Chain Saw Recommendation - What Size Bar?

[Jeff Wright]

I've decided on a Stihl chain saw for use in cutting logs for turning. As a new turner, I need your suggestions on what size saw bar (14, 16, 18-inch or longer bar) would be best. I'd like the ability to prepare larger bowls/platter blanks. Thanks.

[Steven Wilson]

20" bar is useful for ripping a log. One popular model is the Stihl 290 Farm Boss w/ 20" bar.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Jeff - I have a Husky with a 20" bar and like Steve stated - it works great for ripping. So far I haven't had a need for a bigger bar but we are somewhat limited in the size of logs up.

[Frank Kobilsek]

Jeff,

I get by OK with the 18" Stihl. As I find opportunities to cut larger pieces and now that I have a larger lathe, I wish I had bigger. BUT bigger would be an additional saw up in the 28" or 30" range. I just think it would be easier slabbing big blanks from one side instead of cutting a little on this side and a little on that.

That said you too will be happy with an 18 or 20" saw. Buy yourself 4 or 5 extra chains, change and sharpen often and your wood prep experience will be more enjoyable.

Frank

[Jack Mincey]

I use an old husky 61 with a 20" bar for most of my blank cutting. If you are able to keep the tip of the bar past the wood being cut you are less likely to get a bad kick back. If the tip is in the wood it tends to want to push the tip back and up at you more. I have used a friends large 32" bar stihl several time, but think that the 20" is all I need unless falling a large tree, say 36" or more.
Jack

[Archie England]

I love my 20" bar with my Husky 350. It came stock with an 18", but I added the 20. No, I can't cut huge trees, but for harvesting blanks for a 16" lathe, it's perfect. For smaller diameter, I use an electric saw. I'm just more comfortable around the shop with the electric. Oh, the above advise on multiple chains is a must. Sharp chains makes this work much better.

just my nickel's worth,

Arch

[Gary Max]

I run a 18 on my Stihl ---which gets me by most of the time.
I would love to get a Husky with a 24 but it's hard to spent that $800.00 for a chainsaw.

[Bob Opsitos]

20" bar here too, wouldn't mind having a 25 at times. Was using 20" bar Poulan Pro until the wife got me a MS361 for our aniversary.

Been so busy I haven't had the chance to try it out. It's like 8 times the saw the poulan was.

I've heard that you want to ditch the low kickback chains as the "dangerous" ones cut alot faster.

Bob

[Reed Gray]

I had a little Poulan that was given to me. It worked for my 12 inch lathe. When I got the PM, I got a 24 inch Husky 365 (I think). That served me well for a while, but there were always the bigger trees that people would call me about. A friend gave me a deal on a Sthil with a 36 inch bar. On Sunday of Memorial day weekend a friend called me and said, "I finally took that Big leaf Maple down. You need to come get it because it will kill my lawn." Some of the branch areas on the main trunk were 36 inches plus. Couldn't have done it with the 24 inch bar. I don't need the big saw often, but it is really handy when I do. You may want to have access to one just in case. We do get a lot of big trees here. Especially ones that are not native. Lots of rain, and a mild growing season. The maple was 38 years old, and the clear trunk was 32 diameter. A 30 year old elm, sycamore, or pin oak will be 30 inches in diameter. I don't use the electric chain saw any more. Got a big band saw.
robo hippy

[Jake Helmboldt]

I've decided on a Stihl chain saw for use in cutting logs for turning. As a new turner, I need your suggestions on what size saw bar (14, 16, 18-inch or longer bar) would be best. I'd like the ability to prepare larger bowls/platter blanks. Thanks.

Jeff, a few points are in order:

1. What Stihl do you have? That will determine the max bar length you can use.

2. From there you need to consider the size logs you want to cut. BUT, a 20" bar effectively gives you almost 40" of cutting length because you can cut from both sides. I've cut up plenty of big 3' diameter trunks with a Husky 359 w/ a 20' bar.

3. Get a ripping chain (or a few). Chainsaws are not intended for ripping, so the standard chains are filed for cross-cutting (rip chains use a shallow angle across the top plate). Bailey's online will sell you a ripping chain ready to go.

4. If you can, rip the log on its side as it is a bit easier than trying to rip down through the top/end grain, and it is more stable. Just keep it off the ground with some other logs or scrap wood. The fastest way to dull a chain is to hit dirt.

