Does a shorter bar increase cutting speed?

[prajna101]

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I see a lot of comments that may indicate this is true.

I have a Stihl 260 with a 20 in bar and I want a second bar in case of a pinch or whatever. I feel that a 14 is about all I ever need but the 20 sure is nice on occasion. If I get a 14 a replacement would I get greater cutting speed? For example, if I were cutting a 12 in log, would there be any noticeable performance difference if I were running a 20 in bar or a 14?

Thanks for your help.

Todd

 

[Corey]

I'm in for an answer as well. I seem to see quite a few similar comments about the speed, or suggesting a large bar is too much for a given saw to pull.

It seems to me a saw with a 14 inch bar cutting a 12 inch log would cut almost identically to the same saw with a 20 inch bar. After all, you're only ever engaging up to 12 inches of wood. On the outside chance you did need the full 20 inches, you might have to go a bit slower...but if it comes down to taking my prize log home a little slower or leaving it in the woods, I'd choose slower anyway. I realize there might be a very slight difference due to the friction of the larger bar, but the power used for cutting wood has to be 1000 times that wasted in friction...so even doubling the friction wouldn't seem to add anything noticeable.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I see a lot of comments that may indicate this is true.

I have a Stihl 260 with a 20 in bar and I want a second bar in case of a pinch or whatever. I feel that a 14 is about all I ever need but the 20 sure is nice on occasion. If I get a 14 a replacement would I get greater cutting speed? For example, if I were cutting a 12 in log, would there be any noticeable performance difference if I were running a 20 in bar or a 14?

Thanks for your help.

Todd

I'd actually go for a 16" bar instead of the 14". You should have a good balance with the 16". My 346XP wears a 16" 95% of the time, the 18" that came with it feels a little nose heavy. 20", I wouldn't like it as much with that length of bar. 14" is great on the little 180C.

 

[RNLA]

For what it's worth I run a 16" bar on my 260. I think it is plenty fast and my ground guys really like that saw. I do see a difference in chain speed with a shorter bar, there is just less friction. You want a great saw the local guy has a few of the 260's left and he does a "workmans mod" and it rips with an 18"-20" bar!!

 

[MasterMech]

Stihl MS260 while capable of running a 20" bar, is happiest with a 16. Better balance, less bar oil required. Stihl does not make a 14" bar for the 260 to my knowledge. (16", 18" or 20" available)

+1 on Cozy's take. If you have a 12" log, a 20" bar should cut just as fast as a 16". Your chain has much more to do with how fast you make cuts. If you're working in wood longer than the bar however, a shorter bar will make a difference as it engages less wood. Depending on the size of the saw itself, two smaller cuts may be faster than one long one. With a 260 in big wood, this may definitely be the case.

I would go ahead and make the switch to the 16" and save the 20" for bucking logs between 15"-20". Bigger than that? Throw the 16 back on and make 2 cuts. With the smaller logs you mentioned a 16" would be a great setup on the 260 and I think you'll enjoy the saw for the excellent medium-sized "ground saw" that it is.

FYI: I have setup MS260's with 16" Bars, 3/8 Picco Chain, and 8 Tooth Rim Sprockets for folks looking for a little more speed from the 260. I'm guessing you have .325 chain on a 20" bar. The narrower kerf of the 3/8 Picco allows me to touch the rakers just a tad more and up the chain speed with the 8 tooth sprocket.

If you try this setup, I'd be curious to see how the new PS3 Chain cuts.

 

[Kenster]

MasterMech, Why would you want to use two different bars in your example above?

<<<<I would go ahead and make the switch to the 16†and save the 20†for bucking logs between 15â€-20â€. Bigger than that? Throw the 16 back on and make 2 cuts.

I have a 16 inch bar on my MS390 (muffler mod) and I can't imagine wanted to take the time to change bars back and forth when two cuts with the 16 incher gets the job done so quickly.

But I am totally with you on your suggestion for the OP to go with a 16 inch bar. He'll probably leave it on there for 95% of his applications.

 

[Danno77]

What's this swapping bars talk all about? Y'all need to buy more saws instead.

 

[prajna101]

Ok I dont get it. I see both answers in this thread.

Heck, one person even said that there should not be any speed difference between two bars if cutting the same wood. but then they said go with the 16. That makes no sense. If there is no difference, then keep both bars and chain the same and have everything interchangeable. The longer bar makes more sense as it is more versatile.

OR if there is a difference, then explain why. I agree that the drag that an extra 4 inches of bar add must be tiny.

So. . . .any cut under 16 inches would be best done with a 16 in bar.

16-20 inches would be fastest with a 20 in bar

20-32 inches should be done with a 16 in bar in two cuts.

32 -40 inches could be done with a 20 in bar in two passes

Greater than 40 inches should be done with a different saw (besides I never encounter that diameter)

So now I have confused myself. Should I get a 16 for speed. Or a 20 so that all my chains are the same.

 

[MasterMech]

MasterMech, Why would you want to use two different bars in your example above?

<<<<I would go ahead and make the switch to the 16†and save the 20†for bucking logs between 15â€-20â€. Bigger than that? Throw the 16 back on and make 2 cuts.

I have a 16 inch bar on my MS390 (muffler mod) and I can't imagine wanted to take the time to change bars back and forth when two cuts with the 16 incher gets the job done so quickly.

But I am totally with you on your suggestion for the OP to go with a 16 inch bar. He'll probably leave it on there for 95% of his applications.

I'm just saying to pick the best bar for the current day's work. He already has a 20" bar for the saw. MS260's lose any semblence of balance with a 20" bar on them which is why I highly reccomended the 16" bar. For a couple cuts I would agree that just taking two wacks with the 16" makes more sense than swapping over to the 20". But if I had a 17"-20" diameter tree that was going to require multiple "double cuts" than I would swap as I can do the swap in <5 min. This is mostly only because he already has the 20" setup. Otherwise I wouldn't advise buying multiple bars for that saw.

My main point to the OP's original question is that the chain makes far more of an impact to cutting speed than the bar size. By switching to the 16" bar for balance characteristics and the 3/8" PICCO PS3 type chain, he should be able to put more engine power into efficiently cutting the wood. (The setup was listed for the old 024.) I'd be tempted to try a 20" E-Light bar tho if one was available for 3/8" PICCO.

 

[smokinj]

14 would be Idea for a 260 if they make one! (having a 20 already)

 

[spacecowboyIV]

Since the 16 inch bar is the smallest you can get for that saw I would go with that. As one poster mentioned 16" bar will do 95% of the work for you.

The extra drag of a 4" longer bar is actually quite a bit of difference. A 16" bar will go through a 12" log quite a bit faster than a 20" bar on the same powerhead and is less likely to bog down if you push on it.