I think BBR's point of stand up and buck is use the longest bar you can safely use that allows you to stand straight up the majority of the time. It's to help save your back so you don't end up like him with a blown out back. I'm 5'8" and run a 28in bar and find myself bending, leaning, and kneeling a lot, because the bar isn't long enough. I believe BBR is 5'7" and typically runs a 32, but he and I both will use different length bars depending on the situation. I run as short as a 10in bar sometimes for stupid sticks, when I'm running my wood chipper, but usually prefer the 28. I hate 24s cause I find it awkward and would rather a 20 or 28. I'm in Michigan and mostly cut hardwoods like maple, oak, ash, cherry, and the occasional birch or pine.
As an every day user and woodworker your body is worn out in a decade. Working under cold and wet conditons ruins your body on the long term, espessially the back and knees. This is the sad story of being a professional faller. So you should do everything to get the job done as easy as possible. Try out different things and don't listen to opinion leaders.
I have been a bricklayer for 30 years . Last year, I bought a 592 Husky. I put a 32" bar on it. I can run 2 tanks of gas through that saw and my back does not hurt. I have a 20" bar that is on a smaller husky, and after a half a tank, I can barely walk. Stand up and buck.
Also worth mentioning, the guy who likes to stand up and buck is better at running a saw than the guys I see arguing with him. Theres some talented guys that like short bars, but I dont see them throwing down over it. My takeaway, anyone with enough credibility to actually challenge Buckin', also knows enough that they dont. No disrespect intended, just an observation.
Yup, he can cut no doubt.. but people with less experience and skill try to be and cut like him but they aren't, can't and shouldn't. Especially the no or very little safety gear.
@@InTheWoodyard I will 100% give you that. IMO the long bars are neither here nor there, but that guy does a lot of things that most people have no business attempting.
Chris, lot of people don’t think how much sense you made in this video. Makes so much sense keeping your arms straight for you the 24 inch is perfect for you. I’m 5ft 6. 20 inch bar is my length to use. I like a 24 inch bar for dropping bigger trees. Video was great, thanks for sharing Chris.
Good morning Chris!!😀😀 I was always a 20 inch bar guy just like Kenny. It the right length for me even though I'm 6'2" tall. When we used to selectively first thin red pine plantations. I ran a lot of 50cc saws with 16 inch bars. In my opinion what ever length bar that balances the saw perfectly is the right bar. Nothing worse than a nose heavy saw. Now that they have come out with the light bar's you can get away with an extra 4 inches of bar and still keep the balance compared to a regular bar. Take care my friend!!😀😀💚💚 Logger Al
Al I am a 5-7" geezer of the same era of pulpwood cutters cutting in Kenny's neck of the woods at the time, All time favorite two saw combo for me was the Stihl 044-20" and Stihl 026-16" in pine thinning and Balsam.
While my experience is far less than yours, I have found that your methods are slowly creeping into my routines naturally because I think the way you do it is logical for the most part. I find that a 28” allows me to do nearly everything but I do appreciate my 562XP with a 20” and an 18” on my 545. Good video!
My first saw was a 372 xp then a 592xp I am 5' 10" and I run 24 inch bars. I cut tree service wood once or twice a year to heat my garage. I do it more so as a hobby because I love this type of work. I have learned so much from your channel and style of "fire wooding" if that's a word lol keep doing what you are doing because I have learned alot of what I know from your channel.
20 inch is my go to for most jobs. Easy to handle, compact, powerfull (use it on a 661). If i got big wood ill get the 28 but most of times is 20 inch. Cutting italian hardwoods, oak and locust mostly. Greetings from Italy.
And regarding stand up and buck, that stuff works with softwood or stuff like poplar willow boxelder and so on... On hardwoods you want to have the powerhead near to the wood to have more power in the cut and reduce vibration (try cutting dry locust with low rakers and you will see what i mean)
YES! EXACTLY!! Soft wood is like cutting butter compared to really frozen hard wood like our rock/hard/sugar maple, locust, hickory, beech, iron wood and oak!
Excellent video. Its a breath of fresh air to hear your points. So tired of seeing guys with 32" bars, ported mufflers, huge dogs, dressed like paul bunyon, barber chairing hardwood trees because they saw a youtube celebrity do it that way.
You made some good points. I like a 25 or 28. My truck saw has a 25, makes it handy to reach up to the top of the load sometimes. A crew I used to cut for only ran 372’s with 20” bars, they found what worked best and kept with it.
I grew up running 16” bars and it was 4”-12” wood pretty much all we cut. Now I live in areas with bigger wood I use a 20” bar at 5ft 9” tall. 20” seems perfect for me. I got a 24” bar and cut with it some but I find it’s too long for me. I like my arms stretched and my tip just an inch of the grown. I actually like a 18” bar for cutting 8”-12” wood in a pile. I agree with everything you said in this video. Your always raising the bar on your videos haha
Good explanation for the masses. We are built differently. I being 5'7", short arms. Run a 28 and 24 inch. Prefer to fall trees with a 24" . Limb and buck with a 28". I still use 20" bars on some saws. 550xp, 268. Depends on the task at hand, on which saw or saws go with me. Sometimes I'll take a 2nd bar and chain and only one saw. I don't dog in and rock the bar back and forth either. Cut straight down. Dogs are used as a dull chain override way too often.
I use my tractor and grapple to lift the wood to waist height and I use a 40cc saw with a 18in bar to buck it’s far easier on my shoulders and back than bigger saws, though I have them and they get used. A lot of good points Chris, have a blessed day
I got a 562xp not the mark2, got a good deal from neighbor on it. Came with 28 inch bar and downsized to a lightweight 25 inch bar and made a huge difference in weight imo. Also felt safer using it. Loved your tip about zip ties for measuring your cuts, saved me alot of time. Those abnormally long bars are neat but no way could I cut all day, I'd probably wear out after an hour lol. Thanks again for another great video.
I always interpreted BBR to the point that obviously you don't run around with some 120cc 40" monster 2000-3000$ piece of equipment for even just the smallest of bushes in between a lot of trees & brush etc. Longest bar you can get away with has been the main message I've taken away from him, so you don't detonate your back, most of us have tried that and can confirm. These days is all about working smarter not harder, with that relatively new motto in mind you use the right tool for the job, plain and simple. edit: For what it's worth, my 50cc saw came with 14" and that was good enough for most anything I cut. I landed on a 20" bar so I wouldn't croak over after an hour or two. 100% there are people watching pro's thinking they need 462's, 500i's, etc, with 50" bars or whatever, IMO they're straining the market for people who actually DO rely on such setups for their daily bread.
Good equipment is nice to have and makes work easier. I some one has the money and wants a certain one...go for it. Better, bigger, more expensive equipment is faster, more durable, runs better longer and holds it's value.....so...
@@InTheWoodyard Yeah I heartily recommend anyone needing to get some work done to get a professional saw that will hold value, be reliable, and 30-40 years down the line is still rebuildable on a workbench with factory parts, without a single precision tool/instrument in sight. (and to borrow from you) So... there's that, absolutely, and then there's what you said at 20:40 and 22:10 and other parts of the video. Homeowners turning to CZcams (or you wouldn't have had a successful channel), and what do they see? GoT, BBR etc, using pretty much 70cc powerheads at a minimum, and walk away thinking that's what they need too just to get quality saws. The sensible pro-grade 50cc powerhead, such as HQ 550 & S 261 (what I recommend people get), flies overhead without a single notice.
I love a 24in bar for working a log pile, 20in being the minimum for log piles. Brushing out a tree? Top-handle with a 14in bar. Bucking above the waist, 20in bar. Anything longer fatigues my shoulders fast.
You got that last part right for sure. I typically run a 70cc saw with a 28" bar, I fell my trees in tight bush and buck them where they land. MOST of the time I love that combination, but the day a big tree is sitting above your waist and you have to start lifting on the front handle for long time periods... it becomes a real chore for sure.
