Who makes a 72" bar I can actually buy?

Upstatewoodchuc · May 17, 2018, 08:50:38 PM

So I just got 2 potential milling jobs that look sweet, but I need a longer bar for my chainsaw mill. I'm looking for who makes a 72" bar? Gb either appears to no longer make one or be out of stock, every source for Forester bars says they no longer carry a 72", Oregon is a special order over 42" it appears. Sugihara doesn't make big ones. I found a 72" cannon on ebay for $450, is that my only choice? I need one for a large mount husky by the way, stihl appears to be easier to find lol. Thanks guys.

dgdrls · May 17, 2018, 09:30:57 PM

Price you found seems to be in the "neighborhood, from what I see.
Other option is to price a double end bar, but you will still
need a handle.

best
D

Upstatewoodchuc · May 17, 2018, 09:44:29 PM

Price wise I figured any option would be North of 400, but is cannon literally the only place still making big bars? I must be missing something ???

mike_belben · May 17, 2018, 11:26:53 PM

I reckon a man could die of old age waiting to finish a 72" slab pass

Skeans1 · May 17, 2018, 11:48:31 PM

Call Madsens in Washington they stock them up to 96".

Skeans1 · May 17, 2018, 11:49:43 PM

Quote from: Upstatewoodchuc on May 17, 2018, 09:44:29 PM
Price wise I figured any option would be North of 400, but is cannon literally the only place still making big bars? I must be missing something ???

My 60 was around that without shipping and was in stock.

Upstatewoodchuc · May 18, 2018, 12:04:28 AM

Thanks skeans! I knew I was overlooking a retailer or two. If cannon ends up being the only choice, it is what it is because I need it, I was just curious what else is out there and what other bars would go for. My local dealer said he would call me right back after he talked to his supplier, lol and behold no call. Must not want to sell over half a grand worth of bar and chains.... ???

Skeans1 · May 18, 2018, 12:26:05 AM

Cannon or Stihl would be your only choices maybe GB but Cannon would be my only choice a fat belly is a must on a long bar. If you look up Madsens online they have their catalog online with their prices.
http://www.madsens1.com/PDF/17catonlne.pdf

Upstatewoodchuc · May 18, 2018, 06:38:15 AM

I looked at their catalog, it has husky bars listed up to 60", and says you must call for prices on 72 and 84" husky bars, weird. Guess I'm going to have to wait for them to open, but from their price on a 60", I think that $450 eBay cannon is starting to look like a bargain.

Skeans1 · May 18, 2018, 06:43:52 AM

Normally at 72" you'll buy a spacer for a Stihl bar to run it. About 5 years back I bought a 60" with two chains for 400, here's another thing to think about if we don't support shops like this it's not hard to see them close up all they do is support the fallers.

Upstatewoodchuc · May 18, 2018, 07:04:21 AM

I'll be honest, I've never swapped a stihl bar on a husky, always had good local husky parts support and didn't need to, is running a stihl bar with an adaptor on a husky just as good and stable? At 72" and a multiple hundred dollar bar I don't really want to buy something that "kinda works", but on the other hand if it's just as good, seems silly not to.

Savannahdan · May 18, 2018, 07:28:41 AM

Granberg and Baileys have double-ended bars in that size and up to 96" at Granberg. Keep in mind they will have a cut about 14"-16" less than the bar length. Keep the power head/muffler at least an inch from the mill.

Skeans1 · May 18, 2018, 08:23:24 AM

Quote from: Upstatewoodchuc on May 18, 2018, 07:04:21 AM
I'll be honest, I've never swapped a stihl bar on a husky, always had good local husky parts support and didn't need to, is running a stihl bar with an adaptor on a husky just as good and stable? At 72" and a multiple hundred dollar bar I don't really want to buy something that "kinda works", but on the other hand if it's just as good, seems silly not to.

