20 inch bar on a MS390?

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smokinjay said:
+1 but start out full skip!

On a 390 - you might be right on the money with going skip chain right out of the chute.
 
oldspark said:
Any bar length 24 and over will benefit for a skip chain correct?

I don't agree with this. I consider a skip tooth chain to be an aid to a saw that doesn't have enough power to correctly pull a full chisel chain. Just my opinion.

There is no advantage to running a chain with less cutters, unless you don't have the power to pull it properly. A 390 with a 24" bar is gonna be on that edge. In this situation a skip tooth might be the little boost it needs to keep the RPM's up in the cut.
 
Jags said:
oldspark said:
Any bar length 24 and over will benefit for a skip chain correct?

I don't agree with this. I consider a skip tooth chain to be an aid to a saw that doesn't have enough power to correctly pull a full chisel chain. Just my opinion.

There is no advantage to running a chain with less cutters, unless you don't have the power to pull it properly. A 390 with a 24" bar is gonna be on that edge. In this situation a skip tooth might be the little boost it needs to keep the RPM's up in the cut.

Depends on what powerhead the chain is strapped to. 24" bar on a 660 will make it cut slower.
 
Jags said:
oldspark said:
Any bar length 24 and over will benefit for a skip chain correct?

I don't agree with this. I consider a skip tooth chain to be an aid to a saw that doesn't have enough power to correctly pull a full chisel chain. Just my opinion.
You may be right but I thought the wood cleared out quicker and it had a benefit other than just running a bigger bar than the saw could handle, am thinking about getting a skip tooth for my 28 inch bar on the 045 to try it out, seems to pull it fine but was under the impression the skip tooth was better on a longer bar.
 
lukem said:
Jags said:
oldspark said:
Any bar length 24 and over will benefit for a skip chain correct?

I don't agree with this. I consider a skip tooth chain to be an aid to a saw that doesn't have enough power to correctly pull a full chisel chain. Just my opinion.

There is no advantage to running a chain with less cutters, unless you don't have the power to pull it properly. A 390 with a 24" bar is gonna be on that edge. In this situation a skip tooth might be the little boost it needs to keep the RPM's up in the cut.

Depends on what powerhead the chain is strapped to. 24" bar on a 660 will make it cut slower.

This is on target! 390 however just cut to the case out the shoot!
 
Jags said:
Kenster said:
Follow up on my original post....

1) Since I am running 3/8" now, I simply need to find a 24" bar and any 3/8 chain?

2) Since this will be only an occasionally used bar, would it be a sin to put an Oregon bar on my Stihl to save some money?

Yes.
No.

On the chain, I would start out with the full chisel. If you find that you bog in the cut, consider a skip tooth.

If we're talking possibility of dirt, semi-chisel may be better option, for keeping it sharp.

Nobody's yet mentioned gauge (thickness of drive links)- bar and chain must be nominally the same.
 
So as long as my 045 will pull it I am better off with the regular chain? Not trying to hyjack this thread just trying to add to the skip tooth vs regular chain.
 
smokinjay said:
lukem said:
Jags said:
oldspark said:
Any bar length 24 and over will benefit for a skip chain correct?

I don't agree with this. I consider a skip tooth chain to be an aid to a saw that doesn't have enough power to correctly pull a full chisel chain. Just my opinion.

There is no advantage to running a chain with less cutters, unless you don't have the power to pull it properly. A 390 with a 24" bar is gonna be on that edge. In this situation a skip tooth might be the little boost it needs to keep the RPM's up in the cut.

Depends on what powerhead the chain is strapped to. 24" bar on a 660 will make it cut slower.

This is on target! 390 however just cut to the case out the shoot!

Agreed - that is why my statement was pointed at the 390 with 24" bar.
And Sparky - I dunno when you get to the real big bars. Just not my game. On the less than 25" bars, I find skip tooth to only benefit saws that are trying to pull too much bar.
 
oldspark said:
So as long as my 045 will pull it I am better off with the regular chain? Not trying to hyjack this thread just trying to add to the skip tooth vs regular chain.

Yes. How many cc's you got?
 
smokinjay said:
oldspark said:
So as long as my 045 will pull it I am better off with the regular chain? Not trying to hyjack this thread just trying to add to the skip tooth vs regular chain.

Yes. How many cc's you got?
75cc I already have the bar on the saw and it does pull it with a regular chain but will I see a benefit from the skip tooth?
 
Nobody's yet mentioned gauge (thickness of drive links)- bar and chain must be nominally the same.

My current chain is 3/8, .50, 60
 
oldspark said:
smokinjay said:
oldspark said:
So as long as my 045 will pull it I am better off with the regular chain? Not trying to hyjack this thread just trying to add to the skip tooth vs regular chain.

Yes. How many cc's you got?
75cc I already have the bar on the saw and it does pull it with a regular chain but will I see a benefit from the skip tooth?

You should be golden with anything up to a 28 inch. 32 go full skip. Skip good for dirty wood less teeth to sharpen.
 
Jags said:
oldspark said:
Any bar length 24 and over will benefit for a skip chain correct?

I don't agree with this. I consider a skip tooth chain to be an aid to a saw that doesn't have enough power to correctly pull a full chisel chain. Just my opinion.