Hey there Chris, I totally agree with you on this topic. A 24 inch bar is the perfect size for most guys running a 60cc to 90cc saw for general production firewood cutting. I’m between 5’9” to 5’10” tall so that is the perfect size for me. You hit the nail right on the head sir! Thanks for always putting out awesome videos! GNI
Great video. You made a lot of good points and I find my self doing the same things you do when cutting. I myself I'm about 6ft 4 and for alot of work I like a 24in bar. Depending on the chainsaw size My ms 660 I like a 24 in bar cuts very fast but when you use the 32-36 in bar the saw does not cut as fast so you spend more time cutting wood. On my 372xp I like the 24-28in bar with the c83 chain very smooth cutting . So I guess it if you are cutting fire wood you want a 20-24 in bar because you will not get tired as easy and get more wood cutting done and also it take less time to sharpen a short bar vs a 36 or bigger bar.
If you need firewood and the saw runs and is sharp, it really doesn't matter what size Winter is coming and you need wood. Kenny from Western North Carolina. Enjoy! Enjoy the summer 85 years today
All good points Chris. I have a 24 and 32-inch bar depending on what I have to cut at the moment is what determines what bar I use. I am good enough I can tell when the tip of the bar is just outside and can keep it there.
Ya having different sized bars makes it nice I have a 16 inch 20 inch 2 28 inch bars a 30 inch 32 inch and a 36inch bar but I do alot of cutting with Daniel Atkins so have different size bars make having options nice
I use anywhere from 20 to 28" bars, and I've found that 24 is the best universal bar for me. I only use larger saws when I have to cut very large trees when cutting trees that are 6' or bigger. You are right about getting arm weary using too long of a bar for a long time. At 5'8", limbing is best done with 20 to 24 inchers when the tree is on the ground. I always take several saws with me for a days work and alot of times I'll bring a couple home I can just put back on the shelve. there are those days when I use them all and wish I'd brought more. Hand sharpening a 32" chain on sight is a long process and a lot more work than it is to get it dull sometimes, so shorter is better most of the time.
Personal preference. A balanced saw. I have a 362c that came with 16" bar. Power head was heavier than the bar and saw did not feel right while bucking. Got a 24" bar. Balanced and buck standing. Blue ball has a 36" bar. Bar is heavier, but I use that saw for planking.
I mainly use a 16” bar on my firewood saws. I have 3 set up like that. I cut in a pile a lot it keeps me from cutting into other logs and helps with kickbacks in that situation. Plus less teeth to sharpen I have bigger saws to fell trees 24 26 and 36 inch bars. But just cutting firewood you can cut all of it with a 16” bar. Anything bigger than that goes on the sawmill if it’s a good log. Peace
I'm 6ft and prefer my 24 inch bar on my 60cc saw(555). My 70cc saw (holtzforma 372XP) has a 28 inch bar which I enjoy too but is too heavy for prolonged use. I fall and buck my trees from the national forest in Washington so primarily douglas fir. It is a lot of work as you know so the weight advantage is important. I do like the 28 inch bar for falling trees as you don't have to go back and forth from side to side on the butt of a big fir when trying to wedge it over.
In my younger years; when I was cutting firewood; I carried four Stihls; a 24" 041 Super, 30" 051, 48" 075, and a little 14" 020 AVP. The only problem I remember remember; was the 051 developed an oiling issue. The dealer told me that the pickup tube was collapsing. The factory remedy was to insert a spring inside the tube; which prevented it from doing so. My favorite saw was that 051. Light and quiet; comparatively. I rarely used my 60" 090.
@InTheWoodyard There was a big oak by the side of one of his barns that he wanted down. I didn't think it was hurting anything; so I dragged my feet for a week or so. Finally he said to me; "If you don't cut it down; I'm going to give it to someone else." So I reluctantly cut it down with my 075. I started counting the rings; and when I got to 105 or so; tears started rolling down my cheeks and I went home for the day. I am NOT a tree hugger! I understand land clearing. But to cut down that majestic oak that wasn't in the way of anything; upset me.
Great video I’m fixing to buy a new saw was gonna get a36” bar now I’m going to get a 25” bar and a 28” bar if I would ever need it best video I have seen in a long time
I usually use a 20 inch bar on a 60 cc saw but I lift the logs with the forks on my tractor so I don't have to bend over. I have a bad back and that works best for me. It may take more time but I can cut a lot longer and feel a lot better when I'm done. I put on a 24 inch bar for bigger logs. And I use a top handle 35cc saw with a 12 inch bar for limbing anything under 6 or 8 inches. I like using shorter bars since I lift the logs up. I feel like it cuts faster and is easier to use.
I also cut everything up using my forks. I added a third fork so that the log stays on the forks until I make the last cut. The outside forks all the way out then another fork set just offset of the center. Make the last cut between those 2 narrower forks that way you never have to cut on the ground. In my opinion it is much faster cutting on the forks, I also push the rounds up into a pile beside my splitter so saves time there too.
Good content. Good advice. Real talk. One thing I’d note is that if you are taller (I’m 6’3”.) the difference of just an inch or two too short impacts the back a lot more. You mentioned height. But, I think it compounds more, the taller you are. For me, a bar that is an inch or two too short means about 90 minutes and I’m done. An inch or two too long or the right size, and I’m good for 4+ hours. Like I said, good advice! Thanks!
I hear you bigger is not always better.I use a 24 and a 18 inch when I am cutting rounds.I do use 28 and 36 inch sometimes on bigger stuff.I run a 550xp and 572xp most of the time .I sometimes have to use my 395xp. And you are spot on about using a sharp chain and the right size saw and bar for the best job
Pretty much! Yup, they like to add a little bit even though a oregon, husqvarna or echo 24" are exactly the same length as a stihl 25". Kinda like a kid standing on his tipy toes while being measured.
I agree with everything you said. I am 71 and 5'5 and for me using a 20 and 18 inch bar for 40 plus years, in the past 3 to 4 years I switched to 24 and 28 inch bar. And actually I use the 28 inch bar as much as the 24 and i live in central Pa. all hard wood. And I do take 4 saws to the woods with me and if I know what I'm cutting will determine weather I take more 24 or 28 inch bars. I have 6 saws with 24 and 6 with 28. I don't know if you noticed but I get less kick back with 24 and 28 inch bars than the 20 and 18. My opinion. great video And I did ask the dealers and they said they are selling more 24 and 28 bars than 20 years ago.
Chris, I have a 25 and 20 bars. I like the 20-in bar best because the saw is lighter. I am about 5 foot 10 and a few years older than you. I can cut pretty much anything in North Florida with both bars.
Hey all! It also all boils down to personal preference and comfort, right? :) I'm 5' 9" and I like my 28 inch bar on a 572. It feels good to me with the trees I cut, but I'm looking to switch to a 'light' bar someday to get a slightly better balance. Maybe some people prefer to have lots of chainsaws, and I get it, but I only got what I have for now and changing the muffler gets you a cooler engine while being more gentle on your saw, albeit with more noise... Thank you for this vid Chris, very enjoyable!
Chris...as always your opinions are backed with real world experience. Betewwn Kenny and you you probably have well over ten thousand full cords on the ground limbed and bucked. The idea of a long bar does not consider the fact it takes much longer to sharpen the chain. Being longer there is more friction between the chain and bar so there is a loss of HP and therefore chain speed. There is a reason most fallers that are well-respected on CZcams use 24" bars and a 372/461 70-76cc saw. Saw and bar size make all the difference in the world in how much cutting gets done!
Excellent video on demonstrating, Coach. I have 3 chainsaws. 14"/ 20"/ 24" bar. I mostly buck up logs for splitting. These sizes have been good for me. (5'9")
G’morning Chris. 20” for my 50cc. 24” for my 73cc. 5 chains with me for each saw. Rinse and repeat. Thanks for everything you do, just for my enjoyment. GoodNightIrene
Same here, 20" 50cc, 24" 60. Maybe 22" would be goldilocks, who knows? I keep the 28" bar as a backup or for felling, but like said a pain snaking through the brush or clearing saplings while standing up is more susseptible to throwing a loosened chain...
We have a bunch saws for various tasks. The one that sees the most use is an 80cc saw with a 25 inch bar. It came with a 32 inch bar that I immediately swapped out for a 25 inch bar. The 32 inch bar hangs on the wall with an extra chain just in case, but so far, it has never been needed.
Everyone likes different things. I prefer the stand up in buck. Thats just me. I cut firewood so its what works for me. Im in the pnw and there is no level ground to cut so sittin or kneelin isnt ideal... and i run Stihl and cut dead standing doug fir, and tamarack.
