New guy with a question about bar length...

[056kid]

36 inches w/i full comp is too much for a 044. Unless you never lean on your saw with your spikes, caus if you did that baby would stop quick. which if you arent then you arent cutting productivly which would explain how you need to cut 2 times to buck with a 20 inch bar, which leads me to believe that you dont really know watcha doing.

Loggers dont get old, they just get shorter bars.

 

[Lawn Masters]

I like using a short bar for most tasks. unless the tree is over 44" around, I dont need much more than a 20" bar on any saw I have.

 

[kf_tree]

here's the saw's and bar's i run or in the works, to run.

395xp - 36in
395xp - 32in
395xp - 28in
385xp - 28in
288xp - 24in
372xp - 24in
359 - 16in
357xp - 20in
ms200 - 16in

not all are stock

 

[geofore]

bar lengths

Hey kid, it takes time to learn. I spent the weekend before last with my son-in-law clearing an acre or two for the dozer to come in and level out the top of the hill for their new home. I found out he knows how to barberchair, cherry, oak, maple and poplar trees. He even managed to stick three of my saws in one tree trying to get his saw out. He did learn how to cut a proper notch after I fell the tree to get the saws out. Hint, there is a need to have a back up saws. He also found out why you should put your hardhat on before you start cutting (a dead limb caught him on the head) One lump! No stiches. Hardhats aren't just for looks, you need to put them on to save on lumps. Always take a buddy and a cell phone along just in case you need someone to call 911. Some one driving by on the lower road tossed a ciggrette out and caught the lower woods on fire. Joe now knows an Indian tank weighs nearly 80lbs. but it lets you carry water to the fire. After 4 days of cutting he's much better about safety and falling trees and was asked to join the local fire dept. after helping put out the brush fire. He probably learned more in those 4 days than in the past year. We took out 400-500 trees. 100 new trees were bought to replant the area when the dozer work is done. If you take trees out replant new ones. It takes time to learn how to do things and if you have a chance to teach someone how, take the time to pass on what you know. You may save a life. Joe knows what rakers are how and why they need to be adjusted to cut better and PPE is a good thing. I also showed him how to get aerial pictures of the land off the internet. Research deeds, tax records/tax maps and morgages at the courthouse to get records for the surveyor to make the surveyor's job easier. If you have knowledge, pass it on. They should have had the surveyor in first, just to know where the property lines are and not guess how big 10 acres is and can you cut that tree (you own it) or not (it's on the ajoining property) you have to ask first. A rather intense 4 days but my daughter and Joe know a lot more this week than they did the week before. In a couple of weeks Joe is going to learn what a Chuck 'n' Duck and mulch are when the chipper shows up. When you're young you have a lifetime ahead of you to learn. Take the time to pass it on. I did give them a camera to get pictures of the drunk on 4 wheeler that came through a couple times to see what was going on. He stopped long enough to get his picture taken and be asked to leave, then came back a couple of times. Some time this week the local police will be stopping by the drunk's place to explain to the drunk what the "No Tresspassing" signs mean.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

They do it different out west eh?

Yeah, sometimes we do.

Like yesterday when I was taking down a 24" Doug Fir, with a strong Westerly lean. I needed the tree to fall to the South to lay with the others, and be readily removed out to the main road. Right next to this tree was a knocked over cedar which crossed the tree at thigh high on the East side of the tree, which I couldn't cut, as it is marketable. To the West was heavy brush, and thus, no escape route. All of this on a heavy incline. I absolutely had to cut, wedge and fell this tree from the East side of it, so as to not get on the back side of the tree, under the Westerly lean, and on the back side of the thigh-high cedar, and get stuck behind it. My only available place to cut with an escape route was on the East side. Enter my full wrap handle, and 24" bar-which is supposed to be way too big for that saw. Because of my "huge" bar and funny looking full wrap, I was able to put the tree down with two cuts, two wedges and no problems. So yeah, sometimes we do it differently.

Jeff

 

[Al Smith]

It's most likely a personal preference thing,discounting the saws ability to pull the longer bar.My personal preference is a 20" bar,for most stuff around here,in northern Ohio.I've got some of the most powerful saws ever made,but it seems absurd to use a 7.5 cu in saw to cut 18" logs .For that matter,it's not a big thing to "rock and roll" a 24" one .Now I fully understand the crew on the best coast and the big softwoods,so it's a regional thing also.I've got little saws,medium saws,and great big saws.Most of my cutting is done with the 4 to 5 cu in saws,McCulloch and Stihl .The best of two worlds,so to speak.

 

[Stumper]

It all has its place. Generally speaking 20-24 inch bars are the most efficient on saws 60cc and over. There is a place for smalller bars ,particularly on smaller saws and a time for longer bars on big saws-but most of the time a 24 is still better on a big saw because it easier to handle , better balanced and will have less drag- helping keep chain speed up.

 

[redprospector]

Pennywize,
The fact that you can admit you are still young, and have a lot to learn is 90 percent of the battle. These guys have a lot of knowledge and expertise. Now it's your job to find what fits your situation.

Here is my 2 cents:
The shortest bar I run on a saw on the ground is a 28" (372 Husky).
I've heard that it's too much bar for the saw, but It's what I am comfortable with. I have gotten used to the balance, and I don't have to bend over as much. If you aren't comfortable, you are prone to make mistakes, at 13500 rpm. you can't afford mistakes. If your back isn't tired and hurting at the end of the day you aren't cutting enough. If your'e back is tired and hurting in the middle of the day, your'e not comfortable with your saw. It's all about what your'e comfortable with, if your'e comfortable with a 32" bar, and can stay with it all day go for it. If it feels clumsy or hurts you after running it a while, change it.