There is no advantage to running a chain with less cutters, unless you don't have the power to pull it properly. A 390 with a 24" bar is gonna be on that edge. In this situation a skip tooth might be the little boost it needs to keep the RPM's up in the cut.
You also need to consider the space between the cutters for chips. A long bar in big wood will cut a lot of chips and have to carry them a long distance.
 
LLigetfa said:
Jags said:
oldspark said:
Any bar length 24 and over will benefit for a skip chain correct?

I don't agree with this. I consider a skip tooth chain to be an aid to a saw that doesn't have enough power to correctly pull a full chisel chain. Just my opinion.

There is no advantage to running a chain with less cutters, unless you don't have the power to pull it properly. A 390 with a 24" bar is gonna be on that edge. In this situation a skip tooth might be the little boost it needs to keep the RPM's up in the cut.
You also need to consider the space between the cutters for chips. A long bar in big wood will cut a lot of chips and have to carry them a long distance.

41 inch on a non skip 880 is like pouring water out the back of the saw. Bigger the saw the bigger the chutes is.
 
smokinjay said:
If you really like the 16....I would go 24 inch and be able to do about anything that comes along.

I would agree. I have a husky 50cc with a 20" bar. It is underpowered, but gets the job done. 24" sounds about right on a 60cc saw.
 
I have a 390 and a 20" its all i have ever run. It can pull all the bar through oak. Keep a sharp chain and it will be fine, it can get bogged up if you force it though but the 390 is a big saw !
 
smokinjay said:
LLigetfa said:
Jags said:
I believe that this was Lee's way of typing out a sound track to a bogging, overbar'd saw. :coolsmirk:
No, I think that's the sound of a dull saw making fine dust and being rocked back and forth to try to get some bite.

I am a firm beleaver that if the log is 45 inchs a 20 inch bar is a knife at a gun fight kinda thing. Muff modded 390 will pull a 24 fine!

Hear! Hear!
 
Jags said:
Kenster said:
Follow up on my original post....

1) Since I am running 3/8" now, I simply need to find a 24" bar and any 3/8 chain?

2) Since this will be only an occasionally used bar, would it be a sin to put an Oregon bar on my Stihl to save some money?

Yes.
No.

On the chain, I would start out with the full chisel. If you find that you bog in the cut, consider a skip tooth.

Agreed, except skip the full comp chain and go right to a skip tooth.
 
I've run a MS390 (stock) with Stihl Full Chisel (33RSC72) on a 20" bar. It pulls that with authority. If you wanted to go 24".... I doubt it would have trouble with that and if going full-skip seems too extreme there's always Stihl's half-skip full chisel....
 
MasterMech said:
I've run a MS390 (stock) with Stihl Full Chisel (33RSC72) on a 20" bar. It pulls that with authority. If you wanted to go 24".... I doubt it would have trouble with that and if going full-skip seems too extreme there's always Stihl's half-skip full chisel....
I'm not a fan of big bars and don't use them but this is extremely good advice if using a bigger bar than what is recomended by manufacturer.
 
FWIW, I like the skip chain on the 24" bar & longer, cuts faster than full comp chain by nearly a full second in a timed cut on 30" red oak. 064 revs @ 12,500 with an 8 pin rim I get pretty decent chain speed, & plenty of power in the cut. I tend to run the shortest bar I can get away with for the reason Lee mentioned. As someone already mentioned, less teeth to sharpen on the skip chain. A C
 
amateur cutter said:
FWIW, I like the skip chain on the 24" bar & longer, cuts faster than full comp chain by nearly a full second in a timed cut on 30" red oak. 064 revs @ 12,500 with an 8 pin rim I get pretty decent chain speed, & plenty of power in the cut. I tend to run the shortest bar I can get away with for the reason Lee mentioned. As someone already mentioned, less teeth to sharpen on the skip chain. A C

You got it.
 
Thistle said:
amateur cutter said:
FWIW, I like the skip chain on the 24" bar & longer, cuts faster than full comp chain by nearly a full second in a timed cut on 30" red oak. 064 revs @ 12,500 with an 8 pin rim I get pretty decent chain speed, & plenty of power in the cut. I tend to run the shortest bar I can get away with for the reason Lee mentioned. As someone already mentioned, less teeth to sharpen on the skip chain. A C

You got it.

Yea thanks, hard won experience there, but lessons I'll never forget LOL. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!
 
inevitabLEE said:
MasterMech said:
I've run a MS390 (stock) with Stihl Full Chisel (33RSC72) on a 20" bar. It pulls that with authority. If you wanted to go 24".... I doubt it would have trouble with that and if going full-skip seems too extreme there's always Stihl's half-skip full chisel....
I'm not a fan of big bars and don't use them but this is extremely good advice if using a bigger bar than what is recomended by manufacturer.

Stihl recommends 16"-25" bar on a 390.

Just sayin'
 
Bigg_Redd said:
inevitabLEE said:
MasterMech said:
I've run a MS390 (stock) with Stihl Full Chisel (33RSC72) on a 20" bar. It pulls that with authority. If you wanted to go 24".... I doubt it would have trouble with that and if going full-skip seems too extreme there's always Stihl's half-skip full chisel....
I'm not a fan of big bars and don't use them but this is extremely good advice if using a bigger bar than what is recomended by manufacturer.

Stihl recommends 16"-25" bar on a 390.

Just sayin'

Uhhhh,,,,, no!
http://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/MS391.html
 
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