5. Ripping is hard on a saw. Don't force the cut and keep the powerhead out of the kerf so the stringy curls don't pack into the saw.

6. The bar tip isn't a problem for kickback as long as it is the bottom half of the tip. The upper half is the no-go zone. Where the chain is still on the upper half of the bar is where it wants to pull into the cut, and at the top of the tip that means changing direction, hence kickback.

[Matt Hutchinson]

I have a 20" on my Stihl. Brand new it cost me about $430 after tax (I think it's a model 310). It handles huge logs very well. Very few people need a huge saw, though it certainly can be convenient. With a properly sharpened chain, mine has zipped through hard maple 34" in diameter no problem. Even with the same crosscutting chain, I ripped chunks, nose buried, and it did a great job. I can't imagine you would need more of a saw than this, and it is not likely you could put blanks on your lathe that this model couldn't cut with relative ease. Unless you have a monster lathe, and plan on doing enormous turnings (in excess of 38" diameter), then something larger would be simply a matter of convenience, not necessity.

Hutch

P.S. If you plan on burying the bar, I don't recommend using the old style chains. The anti-kickback chains are safer for this, and if you file down the raker teeth a little, they take a more agressive cut but still have safety benefits.

[Nathan Hawkes]

I've decided on a Stihl chain saw for use in cutting logs for turning. As a new turner, I need your suggestions on what size saw bar (14, 16, 18-inch or longer bar) would be best. I'd like the ability to prepare larger bowls/platter blanks. Thanks.

As quite a few members have already suggested, get the biggest bar that won't be in the way with you using it. As my post signature suggests, I do have a big chainsaw, but its not the size of the saw, its how you use it. What I mean by this is that a small saw can cut a large piece of wood by making two cuts with the bar. I have a chainsaw mill for mine, so I do have a large 42" bar, and a 32, and 20". It is nearly impossible to safely use a long bar while cutting on the ground! A 20" is way more than adequate for almost everyone!

That said, there are a couple other things you should know about any new saw; don't go running it at wide open throttle out of the wood when its brand new, or for that matter, don't abuse it for at least the first 10-15 tanks of gas or more through it. As you may know, the rings really do take time to seat in, and the compression of the saw will increase as it is "broken in". Making repeated very long duration cuts with the bar completely buried isn't a good idea. Do NOT use gas mixed with ethanol if you're going to be doing long cuts. It will drive up the temperature considerably, potentially damaging the saw. Also, make sure that you "richen" it up a bit----make the rpms LOWER by adjusting the carb, or have the dealer do it for you. It should be a 10 second adjustment. If they tell you its a big deal, they're pulling your leg. Also, its not a bad idea to run the mix at 40:1 instead of the usual 50:1 gas/oil ratio for the first several tanks. More lubrication can't hurt the engine.


Also, since you list a 14" bar first, what size saw are you considering, displacement wise??? What I mean is, just because you can physically bolt a 20" bar to a given saw doesn't mean it has the power to drive it. For example, a 30-35cc saw is probably NOT going to "cut it". Look at the 50cc+ sizes, and preferably 55-60cc.

[Ron Ainge]

Jeff

I bought a 20 inche Stihl and although it is a great saw I sometime whis that I had a longer bar on it. It dose not matter what you buy you will always wish you had a bigger size. I don't know how large your lathe is but I would suggest that you get one that will cut any size of wood that you may want on your lathe.

[Jeff Wright]

Thanks for all the great feedback. To answer some of your questions:

I have a PM 3520B, so that could answer what is the largest workpiece I could cut.

I have NO chainsaw yet, but have pretty much settled on getting a Stihl. I am considering getting the MS290 Farm Boss. Stihl says that is their most popular saw. It has a 56.6 CC engine and is recommended for the 16, 18 and 20-inch bar.

From the replies I've gotten so far, the 20-inch chain appears to be the most popular recommendation.

[Jeff Wright]

. Do NOT use gas mixed with ethanol if you're going to be doing long cuts. It will drive up the temperature considerably, potentially damaging the saw.

I haven't looked lately . . . can you buy gasoline WITHOUT ethanol? Last I looked it seemed all the station pumps had gas with 10% ethanol.