Is this bar still good?

[marc2000gt]

My son got the bar hot on one of my saws. The chain runs on it ok, but I have never had one with all the rivets showing like that. Also you can see it is blue where it got hot. Is the bar usable or does it need replaced?

 

[MacAttack]

First thing I'd do is check and make sure the chain isn't too tight. You should be able to pull the chain away from the bar and see the drivers. It should turn freely / easily with the saw off.

I've never personally had a bar get that hot, even when it wasn't getting enough oil.

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

That bar is fine. Discoloration is due to induction hardening of the rails as part of the manufacturing process.

 

[marc2000gt]

Thank you. I figured it was ok, the sprocket still turns smoothly. I just wanted a second opinion.

 

[lone wolf]

It would help to see pics of it with the chain off and looking at the groove.

 

[Mad Professor]

^^^ This

When you smoke a bar like that it usually needs to be dressed.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Did you ask your son what he did to get the bar that hot? If so, what did he say? Mad Professor is correct. That bar needs to be redressed.

 

[SteveSr]

Thank you. I figured it was ok, the sprocket still turns smoothly. I just wanted a second opinion.

The bar needs to be dressed with the proper right angle file jig. You also need to check the width of the bar groove with feeler gauges to see how much it has been widened.

 

[heimannm]

The blueing is typical of Stihl bars from their manufacturing process. It is possible that the rails need to be ground or closed, but the blue is quite normal; you will find that on a new bar if you look under the paint.

Mark

 

[FXJenkins]

broke in....

 

[moxiemaul]

When I've smoked a bar to the point of burning the paint its usually down at the sprocket...

 

[Sidecarflip]

Lots of miles on that bar and not a helluva lot of rock left on it either. Rock is what presents the cutters to the wood at the angle to allow them to cut efficiently. A flat bar (little to no rock) causes even a sharp loop to cut poorly. Easily fixable on a flat plate abrasive grinder however, so long as the drive tangs don't hit the bottom of the channel.