which bar

[mick irwin]

hey guys im looking for a bit of advice on what bar to get for my stihl ms230c saw which just has a standard 14" bar, im new to carving and not very good but im really keen to get a carving bar and try harder things than mushrooms and wasps, has anybody got some advice?

[Rob D]

Up to you really.... the oregon ones are good yet not that well known yet, cannon is proven but more expensive.... I have some zebra carving bars which are intro bars - yet to be fully tested but great price! Stihl carving bars are not well rated.....

 

 

If you want to try one buy a zebra bar of my site and a stihl carving chain and I'll put an oregon carving chain in for free.... make sure your drive sprocket/rim is 1/4" (not the standard .325).

 

Carving bars

[dervishcarving]

You can't say fairer than that! Rob is yer man for buying bars/chains. I have a pair of stihl bars/chains (2nd hand) that are still going strong but show some wear

i have another saw with an 18 inch bar so I am quite happy with a short carving bar. I guess if i was going to buy new i might go for a 12inch bar but i quite like the extra reach

[FriarsGorse]

As always it has to depend on your budget. When I started carving I went for a cheap saw ... but went for a Cannon 14" Dime tip. It is brilliant... stays true square and solid... but its the only one i have had so i cant compare. I'm sure you will find a hell of a difference using any carving bar and in a short time it should give you the confidence to try harder things. I think you have already had best advice from Rob and Dervish ... try a 12" Zebra and if it wears quickly it will at least give you a good idea whether to invest more in the future. Go For it and Good Luck !!

[growforest]

Cannon are strong and reliable. Get what you pay for...

[splinters]

Sorry folks i dissagree with you all i say use a stihl 12" carving bar with stihl chain and sprocket. keep it all the same iv had hundreads of hours of carving out of each stihl carving bar iv had. yes they are not cheep but i wouldnt use anything else.

[Johny Walker]

the green parrot bar ,:biggrin:highley recommended

[mick irwin]

thats really brilliant Rob D thank you very much you have a deal, brilliant site mate im sure the bird will appreciate me seeing that ,.... not ha, from i think ive found what i need though , im also looking at sprockets on your site and to be honest i have no idea which one i need? but i have picked a bar and chain, and im going to give this zebra bar a good go, thanks very much for that and everybodys advice, thanks friarsgorse ill try the zebra and see how it goes, i already have the saw so really its just bar sprocket and chain and im set, thanks dervishcarving im going to try the 12" bar, im like a child at christmas, So rob D do you know which sprocket i will need and is my next step to register and send you my cs tickets? thanks again everyone, thanks splinters il maybe try a stihl in the future when pennies arent so tight, good to see what carvers reccomend,

Edited July 19, 2012 by mick irwin
late replying

[Rob D]

Yep - best thing to do is try things yourself and find out.... That's the first good review I've heard of the Stihl carving bar but again the only way you really know is if you try one yourself.

 

 

Ref sprocket go to the carving sprocket selector then pick 'oregon .250 x9 tooth rim and sprocket'

 

Then buy the bar and the Stihl carving chain to go with it.

 

Also some smaller files are good - stihl 3.2mm or 3.5mm - I'll have some save edge files in these sizes as well soon.

[mick irwin]

Thanks Rob D thats brilliant, ive registered now tho how do i sort out this stihl purchase disabled thing?