preferred bar length in a climbing saw?

[Spellfeller]

Hi, all:

While I'm going to stick with my handsaw for a while, I'm looking around at new and used top-handles.

Wondering which of the three standard bar lengths (12", 14" 16") you prefer and why?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

J-

 

[Mick!]

14" for me.
I had a 12" and it was well......too short.
16" would prolly be good if you were topping out a lot of big conifers. Like Butch in his avatar.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

14".

12" is nice and light.

16" on a 200t is nice, sometimes, mostly on a removal.

 

[lumberjack]

I have 14" bars on my climbing saws, although 16" would be fine as well. I do mainly removals. 20" bars on my 362 and 660.

 

[Raj]

I have a 16 on my 192, no problems, just need to keep the chain sharp.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I like 16" for the extended reach.

 

[treebilly]

I have 14" on all my 201's at work. 14" and a 16" on my personal 200's and 201.
The longer bar is nice on bigger removals but it unbalances the saw a bit. 14 seems to give you a good balance of power, reach, and weight distribution.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I run that lightweight bar.

 

[Spellfeller]

Thanks, guys.

Lotsa love for the "tweener" (14").

Butch & Peter, I hear you on the light 16".

 

[Raj]

I've not noticed any balance or weight issue with the 16 inch bar, but it is on a lesser model the 192 stihl, and I've not used any other top handled saws for comparison. Only irksome thing is when on the ground, the tip of the bar pokes into the ground if I'm not paying attention.

 

[sotc]

14" balances on the trigger pretty much. 16 is nose heavy, gets old

 

[pete mctree]

14" for me. I used to only use 12" but I like the extra reach & the saw has enough power (especially when ported) to drive it with conviction

 

[SimplyArbor]

14" on all my climbers. 12" is nasty in the cut, but seems micro when you're holding the saw.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

200t you ts a 16 for removals.
Echo 330 and 355 get 14. Multipurpose. And not as much power as the 200
150t I believe is 12. Good for pruning.

 

[Bermy]

14" on the 200, nice and balanced
12" on the 150

 

[treebilly]

Bermy how's that 150 treating you? I know you liked it from the start and after a mod. Just wondering if it's still doing well.

 

[Bermy]

Oh I'm in love with it!

I was using it yesterday on the big gum I just posted a pic of on the how's it go today thread...it reached its limit in about 10" of live gum with heavy forward weight, but everything else was fine, even the deadwood.
Yes, you can really tell the difference when you swap for the 200, but for 90% of almost everything I do, it's perfect.

Yesterday I thought I finally have it tuned just right, 'burble' then clears up when given full throttle in the cut, and the spark plug colour was just right when I cleaned it last night.

 

[Sgriff]

Off topic but,what mod? 😮

 

[Bermy]

Remove the spark arrestor and drill out the recessed area in the muffler, makes it a whole different beast!

 

[sotc]

That's like calling a Chihuahua a beast

 

[CurSedVoyce]

 

[stig]

I took a rotten birch down today. Too far gone for roping, so I cut everything into throwing size bits and tossed it.
The 150 worked wonderful for that. For a chihuhua it really is a ferocious beast.
Then once I got down to 5" thickness, I switched it for a T200 with 26" and finished the tree with that.

I usually carry T150 and 2 T200s on the truck, one with a 14" and one with a 16".
Easy enough to have the groundie switch them for me, when I'd like a longer bar.

 

[Sgriff]

Remove the spark arrestor and drill out the recessed area in the muffler, makes it a whole different beast!

Did you try it with just taking the spark arrestor out prior to drilling out recessed area? Also,by the recessed area do you mean where the spark arrestor goes?

 

[Bermy]

Yes on both accounts.
I put the 'cap' back over the recessed area after the drilling, and flared it out a bit so the exhaust can flow better. Also provides some potential deflection for an errant spark, not a huge issue when up a tree, but...
Check the 'MS150 has arrived' thread on the chainsaw forum, our saw mod guru Mastermind tore one down and rebuilt it...the best basic mod without going nuts is the muffler mod.

 

[Bermy]

That's like calling a Chihuahua a beast
]

Maybe I should get a Louis Vuitton bag to take my 150 to work in...wotcha think?