Recommended Bar/Chain

[mushing_madness]

Hi everyone,

I am resurrecting my chainsaw (Stihl 036 Pro), and honed the cylinder out today - looks/feels good. I am going to throw in a new piston/ring kit and see how it goes. Hopefully it will be fine. If not, I'll drop the money on a new cylinder as well.

Now I'm looking to add a new bar/chain, and wondering what people recommend. Should I stick with a Stihl bar, or are there others that are comparable or better for equivalent money. I've always run 3/8" bar/chain. Is that more practical than .325? I understand I'd have to change out my sprocket if I switched to .325, but want to make sure I get a good setup.

Thanks for the help & input (past and present).

MM

 

[Big Neb]

I'd stay with the 3/8 and go with a 20" .050 gauge chain. Stihl makes a great bar, it just depends on what you have available.

 

[SawTroll]

If money isn't prohibitive, I would stay with Stihl bars, German made Rollomatic E or ES, depending if weight or stiffness is highest in priority.

 

[NovaMan]

Is there any argument against running 0.050" B&Cs, other than possible availability issues?

 

[SawTroll]

Is there any argument against running 0.050" B&Cs, other than possible availability issues?

No!

On most brands of chain today, it is just the drive tangs that is different on the chains.

 

[Big Neb]

.050 is quite common with Stihl.
.058 with Husky.
.063 with larger stuff(Stihl, Husky).

If I remember correctly the .325 chains also use .063 ...

 

[mushing_madness]

Thanks for the responses...I will probably stick with the Stihl 3/8 and go with a 20" .050 gauge chain then.

MM

 

[pgg]

036 is better with an 18" bar, 044 better suits the 20", can't go wrong with a stihl bar, GB titanium(orange) are pretty good too, 3/8 full chizel chain, preferably stihl again, the .325 setup makes the saw feel smoother when cutting, but not as sturdy on the big stuff

 

[NovaMan]

I run a 20" bar with 3/8"x0.063" full comp on my 026, but I rarely have anything bigger than 12" to cut. I have a full skip chain if I ever come across a hardwood big enough to swallow the bar.

 

[Brushwacker]

I also like a 20" on that saw (036). An 18 seems to put my back in an uncomfortable position when cutting near the ground. Properly maintained 036 is no weakling with 3/8 20.

 

[pgg]

For felling, it's a beefy tree if the 18" bar won't reach thru, more 044 territory for trees that size, but the 036 still handles a 20" bar no-sweat. Advantage of the 20" - like BW said, lets you 'stand back' a bit more, also a bit better for hacking thru branches to get at the trunk for felling, advantage of 18" - saw's lighter, more maneuverable, better balanced, well suited length for maximum power, all in all, just more convenient to handle and use over long periods, but not a big deal really..