Bar replacement and chains..

   / Bar replacement and chains.. #1  

thatguy

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Mar 1, 2005
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Location
Bedford, VA
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John Deere 2320
I am borrowing my dads stihl 031AV and spent part of last saturday cleaning it up to remove almost 40 yrs worth of built up junk in it..

I took the bar and chain off so a neighbor could sharpen the chain, but I started to wonder if the bar needs to be replaced.. Although the saw doesnt get used a lot, it still could be running the original bar..

how do you tell if the bar needs to be replaced?

Also, the extra chain he gave me is one that has a high chance of kickback (not sure what it is called, but it is NOT a low kickback version).. I assume the chain that is on it is also a high kickback one as well.. Should I just buy 2 new chains or just how dangerous are the high kickback chains for the non-professional user?

thanks

Brian
 
   / Bar replacement and chains.. #2  
Look at the top and bottom of the bar and see if there is any wear on either side of the middle slot. If the wear is not heavy you can use a file to smooth the bar, but make sure that the chain will ride on the sides of the middle slot and not have the chain riding above the sides.

Kickback is caused whrn the tip of the bar contacts the wood and not the flat part of the bar. Low kickback chains help this but don't eliminate it entirely.

Careful use is what you need to concentrate on.
 
   / Bar replacement and chains.. #3  
Good question!

Sometimes the tip roller will wear out (if it has one if not that's reason enough right there upgrade haha) and that's when I change bars or the edges will get so sharp from the chain actually wearing a groove into the bar another good sign.

Side play as well as dull chain will cause the chain to deviate and make wide kerfs in the wood the chain needs to sit fairly tight in the groove that's about what I know some others will come up with better reasons than me I bet.

The biggest thing to watch imo is your drive hub/sprocket on the clutch that's were a lot of people never look for chainsaw maintenance. Keep the tip of the bar away from everything that will help with kickback otherwise pro chains will cut waaay better than homeowner chains get more work done in other words. hth

I was going to add flip the bar also every time you have the chain sharpened etc and the next guy here said it so that is 2 so far for that advice! :)
 
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   / Bar replacement and chains.. #4  
A trick I learned from a tree cutter is to reverse the bar every time the chain is sharpened...

a couple of other points is to make sure the oil ports are clear of gunk etc...

also you can feel if the bar has been worn down...there will be a slight ridge on the inside and outside of the grove...these should be removed with course steel wool or a judicious file...
 
   / Bar replacement and chains.. #5  
Your neighbor should be able to tell if your bar needs replacing.

As far as bars go if you plan on doing much cutting, and ESPECIALLY if you bar is worn or your doing felling and might bend a bar, a replacement B&C from Baileys is about $25.

Be safe - wear PPE. Even anti-kickback chains cut.

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   / Bar replacement and chains.. #6  
I have local Husky and Stihl dealers. I have Husky and Stihl bars on my respective Husky and Stihls.

I have found, IMHO, Stihl is the best chain.

Sprokets are worth checking for wear; no use putting new chain on a worn sproket.

I check the bar to make sure the rails are straight. Also look at the dpeth of the groove for wear.

When in doubt replace it. Nothing worse than wating to do some cutting and having a bar/chain that cuts crooked or handles oddly.
 
   / Bar replacement and chains.. #7  
I also flip my bar at least every other sharpening. As someone else stated you can tell when you need a bar by cut performance and looking closely at your bar edges. Man be safe that was a gruesome cut in the picture above.
 
   / Bar replacement and chains.. #8  
If kick back is a concern you can always pick up a tip guard and put it on. I know everyone hates them but if anyone but me touches my saw it goes on immediately. And yet another vote for flipping the bar at every blade change. I think most manuals recommend it by now. :)7
 
   / Bar replacement and chains.. #9  
Usually the thing that kills my bars first is when it gets pinched and bent. Just look down the end of the bar, and it will be quite obvious if it is bent.
 
   / Bar replacement and chains.. #10  
Another point I've just discovered from another forum is that some neophytes can't figure out which way to put the chain on or tell when it's dull.

I did it once in a rush and was tightening the bolts when I drug the chain to check the tension and noticed it.

If your making sawdust the chain is dull or rakers to high. You should always make chips.

Here's a picture of some from 3 different chains. The lighter colored is fresh cut elm from the stump cut. It was cut with stihl RSK out of the box, which is round ground. The narrower of the other 2 is from oregon CK square ground with the gullets cleaned out but cutter not touched up, the wider is the oregon CKX square ground the way it came out of the box. Both of the square ground chains were run in sassafras that was blown down about 3 weeks ago. All the chains are 3/8s.

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