends or twists. Simple shop equipment can be used (a solid vise, disc sander, drill press, flap wheel).


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## clearance (Apr 9, 2005)

Where I work the bars usually get bent before they ever wear out, this often happens because new groundsmen are not shown how to use and care for the saws properly. I do what I can to help but when its bent-right into the dumpster. Also no one seems to run a raker file on the bar to dress it up, so they get chipped close to the nose. I look after my own saws and I have bent a few bars, I think we all have.


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## Fish (Apr 9, 2005)

When I wear a bar out, the bouncers won't let me in.


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## arb ant (Dec 21, 2017)

how do i know if my bar is bent? (p.s. not mine! a friends?) he says that the saw has a brand new chain and the saw cuts about halfway through a log and then the thing just stops... not sure whats wrong?? anyone who can help?? 

chrs


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## HarleyT (Dec 21, 2017)

He should look closely at the spr0cket, clutch, etc.


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## HarleyT (Dec 21, 2017)

Put up some pics.


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## J.W Younger (Dec 21, 2017)

Diggin up bones and stuff


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## 2dogs (Dec 21, 2017)

Awesome necropost! Basically a bar is worn out when the replaceable nose can no longer be shaped to fit the width of the bar. The rails can be closed, the grove can be ground a little deeper, bends can be straightened, a cracked rivet hole can be welded or the tip can be tack welded in place. The tail can be dressed and cracks welded. All this makes sense on an expensive Cannon or Stihl bar. An Oregon bar is probably not worth the effort. However if the nose is a larger radius than the bar it's game over man. Game over.


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## J.W Younger (Dec 21, 2017)

arb ant said:


> how do i know if my bar is bent? (p.s. not mine! a friends?) he says that the saw has a brand new chain and the saw cuts about halfway through a log and then the thing just stops... not sure whats wrong?? anyone who can help??
> 
> chrs


You take the bar off and set it on a nice flat surface, like your wifes kitchen counter... if it leans left or right, check for and remove any wire edges.
If it still leans it's probably time to replace it but don't listen to me cause nobody else does.


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## HarleyT (Dec 21, 2017)

His chain/saw is stopping halfway through the log.

I assume he means that the chain stops moving....


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## ken morgan (Dec 21, 2017)

wrong gauge cahin for the bar....a .58 in a slightly worn .50 bar will heat up and lock in place after a short time.


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## Deleted member 149229 (Dec 21, 2017)

The ash trays are full, the beer is flat, the whiskey is watered down, glasses are dirty and chipped, no ice and the stools are patched with duct tape. Been in many of these bars. That’s the kind of bar we were talking about, right?


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## Cycledude (Dec 22, 2017)

Ive had a old bar hanging on the wall in my garage simply because the bearings in the roller nose went bad, it was a 16 inch bar and I replaced it with a 18 inch bar, probably should have thrown it away years ago but it’s still hanging there.


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## arb ant (Dec 22, 2017)

ok guys thanks for the help will check it out!


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## ken morgan (Dec 22, 2017)

arb ant said:


> ok guys thanks for the help will check it out!


seriously tell your friend to check the drivers with a micrometer and compare that against the bar size. if your bar is worn enough the next size up may fit, or seem to fit but in reality be too tight once it heats up while cutting. My friend did this on accident and in his case his saw would cut for about 5 or 10 minutes then the bar would get to hot, and the chain would stick in the bar groove.


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## arb ant (Dec 27, 2017)

ok thanks very much will do!


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## buzz sawyer (Dec 27, 2017)

If the bar has a sprocket tip, the chain should ride on the sprocket, not touch the nose of the bar.


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## 2dogs (Dec 27, 2017)

buzz sawyer said:


> If the bar has a sprocket tip, the chain should ride on the sprocket, not touch the nose of the bar.


Good point BS. I was only talking about a replaceable nose bar.


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## edwardo (Dec 27, 2017)

Without reading other replys. I’d have to say my biggest clue as to when a guide bar is warn out is when it no longer does it’s job. AKA guiding the chain in a straight kerf.

Is there something I’m overlooking?


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## Ted Jenkins (Dec 27, 2017)

When my bars have cut a few hundred cords with 050 chain and then a few hundred cords with 058 and finally a few hundred cords with 063 I give each bar a proper burial including a little marker RIP. The only problem is after they rested awhile I grab them for the scrap metal pile. When they have run 063 chain for awhile and the chain can wiggle then I consider letting them go by the way of their ancestors. Thanks


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