Hello! I completly agree to You! Thank You for the video! I'm almost 6ft and prefere the 24" bars. Only for limbing spruces in steeper terrain a 20" bar on a 50 or 60cc saw is better to maneuver. Best wishes from Austria, Wolfgang.
Great chain bar length tutorial!!! I am going to try a 24 inch bar. I have a 20 inch on saw, back gets sore all the time. I am 6ft 1inch tall. Thanks for the video!
I’m not a prosessional but I’ve seen some of these ”long bar bucking” videos. I think your idea of standing straight when bucking is good and having just long enough bar, but not too long. I have a bad back and bending down or going on knee level is not comfortable for me. I like when the saw has a good balance meaning not too much nose heavy. We have some saws and the one I’ve used the most has only 14 inch bar. I upgraded the bar from 12 inch 1,3 mm to 14 inch 1,1 mm. Yeah, not much of a saw, but it is quite light. We use our saws to make firewood for our own use and we make the logs about 12 feet long or less and bring them to our yard with some machines we have. We lift them to a sawhorse. For lifting we have a small loader that is able to lift 1500 lbs. You know the rest. BTW I am 6’4”. But here is the thing. I live in north Europe. We have mostly pine, spruce and birch. They probably are not excatly the same as what you have but you perhaps call with those namse. I have commented some local CZcams videos about why not using longer bars when these professional guys limb and buck trees for firewood. Trees are customers’ and sometimes the customers want them to be limbed and bucked to 1 to 2 feet long. Trees just felled and lying on the ground. These gyus very rately use bars which are over 20 inches when they fall the tree. The use 17 to 20 inches usually. They have larger saws with bars up to 30 inches for very big trees, but they use those very rarely. But when they limb and buck these trees they very often take a smaller saw that has maybe 2 to 4 inches shorter bar than what they used to fall the tree. They comment that it is much easier to handle and faster than extra long bars which in their minds are 24 and above. One reason might be they are much younger and in better shape than I. I understand that it is much easier for a non-professional person to fell a tree when the bar is longer than the diameter of the tree. You can very easily check where the bar is going especially when doing the back cut. With the front cut you can play and jump around the tree because it is not going anywhere. But with the back cut you may go too far and you can not undo it. Anyway I have to say that, even your trees are larger, I think it goes with the saws the same way as it was with the cars. ”Nothing can replace cubic inches”. :D Thanks for the good and mind opening video.
Nice Info Chris Height 5'9" Bars 12 16 20 24 I cut kneeling as much as possible. I use the dogs or pawls as much as possible. Bar length depends on the size of the round. plus 2 inches. I have cut 48 rounds where I used the 24 inch bar, rotating the round..
It's one thing to run a big saw blocking fire wood. Go run that 60 plus cc saw and long bar when cutting a red cedar. Especially the small fence post and stave size trees. A 40 cc saw and 16 inch bar will win. Spend all day lifting it to limb so you can then go to your knees to cut off at ground. For that my fav is the tiny echo 310 weighs in at about 10 pounds and cut a small tree the same speed as a 590. For big oak I do use the 590 and 24 inch bar yet catch myself grabbing the 400 to block the limbs
Great vid Chris, ty very much for the upload. _72cc power, a 24 inch bar and the type of logs you do is a sweet match._ I found a fairly reliable comparison with 20 and 28 inch bars + chains being swapped between an MS 400 and 462, so chain was controlled and the cookie cuts were almost straight through by a consistent cutter. _(Timber and Tools - "MS 400 review, test cuts against MS462" on YT)_ *Interestingly:* With a 20 inch bar a MS 400 basically performs as well as a 462 in logs up to about 16 inches. *And as expected:* With 28 inch bars the half a kilo watt extra power in the 462 makes it significantly faster than the 400. The vid/test referenced, is just at and below your current 72cc power with a 24 inch bar sweet spot. _A general point:_ *If* someone is a 20 inch bar user cutting mostly lower diameter logs *then* a MS 400 is will perform as well as a 462 in lower diameter wood _(up to about a foot)_ and almost as well in 16 inch logs. My next saw (in a year or two) will most likely be a MS 400. I would love to see you using a 400 with 22 and 24 inch bars on a variety of lower diameter logs some time in the future. It would give you an excuse to do a few tanks of cutting while giving the poor over worked processor a rest. And an excuse to invite Tony or someone, over for a loan of their 400 and a BBQ or some such. Cheers sincerely d
I lift big logs up on to my sawbuck with my tractor forks and cut with my 20 inch bar. Zero bending. But time isn't money for me so I get why you want the right bar for wherever the log lies.
The Echo you have is interchangeable but the most common larger Echo 620/590 need some simple adapters to properly use the Husky Large Mount. Like your 7310 by the way and will be running your old 572XP at some point as the person that bought it from you is a friend of mine.
I yuse to cut a lot of red oak and eculiptus and they usually were 50” in diameter at the base I was useing a stihl ms 880 with a 36inch and 48 inch bar I use to cross cut my wood and not use a splitter and with that 880 with a 36 inch bar on it I could reach all the way through the log and that 880 of mine was higher rpm and more faster than my 20 inch and ms 260 that I had I also noticed that when I got into pine then my 880 was excellent for pines also I did a lot of cleaning up of trees that fell over in peoples yards and across roads and that they just wanted the tree removed I did a lot of my logging in California and that’s fallbrook California I also worked out on a avocado ranch and that’s when a 20 inch or 16 inch was good and I also use to run 28 inch bars on my stihl ms 390 that I had I even had a ms 650 with a 36 inch bar the bigger saw it seems like to me cut a whole lot faster than the medium saws do
IMO a 50cc saw with a shorter bar has its advantages, and a bigger saw with a longer bar also has its advantages. Within the scope of what I do I cant see the point of a big saw with a short bar though. I mostly use 28" bars, just because I work on snowshoes lots. With a shorter bar I'm always off balance and reaching to keep the cuts safely away from the snowshoes. Other than that I think I would like a 24", but dont think its worth de-standardising over.
Excellent video! I just got a new saw and had to think about all of this. I’m 6’3” and went with a 28” bar. More Stihl dealers near me so had to get the brand you make fun of…..
I'm 6' tall and use the 24" and 25" bars and it's the right size for me. I do use an excavator though to pick the logs up waist height so I don't have to bend over.
For me it's gotta be a 20" bar & 60/70cc motor because I am only 5ft 4", I can get away with a 24" bar but its not optimal. My current go to saw for everyday use is a Stihl ms400 with 20" light bar and RS chain. My back up saw is a husky 455 rancher with 18" bar. I also run a borrowed Jonsered 670 champ with a 24" bar when needed (rarely).
I'm 5'9" and use a ms311 with 20 inch bar, it seems a little short for me, I think I'll go to a 24 in. And see if it is better. Thank you the video was awesome.
Probably a hill side is best use of unusual long bars. Tree has to be fallen sideways so the only place to cut is a place where theres dirt to stand on. Probably the reason the spring board was made. To be able to cut on a tree where theres no dirt to stand on. . Allways a blast to have over 100 feet of tree clear span out in the brush, happens more then you would think. Being able to buck the tree in to logs without pulled wood is key. As big sawmills will dock for pulled wood. Nobody cares what size bar you use to get the job done, just dont have pulled wood on the end of the log. Say a hole load went in with pulled wood on each end, they would dock nearly 20% value of what your paid. Your handed a cut list, and you cut and slice the tree according to what it says pays the most as your usually paid on a % of each load. Your just expected to use the right tool for the job. . I run everything from a little dolmar thats. Had ((way to many)) sugar cubes 50cc. With a 24" . To a 1995, 394-and a half. As some parts for a 394 are definitely harder to get. Its been replaced with a 58mm piston. Ether a 105 or 119 drive link on it. 95 drive link for .404 . The only other thing i can think of from a safety standpoint. Is like running a lathe, no one sits down to run a lathe. The ability to be on your feet and move to safety is no small thing. But still the right sized bar is important. . Ill shut up now, before a right a hole book..
Yup, you guys who cut big trees DO need loner bars for sure. I have seen guys cutting firewood from trees on the ground with 36-42" bars on 6-8" stuff. That is a lot of bar to hoist and cut a little piece of firewood!
