12" bar or 14" bar on climbing saw?

[Plasmech]

Hi all,

I have a Stihl 192 TC. Currently it has a 14" bar. I have a 12" on order. I found the 14" to be a tad awkward while in the tree, now granted I'm a noob. What do the pro's usually use, 12" or 14"? Thanks!

 

[tomtrees58]

:newbie: we climb with 16 no problem tom trees

 

[Plasmech]

:newbie: we climb with 16 no problem tom trees

16" on what saw?

Does any pro use a 12? Thanks.

 

[(WLL)]

:newbie: we climb with 16 no problem tom trees

x2 but i like a 12 when doing heavy prunning, i think the 14 light bar from stihl is a good all around bar for every day use. imo the 192 is a crap pro saw with power issues, and just dont hold up like its bigger brother the ms200.

 

[Bermie]

200t with 14"...small enough to be nimble, big enough for most work...if I need a longer bar, it probably means I need a more powerful saw, so out comes the 260 or the 361.

 

[reachtreeservi]

I run a 14 on my 200T's.

I don't own a 192, but if I did I'd run a 12 on it.

Like already posted, if you need a bigger bar, it's time for a bigger saw.

 

[Beast12]

I use a 14" bar on my 200T. I also have a 14" on my 192T for light pruning. My brother has a 192T that has a 12" bar on it for pruning as well.

The 192T could use either. Just remember that it isn't a 200T.

-Matt

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I've been running a 12 inch on my 020 for years. It gets caught on stuff less then a longer bar. I can cut 16 inch wood with ease, and if i need to go any bigger then I'm swapping for the medium saw anyways. It is silly to work a small saw on big wood anyways.

It is my all around steup, trim, removal whatever.

 

[FallinT]

I've been running the 14" 192T bar and chain on my 200t lately. My stihl dealer told me about it and I've been really happy with the performance. At first I was a little skeptical of running that smaller combo but after I tried it, I was pleased.

 

[Nailsbeats]

I've got a 192t with a 12" and a 200t with a 14". The 12" is da bomb for heavy prunning like John said. It hangs real nice and is easier to move in the tree with. I wouldn't want a bigger bar on my 192t since I cut a lot of hardwood and the 12" keeps the saw in the snuff band.

 

[jomoco]

I've been running a 12 inch on my 020 for years. It gets caught on stuff less then a longer bar. I can cut 16 inch wood with ease, and if i need to go any bigger then I'm swapping for the medium saw anyways. It is silly to work a small saw on big wood anyways.

It is my all around steup, trim, removal whatever.

I guess that makes me silly!

I run a 14 inch bar on all my ms200's, and when aloft I work down to 28 inch wood before going to my 365's.

As long as my saws are razor sharp, I use the lightest saw I can in the tree.

It totally cracks me up watching other climbers using 440's and such in little 24 inch dbh trees that my ms200's have been cutting like butter since they replaced the old magnesium 020T's, that also cut that size wood like butter.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rn4jBwETBnI

Weak and silly old me!

jomoco

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I guess that makes me silly!

I run a 14 inch bar on all my ms200's, and when aloft I work down to 28 inch wood before going to my 365's.

my medium saw is a 346 (well, was) and you can get a 26 inch bar on it.

 

[treeslayer]

sometimes its necessary to cut fast, and moving around a tree cutting blocks out that are 16" or better (I run a 14"" ms200) can be risky when you go to the back cut. I routinely cut 24" - 36" diameter blocks as much as 8' - 10' long out of big trees, and darn right I'm pulling up a 460, or 372.

besides, I can handle it. too much crying about saw weight on here, horsepower is important, and I'm a bada$$ sawyer. on the ground, or in a tree. get strong, or back in the truck.

:chainsawguy:

 

[Brimmstone]

I've seen way to many trees that went the wrong way because people weren't using a large enough saw for the job and it couldn't spin the chain fast enough to cut the tree. I have yet to see anyone who can safely control a cut with a saw that will not reach all the way across what they are cutting otherwise no one would have a bar over 28 inches. I personally have bars all the way to 36 right now and when the extra money hits will have either an 088 or a 3120 with at least a 48 inch bar seeing as most of the normal pines down here are 30 inch or larger at the base. The water oaks tend to be even bigger.

 

[squad143]

I'm silly as well. I run a 16" bar on my MS200 and 020T. I rarely prune and a majority of my removals are dead stuff. With a sharp chain these saws will quickly cut 16" of soft/dead wood. On hardwoods it takes a little longer but I prefer the lighter weight of the smaller saws until the wood gets bigger than 16", then I move up to an 026 and an 046 on the really big stuff. It most likely boils down to personal preference and what you are using your saw for and type of wood you are cutting. For the most part I limb on the way up and chunk on the way down. I don't find the extra 2" or 4" gets in the way (also depends on how low your saw hangs). I'd rather be looking at 4" of extra bar than looking for it.

 

[jomoco]

I've seen way to many trees that went the wrong way because people weren't using a large enough saw for the job and it couldn't spin the chain fast enough to cut the tree. I have yet to see anyone who can safely control a cut with a saw that will not reach all the way across what they are cutting otherwise no one would have a bar over 28 inches. I personally have bars all the way to 36 right now and when the extra money hits will have either an 088 or a 3120 with at least a 48 inch bar seeing as most of the normal pines down here are 30 inch or larger at the base. The water oaks tend to be even bigger.

My ms880 pretty much stays in my tool box with no bar on it until the wood gets pretty dang big, over 4 feet.

My 394 sees a little more action, between 3-4 feet.

It's my 365's that get used the most up top when necessary.

And on those occassions when I want to buck up some serious wood on the ground, my ms440 with a 24 inch bar gets fired up.

If you need a bar that matches the wood's diameter, you must be a rookie that can't cut straight.

The majority of arborists I know, even those that have been at it for over 10 years, can't sharpen chains, or dress their bars properly, just enough to get crookedly by with. I see their chains and laugh as they get loose then tight as I turn their chain by hand. When I suggest new drive washers to cure that problem, it seems to go in one ear and out the other.

I have a 262xp with 325 pitch chain that I like to use in large wood in the tree, particularly if there's alot of it up there, not quite the power of a 365, but considerably lighter for a wimpy old foggy like me to handle.

jomoco

 

[Rftreeman]

I have one with a 12" and another with 16" the 12 is used for trimming only and the 16 will get pulled out on removals most of the time, the 12 is on a echo cs-300 and the 16 on a stihl ms-200t.

If you need a bar that matches the wood's diameter, you must be a rookie that can't cut straight.

The majority of arborists I know, even those that have been at it for over 10 years, can't sharpen chains, or dress their bars properly, just enough to get crookedly by with.

same here.........if you know how to use the saw you can cut 40" dia with a 20" bar easily.

 

[(WLL)]

I have one with a 12" and another with 16" the 12 is used for trimming only and the 16 will get pulled out on removals most of the time, the 12 is on a echo cs-300 and the 16 on a stihl ms-200t.



same here.........if you know how to use the saw you can cut 40" dia with a 20" bar easily.

but why , that 2 me is just plain stupid unless u have 2. if u ever need 2 replace the dl. washers its time fer a new chain. its hard to teach the old doggs new tricks.

 

[Rftreeman]

but why , that 2 me is just plain stupid unless u have 2. if u ever need 2 replace the dl. washers its time fer a new chain. its hard to teach the old doggs new tricks.

I have the bars one different saws and they stay that way......

 

[(WLL)]

imo the 14 is ideal on the ms200