the best bar length for 046 and what brand

[cachehunter]

hi everybody i was wondering what size bar you would put on the 046 right now it has a 20 inch do you think the 20 would be the best all around size or maybe a bit bigger i will be cutting hardwood most of the time thanks

 

[treeclimber165]

A 20" is good for the 046 if you cannot sharpen a chain and like lots of weight with a short reach.
Everyone with an 046 around here runs 28" bars with full chisel (RS) chain. Save the 20" bar for a smaller saw.

 

[Gypo Logger]

If I had other saws that were bigger, I would put a 16" bar on it for firewooding, but 20" is about max in hardwood, but thats just my opinion and not to be construed as someone elses reality, especially when they are from Enumclaw Wash., with their 28" bars designed to make some rinky dink saw look like it's on steroids.
John

 

[Gypo Logger]

Hey Dennis, that wasnt a bash on the two 046's you built Robert, in fact I think the 357 you built for me will hurl down any forest. I dumped 2 tractor trailer loads of hardwood with it in 5 filings of my square chain.
John

 

[Ryan Willock]

cachehunter, I currently run a 20'' on my MS460 but have had a 28'' on it with good results. when i wear out this bar i'm going to replace it with a 24''. by the way i got rid of the stock 7 pin sprocket and replaced it with an 8 pin, gained about 10% in cutting spead

 

[Tony Snyder]

For the Stihl guys, the 046 with a 24 inch is the classic around here. A 20 inch doesn't make as much sense, as why carry that much power head for 20 inches?

Twenty eight inch bars only get very occasional use around here.

The brand of bar does not make a lot of difference. The market has just about shook itself out to where there are really no bad bars around today, just pretty good and better.

For 28 and longer they generally go to 066, 385, 2186, 694 or 2095; in other words 85cc or more.

You will see a few guys running 24s on 2171s but they don't generally use all the bar.

Most users seem to prefer .050 gauge chain because the smaller store if they hava any chain, its probably gonna be .050 not.063.

 

[Chainsaw_Maniac]

That's a very backwards way of thinking about it in my opinion. The question you should be asking is "What size wood am I cutting with it?", then decide the bar size.

If you are falling a lot of trees 3 feet and over, a 28" bar might be just the ticket. Myself, I normally run a 20" bar on a 066. I have larger bars on hand too though, that I'll attacth if I think I'm gonna be in big stuff any particualr day. It would be silly to go at stuff that's 99% bellow 30 inches in diameter (that's already down), or falling trees below 20 inches, with anything more than 20 inches. It's just extra annoyance with the bar being overly long and unmenouvarable, and it's more likely to get in the dirt.

I've falled some pretty big trees with a 20" by the way. A 046 benifits very much from it power in hardwood even with a 20 inch bar as oposed to a weaker saw.

Brands? I'd say oragon or stihl brand, but there's lots of good brands out there.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Hands down the 24" bar is my favorite. It's all about not having to bend over while cutting.
Stand with a saw which has a 24" bar, holding it down in a comfortable position, and notice the tip. It's just an inch or so above the ground, perfect!

 

[logcutter429]

I use a 20" on my 460mag too its balanced about right were in timber from 10" to 30" pine like maniac said iv'e cut some pretty big trees with mine too with no problem, its whatever you get used too.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Originally posted by Mike Maas
Hands down the 24" bar is my favorite. It's all about not having to bend over while cutting.
Stand with a saw which has a 24" bar, holding it down in a comfortable position, and notice the tip. It's just an inch or so above the ground, perfect!

Ditto here, I ran an 046 w/24" bar and an 8 tooth sprocket. Good combo. Saw had lots of torque and speed to match!

