Husky 550XP - Where's the sweet spot in 20" Bar and Chain?

[davefr]

I'd like to take my 550XP up to 20". Where's the sweet spot in bar and chain? Most of my cutting is soft west coast wood and I love the current balance, handling and power of this saw but would like a little more reach. If I go with a Oregon Speed Cut lightweight bar and narrow kerf chain would that compensate for the tradeoff in power, weight and balance of moving to 20"? Any other suggestions?

 

[Tomos770]

Buy 560/562xp for 20"....and leave 550xp with 15" (thats where it shines)

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

I run a 20” bar on my 545 MkII with full comp full chisel chain. The 545/550 has plenty of power for a 20 in soft wood.

 

[Bubster]

My 550 came with 18" bar, but I had a 20" Oregon that mounted up . I really see no loss of speed or power between the 18 and 20 in hardwood. I run Stihl RM (semi-chisel) with no problems. A 50 cc saw benefits from semi because even when super sharp, it is taking less bite than full chisel and helps keep the rpms up. I run .050 on mine.

 

[bwalker]

Buy 560/562xp for 20"....and leave 550xp with 15" (thats where it shines)

A 550 will handle a 20" bar just fine in weather coast softwoods.

 

[bwalker]

My 550 came with 18" bar, but I had a 20" Oregon that mounted up . I really see no loss of speed or power between the 18 and 20 in hardwood. I run Stihl RM (semi-chisel) with no problems. A 50 cc saw benefits from semi because even when super sharp, it is taking less bite than full chisel and helps keep the rpms up. I run .050 on mine.

No..semi will always sap away more power than chisel.

 

[Sierra_rider]

Even in stock form, my mk1 550xp had no issue running a 20" bar, of 3/8" full comp chisel, in softwoods. Now ported, it screams with that set up.

I do it mostly for the reach. If I'm going to run a shorter 16" bar, I'd rather just grab one of my climbing saws.

 

[Bubster]

No..semi will always sap away more power than chisel.

8 seconds through 14" bitternut with semi-chisel, letting the saw pull by itself. 8 seconds with full chisel holding the saw up slightly to keep from any bog. Plus the semi last twice as long. Full chisel is great and has a place for most users, just not on my saws.

 

[NSEric]

I've tried all of oregons .325 chains.
Stick with lpx, or stihl full chisel, its faster than the speed cut and the bars that run those chains are much better.
The 550 can handle 20 inch .325 without issue.
The speed cut bar is flimsy, I have an 18 and it's pretty light duty. IMO it's for meant for saws that cant handle full size .325 chain, it's basically a different way to run 3/8 low pro like chain on a saw.

 

[Jay Hansen]

I run an Oregon 20" bar on my 550 with 3/8 pitch full skip, 7 tooth sprocket, and it does great with either chisel or semi chisel. There is probably a difference between the two, but it is more slight than I would have thought.
I cut Doug Fir, Madrone, Broadleaf Maple, Black Oak, Incense Cedar and an occasional Ash. That combination does just fine in all of those species and truthfully, I seldom take my 562 off the shelf (except for falling sometimes, it has a full wrap handle). Most of the wood I cut from my property is 24" or less and the 550 handles it more than adequately.

 

[bwalker]

8 seconds through 14" bitternut with semi-chisel, letting the saw pull by itself. 8 seconds with full chisel holding the saw up slightly to keep from any bog. Plus the semi last twice as long. Full chisel is great and has a place for most users, just not on my saws.

I have ran plenty of Stihl RM semi. It doesn't last anywhere near twice as long and it certainly doesn't cut at roughly the same speed as full chisel. And I have ran through rolls of semi.

 

[Bubster]

I have ran plenty of Stihl RM semi. It doesn't last anywhere near twice as long and it certainly doesn't cut at roughly the same speed as full chisel. And I have ran through rolls of semi.

I never run a chain out of the box and call it sharp. Semi chisel when sharpened right will cut with full. Now that is 50 cc saws. The 70 cc saw club will surely do better with full chisel. My timed cuts proved my point. Semi-chisel lasting twice as long? Well, that was my exaggerated way of saying semi does stay sharp longer. Harder to sharpen, but a good edge will indeed last twice as long in dirty wood. Stihl RM. Not some lo-kick chain with 45 rakers on it.

 

[bwalker]

I never run a chain out of the box and call it sharp. Semi chisel when sharpened right will cut with full. Now that is 50 cc saws. The 70 cc saw club will surely do better with full chisel. My timed cuts proved my point. Semi-chisel lasting twice as long? Well, that was my exaggerated way of saying semi does stay sharp longer. Harder to sharpen, but a good edge will indeed last twice as long in dirty wood. Stihl RM. Not some lo-kick chain with 45 rakers on it.

Unless you can't sharpen chisel there is no way its dead even with semi. I think about anyone with expiereance will agree with my assessment.
I used stihl RM on my landing saws for a period of time. Not even close to staying sharp twice as long.

 

[KASH]

Semi chisel lasts longer because if you hit some thing nail stone etc you do not have to remove as much of the tooth when you resharpen.
kash

 

[bwalker]

When hitting a nail or the like you will be removing alot of tooth with either way.
The point of semi is to allow a little longer life in dirty conditions. The problem is, and I base that on using alot of semi cutting on a landing, I found that semi offered little advantage over chisel when it came to staying sharp while cutting logs skidded through the mud and dirt. However, it sure did cut slower in clean wood. I asked my self why have two different rolls of chain on hand? So I stopped using semi all together and never looked back. Many loggers in the area I lived in did the same. A few did run semi on their landing saws.

 

[Iceboy]

Buy 560/562xp for 20"....and leave 550xp with 15" (thats where it shines)

I use my Stihl MS261 with a .325 chain and a 15" bar. Really love it

 

[Husky77]

I use a 15" bar with .325 semi chain and it tackles anything, fast cutting and a great combination. Probably wont change as it does all I want it to. Right tools for the job is the key, if you need something bigger use something bigger, your tools will all last longer.

 

[JJT]

My 550xp wears a tsumara 18" 3/8 bar. It's balanced good and runs it well.

 

[NSEric]

I use a 15" bar with .325 semi chain and it tackles anything, fast cutting and a great combination. Probably wont change as it does all I want it to. Right tools for the job is the key, if you need something bigger use something bigger, your tools will all last longer.

That's how 9/10 550's are set up in my neck of the woods too.
Most 60cc saws have 16 inch bars on em around here lol.

The long bars are a reginal thing, in a lot of places every runs 20 inch bars on 50cc saws.

 

[chipper1]

I'd like to take my 550XP up to 20". Where's the sweet spot in bar and chain? Most of my cutting is soft west coast wood and I love the current balance, handling and power of this saw but would like a little more reach. If I go with a Oregon Speed Cut lightweight bar and narrow kerf chain would that compensate for the tradeoff in power, weight and balance of moving to 20"? Any other suggestions?

Which 550 do you have, mk1 or 2.
What setup do you currently run.
I like an 18x325 on my 550 mk1's cutting mainly hardwoods. A 550mk2 does fine with a 3/8x20 even in hardwoods.