Stihl ROLLOMATIC E Light Bar?

[tsteahr]

I'll be needing a new bar for my trusty 025C soon. Does anyone have experience with the E Light Bars? The reduced weight is very appealing to me. I don't use the saw often, but when I do it tends to be for 6 hours or more at a time, carrying the saw all over my property doing a little bit of everything (felling, limbing, bucking, pruning). I'm really beat at the end of the day so less weight would be nice.

Are there any drawbacks to the Light bars?

 

[xyz123]

Laminated bars, you will be fine for what your doing. Now you hang it up when a tree is falling you might see the difference in the 1 piece ES and the 3 piece E if it gets bent.

 

[tsteahr]

Laminated bars, you will be fine for what your doing. Now you hang it up when a tree is falling you might see the difference in the 1 piece ES and the 3 piece E if it gets bent.

Ok I can accept that. I'll keep it in mind. I'm generally pretty good about not getting into trouble when dropping a tree. I would expect them to last as long at the 1 piece in terms of wear?

 

[Coyote machine]

I currently own 5 Stihl saws. (See signature). You are probably aware of this but I'll mention it anyway if useful to other readers: flip the bar each time you clean out the saw bar grooves/oil paths so the top side is now the bottom and use two new chains with a new bar and switch them as you flip the bar. This makes the saw's sprocket last longer and the bars and chains too. Also check the bar- whichever one you use/choose at both ends and especially at the butt end where the sprocket is, for pinching or any other deformity of the groove that might restrict the smooth running of the chain through the groove. Any area of the bar that is missing paint and has any blueish color to it is likely pinched or bent as a result of being pinched in a bound up cut in a tree. One can repair a bar but if damaged badly it is best to put it aside for stump or root work with an old chain.
Hope this helps!?

 

[newbury]

I'll be needing a new bar for my trusty 025C soon. Does anyone have experience with the E Light Bars? The reduced weight is very appealing to me. I don't use the saw often, but when I do it tends to be for 6 hours or more at a time, carrying the saw all over my property doing a little bit of everything (felling, limbing, bucking, pruning). I'm really beat at the end of the day so less weight would be nice.

Are there any drawbacks to the Light bars?

How big a bar are you running?
What's the real difference in weights?
I couldn't quickly find any specs on the web. Everyone quotes a % saving, but no actual weights.
My 16" Arbormax bar (not on saw, w/o chain) feels like less than a pound, whereas my 42" bar is probably 5lbs plus.

/edit - finally found 1 reference - a 32" Stihl ES was weighed at 4lb 13oz, a 28" is 4lb 2oz. So if you were running a 32" bar on that 45cc saw you'd save about 2 lbs.

 

[tsteahr]

How big a bar are you running?
What's the real difference in weights?
I couldn't quickly find any specs on the web. Everyone quotes a % saving, but no actual weights.
My 16" Arbormax bar (not on saw, w/o chain) feels like less than a pound, whereas my 42" bar is probably 5lbs.

You bring up a good point. I am using the 16" bar, and I also agree the regular bar is not that heavy. With that in mind, it is interesting to note that Stihl only offers the Rollomatic E Light in three lengths, 12", 14" and 16". At least according to their guide bar page

So I guess a Light bar would save somewhere around a quarter to a third of a pound compared to the regular bar. (Stihl claims 30% and you are probably correct the regular bar is about a pound or less.) The 025c powerhead is claimed to be 10.8lbs. So with a bar and chain installed it might be somewhere around 13lbs. Plus gas, oil and some stuck on woods chips. Figure 0.25lbs saving out of 13lbs+ is about a 2% reduction. Not a lot. I wonder if it would be noticeable?

I guess it will come down to difference in cost. If the Light bar is not that much more I suppose I would try it just to see...

I'm a bit of a weight weenie, my road bicycles weigh about 14lbs. In that sport, people spend big dollars to save grams.

 

[Coyote machine]

I believe but could be way off here, that the light bars and associated chains are for the Pro pruning(arborist saws) like the MS192T etc., thought they list other saws that the combo will fit. 12"-16" bar/chain combos are what is usually used on saws of that size. I just bought one bar for my MS192T and it was twice as much( $70 !! list) and then some from a Oregon bar. I went with the Stihl at $60 discounted down by my supplier, to try it out, and haven't had the chance yet due to rain
I'm all for reduction of weight and better oil pathways on the bar/chain.
Stihl has all the chain with their name on it made to their specs to be most compatible with their bars. That works for me Not cheap- but consistent engineering throughout the saw,bar,chain- IMHO

 

[newbury]

Well, Bailey's lists a 16" Oregon Pro-Lite Chainsaw Bar for Stihl (.325" x .050") for $33.

From the other site "The regular Oregon 32" bar is listed as 4.75 lbs. in Baileys catalog. The RW 32" bar is listed as 3.74 lbs."