Rollomatic ES bar - big or little tip?

[royta]

I picked up a used 044 (1998 purchased new in 2001) with 20" bar. I plan on putting a 28" or 24" bar on it. My local dealer is selling 25" Rollomatic ES bars for $56 and 28" Rollomatic ES bars for $62, so I figured why not stay with Stihl. I see that there are two 25" ES bars, one with a 10 tooth sprocket, and the other with a 13 tooth sprocket. There are also two 28" ES bars, one with a 11 tooth sprocket and the other a 13 tooth sprocket.

What's the point of the smaller or larger sprocket? How many tooth sprocket would I find on other brands of bars, that don't give you a choice?

ETA: I'll probably just put on Oregon 72LP or 72LG chain, but if I were to go with Stihl, which should I use?

 

[ShoerFast]

I picked up a used 044 (1998 purchased new in 2001) with 20" bar. I plan on putting a 28" or 24" bar on it. My local dealer is selling 25" Rollomatic ES bars for $56 and 28" Rollomatic ES bars for $62, so I figured why not stay with Stihl. I see that there are two 25" ES bars, one with a 10 tooth sprocket, and the other with a 13 tooth sprocket. There are also two 28" ES bars, one with a 11 tooth sprocket and the other a 13 tooth sprocket.

What's the point of the smaller or larger sprocket? How many tooth sprocket would I find on other brands of bars, that don't give you a choice?

ETA: I'll probably just put on Oregon 72LP or 72LG chain, but if I were to go with Stihl, which should I use?

Just .02 cents worth, but if you really don't go throu a lot of bar tips, I would get the smaller of the 2, lighter, less kick back area, and for occational plung cuts, maybe a little faster.

 

[Lakeside53]

The broad tips are for additional boring capability.. Unless you realy do a lot of boring, stay with the standard (narrower) tip)

Stihl chain? Depends on the saw but 33rm (dirty or on-the-ground wood) or rsc (clean timber and felling), both full skip.

 

[royta]

So, dirty wood means wood already on the ground? I won't be falling trees, I'll only be cutting up already downed and decked logs. So, it sounds like the Stihl RM chain is the stuff to use. I can't really tell by the Oregon's site which of their chain to use, but I think I've always used LP in the past.

Does Stihl make RM in full skip? It's not listed HERE.

 

[livewire]

 

[royta]

They must have updated their website between the time I posted, and the time you checked the site. LOL.


ETA: Could somebody please explain why the skip chain is necessary?

 

[pbuehning]

As it was explained to me:
"There are 2 instances that it's good to use skip chain. One is with big saws and long long bars. Cutters are cutting from the time they enter the wood till the time they exit, and on really long bars, the chips build up to the point that they hold the cutters out of the wood. Skip chains have more space between the teeth for chip buildup.

The other instance that you might use skip chain is when you are using a bar that is on the verge of being too long for the saw. Fewer cutters in the wood take less power to pull and the saw doesn't bog as badly.

The disadvantage as I understand it is that they are grabbier, aren't as smooth in the cut and are more prone to kickback than full compliment chain."

 

[SawTroll]

.... What's the point of the smaller or larger sprocket? How many tooth sprocket would I find on other brands of bars, that don't give you a choice?

ETA: I'll probably just put on Oregon 72LP or 72LG chain, but if I were to go with Stihl, which should I use?

Wider bar noses bore-cut better than the smaller ones.

The Stihl chain to consider is the RSC, maybe RSK if you bore-cut a lot.
RM if the wood is dirty.