 

[MacDaddy]

When I started logging I had a 2100 husky with a 42 inch bar and if you ever seen the west coast you know it is very steep ground I would also like to point out one more thing if you would show up with a 24 inch bar on the west coast even to this day you WILL be sent home

 

[NeTree]

24" on the west coast is a limbing saw.

 

[Ekka]

Bore cut for shorter bars

Hey Pennywise

Attached is diagram of the technique I use the most when the bar is to short.

I like it because it is pretty much one action and you are not as likely to cut the hinge fibres as when you "drag" the saw across the back of the tree trying to get the tip of the bar to establish the holding wood.

With a bit of practice anyone can do it, but be very careful of performing the bore cut, never ever use the top quarter of the nose to start your plunge, use the bottom quarter ... I do it with the 066 all the time, mainly on hardwoods, no worries.

Also, always bore in on the lean side, weaker side or unsafe side first and finish off on the stronger side.

 

[clearance]

Fallers use the same saw for falling, limbing and bucking out in the bush. When I cut big trees (big second growth that is, 2-3' at the butt, 140'max), I use a 288 with a 32" bar for everthing. MacDaddy is right, kind of like showing up to frame a house with a 16oz. hammer, not done. Whatever works best for you on your own time though, I like 24" and 28" bars on my 371 and 372.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

A 24" bar matches my height (6'2") so I can cut with out bending over. When I cut with a 20" bar, it's harder because I'm constantly bending down to make the cut.
A shorter guy would use a shorter bar, a taller guy, a longer bar.
We don't have a lot of really fat trees, but generally I like to cut with a bar that's longer than the tree is wide, it's easier.
If I need to drop a tree bigger than 2 feet, I'll just get out a saw with a longer bar and bigger motor. Then I drop the tree and cut up the big wood, then get out the 24" saw. Who wants to swing around a bar longer than they need?
We cut most of our wood into firewood, so a 75cc saw is suited to a 24" bar.

 

[Stumper]

Mike, Man, I didn't realize that JPS's "little runt in pink tights" was so tall. Watch out because you and I agreed again. I'm not sure- but this probably means that one of us is getting smarter OR one of us is getting dumber.. It might even be a convergence from both effects.

 

[MacDaddy]

A 24" bar matches my height (6'2") so I can cut with out bending over.

man you must have arms like an ape 6'2" and a saw with a 24" bar will reach the ground without bending over

 

[Riddler]

Am I missing something? Does anyone who does not log for a living encounter cuts larger than 2' very often? Everyone who cuts part time (me included) wants to believe that everything they cut is "big," but what's the reality? Be honest. If wood lot maintanence and firewood cutting is what you're doing most of the time, then true 2'+ diameter cuts (no fish stories here please) are few and far between.

If your truthful analysis and projections confirm that you face larger cuts a reasonable percentage of the time, then by all means, get a longer bar/chain (and, if need, additional power). From what I've seen and heard, however, it just seems that lots of part-time cutters let the vision of the rarely encountered stump or log dictate their choice of bar length when something shorter and less tiresome to use would be more ideal 90% of the time. It makes no sense to me to go larger/heavier than you need 90% of the time, but that's only because I made the same mistake initially myself and have since learned from the experience. The shortest bar and lightest power head that will do an excellent job a vast majority of the time is where I would go with my buying decision. I would worry about the odd large stump/tree situation later, when (and if) I come to it.

 

[Lawn Masters]

If you encounter stumps that are really large every now and then, but not often, like say once every few years, instead of buying a larger saw, just rent one with a big enough bar.

 

[tony marks]

just whatever feel like it works. my biggest is 22 inch and i use the 20 on it most..
its just what style of cutting u get use to. i prefer 16-20.for what i o around here.but yes my 372 0r 962 could if necessaRY PULL A 30 INCH . IT JUST BE DIFFERENT TO ME. BUT IF THE WORK CALLED FOR IT IT WOULD HANDLE IT. THEY ARE MODIFIED THO.OOPS HIT RTHE CAP BUTTON AGAIN. CALL ME LOUD MOUTH

 

[NORMZILLA44]

I have an 044, I have a 28" bar on it, and a 32" in my shed, I used all last summer no problems with either, has plenty of power I think it is best with the 28 it is not clumsy at all. My friend gave me a 24" bar, but by the time you put it on with pro dogs you dont have much cutting length. For me my 28" has proved best all around, most power,most weight efficient,not as many teeth to file as 32" if I need 20" bar I grab my husky, I always carry to. I think alot of people underate the 044 It is sill a pretty mean saw, but some guys gotta have the biggest saw. My 044 has proven itself to be best all around saw Ive owned anything from firewood,limbing,falling,bucking it has never let me down, and I can run it all day without it wearing me out. But I would not run a 36" bar on it. I think a 20" AND24" might be a little more dangerous,especially where kickback is concerned. The shorter the bar the easier it would walk across youre leg,thats alot of chain speed even with a 28" or 32"

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

man you must have arms like an ape 6'2" and a saw with a 24" bar will reach the ground without bending over

There is a theory, brought forward by Gypo logger, about the ancestry of tree climbers and their possible genetic mixing with baboons, but that's a different topic.

On topic, actually it's a 25 inch bar, I run Stihls.