Thread: Is it possible to change the bar with a longer one? Electric Chainsaw.

Originally Posted by Bitslong

I'm going to put together an Alaskan mill and want to start off with an electric c/s to do some smaller timber.
I'm aware of the downsides to using an electric but I'm on a budget and consider this an experiment.
I want the Alaskan to handle a 50" bar so I get ~40" capacity but most electric saws only come with a 40" bar.
I'm considering the electric Husq, but more likely the Lamborghini (yes, yes) that Masters has:
Lamborghini 2400W Powerful Chainsaw - Masters Home Improvement
It uses an Oregon bar - is it unlikely that I'll find a 20" bar that'll work?
Any issues apart from possible under-powered results?

It looks like you are getting your mm and inches mixed up.

Electric chainsaws generally come with a 300 or 400 mm, or 14 or 16" bar.
The bigger stihl electric comes with a 20" bar but it is a heavy duty tool capable of handling that size.

Your best bet it to take it to a chainsaw dealer and see what they offer, you will also need another chain.
Be prepared for a shock at the price of bars and chains (it will be half again the proce of the cheap electric).

The alternative is to look up the bar model name and number on the oregon bar and then go on line to the oregon site (OREGON® , a world leader in chainsaw chain, guide bars, sprockets and manufacturer and supplier of lawn mower blades and mower parts.) and see if they make a bar with the same specs - just a bit longer.

You will need to maintain the same pitch bar and chain otherwise you will have to change the drive sprocket on the saw (chances are you cannot do this).

I don't have a lot of experience with electric saws but several of the cheap ones that I have seen are incredibly flimsy in their mechanical build and can't imagine them lasting too log in a milling situation.
You'd be far better off putting you $ towards a used 60 or 70 cc saw.

What do you plan to do for the mill component?

I have a Stihl petrol chainsaw which came with a standard 16" bar or the option of a 18" bar.
I got the 18" bar for similar reasons to you, ie, depth of cut.
BUT in your case you need to check if the power-head, whether petrol or electric has to have the capacity to drive the larger bar.
IMHO I'd double check with the manufacture as to the ability of the unit you are looking at.
If the option to upsize is good, yes, "oregon" make good product [or at least they used to].
You may need to replace the drive sprocket along with the bar & chain.
Cheers, crowie

PS - Their may be legal aspects around the question of upsizing that also need to be considered!!!

Hah, yes, mixed up indeed. I'd love a 50" bar, but 50cm is what I was meaning.

Turns out after much digging that this 'Lamborghini' is an Ikra made chainsaw and Oregon did list them - all 3/8" .050 type chains/bars.

Crowie - I'd love to get a 60cc+ chainsaw but I'd be looking at over $1k for something that I may not do a whole lot of.
If I can build a 20" mill, I can hook up the farm Husq when I'm up there and still use it for stuff back home with the electric saw.
I don't plan to mill full capacity with the electric, more like half.
Perhaps I'm wrong, but I'm hoping that milling at half capacity with a larger bar won't have that much effect on power vs a bar 4" shorter.
It just allows me to make a mill that is more useful and can swap between saws.

I'm looking at an 'experiment' of ~$150 + ~$80 for the saw, new bar and a chain.
Worst is I end up with a garden saw which is also useful.

I run some petrol and electric saws with bars and chains longer than supplied as standard by the manufacturer, but for one simple reason. They are small saws with short bars and few cutting teeth on the chain, but running a longer bar and chain, I get to share the work between more teeth, so they retain their edge for longer, hence fewer resharpens required during the day. However, even if i am running a 16in bar and chain on a 10in saw, I treat it as 10in saw and don't expect to work it as though it was a 16in unit, so the limit would be around 8in dia logs.

I would be very suspicious about using a domestic style electric saw in a mill, they have a tendancy to use plastic drive reduction gears etc which fail to protect the electric motor. Replacement parts then cost as much as a replacement saw, if you can get them.

I would not be upscaling an electric for mill use. The are generally not happy with the continuous use that a petrol saw cops as part of it's duty, electrics tend to be used for a series of short chops trimming trees and bushes, or occasionl firewood chopping. Either way, they only need peak power in short bursts. But to use one slabbing in a mill, even with relatively narrow stock still entails a long slow rip cut at peak power with the potential for a very short tool life.

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f132/m...aw-mill-43925/

But then again it is also more likely to die after the first cut

Hey bud i myself do mill timber with a husqvarna 372xp 70cc i would not use a electric one they just don't have the power
in them for milling they are good for small wood but they burn out very fast...if you do go with electric check out this site
Chain Saw Collectors Corner - Gasoline Chain Saws by Manufacturer it will tell what bars and chains can be used on what saw's

Originally Posted by cobram-guy

..if you do go with electric check out this site
Chain Saw Collectors Corner - Gasoline Chain Saws by Manufacturer it will tell what bars and chains can be used on what saw's

While it is an excellent site, that site does not cover the latest saws. It terms of what bars and chains can be used it just states what it is the original manual eg the longest and shortest bar supplied and recommended by the saw manufacturer. However, it does not provide 3rd party B&C information. For example the Stihl 076 info says 17 to 35" bars but much longer (even Stihl) bars are available for that saw.