Chain and Bar

[Gator eye]

How offend do you change your bar?

and

What is a good wear indicator on the bar?

I'm on my 3rd chain with the same bar but I also have cut though a few nails and dog chain which took a lot of filing to take out the chips and burrs.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

How offend do you change your bar?

and

What is a good wear indicator on the bar?

I'm on my 3rd chain with the same bar but I also have cut though a few nails and dog chain which took a lot of filing to take out the chips and burrs.

I've never worn out a bar. Keep your chain properly tensioned, get it dressed every year, and never run out of bar oil and a bar will last a very, very long time.

 

[afblue]

Its all a matter of abuse, If constantly run a dull chain and are forcing it into the wood and are getting heat spots in the metal, chain guide is gouged up, lack of lube or wear it so much that the drive links start making contact with the inner part of the bar, it def time to change. Bar maintanence is just as important as chain main. Keep the guide rails dressed flat and straight, proper oiling and flipping it, could last a very long time.

 

[sedanman]

If your local saw dealer is good, he will have a bar rail grinder. "Dressing" the rails from time to time will extend the life of the bar as will flipping it upside down everytime you sharpen the chain. Bars wear mostly on the bottom, flipping the bar is like rotating your tires.

 

[PJF1313]

How offend do you change your bar?

and

What is a good wear indicator on the bar?

I'm on my 3rd chain with the same bar but I also have cut though a few nails and dog chain which took a lot of filing to take out the chips and burrs.

The 770 I have, about 30 or so years old, still has the ORIGINAL bar, as far as I can tell with the faded/worn logo.
(DISCLAIMER - I am the second owner of the saw, and I haven't changed it- yet)

My motto is : every fueling - hit the chain with a file, adjust chain/bar, add bar oil, then fuel it up.
At least you give the saw time to cool before you drown the muffler/head with fuel.

 

[savageactor7]

For maximum bar wear you should flip it whenever you sharpen the chain...or clean the saw with compressed air. Like was mentioned above take a flat file to any burrs that lay over the rail...you can feel them on the bottom of the bar with you fingers when the chain is off. The sprocket will wear out before the bar when you get that replaced have 'em dress up your bar. If you let the saw do the cutting and don't horse it using the spiked dogs to apply leverage the bar on a pro saw will last a very long time.

 

[Gator eye]

Good stuff.....thanks guys

 

[Gooserider]

As said, if properly maintained a bar can last a very long time... OTOH, I've also heard it suggested that a rough formula is that every two chains, replace the sprocket, every two sprockets replace the bar... This was for homeowner grade saws with non-replaceable tip bars though, so it may differ with the pro-grade bars.

Gooserider

 

[ROBERT F]

They make bar files, on a nice 90 degree holder. and rail depth gauges aswell. Now when your bar rails are to short, or the rails have chips, pitting or spalling to deep to dress out, its time to replace it. The biggest killers of bars is lack of oil and loose dull chains. loose chains allow the chain to rock in the rails, and gall out the lower portion of the tip where the chain transitions from radius to flat. and dull chains/lack of lube create enough heat to detemper the bar and burn it up right quick. I say its the drive gear that gets replaced most often on a well maintaned/operated machine.