@@InTheWoodyard LOL, yea thats excessive. Sorta like jacking a truck up, to the point it needs headlights below the bumper to be legal on a public road. . I do most firewood with a 28" As a average size of wood is around 26" I do run one saw with a 8T and 28" largely use it in the alder. Safer to out cut the barber chair. As it barbers SUPER DUPER BAD!! as it commonly grows at a 5 to 30 degree angle. . Sadly, Definitely a tree thats taken peoples lives i know. . Anyone thats reading this, please if you dont have experience with a tree. Dont be afraid to go ask someone how to deal with it. it very well could be a life and limb situation, that can be completely avoided.
Whoa whoa whoa. There’s no need for limiting bar length, just like limiting the amount of firearms one should own, a guy should have multiple length bars from 16” to 32” to choose from. More saws is always better. God Bless America. 😊
5-7" all around cutting 70cc saw and 20-24" bar, pulp wood cutting 70cc- 20", firewood 70cc-24", firewood 90cc-24", trail clearing 50cc-16", tree service work 70-90cc-24-28" , 088 stumping saw with 42" gets used once or twice a year for city trees. Beyond typical firewood feeling techniques window cut, fan cuts, makes felling cuts over double bar length possible.
i m 56 and i use the kneel down method or I pick up the log with the tractor and buck standing up. It will kill your back bending over and working the dogs hard. Let the saw do the work . Rest your saws and yourself, getting tired while operating saws can be dangerous. bucking Billy ray can buck standing using the tip because he is an expert at sharpening. I also think the length of bar should match the power of the saw. I think a 30 inch bar is the smallest bar I like to put on my Stihl 660, because it matches the power of the saw. 70cc needs 24inch bar at least or else you are wasting fuel and not using the torque the saw has.
I am but an amateur, I have only been cutting 200 full cords of firewood a year by hand to sell for about 10 years and before that I only cut about 10 cords a year for 40 years for my own use.
Great video. Lots of common sense. I use a Stihl 440 (70cc) with a 20 inch bar. (I am a similar height to you.) I have wondered for a while if a 25" (24") would be better. Perhaps.
If the end of the logs on that pile were lined up, One pass with the 5 Ft bar would yield a whole lot of pieces. HAHAHAHAH 28" is ideal for me.. Thanks Chris.
Great video, I personally believe you contradicted yourself 😂 "I don't agree with stand up and buck," then prove that you don't want to be bent over all day cutting. Why did you even have to mention the other channel? But it's a free country so do what you want. Now I run a tree service in Tennessee, we get red oak, maple, hickory, walnut, sweet gum all day every day hard wood, heavy wood, I'm 5 10 and a 28 in bar works perfectly for me easier on my back, if I run a 20 all day my back is killing me. Stay safe, and God bless
The one thing I think you missed a little is stand off distance with a longer bar. Even in a firewood pile you have stuff fall off and hit your shins. I have a 24 inch bar on a 500i. At 6'2". I would like to try a longer bar. I'm no where near the ground with a 24. Stubby arms even though I'm tall. No experience yet with a longer bar. The 24 has shown me I def want to go longer. I hit the ground with 20s and 18s way more often than I have with that 24. I keep an 18 inch husky 350 with me for stuff over my head. Other wise the power of that 500 has me picking it up. I can fell a tree, delimb and buck in no time. I knocked out a huge pile of red oak logs into rounds for firewood the other day in less than a tank of gas. 1 to 1 and a half cords I'd say. I wanted that long bar by the end though. Buckin would say learn your tip 😂. But after trying the longer ones I might be back on the 24. 🤷
I'm 5'11 and I like running a 28. IMO hitting the ground is a non-issue, until you get used to it just watch the tip go down the back side of the log to the desired height, then draw it straight through to the front. Neither do I think reaching the ground is vital. For me, the wood is either a bit off the ground or I'm rolling the log over to finish the cut. I too tag a short bar more often than a longer one.
I'm the person that takes 2 saws along for a different reason, like who cares what the second one is, just so it runs. Murphy's law loves to haunt me, if there's a way to pinch the saw I will find it including the second saw. Needless to say calling the tree a stupid son of a female dog doesn't help either lol. I run a Jonsered 2159C with an 18" bar, going to a 20" I lose about 1000rpm and have a lot more kick backs that trip the safety lock. Would love to see the difference in time when cutting those cookies if you took the same head and shortened the bars like from the 24" to a 20" and 18". I can already hear a screaming Eagle with an 18" bar
I think BBR's point of stand up and buck is use the longest bar you can safely use that allows you to stand straight up the majority of the time. It's to help save your back so you don't end up like him with a blown out back. I'm 5'8" and run a 28in bar and find myself bending, leaning, and kneeling a lot, because the bar isn't long enough. I believe BBR is 5'7" and typically runs a 32, but he and I both will use different length bars depending on the situation. I run as short as a 10in bar sometimes for stupid sticks, when I'm running my wood chipper, but usually prefer the 28. I hate 24s cause I find it awkward and would rather a 20 or 28. I'm in Michigan and mostly cut hardwoods like maple, oak, ash, cherry, and the occasional birch or pine.
That all makes sense...use what you like and works for you.
As an every day user and woodworker your body is worn out in a decade. Working under cold and wet conditons ruins your body on the long term, espessially the back and knees. This is the sad story of being a professional faller. So you should do everything to get the job done as easy as possible. Try out different things and don't listen to opinion leaders.
I have been a bricklayer for 30 years . Last year, I bought a 592 Husky. I put a 32" bar on it. I can run 2 tanks of gas through that saw and my back does not hurt. I have a 20" bar that is on a smaller husky, and after a half a tank, I can barely walk. Stand up and buck.
Nice!
Also worth mentioning, the guy who likes to stand up and buck is better at running a saw than the guys I see arguing with him. Theres some talented guys that like short bars, but I dont see them throwing down over it. My takeaway, anyone with enough credibility to actually challenge Buckin', also knows enough that they dont. No disrespect intended, just an observation.
Yup, he can cut no doubt.. but people with less experience and skill try to be and cut like him but they aren't, can't and shouldn't. Especially the no or very little safety gear.
@@InTheWoodyard I will 100% give you that. IMO the long bars are neither here nor there, but that guy does a lot of things that most people have no business attempting.
Ive found at 72 a 20 inch bar is optimum for me!! Weight of bar/saw is whats best for each person. Stay Hydrated and Have a Safe Day
Yup..keep cuttin'!
Chris, lot of people don’t think how much sense you made in this video. Makes so much sense keeping your arms straight for you the 24 inch is perfect for you. I’m 5ft 6. 20 inch bar is my length to use. I like a 24 inch bar for dropping bigger trees. Video was great, thanks for sharing Chris.
Thanks!
Good morning Chris!!😀😀
I was always a 20 inch bar guy just like Kenny. It the right length for me even though I'm 6'2" tall. When we used to selectively first thin red pine plantations. I ran a lot of 50cc saws with 16 inch bars.
In my opinion what ever length bar that balances the saw perfectly is the right bar. Nothing worse than a nose heavy saw. Now that they have come out with the light bar's you can get away with an extra 4 inches of bar and still keep the balance compared to a regular bar.
Take care my friend!!😀😀💚💚
Logger Al
Yup,. that all makes sense...most people do not have 1% of woods work time, skill or knowledge that you have...they should listen.
Al I am a 5-7" geezer of the same era of pulpwood cutters cutting in Kenny's neck of the woods at the time, All time favorite two saw combo for me was the Stihl 044-20" and Stihl 026-16" in pine thinning and Balsam.
While my experience is far less than yours, I have found that your methods are slowly creeping into my routines naturally because I think the way you do it is logical for the most part. I find that a 28” allows me to do nearly everything but I do appreciate my 562XP with a 20” and an 18” on my 545. Good video!
That sounds great...keep cuttin!!
@@InTheWoodyard be safe sir!
My first saw was a 372 xp then a 592xp I am 5' 10" and I run 24 inch bars. I cut tree service wood once or twice a year to heat my garage. I do it more so as a hobby because I love this type of work. I have learned so much from your channel and style of "fire wooding" if that's a word lol keep doing what you are doing because I have learned alot of what I know from your channel.
Yessir a big part of us did,I knew very basic ,but started a second business primarily off this channel,good stuff
Thanks.
Thanks for sharing...keep cuttin'!
