Stihl recommended bar length USA vs UK

[MattyF]

Had a few many years ago , was disappointed spud would not let me have the one I saw in his cave!

[difflock]

Thanks wyk,

But like Sherlock I had reached those same inevitable conclusions by a process of logical deduction/reasoning.

Or as it was so expressed in the Army, "Easier looked at than looked for"

But regardless of understanding the reasons I still take it strange.

PS

I do also appreciate it is seriously hard dangerous work.

[Al Smith]

I didn't know Stihl had different bar size specs for North America and the British Isles .

 

Yes to the comment the west coasters use longer bars .There's a reason for that .Often times on the slopes they need the extra length to get to the far side of the tree the ground is so steep .

 

Generally for the rest of us a 60 cc runs a 20 inch ,80 cc a 24 ,100 a 36" and above that whatever length they deem fitting .

 

I doubt the hardwoods on this side of the pond are softer but then I doubt it's much harder either except perhaps those grown more northerly because they grow slower ,Recently I fell a dead white oak ,100 feet tall and 3 feet in diameter which contained 225 growth rings .Had that tree been grown in the southern states it would have taken slightly over 100 -125 years for it to get that large .

[wyk]

That 555 is very blunt or a big bar is a waste of time shown in that vid... Each to there own styles and if it makes you more productive then that's cool but from what I have just seen I could double cut or just use the tip for the gob and still have that down twice as fast with my 15" 560... Or even better a 20" 372 .. If the performance of a larger bar like the ones in the vid are to go by any way.

 

The guy in the vid is new to cutting, so I'd go a little easy on him

 

But seriously, I think we all know a 20" bar in the PNW is not gonna get a lot of work done. If you charge by the job or the hour, it doesn't matter too much. But when you are paid by the tree or production, it makes a lot more since to use as much bar as you can get away with.

 

Most PNW fallers use a 70cc saw with a 28-32" bar with skip chain to good effect. Drew, the instructor in the video, appears to be using an MS460 with a 24" bar. It sounds pretty stock to me, too. Siderius is in Montana, tho. That wood will be tougher - not nearly as much rain.

[wyk]

As far as STIHL stating a 24" on their 60cc saws, it makes a bit of sense when you consider the following: On most state land in the PNW, you can only fall trees and get firewood in 24" or smaller sizes. If you peruse the Craigs List classifieds in the Washington state and Oregon areas, you will see saw after saw with 24 and 28" bars on them.

[NI Tree]

i would say that a the avaliblity of skip and semi skip chain is a huge factor in the equation as well as it not that easy to sorce here at all.

[Rob D]

i would say that a the avaliblity of skip and semi skip chain is a huge factor in the equation as well as it not that easy to sorce here at all.

 

 

I have some on order in full skip chisel 3/8 .063, 3/8 .058 and .404 .063 - will be available in a months time on the website but only in the 'custom chain area'.

 

 

 

[NI Tree]

I have some on order in full skip chisel 3/8 .063, 3/8 .058 and .404 .063 - will be available in a months time on the website but only in the 'custom chain area'.

 

 

 

 

but your one of the very few that stock will stock it, in fact you stock a lot of the strange chains that most do not sell and are harder to track down

 

 

 

ps what one are you getting JPX or JGX

[Rob D]

but your one of the very few that stock will stock it, in fact you stock a lot of the strange chains that most do not sell and are harder to track down

 

 

 

ps what one are you getting JPX or JGX

 

 

Ha ha - I can't remember now - I think the JGX - the full chisel version as I think that'll be the most popular.

 

I have an Oregon account and it's oregon chain but if you ask for it here... it's not available!

[NI Tree]

Ha ha - I can't remember now - I think the JGX - the full chisel version as I think that'll be the most popular.

 

I have an Oregon account and it's oregon chain but if you ask for it here... it's not available!

 

ha that what i was thought you were doing and bring it in your self, i will most defiently get some as a bar and chain is cheaper than a bigger saw lol