I have a homelite pro 46cc saw with a 20" bar but sometimes I need something bigger. How big can I go if was to use skip chain? Thanks
how big of a bar can i use?
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smokinj
Minister of Fire
TreePointer
Minister of Fire
+1
To run a 24/25" bar, at a minimum, you want something around 60cc's.
A 24/25" bar is sweet on a 70cc saw.
To run a 24/25" bar, at a minimum, you want something around 60cc's.
A 24/25" bar is sweet on a 70cc saw.
midwestcoast
Minister of Fire
Are you sure you need a bigger bar? 20" should be good for up to a 36" diameter trunk at least by cutting from both sides. If you are handling bigger stuff than that with your saw you sure have my respect. I did about a 38" Red Oak with my Husky 455 a couple years back & I can tell you I sure wasn't thinking about a bigger bar; I was wishing for a smaller tree or bigger saw.
1). Leave the odd monster trunk for someone else to cut. or 2) Rent or borrow a bigger saw once in a while. or 3) Buy a bigger $aw. 60cc bare minimum $$$.
1). Leave the odd monster trunk for someone else to cut. or 2) Rent or borrow a bigger saw once in a while. or 3) Buy a bigger $aw. 60cc bare minimum $$$.
I gnawed through some two foot ash logs today with a 79cc saw and a 28" bar. I couldn't imagine doing it with 46cc.
If you're near a Home Depot with a tool rental, keep your eyes open. They sell their rental saws cheap every now and then. I picked up a Makita 6401, which is a pro quality saw, for less than $200. I ran it seriously today for the first time, and it was flawless. It'll handle a 28" bar occasionally, 24 is better. Or rent one, though they have 20" bars. If you've never ran a saw like that, you'll be amazed.
If you're near a Home Depot with a tool rental, keep your eyes open. They sell their rental saws cheap every now and then. I picked up a Makita 6401, which is a pro quality saw, for less than $200. I ran it seriously today for the first time, and it was flawless. It'll handle a 28" bar occasionally, 24 is better. Or rent one, though they have 20" bars. If you've never ran a saw like that, you'll be amazed.
Yep I concurr a 20" bar on that saw has got to be a real dog. It probably pretty slow with a 16" bar so a 20" s got to be way more than it should wear let alone going bigger.
DiscoInferno
Minister of Fire
I have done OK with a 24" bar with (sharp) skip chain on a 455 (55cc), cutting oak. But I can't imagine going up in length or down in cc's from that.
Now, I think the basic skip chain math is that full-skip chain has 2 cutters for every 3 on full comp. (It's not 1:2 like the name suggests.) So ignoring bar friction and making other probably unwarranted assumptions, a 30" bar with skip chain would present roughly the same load as a 20" bar with full comp if each was fully buried. That doesn't suggest that you could use a 30" bar so much as it reinforces that 20" is already a lot for that saw.
Now, I think the basic skip chain math is that full-skip chain has 2 cutters for every 3 on full comp. (It's not 1:2 like the name suggests.) So ignoring bar friction and making other probably unwarranted assumptions, a 30" bar with skip chain would present roughly the same load as a 20" bar with full comp if each was fully buried. That doesn't suggest that you could use a 30" bar so much as it reinforces that 20" is already a lot for that saw.
TreePointer
Minister of Fire
In addition to those power concerns, the saw's oiler need to keep up. There are saws that have the power to run a longer bar with skip chain, but they can't pump oil fast enough to keep everything sufficiently lubed.
DiscoInferno
Minister of Fire
TreePointer said:
Indeed. I need to set the 455 oiler to max even for an 18" bar, or it will seize.
clemsonfor
Minister of Fire
I run my oiler on my stihl 390 maxed out on my 20" bar. Oil is cheap and it never drains the tank of oil to a tank of fuel, i rather slig it than not lube enough. The new oil pumps sure dont pump like the old ones my cousins old 026 will sling it off as you start up, they told me the EPA wont let them run like that anymore? His saw is only 6 yrs or so older than mine and mine is about 8 yrs old?
DiscoInferno
Minister of Fire
clemsonfor said:
Pray tell where this cheap oil can be bought. It's $10/gal here for the Home Depot no-name stuff.
Thistle
Minister of Fire
DiscoInferno said:
Gonna say....cheapest I found is around $10 at farm stores too.Generic Canola Oil is 5 something at Walmart & I heard somewhere that soybean oil at Costco is similar in price.
DiscoInferno
Minister of Fire
Thistle said:
I had my wife check Costco recently, I think it was something like $25 for 35 lbs (around 4.5 gallons, so $5.56/gal) for the cheapest oil. I may go that way for milling.
Bar oil was $6/gal at menards a year or a year-and-a half ago, wish I had bought a bunch.
TreePointer
Minister of Fire
TSC has oil on sale right now for $7/gallon. Not as good as the $5/gallon sales 2 years ago, but I haven't seen a better price recently.
DiscoInferno
Minister of Fire
Thanks for the replies. Looks like I need a bigger saw. Some of the stuff I have to cut is in excess of 46". The 20" bar came with tbe saw and I have been happy with it, although I have nothing to compare it to.
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