Best Milling Bar ?

[Mforti]

Any advice on milling bar and chain for slabbing with a Husq 3120xp on a PantherMill 2 (may also rig PM2 to a Peterson ATS frame which I have to figure out still).  I have a 395xp with a 36" bar for regular sized stuff, but will need something longer from time to time.

I'm thinking a Cannon or Woodsman 66" double ended or 60" single bar.  Or a GB Titanium 60".  I've been lucky enough to piece the setup together with good used equipment so far (other than the PM2 which is not expensive), and I'd rather not scrimp on the bar and chain.

Baileys seems to have a good price on Cannon and Woodsman bars (are they really same bar ?).  Another west coast shop seems to have the GB bars at a good price. 

Oregon full skip chain ?

Spent lots of time hunting for good used long bars but they dont seem to come up that often (I'm now a seasoned hunter on CL/eb/ and various other used sources).

Most of the wood will be larger urban sourced hardwood butt logs anywhere from 24" - 48" at the thickest point (and occasionally some real giants) - oak (white, red), maple (sugar, norway, silver, manitoba), black willow, mulberry, black locust, and other odds and sods.

By the way I have to thank all of you for this forum - it's been a great source of information and insight.  I hope I can return the favor one day.  I'll post the full setup and some stories in a few months when I get it all finished - at the very least it will be good for a laugh!

Apppreciate any advice.

[Seaman]

Mforti, welcome to the forum! Where are you located?

I would check with Chris at Left Coast Supply. I THINK a bar sold for a Lucas or Peterson slabber would be your best bet. I KNOW a super-skip chain is what you need to slab that wide. IMHO

Lots of info in old post here.

Frank

[longtime lurker]

I have no hesitation in recommending GB - if there's a better bar on the market today I dont know it. Never had one on a CSM but I've been trying to kill a couple of them for the last few years and haven't yet succeeded.

As an option to buying skip chain you can just start with normal chain and start grinding teeth off to suit.

[stihlsawer]

I have no hesitation in recommending GB - if there's a better bar on the market today I dont know it. Never had one on a CSM but I've been trying to kill a couple of them for the last few years and haven't yet succeeded.

As an option to buying skip chain you can just start with normal chain and start grinding teeth off to suit.

Is GB quality the same as it was before the company sold? Just curious, I haven't used one of their newer bars, but I really like an older one I have before the sell.

Trever

[Mforti]

Thanks for the advice, guys.  Seaman, I'm in toronto so shipping can be costly sometimes, but I do make it around the US once in a while so try to pick up items on my way.

Mike

[longtime lurker]

/quote]

Is GB quality the same as it was before the company sold? Just curious, I haven't used one of their newer bars, but I really like an older one I have before the sell.

Trever

I've got one of the older ones (a titanium solid nose), a 36" sprocket nose from just after the business changed hands,  and one of the newer VQ sprocket noses.

The solid nose is the best thing since the old Oregon Armour Tip from the 80's so far as solid noses go... one hell of a good dirty timber bar.

The standard sproket nose seems quite soft... the rails are forever needing filing though I guess it's no worse then any other bar considering the useage it gets.

The VT is worth every cent. I'm going to get a few more and through every other sprocket nose out! It's only available in .404, but thats the only size chain I run anyway.