Had a sprocket blow apart yesterday and that shut me down for the day running to get a new one. started cutting this morning and the bar started acting bent. it got worse and worse tell I stopped. when I took it off to look it over the end was spreading at the sprocket. this is an old factory bar on My sthil 361 with after market tip. has a Japanese one and the boys bent it . Went to the saw shop today and they has 2 levels of Forrester made in China, Oregon made in Canada and two Japanese brands and 2 models of on brand.

I went with the Oregon this time but got to thinking and wondering what was everyone's experience and preference. I'm old enough to have learned I don't like much made in China. Figured Canada was good it was $30 more than the Chinese, $3 less than the cheapest Japanese and 50 more than the expensive Japanese model.


ended up with a new opend up muffler old one rusted out, new Oregon bar and chain 24", echo kit with chaps, hard hat with muffler and face shield for the kids, new plug and tune up for $295.

Almost left with a echo 501 or 550 husky for a smaller lighter saw for the boys the echo was about 4 lbs less on the scale than my 361. but I couldn't decide between the two.

Really liked the 562 and 572 xps for me but figured I will probably never wear my 361 out at this point after 20 years and going strong. yet I could have used a back up the last fee days and would have got the wood cut instead of dealing with broke down saws.

Husky or Stihl here

Stihl

I'd like to try an echo .......jap I believe....good atuff

Sugihara

I didn't see the bar part..........oregon

I’ve used Oregon a lot I found two Tsumara bars (total super bar) in the archives, I think grandpa bought them, no one knows what they fit for sure as the old numbers aren’t converted to the new Tsumara numbers.

I think this is my first Oregon bar. typically I stick with factory except for one Sugihara. Hopefully it holds up better than this Oregon sprocket. Being fare it had a ton of ware on it but typically the middle had worn out on me not broken like this. But I typically replace them before they get to bad so this could be typical if they are not replaced?

I really like the Stihl Rollomatic ES Light series of bars. They make a pretty noticeable difference, particularly in the longer length. They seem to have similar durability of the standard Rollomatic bars.

I have and like Stihl chainsaws. I tried to buy an electric Stihl a few years ago, but my local John Deere dealer, who is also the Stihl dealer could never get them in stock. I ended up buying a battery powered Ego chainsaw and have never used my large gas powered Stihl since. I get about a 50 minute run time and it charges back in around 2 hours. I like the relative quiet and no gas stink of the electric. It's also much lighter and great for walking around cutting brush.

Keith

Cannon bars are the best, but they cost. For your average user it's a buy once cry once thing, you'll maybe replace a tip every few years to every year, depending on how much you cut but aside from that they're very trouble free. They last me longer than a powerhead does, I run the saw itself for a year cutting timber, then it becomes a spare saw but my cannon bars are usually good for 4+ years depending on the length (longer than 42"= less likely I'm gonna use it)

Are the chain, drive sprocket, and bar all new?
What are the pitch and gauge of the above?
How is the clutch bearing?
Is the chain getting oil?

After that a separate saw per operator may show you.

Oh and did it work good last year before "it" broke?
lol.

Personally like husky’s xp line. Run a 550 mark II that has never failed me. Got a friend who spent years as an arborist and his personal saw is an echo 501.

I remember when I was little and my dad logged, he cussed and cussed their big commercial McCullough he could pull on that all day and tinker with it, it was a bear to start. His boss worked on it one morning then walked over to the river bank and gave it a heave.

Stilhl. And I only buy stihl bars. Don’t cut with the tip of you bar. You get that bar in the middle of the tree trunk and it going to overheat. If the tip of your saw doesn’t stick out the other side of the log then your saw is too short. Get a longer bar and chain.

Oregon

Way back when I was logging the tip was probably in wood more than out and I didnt have much for sprocket problems. I never had a preference for bars but if I remember correctly Stihl lasted the longest. We didnt have no "light" stuff back then LOL.

Stihl bars ans get the boys a stihl 261. I'm not a brand fanatic but I'll always recommend a stihl 261 for a small saw

EGO rocks! A few years ago I was saw shopping at the local saw shop and the Ego rep just happen to be there. He gave me his sales pitch and had a demo saw, so we went out back and played for a few minutes.
I wasn't quite sold on it and then he said I'll tell ya what you buy a new saw I'll throw in an extra chain and 2 quarts of bar oil plus I'll give you 60 days if you don't like it we'll give you a full refund.
I knew the owner pretty well so I said what the heck and bought it and love it. Now I have a whole family of Ego equipment in the shed.

Made in Germany - Stihl Rollomatic ES