Question on Chainsaw bar length

[Eric Magruder]

I have a Craftsman 36cc - 16" chainsaw that has served me well for years. I find the bar length a bit short at times when ripping logs into bowl blanks, I have to make cuts from both ends of the log. Can a 36cc handle a 20" bar for cutting up felled tree logs?

[Steve Schlumpf]

Eric - Welcome to the Creek! Just my personal opinion, but I think you would be really pushing the saw with a 20" bar. I use a 20" bar on my Husky (357 XP) and it works to get through some of the hard maple that I rip!

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have a Stihl with a 20" bar.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I have a 16" Craftsman, and it has a hard time cutting the full bar length already, so I would say it would not be able to handle a 20.

There are ways to "cheat" though. If you sharpen your own blade, if you want to take the chance and buy the 20, sharpen the chippers at a steeper angle. This makes them slice more, and easier for the motor to pull the chain through the wood. This however, makes the blade cut slower. My 2 cents is that the saw is probably old, losing most of it's power it used to have, and it has served you well. Buy a Husky or Sthil 20". Keep the Craftsman for the small jobs. Actually, if you're not cutting trees for a living, any 20 incher should last a long time too.

[Dick Strauss]

Eric,
I would guess that your saw slows considerably now while ripping with a 16" bar. Ripping is a much harder load on chainsaws versus the usual cross-cutting. I would suggest a bigger saw for 20" ripping purposes.

[Brodie Brickey]

Eric,

You'll need more cc's to go with a 20" bar. You can get a different chain if you spend a lot of time ripping that will help the performance.

[John Fricke]

I just picked up a used Dolmar PS 9000 for $250.00. this saw has 90 cc and a 24" bar. It is a real handfull, but man does it cut. I ripped through some walnut last weekend, I put all of my 340 pounds into it and couldn't bog it down. If you have the experience and use your head, you can't beat HP when it comes to ripping large pieces. The pieces i was ripping were about 30", was so much easier than with my old 16" Stihl. Nothing against the Stihl, it is a great little saw, just not enough saw for major ripping or crosscutting for that matter.

[Paul Engle]

John is correct on his assesment, just about anything under 4 cu in is not enuf for riping on a 20" bar other than one time cut. too much drag from the chain it self and if you are using 3/8 chain or bigger there is 20% more weight for the thing to haul around .. fwiw most Alaska cs mills I have used / seen reccomend 5 cu in or bigger, chisel bit skip tooth for soft woods , on hard wood I go full comp round tooth and have a couple burned in chains for spares... good quality bar oil and approiate saftey gear, face shield, gloves, ear protection , boots and make sure the anti kick back / clutch break is working properly.Or maybe find someone with a Foley band saw mill and have at it.

[Nathan Hawkes]

I have a Craftsman 36cc - 16" chainsaw that has served me well for years. I find the bar length a bit short at times when ripping logs into bowl blanks, I have to make cuts from both ends of the log. Can a 36cc handle a 20" bar for cutting up felled tree logs?


As others have already mentioned, a 36cc saw is already pretty well maxed out at 16". I think most trimming saws that are in the sub-40cc class are sold with either 12" or 14" bars. I'm surprised yours came with a 16" bar! Go easy on it, and keep it sharp!! take your time, and make sure you don't let it lean out (meaning when the engine is almost out of gas there is a tremendous surge of rpm's and power at the end of the tank. This is baaaddd.) It might be time for you to start looking for a new (or new used) saw. Deals can be had, and unfortunately there are a lot of used saws around because everyone is in dire straits these days. Keep your eyes open for something in the 60cc size, like a husky 357XP or stihl MS361. I personally own a couple stihls, including a 361, and a big husky 394XP with a 42" bar. You don't need that. The "XP" in some husqvarna models denotes a pro grade saw, whereas the models without are homeowner grade. Take a look at lowe's and home depot---their rentals are makita chainsaws, which are made by DOLMAR, a very well made german saw. Deals can often be had at or around $250 for a really good saw--the 6401 I think is the model. Stay safe.

[Greg Bender]

Eric,
if you have a Lowes near you they have a Husq. Rancher 455 with a 20" bar for $379.Not a bad saw for the money.I just bought one to go along with a 16 year old model 51 that has not missed a beat.I heat my house with wood so it has cut some wood in it's lifetime.That Craftsman is probably overloaded with the 16" bar so 20 is definitely out of the question.
Greg

[Eric Magruder]

Thanks for taking the time to answer my question everyone.

I agree that my 36cc Craftsman may be at it's limit because I do have to take it easy while making my cuts. I listen to the saw and it tells me if I'm pushing to hard.
But I've had several opportunities to watch pro tree services at work and they have various saws set out that they use on different areas of the tree and they cut like time is money. I was hoping I could get by with what I have.
Well, it's Saturday and I could use a pair of chaps so I think I'll go shopping. ;)

Again, thanks.

Cheers

[Jim Koepke]

I bought a Stihl that can take a 24" bar, but had it set up with a 20" bar.
It can cut real good and scares the heck out of me since it is my first gas chain saw. Had a Craftsman 12" electric that had a hard time on even light loads.

jim

[Clarence Sears]

The Craftsman is a nice saw for lightweight cutting, but if you are planning to cut large pieces on a regular basis, go for something heavier. I've used a Stihl 041 with a 20" bar for 20+ years and just upgraded it to a 25" bar to get clean cuts through really large pieces that I turn into bowl blanks. I also have a Dremel tool with the chainsaw jig - beats the heck out of trying sharpen that big chain by hand! Best of luck!

[Eric Magruder]

OK, I spent the day driving all over town.... The biggest I could find was a Husqvarna 455 Rancher for 400.00, it's 56cc X 20" bar. The only other saw was a Poulan Pro PP4620, i.e. 46cc X 20". Everything else was 16" with one or two 18" off brands. The most knowledgeable help I found was at a local old time stile True Value Hardware where you can find anything your looking for, and staffed with real people - all they sold were the Husqvarna line. When asked why the guy said it was the best value for the money.
I think I'll keep looking, but for now I'd better start saving my allowance, the monthly check isn't that big. :o I wonder what I can find on line? I did buy a pair of chaps at the True Value - Husqvarna - $58.95:eek: At least it will keep the wife off my case about oil on my blue jeans:( Now if I can only keep the wood chips out of the wash:confused:

Cheers