20 inch is my go to for most jobs. Easy to handle, compact, powerfull (use it on a 661). If i got big wood ill get the 28 but most of times is 20 inch. Cutting italian hardwoods, oak and locust mostly. Greetings from Italy.
And regarding stand up and buck, that stuff works with softwood or stuff like poplar willow boxelder and so on... On hardwoods you want to have the powerhead near to the wood to have more power in the cut and reduce vibration (try cutting dry locust with low rakers and you will see what i mean)
Yes, short bars on big saws will get it done right now! Thanks for watching from across the pond!
YES! EXACTLY!! Soft wood is like cutting butter compared to really frozen hard wood like our rock/hard/sugar maple, locust, hickory, beech, iron wood and oak!
Excellent video. Its a breath of fresh air to hear your points. So tired of seeing guys with 32" bars, ported mufflers, huge dogs, dressed like paul bunyon, barber chairing hardwood trees because they saw a youtube celebrity do it that way.
Yup, lots of fun stuff on the tube! Thanks for watching!
You made some good points. I like a 25 or 28. My truck saw has a 25, makes it handy to reach up to the top of the load sometimes. A crew I used to cut for only ran 372’s with 20” bars, they found what worked best and kept with it.
Yup....if it works well for you that is what matters.
I grew up running 16” bars and it was 4”-12” wood pretty much all we cut. Now I live in areas with bigger wood I use a 20” bar at 5ft 9” tall. 20” seems perfect for me. I got a 24” bar and cut with it some but I find it’s too long for me. I like my arms stretched and my tip just an inch of the grown. I actually like a 18” bar for cutting 8”-12” wood in a pile. I agree with everything you said in this video. Your always raising the bar on your videos haha
Thanks for watching!
Interesting subject! Thanks for addressing this. I have not seen many vids on this subject. A true firewood "coach"man
Glad you enjoyed it!
I'm about 5'11 and a 28" bar is definitely pushing it for me even for bucking logs on the ground
Yup.
Good explanation for the masses. We are built differently. I being 5'7", short arms. Run a 28 and 24 inch. Prefer to fall trees with a 24" . Limb and buck with a 28". I still use 20" bars on some saws. 550xp, 268. Depends on the task at hand, on which saw or saws go with me.
Sometimes I'll take a 2nd bar and chain and only one saw. I don't dog in and rock the bar back and forth either. Cut straight down. Dogs are used as a dull chain override way too often.
All good point my good man!
I use my tractor and grapple to lift the wood to waist height and I use a 40cc saw with a 18in bar to buck it’s far easier on my shoulders and back than bigger saws, though I have them and they get used. A lot of good points Chris, have a blessed day
Right on! Keep cuttin'!
I got a 562xp not the mark2, got a good deal from neighbor on it. Came with 28 inch bar and downsized to a lightweight 25 inch bar and made a huge difference in weight imo. Also felt safer using it. Loved your tip about zip ties for measuring your cuts, saved me alot of time. Those abnormally long bars are neat but no way could I cut all day, I'd probably wear out after an hour lol. Thanks again for another great video.
Yup, long bars will wear you out abynormally fast.
I always interpreted BBR to the point that obviously you don't run around with some 120cc 40" monster 2000-3000$ piece of equipment for even just the smallest of bushes in between a lot of trees & brush etc.
Longest bar you can get away with has been the main message I've taken away from him, so you don't detonate your back, most of us have tried that and can confirm.
These days is all about working smarter not harder, with that relatively new motto in mind you use the right tool for the job, plain and simple.
edit: For what it's worth, my 50cc saw came with 14" and that was good enough for most anything I cut.
I landed on a 20" bar so I wouldn't croak over after an hour or two.
100% there are people watching pro's thinking they need 462's, 500i's, etc, with 50" bars or whatever, IMO they're straining the market for people who actually DO rely on such setups for their daily bread.
Good equipment is nice to have and makes work easier. I some one has the money and wants a certain one...go for it. Better, bigger, more expensive equipment is faster, more durable, runs better longer and holds it's value.....so...
@@InTheWoodyard Yeah I heartily recommend anyone needing to get some work done to get a professional saw that will hold value, be reliable, and 30-40 years down the line is still rebuildable on a workbench with factory parts, without a single precision tool/instrument in sight.
(and to borrow from you) So... there's that, absolutely, and then there's what you said at 20:40 and 22:10 and other parts of the video.
Homeowners turning to CZcams (or you wouldn't have had a successful channel), and what do they see? GoT, BBR etc, using pretty much 70cc powerheads at a minimum, and walk away thinking that's what they need too just to get quality saws.
The sensible pro-grade 50cc powerhead, such as HQ 550 & S 261 (what I recommend people get), flies overhead without a single notice.
Free hand board milling, 36" is my favourite, but 28" is my multi-purpose bar
Nice!
I love a 24in bar for working a log pile, 20in being the minimum for log piles. Brushing out a tree? Top-handle with a 14in bar. Bucking above the waist, 20in bar. Anything longer fatigues my shoulders fast.
Yup, cuttin' brush and a long bar is a good recipe for injury too.
You got that last part right for sure. I typically run a 70cc saw with a 28" bar, I fell my trees in tight bush and buck them where they land. MOST of the time I love that combination, but the day a big tree is sitting above your waist and you have to start lifting on the front handle for long time periods... it becomes a real chore for sure.
Hey there Chris, I totally agree with you on this topic. A 24 inch bar is the perfect size for most guys running a 60cc to 90cc saw for general production firewood cutting. I’m between 5’9” to 5’10” tall so that is the perfect size for me. You hit the nail right on the head sir! Thanks for always putting out awesome videos! GNI
Thanks for sharing!
Great video. You made a lot of good points and I find my self doing the same things you do when cutting. I myself I'm about 6ft 4 and for alot of work I like a 24in bar. Depending on the chainsaw size My ms 660 I like a 24 in bar cuts very fast but when you use the 32-36 in bar the saw does not cut as fast so you spend more time cutting wood. On my 372xp I like the 24-28in bar with the c83 chain very smooth cutting . So I guess it if you are cutting fire wood you want a 20-24 in bar because you will not get tired as easy and get more wood cutting done and also it take less time to sharpen a short bar vs a 36 or bigger bar.
Yes, good points my good man!
If you need firewood and the saw runs and is sharp, it really doesn't matter what size Winter is coming and you need wood. Kenny from Western North Carolina. Enjoy! Enjoy the summer 85 years today
Happy Birthday Kenny!
All good points Chris.
I have a 24 and 32-inch bar depending on what I have to cut at the moment is what determines what bar I use.
I am good enough I can tell when the tip of the bar is just outside and can keep it there.
Exactly! You do cut some pretty big stuff too..big wood out there.
Ya having different sized bars makes it nice I have a 16 inch 20 inch 2 28 inch bars a 30 inch 32 inch and a 36inch bar but I do alot of cutting with Daniel Atkins so have different size bars make having options nice
I use anywhere from 20 to 28" bars, and I've found that 24 is the best universal bar for me. I only use larger saws when I have to cut very large trees when cutting trees that are 6' or bigger. You are right about getting arm weary using too long of a bar for a long time. At 5'8", limbing is best done with 20 to 24 inchers when the tree is on the ground. I always take several saws with me for a days work and alot of times I'll bring a couple home I can just put back on the shelve. there are those days when I use them all and wish I'd brought more. Hand sharpening a 32" chain on sight is a long process and a lot more work than it is to get it dull sometimes, so shorter is better most of the time.
Yup, sounds good to me...keep cuttin'!
Personal preference. A balanced saw. I have a 362c that came with 16" bar. Power head was heavier than the bar and saw did not feel right while bucking. Got a 24" bar. Balanced and buck standing.
Blue ball has a 36" bar. Bar is heavier, but I use that saw for planking.
Yup, sounds about right...keep cuttin'!
Very good info your giving everyone!!! Fit the job to the person your body will appreciate it!! I've been running 20" bars but I wanna try 24" now
Try one you might like it or maybe a 20" is best??
I mainly use a 16” bar on my firewood saws. I have 3 set up like that. I cut in a pile a lot it keeps me from cutting into other logs and helps with kickbacks in that situation. Plus less teeth to sharpen I have bigger saws to fell trees 24 26 and 36 inch bars. But just cutting firewood you can cut all of it with a 16” bar. Anything bigger than that goes on the sawmill if it’s a good log. Peace
Thanks for the info!
