The chainsaw has many different parts and the bar is only of them. The body of the chainsaw holds many important parts like the engine or the motor. While these two parts are responsible for the functionality of the overall chainsaw, other important parts that are responsible for the actual cutting like the bar or the chain should not be ignored.
Interestingly, these are also the parts that can be easily replaced too!
Now there could be a variety of reasons why you need to measure a chainsaw bar, maybe you need to learn how to measure a chainsaw bar because you feel the current bar of your chainsaw doesn’t properly support the type of tasks you are about to perform, or maybe you have a chainsaw that is very powerful and requires a larger bar.
No matter the reason you need to know how to measure a chainsaw bar, you have come to the right place!
Ideally, you can look at the manual provided by the manufacturer and get the information you need on how to choose a replacement bar.
However, in this guide, we have a very detailed step-to-step guide highlighting all the intricate details and important specifics you have to be careful about when you are making the measurements. But also, what if you can’t find the manual then what do you do?
In that case, this guide will be your savior in disguise. By learning how to measure a chainsaw bar you will know exactly know what replacement bar you need to purchase.
By the way, you should look at this well-written guide on the top rated chainsaws, check if your existing chainsaw is outdated and if you need to invest in a new one. Let’s get started, shall we?
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Thinking to Replace the Bar On an Older Chainsaw?
Now if you are thinking that all you need to do is change the bar of the chainsaw, and you just need to know how to measure a chainsaw bar to be on your way to get the replacement as soon as possible.
We recommend you just stop there for a moment, we promised you we will guide you in the right direction and that is exactly what we are doing. Instead of replacing the bar, have you considered how much a bar costs and how much a new chainsaw will cost?
Let’s look at the general cost statistics of a bar replacement, and if you are replacing the bar you must be considering replacing other parts too like the chain. If you are replacing more than one part of your chainsaw, then the cost will be almost the same as purchasing a new chainsaw.
Instead of replacing parts on your old chainsaw, we think it will be best you go over this quick yet detailed best budget chainsaw models guide.
You can also check out another guide on the best gas chainsaw for the money in case if you prefer a gas-powered chainsaw. Purchasing a new chainsaw has its advantages apart from the price-point.
The new chainsaw will have all the parts you require, it will have better performance and it will feature new upgraded features that your old chainsaw might be lacking.
Depending on the decision you have made about whether you should go for a new chainsaw or just look for a replacement bar.
Below you will find the step-to-step guide on how to measure a chainsaw bar in a few simple steps, all you have to do is read every step with a clear mind and it will be ideal if you have your chainsaw along with you to measure the length of the bar.
Let’s dive into it, shall we?
Step-to-Step Guide: How to Measure a Chainsaw Bar
First of all, before we dive into the real-steps. You need to have this in your knowledge, that not all chainsaws are made equal. Not every chainsaw has the same bar and most importantly, not all chainsaws can handle every bar length.
The bar length is dependent on the engine-power of the chainsaw. The more the engine-power, the longer the bar it can support with ease.
Precisely why electrically-powered chainsaws cannot support a bar longer than 18 inches because they lack the motor-power required to drive the bar when it’s needed to make cuts.
Interestingly, gas-powered chainsaws can support larger bars and some gas-powered chainsaws can easily support bars as long as 72 inches just because these chainsaws have the bulky-engines to handle the load.
Another thing you will have to keep in mind, if you are thinking to replace the bar then you will have to change the chain of the chainsaw too! Wonder why? Well, it’s quite simple if we tell you.
The chain on the chainsaw doesn’t stretch, every chain is specifically designed to fit a certain bar size. Now depending on the type of bar you are going for, you will have to make sure that the chain will fit perfectly on the bar, that is not too wide or too short for the bar.
Now let’s learn how to measure a chainsaw bar, shall we?
Step 1: Measuring the Effective Cutting Length
Before you head towards the hardware store, you need to be certain about two lengths: the effective length and the true length. It is extremely easy to measure the effective cutting length, it’s also called just “length” as well.
Take a tape measure, place it at the base of the blade and make sure you stretch it out till the tip of the blade.
Here we are measuring the length of the blade which is the bar itself, but the effective length is considered the area that is available that comes in contact with the wood.
For more clarity, from the tip of the blade to the base of the bar is what effective length is, and that is what you will be measuring. For instance, if you have measured the effective length 16.5 inches, you will have to round it off to the nearest even number which will be 18 inches.
Step 2: Measuring the True Length of the Bar
Once you have measured the effective length, you will be measuring the true length. The true length is the full length of the bar from the tip to the end when you remove it.
To measure the true length, you will have to remove the bar from the chainsaw by unscrewing it. The bar is screwed with bolts that hold it in place. You will find the bolts located on the right-side of the chainsaw.
When you have successfully removed the bar, place it flat on the table and measure the distance from the tip to the end, and because it is the true length of the bar you will not have to round off the figure as we did for the effective length above. Now you will have two lengths with you.
Keeping the two-lengths in mind, the effective length, and the true length you can go purchase a replacement bar for your chainsaw.
All you have to do is find a blade that has these two measurements if you just need to replace the bar because it has worn out with time.
However, if you are looking to replace it with a bigger bar then just keep in mind that you purchase a bar that the engine of your chainsaw will be able to support easily.
Conclusion: No Guesses, Always Measure the Bar
Now that you have learned how to measure the bar and know how pretty simple it is to measure it. We would like to further advise you that never in a million years make any guesses about the length of the bar and you must make the accurate measurements like we have asked you to.
If you make any guesses and purchase a bar depending on it, it could damage the chainsaw and might make it redundant.
Moreover, apart from the damage caused to the chainsaw, it can even cause injury when you are operating it which could even be life-threatening.
Luckily for you, the step-to-step guide we have given in this guide will help you to measure the actual length of the chainsaw bar and purchase the perfect one for your chainsaw.
In case if you still find yourself confused, you can take the chainsaw with you to the hardware store and look for more guidance from a professional.
We hope that this guide was helpful and you were able to learn how to measure a chainsaw bar in a few easy steps.