 

[Gypo Logger]

Even though I am a short ass at 5'7", I dont think it is wise to base bar length on how far we want to bend over. This usually results in using the tip too much, thus wearing it out early and increasing the likelyhood of kickback. The saw should be balls deep into the wood as much as possible, right up to the dogs.
I find a bar that is at least 50% of tree dia is ok for falling and bucking, but bar length is more of a geographical thing, such as when bucking logs on steep slopes, making bar length choice a safety issue as opposed to one of practicality. In the picture below, I felled and bucked the logs with a 357G Sno Pro and 16" bar.
John

 

[YUKON 659]

John, maybe we aren't as adept as you, when working with "short things".

Jeff

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Originally posted by Gypo Logger
Even though I am a short ass at 5'7", I dont think it is wise to base bar length on how far we want to bend over. This usually results in using the tip too much, thus wearing it out early and increasing the likelyhood of kickback. The saw should be balls deep into the wood as much as possible, right up to the dogs.
I find a bar that is at least 50% of tree dia is ok for falling and bucking, but bar length is more of a geographical thing, such as when bucking logs on steep slopes, making bar length choice a safety issue as opposed to one of practicality. John

The number one workman's comp. claim injury in our industry is back injury.
I know of few cases of a worn chainsaw tip putting a guy out of action for a long. And if cutting with the tip is bad, wouldn't a slightly longer bar keep the tip out of the wood more?

 

[Pacific]

Hi guys I'am new to this site

I bought a 046 Magnum Plus 2 years ago I got tired of bucking firewood with a 051AV I used to run a 28" bar on it but the saw itself is a heavy sucker then the bar cracked on me so I put a used 36" on it. I said that was enough I took the plunge bought a 46 the best move I ever did I run a 28" on it with full skip chain works great for bucking firewood. I personally wouldn't run a smaller bar on the saw when I encounter some large wood like 36" diameter it makes life so much easier.

The old 051 is good for the big stuff I had one job to buck a 12' foot length of 48" diameter fir into rounds 16" s thick for firewood I was running a 28 on the saw I had to go from both sides. The 51 has so much torque it walked through the wood like no tommorow I bought a brandnew chain just todo the job.

Anyhow back to the question 046s and 28" bars is common as mud pretty rare to see one with a smaller bar 066 are standard with a 32".

 

[StIhL MaGnUm]

Hello Pacific welcome to the Arboristsite


I read your thread and see your using full skip to block up firewood I might suggest going with a ful comp chain you will find that it will cut smoother and probally faster,full skip chains only really work good in fiberous woods like Pine and such that have problems with chip clearance just a thought something you may want to try..There is one good thing about skip chain less cutters to file


Later Rob.

 

[Newfie]

"I read your thread"

Rob, read the second paragraph again. I think you'll see that Pacific is cutting softwoods.

"12' foot length of 48" diameter fir into rounds 16" s thick for firewood "

It seems like the PNW guys might have slightly different idea of what firewood is based on species an size?

 

[StIhL MaGnUm]

Yeah your right Mike sorry about the confusion I guess I should have paid more attention to what I was reading,thats weird that they use Fir for firewood..Maybe thats why I got confused


Later Rob

 

[Tony Snyder]

I realize that they are different power reauirement between softwood country and hardwood country.

The point is still valid that and 046 is more power head weight than you need to be carrying for a 20 inch bar, even in hardwood.

If 20 inches of bar will do, I would suggest a 359/2159 or an MS360.

 

[Gypo Logger]

The point is still valid that and 046 is more power head weight than you need to be carrying for a 20 inch bar, even in hardwood. [/B][/QUOTE]

I think you're right Tony, if there is one thing I hate, than that would be having too much power!
Good point indeed. If a 20" bar over powers the 046, than just imagine how much power is robbed if we put on a gangly 28"er.
Sorta reminds me of the Puss In Boots fairy tale.
John the trouble maker.

 

[Dennis]

Originally posted by StIhL MaGnUm
Yeah your right Mike sorry about the confusion I guess I should have paid more attention to what I was reading,thats weird that they use Fir for firewood..Maybe thats why I got confused


Later Rob

Rob...I burn fir mostly...with some pine and birch...