I'm 6ft and prefer my 24 inch bar on my 60cc saw(555). My 70cc saw (holtzforma 372XP) has a 28 inch bar which I enjoy too but is too heavy for prolonged use. I fall and buck my trees from the national forest in Washington so primarily douglas fir. It is a lot of work as you know so the weight advantage is important. I do like the 28 inch bar for falling trees as you don't have to go back and forth from side to side on the butt of a big fir when trying to wedge it over.
Yup, out there trees do get big!
In my younger years; when I was cutting firewood; I carried four Stihls; a 24" 041 Super, 30" 051, 48" 075, and a little 14" 020 AVP.
The only problem I remember remember; was the 051 developed an oiling issue. The dealer told me that the pickup tube was collapsing.
The factory remedy was to insert a spring inside the tube; which prevented it from doing so.
My favorite saw was that 051. Light and quiet; comparatively. I rarely used my 60" 090.
You must be on the west coast??
@@InTheWoodyard Beloit Wisconsin. Big oak trees in an old woodlot in a farmer's field that he wanted cleared.
@InTheWoodyard There was a big oak by the side of one of his barns that he wanted down. I didn't think it was hurting anything; so I dragged my feet for a week or so.
Finally he said to me; "If you don't cut it down; I'm going to give it to someone else." So I reluctantly cut it down with my 075.
I started counting the rings; and when I got to 105 or so; tears started rolling down my cheeks and I went home for the day.
I am NOT a tree hugger! I understand land clearing. But to cut down that majestic oak that wasn't in the way of anything; upset me.
Great video I’m fixing to buy a new saw was gonna get a36” bar now I’m going to get a 25” bar and a 28” bar if I would ever need it best video I have seen in a long time
Try a few of them and find out what fits you best.
I usually use a 20 inch bar on a 60 cc saw but I lift the logs with the forks on my tractor so I don't have to bend over. I have a bad back and that works best for me. It may take more time but I can cut a lot longer and feel a lot better when I'm done. I put on a 24 inch bar for bigger logs. And I use a top handle 35cc saw with a 12 inch bar for limbing anything under 6 or 8 inches. I like using shorter bars since I lift the logs up. I feel like it cuts faster and is easier to use.
That all makes great sense to me...keep cuttin'!
I also cut everything up using my forks. I added a third fork so that the log stays on the forks until I make the last cut. The outside forks all the way out then another fork set just offset of the center. Make the last cut between those 2 narrower forks that way you never have to cut on the ground. In my opinion it is much faster cutting on the forks, I also push the rounds up into a pile beside my splitter so saves time there too.
Good content. Good advice. Real talk. One thing I’d note is that if you are taller (I’m 6’3”.) the difference of just an inch or two too short impacts the back a lot more. You mentioned height. But, I think it compounds more, the taller you are. For me, a bar that is an inch or two too short means about 90 minutes and I’m done. An inch or two too long or the right size, and I’m good for 4+ hours. Like I said, good advice! Thanks!
Yup, that makes sense to me! Keep cuttin'!
I hear you bigger is not always better.I use a 24 and a 18 inch when I am cutting rounds.I do use 28 and 36 inch sometimes on bigger stuff.I run a 550xp and 572xp most of the time .I sometimes have to use my 395xp. And you are spot on about using a sharp chain and the right size saw and bar for the best job
Thanks ..keep cuttin!
Stihl measures bars like you measure a cats tail. Starting at the b-hole. 😽
Pretty much! Yup, they like to add a little bit even though a oregon, husqvarna or echo 24" are exactly the same length as a stihl 25". Kinda like a kid standing on his tipy toes while being measured.
I agree with everything you said. I am 71 and 5'5 and for me using a 20 and 18 inch bar for 40 plus years, in the past 3 to 4 years I switched to 24 and 28 inch bar. And actually I use the 28 inch bar as much as the 24 and i live in central Pa. all hard wood. And I do take 4 saws to the woods with me and if I know what I'm cutting will determine weather I take more 24 or 28 inch bars. I have 6 saws with 24 and 6 with 28. I don't know if you noticed but I get less kick back with 24 and 28 inch bars than the 20 and 18. My opinion. great video And I did ask the dealers and they said they are selling more 24 and 28 bars than 20 years ago.
Yup, the right tool for the job!
Chris, I have a 25 and 20 bars. I like the 20-in bar best because the saw is lighter. I am about 5 foot 10 and a few years older than you. I can cut pretty much anything in North Florida with both bars.
Yup, sounds great...keep cuttin'!
Hey all! It also all boils down to personal preference and comfort, right? :)
I'm 5' 9" and I like my 28 inch bar on a 572. It feels good to me with the trees I cut, but I'm looking to switch to a 'light' bar someday to get a slightly better balance.
Maybe some people prefer to have lots of chainsaws, and I get it, but I only got what I have for now and changing the muffler gets you a cooler engine while being more gentle on your saw, albeit with more noise...
Thank you for this vid Chris, very enjoyable!
Sounds great...keep cuttin'!!
I have a 20" on my Stihl 044 and love it for balance.
It is the perfect size for that saw. I ran 044 Stihl saws for several years with 20 inch bars. Balance is perfect.
Yup, sounds good!
nice
Being 6' 3" a 28" works best.
24" is my back up.
20" is my 3rd choice.
Yup, I can see why too, you have 5" over me and 4 more bar inches make a lot of sense!
Chris...as always your opinions are backed with real world experience. Betewwn Kenny and you you probably have well over ten thousand full cords on the ground limbed and bucked. The idea of a long bar does not consider the fact it takes much longer to sharpen the chain. Being longer there is more friction between the chain and bar so there is a loss of HP and therefore chain speed. There is a reason most fallers that are well-respected on CZcams use 24" bars and a 372/461 70-76cc saw. Saw and bar size make all the difference in the world in how much cutting gets done!
Yup.
I think the 60in bar is the way to go if you want to take a nap sooner. Longer bars have more of a tendency to throw the chain.
I am 6’ tall. I use a 24” bar most of the time. I do have a 20” and a 27” but use 24” bar 85% of 5e time.
Great video!
John from Georgia
Very nice!
Total agree 24 inch bar is the way to go
For a lot but not all, some like 20 some like 28...but for us ..yup.
Excellent video on demonstrating, Coach.
I have 3 chainsaws. 14"/ 20"/ 24" bar. I mostly buck up logs for splitting. These sizes have been good for me. (5'9")
Sounds great! Keep cuttin'!
G’morning Chris. 20” for my 50cc. 24” for my 73cc. 5 chains with me for each saw. Rinse and repeat. Thanks for everything you do, just for my enjoyment.
GoodNightIrene
Sounds great! Keep cuttin'!
Same here, 20" 50cc, 24" 60. Maybe 22" would be goldilocks, who knows? I keep the 28" bar as a backup or for felling, but like said a pain snaking through the brush or clearing saplings while standing up is more susseptible to throwing a loosened chain...
We have a bunch saws for various tasks. The one that sees the most use is an 80cc saw with a 25 inch bar. It came with a 32 inch bar that I immediately swapped out for a 25 inch bar. The 32 inch bar hangs on the wall with an extra chain just in case, but so far, it has never been needed.
Yup, I would agree the 24" is good size bar for most saws from 60-90cc
Everyone likes different things. I prefer the stand up in buck. Thats just me. I cut firewood so its what works for me. Im in the pnw and there is no level ground to cut so sittin or kneelin isnt ideal... and i run Stihl and cut dead standing doug fir, and tamarack.
Yup, it is different out there for sure!
28 for me. I am 6’2”. I get into some 4 foot cotton woods and popular once in a while. Depends on the job. 28 does almost anything I need to do.
That sound perfect!
Hello! I completly agree to You! Thank You for the video! I'm almost 6ft and prefere the 24" bars. Only for limbing spruces in steeper terrain a 20" bar on a 50 or 60cc saw is better to maneuver. Best wishes from Austria, Wolfgang.
Thanks for sharing!
Great chain bar length tutorial!!! I am going to try a 24 inch bar. I have a 20 inch on saw, back gets sore all the time. I am 6ft 1inch tall. Thanks for the video!
I think you will like it! Get a lite bar. They are nice.
