imagineero
Addicted to ArboristSite
Thanks to another AS'er I landed a couple of stihl ES lite bars - a 28" and 36". I also happened to get a 12" lite bar for one of my 200t's at a dealer last week because they ran out of standard bars, and a new 200T I bought came with a 14" lite bar. I think I'm starting to see the lite.
I didn't weigh them, and this isn't a scientific or in depth review, just a 'feel of it' first impression.
I popped the 36" bar on a 660, to replace a carlton 36" bar. Side by side holding the bars the lite bar was noticeably lighter. On the saw, the lite bar didn't change the balance of the saw anywhere near as much as I was hoping. Balance is more important to me than overall weight of the saw, to the point I've thought of adding lead to the underside of the rear handle on some of my bigger saws a couple of times. A nicely balanced saw puts less strain on your body - especially when notching. The nose heaviness of the saw was slightly reduced, but not my a lot, maybe an inch or 2. Having run it for a whole day, I can say that the lite bar did make the saw handle nicer though. It's easier to sling around, and I did find it nicer. I'd buy it again but I was a little disappointed by the small gains in balance.
On to the 28". I nearly didnt get one of these, but I'm so glad I did! This bar is so awesome that i had to add an 8th day to my regular week and name it after this bar. on a 660 this bar has perfectly neutral balance and is a pleasure to handle. Better balance than the standard 25" ES bar, and holding it next to a 25" bar you can feel the 28" is lighter. The 25" is just slightly nose heavy - maybe an inch or 2, but the 28" is perfectly balanced. This should be the standard bar on every 660 sold, it's brilliant. I could run this saw/bar combo all day long. It's a very useful bar size also. On an 044 the bar was nose heavy, but still not as much as the 25" ES. 20" is still the perfect bar on an 044. While we're on the subject, why doesn't someone at stihl pull their head out from the dark side of the moon and make a 24" or 25" lite bar? I'd buy 5 of them. A 24" lite bar would balance perfectly on an 044 and be a great saw/bar combo. They'd sell a ton of them. The 28" lite is nicer on the 044 than the 25" ES, but it's more bar than I want on a saw that size in hardwoods. I'd like to have a 20" on one 044 and a 24 or 25" lite bar on the other.
And finally, poo to the small lite bars. They suck eggs big time. I've had good luck with running the 12" narrow nose roller tip bars on 3/8"LP .043 that are made for pole saws and 192T's. You have to run a couple chains on them on a pole saw but then you can put then on a 200T and run a normal .050 chain on them and they are great. I like the slightly narrower tip, and these bars last and last. I usually get at least a year out of them, maybe 30~40 chains worth. That's a lot of life! The guy at my shop was sold out and told me the lite bars were good. He said some tree companies liked them because they were flexible - which he demonstrated by twisting the bar with his bare hands. They flex very easily. When I got home I tried bending my old 12" bar... no way! It's as tough as nails. I popped the lite bar on anyway, but in less than a week I bent it and it doesnt really want to straighten. Complete rubbish. You'd need an accurate scale to measure the weight reduction (if any).
Finally, why can't somebody come up with a saw that has the weight of an 026, as much power as a woods ported 880, and balances perfectly with a 5' bar? I think there would be a real market for these, especially if they were cheap. I'd pay at least $50 for one.
Shaun
I didn't weigh them, and this isn't a scientific or in depth review, just a 'feel of it' first impression.
I popped the 36" bar on a 660, to replace a carlton 36" bar. Side by side holding the bars the lite bar was noticeably lighter. On the saw, the lite bar didn't change the balance of the saw anywhere near as much as I was hoping. Balance is more important to me than overall weight of the saw, to the point I've thought of adding lead to the underside of the rear handle on some of my bigger saws a couple of times. A nicely balanced saw puts less strain on your body - especially when notching. The nose heaviness of the saw was slightly reduced, but not my a lot, maybe an inch or 2. Having run it for a whole day, I can say that the lite bar did make the saw handle nicer though. It's easier to sling around, and I did find it nicer. I'd buy it again but I was a little disappointed by the small gains in balance.
On to the 28". I nearly didnt get one of these, but I'm so glad I did! This bar is so awesome that i had to add an 8th day to my regular week and name it after this bar. on a 660 this bar has perfectly neutral balance and is a pleasure to handle. Better balance than the standard 25" ES bar, and holding it next to a 25" bar you can feel the 28" is lighter. The 25" is just slightly nose heavy - maybe an inch or 2, but the 28" is perfectly balanced. This should be the standard bar on every 660 sold, it's brilliant. I could run this saw/bar combo all day long. It's a very useful bar size also. On an 044 the bar was nose heavy, but still not as much as the 25" ES. 20" is still the perfect bar on an 044. While we're on the subject, why doesn't someone at stihl pull their head out from the dark side of the moon and make a 24" or 25" lite bar? I'd buy 5 of them. A 24" lite bar would balance perfectly on an 044 and be a great saw/bar combo. They'd sell a ton of them. The 28" lite is nicer on the 044 than the 25" ES, but it's more bar than I want on a saw that size in hardwoods. I'd like to have a 20" on one 044 and a 24 or 25" lite bar on the other.
And finally, poo to the small lite bars. They suck eggs big time. I've had good luck with running the 12" narrow nose roller tip bars on 3/8"LP .043 that are made for pole saws and 192T's. You have to run a couple chains on them on a pole saw but then you can put then on a 200T and run a normal .050 chain on them and they are great. I like the slightly narrower tip, and these bars last and last. I usually get at least a year out of them, maybe 30~40 chains worth. That's a lot of life! The guy at my shop was sold out and told me the lite bars were good. He said some tree companies liked them because they were flexible - which he demonstrated by twisting the bar with his bare hands. They flex very easily. When I got home I tried bending my old 12" bar... no way! It's as tough as nails. I popped the lite bar on anyway, but in less than a week I bent it and it doesnt really want to straighten. Complete rubbish. You'd need an accurate scale to measure the weight reduction (if any).
Finally, why can't somebody come up with a saw that has the weight of an 026, as much power as a woods ported 880, and balances perfectly with a 5' bar? I think there would be a real market for these, especially if they were cheap. I'd pay at least $50 for one.
Shaun
