New bar

[Mpl127]

About time for a new bar for my 394xp which I use for milling primarily. Currently has an Oregon bar that has performed well in my experience. Rails are almost done. Was wondering if anyone has any input on a 42” bar .404. Are there bars that perform better/worse? Or is wear the only thing you pay for with the more expensive bars? Cannon etc. thanks.

 

[Pcbw69]

I use a 42” Oregon powermatch bar for milling
I’m pretty happy with it

 

[Chainmale]

I've been quite happy with sugi-hara bars

 

[ML12]

Buy a cannon, yes they're expensive, but they are nice (precision ground groove, super hard rails) and they last forever. I've got 2 for the 090 and have milled a ton with the smaller one, it has no appreciable wear at all. The other nice thing is that the cannon's have a pretty fat profile so they don't flex as much as the narrower OEM bars. The downside is that they are very heavy.

 

[Mpl127]

Thanks for your input fellas- I did get a price on the Cannon- 3 bills with shipping to PA from madsens, baileys- was in the $265 realm but hadn’t a clue when they could get it to me. No local dealers here in southeastern PA. Their is a local shop that sells the Sugihara which I’m going to check out. Thanks again.

 

[rarefish383]

I used to wonder what guys did to their bars to wear them out. I was using a 40+ year old Homelite with the original 36" Homelite bar, and it showed little wear. Then I bought a brand new 660 with a 36. The first year with the 660 showed more wear than the 40 year old Homelite. So, I guess all bars are not created equal?

 

[The Lorax]

I'd say chain speed would be a huge factor as well as power.
I bet the old Homie' doesn't spin up anywhere near as fast as the 660.

 

[rarefish383]

Chain speed and 404 chain may have some to do with it. But, the Homelites had 20 years of commercial service, then another 20 years of me milling and cutting firewood with it. The 660 was showing signs of wear after about 2 years of milling and firewood duty. No where near the use the old 1050 got. Right now, if I try to dress the bars a new file just skates off the Homelite bar like it's hardened. The Stihl bar, the file cuts in much easier. The old Homelite bar is a hard nose also, and the Stihl has a sprocket nose, so you would think the wear level would be less on the 660. I think, for what ever reason, bars are softer now than back in the day. Super 1050, no load max 10,500, 100CC's. 660 13,500 no load, 92CC's

 

[The Lorax]

Could be the steel for sure, I know when I went to dress the bar on my Komatsu-Zenoah G500AVS the Japanese Tsumura bar was as hard as the hobs of hell, I had to dig out a Vallorbe ski file to make a decent impact on it.
The Stihl bars you buy are made in the USA I believe but not sure about the ones over here.

 

[buttercup]

Cannon for my mill saw. It might not be evident by the picture but that dedicated rip bar is quite heavy, about 2kg - at 20 inches..

 

[Deleted member 117362]

Cannon for longevity is hard to beat. Light no, unless you buy a new Cannon lightweight bar.

 

[buttercup]

Cannon for longevity is hard to beat. Light no, unless you buy a new Cannon lightweight bar.

Yea but that's no dedicated rip bar.

 

[Mpl127]

Ended up getting the Cannon. Beautiful product, can’t wait to run it.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

Ended up getting the Cannon. Beautiful product, can’t wait to run it.

 

[Mpl127]

I’m really proud of it

 

[Deleted member 117362]

Very nice!

 

[wooderson15]

I also just picked up a new 36" cannon. Have yet to run it through any wood, I want to break my saw in a bit before I throw it on a mill. It weighed in at just under 6 pounds with just the bar. I'll let you know how it wares once I get going.

 

[Mpl127]

looks like a nice stable wooderson

 

[Mpl127]

Just ordered 2 loops of Oregon 68 from madsens- it was a buy one get one. Gonna try a malloff grind on one of em.

 

[Ryan'smilling]

I'll play. Mine were both used though.

I guess I don't have a good picture of the other one, but it's a 50".