Good day Chris, awesome educational video . I run 20” bar on my 572 but I should have got a 24” for the reasons you have said. Cheers my friend 👌🏻🔥🇨🇦
Try one ...you will like it!
I’m not a prosessional but I’ve seen some of these ”long bar bucking” videos. I think your idea of standing straight when bucking is good and having just long enough bar, but not too long. I have a bad back and bending down or going on knee level is not comfortable for me. I like when the saw has a good balance meaning not too much nose heavy.
We have some saws and the one I’ve used the most has only 14 inch bar. I upgraded the bar from 12 inch 1,3 mm to 14 inch 1,1 mm. Yeah, not much of a saw, but it is quite light. We use our saws to make firewood for our own use and we make the logs about 12 feet long or less and bring them to our yard with some machines we have. We lift them to a sawhorse. For lifting we have a small loader that is able to lift 1500 lbs. You know the rest. BTW I am 6’4”.
But here is the thing. I live in north Europe. We have mostly pine, spruce and birch. They probably are not excatly the same as what you have but you perhaps call with those namse. I have commented some local CZcams videos about why not using longer bars when these professional guys limb and buck trees for firewood. Trees are customers’ and sometimes the customers want them to be limbed and bucked to 1 to 2 feet long. Trees just felled and lying on the ground.
These gyus very rately use bars which are over 20 inches when they fall the tree. The use 17 to 20 inches usually. They have larger saws with bars up to 30 inches for very big trees, but they use those very rarely.
But when they limb and buck these trees they very often take a smaller saw that has maybe 2 to 4 inches shorter bar than what they used to fall the tree. They comment that it is much easier to handle and faster than extra long bars which in their minds are 24 and above. One reason might be they are much younger and in better shape than I.
I understand that it is much easier for a non-professional person to fell a tree when the bar is longer than the diameter of the tree. You can very easily check where the bar is going especially when doing the back cut. With the front cut you can play and jump around the tree because it is not going anywhere. But with the back cut you may go too far and you can not undo it.
Anyway I have to say that, even your trees are larger, I think it goes with the saws the same way as it was with the cars. ”Nothing can replace cubic inches”. :D
Thanks for the good and mind opening video.
Sounds like you are doing it right...keep cuttin!
Nice Info Chris
Height 5'9"
Bars
12
16
20
24
I cut kneeling as much as possible. I use the dogs or pawls as much as possible. Bar length depends on the size of the round. plus 2 inches.
I have cut 48 rounds where I used the 24 inch bar, rotating the round..
Yup, kneeling will save you back a lot and keeping the log close to the power head/dogs give full use of the saws power.
It's one thing to run a big saw blocking fire wood. Go run that 60 plus cc saw and long bar when cutting a red cedar. Especially the small fence post and stave size trees. A 40 cc saw and 16 inch bar will win. Spend all day lifting it to limb so you can then go to your knees to cut off at ground. For that my fav is the tiny echo 310 weighs in at about 10 pounds and cut a small tree the same speed as a 590. For big oak I do use the 590 and 24 inch bar yet catch myself grabbing the 400 to block the limbs
Yup, the right tool for the job is best!
Great vid Chris, ty very much for the upload.
_72cc power, a 24 inch bar and the type of logs you do is a sweet match._
I found a fairly reliable comparison with 20 and 28 inch bars + chains being swapped between an MS 400 and 462, so chain was controlled and the cookie cuts were almost straight through by a consistent cutter. _(Timber and Tools - "MS 400 review, test cuts against MS462" on YT)_
*Interestingly:* With a 20 inch bar a MS 400 basically performs as well as a 462 in logs up to about 16 inches.
*And as expected:* With 28 inch bars the half a kilo watt extra power in the 462 makes it significantly faster than the 400. The vid/test referenced, is just at and below your current 72cc power with a 24 inch bar sweet spot.
_A general point:_ *If* someone is a 20 inch bar user cutting mostly lower diameter logs *then* a MS 400 is will perform as well as a 462 in lower diameter wood _(up to about a foot)_ and almost as well in 16 inch logs.
My next saw (in a year or two) will most likely be a MS 400. I would love to see you using a 400 with 22 and 24 inch bars on a variety of lower diameter logs some time in the future. It would give you an excuse to do a few tanks of cutting while giving the poor over worked processor a rest. And an excuse to invite Tony or someone, over for a loan of their 400 and a BBQ or some such.
Cheers
sincerely
d
Yup, I agree!
I lift big logs up on to my sawbuck with my tractor forks and cut with my 20 inch bar. Zero bending. But time isn't money for me so I get why you want the right bar for wherever the log lies.
That sounds nice!
By the way, I love my HAIX boots! Learned about them on this Channel.
Awesome! I have 2 pairs and wear one every day!
@@InTheWoodyard I am fairly pleased with the prime protectors.
The Echo you have is interchangeable but the most common larger Echo 620/590 need some simple adapters to properly use the Husky Large Mount. Like your 7310 by the way and will be running your old 572XP at some point as the person that bought it from you is a friend of mine.
Cool, thanks! Have fun with it!
There is 2 Sirs in this fantastic world '' Sir Cut A Lot '' And '' Sir Sharpenning A Lot ''
Haa! That my good man is an awesome one! Thanks!!
I yuse to cut a lot of red oak and eculiptus and they usually were 50” in diameter at the base I was useing a stihl ms 880 with a 36inch and 48 inch bar I use to cross cut my wood and not use a splitter and with that 880 with a 36 inch bar on it I could reach all the way through the log and that 880 of mine was higher rpm and more faster than my 20 inch and ms 260 that I had I also noticed that when I got into pine then my 880 was excellent for pines also I did a lot of cleaning up of trees that fell over in peoples yards and across roads and that they just wanted the tree removed I did a lot of my logging in California and that’s fallbrook California I also worked out on a avocado ranch and that’s when a 20 inch or 16 inch was good and I also use to run 28 inch bars on my stihl ms 390 that I had I even had a ms 650 with a 36 inch bar the bigger saw it seems like to me cut a whole lot faster than the medium saws do
nice.
IMO a 50cc saw with a shorter bar has its advantages, and a bigger saw with a longer bar also has its advantages. Within the scope of what I do I cant see the point of a big saw with a short bar though. I mostly use 28" bars, just because I work on snowshoes lots. With a shorter bar I'm always off balance and reaching to keep the cuts safely away from the snowshoes. Other than that I think I would like a 24", but dont think its worth de-standardising over.
Sound like you have a good system for you. keep cuttin'!
Chris,excellent advice for anyone who wants to know what size bar on a chain saw 😮😊❤
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent video! I just got a new saw and had to think about all of this. I’m 6’3” and went with a 28” bar. More Stihl dealers near me so had to get the brand you make fun of…..
Right on! I like Stihl just fine and you will see a lot more of them here soon...I mainly just like giving Tony a hard time about his.
Great video, would be a great video for people getting into cutting.
Thanks!
I'm 6' tall and use the 24" and 25" bars and it's the right size for me. I do use an excavator though to pick the logs up waist height so I don't have to bend over.
Nice...keep cuttin'!
For me it's gotta be a 20" bar & 60/70cc motor because I am only 5ft 4", I can get away with a 24" bar but its not optimal.
My current go to saw for everyday use is a Stihl ms400 with 20" light bar and RS chain.
My back up saw is a husky 455 rancher with 18" bar. I also run a borrowed Jonsered 670 champ with a 24" bar when needed (rarely).
Sound good...keep cuttin'!
Nice video Chris. Sound advice about bar length. That pickup load of saws includes more “pro saws” than can be found within 100 miles of me. GNI
Thanks Larry. Or collection is starting to look nice.
16" on my small electric, 20" on my husky 450rancher and will be getting a 28" on 372 clone
You will like a longer bar!
I'm 5'9" and use a ms311 with 20 inch bar, it seems a little short for me, I think I'll go to a 24 in. And see if it is better. Thank you the video was awesome.
My back lasts longer with a 24" but my arms tire faster with a 28"
Depending on your height us a bar length which means that you don't have to bend over.
Maybe so or one that you can handle, cuts the wood and you won't hit the ground with!
I use 16" & 20" for firewood my go to size on my Husky & Stihl
NICE!
It's no how long it is , it's how you use it !
Great video , 20 to 24 for me but like you said
Thanks 👍
Probably a hill side is best use of unusual long bars.