A lot of guys out here run them on their husky's to run the Stihl look guy bars without issues, it's a machined piece not just the old coil spring trick.

homestead090 · May 22, 2018, 11:24:05 PM

Hi, I'm running a 72 inch bar from Granberg, not sure who makes it. Double End Bars - Granberg International I'm guessing Cannon. I also have a Cannon Super bar, 36 inches. Running both in a Granberg mill. The bar is not cheap, but it gets the job done, it's huge and heavy. It requires a helper handle or a second saw. I'm running a Stihl 090 and have a second saw on the way so if one is down I can pick up the other....with that said, I plan on milling with both on the bar at least once to see what the extra power does. I got the mill package that came with the bar, but I had a tough time finding and deciding what bar for the 3 footer. Ended up going with Canon because it was the only one that fit the 090. The Stihl bar I bought first and was told would fit it, did not. Canon's mount for the 090 is called S2 for the random 090 owners prowling around looking for answers. Here's the big bar in action. I've got a few others if you are interested.
Monster Chainsaw Milling Monster Walnut FINALE! - YouTube

Upstatewoodchuc · May 23, 2018, 06:58:02 AM

Thanks for the info, how has that granberg bar held up? My only options at this point are the 72" cannon superbar, or the granberg like you said but that kind of forces my hand into a double ended bar and you lose over a foot of cut by the time you put a helper handle and all on there. I'm going to order the single sided 72" cannon today, I figure the bar specs in at 15 lbs, my 3120xp is like 22 or 25 and the mill is probably another 5 or 8 pounds, seems manageable. Should only be about 10 pounds heavier than my current setup. I think if I stepped up to an 84" bar, the helper handle and double power head potential would definitely be necessary, correct me if I'm wrong here, I know there is someone with far more experience lurking lol.

Upstatewoodchuc · May 23, 2018, 06:09:54 PM

Alright guys, I pulled the trigger! I ended up buying a cannon superbar, 72", .404, .063, and a couple loops of Oregon 68jx skip chain. After doing some research and reading up on cannons site, their bars honestly seem like a bargain, hard to find a hand made quality parts now a days! ;D

Skeans1 · May 23, 2018, 11:12:16 PM

Long bars a great till you have to pack one down some hole with a set of jacks and a second saw. The first time I ran mine it paid for itself with the first tree but so did my back by the end of the day. ;)
Cheap trick if you ever find the need to do some falling with the long bar start your cuts with a short bar first a 36 or 32 to open up the kerf then go to town with the long bar.

homestead090 · May 24, 2018, 12:20:58 AM

Quote from: Upstatewoodchuc on May 23, 2018, 06:58:02 AM
Thanks for the info, how has that granberg bar held up? My only options at this point are the 72" cannon superbar, or the granberg like you said but that kind of forces my hand into a double ended bar and you lose over a foot of cut by the time you put a helper handle and all on there. I'm going to order the single sided 72" cannon today, I figure the bar specs in at 15 lbs, my 3120xp is like 22 or 25 and the mill is probably another 5 or 8 pounds, seems manageable. Should only be about 10 pounds heavier than my current setup. I think if I stepped up to an 84" bar, the helper handle and double power head potential would definitely be necessary, correct me if I'm wrong here, I know there is someone with far more experience lurking lol.

The Granberg bar is doing good. I have used it to mill the large walnut in the video, a huge white oak 3-4 foot diameter, 45 feet of millable logs and several 6 foot, wide white pine logs. Just 3 trees but it was a lot of milling. I'm using a Granberg ripping chain and a Stihl ripping chain, 10 degree angle. My max width of milling is around 56ish inches using the double ended bar. My saw weighs about 3 pounds, the bar is pretty heavy as it's about 6 inches wide in the middle. After milling the first log I broke the mill down and there was bar wear, which is no way to avoid. It was days of milling. I used one of the bar dressing file things to clean it up, it was minimal, just felt like a bur where the chain had grooved the mating surface of the rails. I would run an auxiliary oiler at this length if you don't have one. In the white oak that I milled which was 5 logs at 100 inches and 1 log at 4 feet of length ranging from an average of 3-4 feet in diameter, I used about 4 gallons of bar oil between the saw and oiler. (most was through the saws oiler). Also, have to clear the rails on occasion to keep the auxiliary oiler flowing.
Regardless, you did not make a mistake with a Cannon, I'm using a 36 inch Cannon Superbar for milling smaller stuff. Much nicer to maneuver around and less bar sag. Running 404 chain by the way. Not sure about your last question regarding power required for a 84 inch bar, I feel the 090 I'm using would pull it fine but power does seem to be king in milling, so two saws would probably be nice when maxing out....but it would be a heavy rig! I have not milled with the big Husky or the Stihl 880...only my old saw..which I got a second today in the mail from ebay. Got to do a little work on it but will have it running soon. Good luck milling. I'd like to hear your experience with the chain you ordered....the saw, the mill, etc are important but the chain makes it or breaks it. Let us know what kind of performance it gets, I know nothing about it by name. I'll look up its specs. Thanks.