Tree has to be fallen sideways so the only place to cut is a place where theres dirt to stand on.
Probably the reason the spring board was made. To be able to cut on a tree where theres no dirt to stand on.
.
Allways a blast to have over 100 feet of tree clear span out in the brush, happens more then you would think.
Being able to buck the tree in to logs without pulled wood is key.
As big sawmills will dock for pulled wood.
Nobody cares what size bar you use to get the job done, just dont have pulled wood on the end of the log. Say a hole load went in with pulled wood on each end, they would dock nearly 20% value of what your paid.
Your handed a cut list, and you cut and slice the tree according to what it says pays the most as your usually paid on a % of each load.
Your just expected to use the right tool for the job.
.
I run everything from a little dolmar thats. Had ((way to many)) sugar cubes 50cc. With a 24"
.
To a 1995, 394-and a half. As some parts for a 394 are definitely harder to get. Its been replaced with a 58mm piston.
Ether a 105 or 119 drive link on it.
95 drive link for .404
.
The only other thing i can think of from a safety standpoint.
Is like running a lathe, no one sits down to run a lathe.
The ability to be on your feet and move to safety is no small thing.
But still the right sized bar is important.
.
Ill shut up now, before a right a hole book..
Yup, you guys who cut big trees DO need loner bars for sure. I have seen guys cutting firewood from trees on the ground with 36-42" bars on 6-8" stuff. That is a lot of bar to hoist and cut a little piece of firewood!
@@InTheWoodyard
LOL, yea thats excessive.
Sorta like jacking a truck up, to the point it needs headlights below the bumper to be legal on a public road.
.
I do most firewood with a 28"
As a average size of wood is around 26"
I do run one saw with a 8T and 28" largely use it in the alder.
Safer to out cut the barber chair. As it barbers SUPER DUPER BAD!! as it commonly grows at a 5 to 30 degree angle.
.
Sadly, Definitely a tree thats taken peoples lives i know.
.
Anyone thats reading this, please if you dont have experience with a tree. Dont be afraid to go ask someone how to deal with it.
it very well could be a life and limb situation, that can be completely avoided.
Whoa whoa whoa. There’s no need for limiting bar length, just like limiting the amount of firearms one should own, a guy should have multiple length bars from 16” to 32” to choose from. More saws is always better. God Bless America. 😊
Yes I agree, the best size for you and the job is going to in that range, more is usually better.
5-7" all around cutting 70cc saw and 20-24" bar, pulp wood cutting 70cc- 20", firewood 70cc-24", firewood 90cc-24", trail clearing 50cc-16", tree service work 70-90cc-24-28" , 088 stumping saw with 42" gets used once or twice a year for city trees. Beyond typical firewood feeling techniques window cut, fan cuts, makes felling cuts over double bar length possible.
Yup, you know you stuff and actually do it! Thanks!
@@InTheWoodyard I only know what I know and always looking to gain more knowledge from others in my continuing education.
Well done Chris!! Best advice I ever got..... What works for You!! practice repeat repeat
Thanks!!!
i m 56 and i use the kneel down method or I pick up the log with the tractor and buck standing up. It will kill your back bending over and working the dogs hard. Let the saw do the work . Rest your saws and yourself, getting tired while operating saws can be dangerous. bucking Billy ray can buck standing using the tip because he is an expert at sharpening. I also think the length of bar should match the power of the saw. I think a 30 inch bar is the smallest bar I like to put on my Stihl 660, because it matches the power of the saw. 70cc needs 24inch bar at least or else you are wasting fuel and not using the torque the saw has.
I am but an amateur, I have only been cutting 200 full cords of firewood a year by hand to sell for about 10 years and before that I only cut about 10 cords a year for 40 years for my own use.
Great video. Lots of common sense. I use a Stihl 440 (70cc) with a 20 inch bar. (I am a similar height to you.) I have wondered for a while if a 25" (24") would be better. Perhaps.
Give it a try you will probably like it!
Great information Chris, Thanks! GNI
Glad it was helpful Mr. Bill!
If the end of the logs on that pile were lined up, One pass with the 5 Ft bar would yield a whole lot of pieces.
HAHAHAHAH
28" is ideal for me..
Thanks Chris.
Yup, you are a tall dude!
I'm a 395xp and 36inch bar kinda guy as I'm 6,5 so it's about right for my height and the size of trees I'm dealing with
West coast?
@InTheWoodyard No I'm in New Zealand pine and gum and macrocarpa it's all big stuff
Great content! 6’3” before boots are laced haha I have a saw with 28” bar and a saw with 36” bar.
Awesome, keep cuttin'!
Great video, I personally believe you contradicted yourself 😂 "I don't agree with stand up and buck," then prove that you don't want to be bent over all day cutting. Why did you even have to mention the other channel? But it's a free country so do what you want. Now I run a tree service in Tennessee, we get red oak, maple, hickory, walnut, sweet gum all day every day hard wood, heavy wood, I'm 5 10 and a 28 in bar works perfectly for me easier on my back, if I run a 20 all day my back is killing me. Stay safe, and God bless
I just wanted people to know that you do not have to use the longest bar you can and that cutting with the tip is not where the most power is.
Hello,
I'm 6'1 and I have a Husqvarna Rancher 460 with a 24" bar and a 20" bar . for my saw size and height which is is best ,the 24" or 20" bar?
Whichever one you like to cut with better...my guess would be the 24"...a 460 should handle that fine.
The one thing I think you missed a little is stand off distance with a longer bar. Even in a firewood pile you have stuff fall off and hit your shins. I have a 24 inch bar on a 500i. At 6'2". I would like to try a longer bar. I'm no where near the ground with a 24. Stubby arms even though I'm tall. No experience yet with a longer bar. The 24 has shown me I def want to go longer. I hit the ground with 20s and 18s way more often than I have with that 24. I keep an 18 inch husky 350 with me for stuff over my head. Other wise the power of that 500 has me picking it up. I can fell a tree, delimb and buck in no time. I knocked out a huge pile of red oak logs into rounds for firewood the other day in less than a tank of gas. 1 to 1 and a half cords I'd say. I wanted that long bar by the end though. Buckin would say learn your tip 😂. But after trying the longer ones I might be back on the 24. 🤷
You should try a 28" you might love it!
I'm 5'11 and I like running a 28. IMO hitting the ground is a non-issue, until you get used to it just watch the tip go down the back side of the log to the desired height, then draw it straight through to the front. Neither do I think reaching the ground is vital. For me, the wood is either a bit off the ground or I'm rolling the log over to finish the cut. I too tag a short bar more often than a longer one.
Sharp looking hat, I thought it was an Echo hat at first glance.
Thanks!
Good stuff Sir Chriseth👍🏻👍🏻GNI
Thanks Mr. 17VS-C
Are we sure that bar length is more important to her than to us guys lol
I doubt it.
Great video
Glad you enjoyed it...thanks!
How good is Husqvarna Rancher 460
Hello,
On a Chainsaw when you hold it do you want it balanced or a lil nose heavy?
I WANT it to be light as a feather!!! Balanced is good for be heavy in any way makes the work harder.
5’10” I use 24” 60% of the time, 16” other 40%
nice!
Good morning
Morning
I'm the person that takes 2 saws along for a different reason, like who cares what the second one is, just so it runs.
Murphy's law loves to haunt me, if there's a way to pinch the saw I will find it including the second saw. Needless to say calling the tree a stupid son of a female dog doesn't help either lol.
I run a Jonsered 2159C with an 18" bar, going to a 20" I lose about 1000rpm and have a lot more kick backs that trip the safety lock.
Would love to see the difference in time when cutting those cookies if you took the same head and shortened the bars like from the 24" to a 20" and 18". I can already hear a screaming Eagle with an 18" bar
Yup, shorter bars and chains are faster! A spare saw is a must!
I agree with what you're saying. But I would rather have more horse power than bar. Thanks.
YES!!! Great statement! I like it!!! I have seen a lot of saws that have more bar than the saw can run well.
Hi Chris good Advice what work for you good video ( Ty Ron I have 16 inch bar
Thanks Ron!
My 28s are great!
YUP.
What do you think of the japa 45 processor?
I think they are great, I did a video about a year ago showing one working...nice stuff!
Hello everyone
Hello Sir Stanley!