favorite bar brand

oldsaw-addict · January 28, 2004, 06:34:44 PM

I am now looking for a longer bar for the big saw and I thought that it would be wise to ask your opinions first as I dont have all that much knowledge on what brand of bar is the most well liked and/or best available. I'm not trying to start any stupid thing similar to the old ford vs chevy debate so please dont start treating it like it is that OLD debate. I just want good honest opinions before I buy a new guide bar. The size I'm thinking of is something along the lines of .375 pitch .050 gauge and 24-32 inches long with a replaceable sprocketnose. The basic question I am asking is which brand should I buy, windsor, cannon, oregon, woodsman pro, GB, carlton, or what? Thanks in advance.

Corley5 · January 28, 2004, 06:53:48 PM

I prefer Windsors over any others. I've used Oregons, my 372 came with one on it, but I don't like their Lubri-Jet system. The oil hole is too small and too easily plugged as far as I'm concerned. The Windors have a larger hole that goes straight into the bar. Easier to clean, less likely to plug etc. Oregon and Windsor are made by the same company.

woodsjunkie · January 29, 2004, 03:15:11 AM

I'm with corley on the Oregon bars I personally have no luck with them. I really like Baileys woodsmampro bars but they have gotten way over priced.
I have been running GB for about 2 years now have no complaints good solid bar IMO the best bar on the market for the price. Jeff Sikkema sells Gb bars over the web and is a super guy at prices that wont be beat. jsikkema1@yahoo.com

oldsaw-addict · January 29, 2004, 04:43:39 PM

Thank you very much for your input, I'm glad I asked before I bought one that I would regret buying later. I think my choice is now narrowed down to the GB pro top and the Windsor speed tip models. I really appreciate your input and recommendations for brands to look at, I just sent Jeff Sikkema an e-mail and will see which brand is more affordable for me.

rahtreelimbs · January 29, 2004, 06:22:03 PM

GB, Jeff Sikkema is the man! 8)

jokers · January 30, 2004, 08:39:50 PM

Jeff is a great guy to do business with and I also like the GB bars that I have used. I don`t have tip problems with the Oregons like some guys report, but I think the rails wear faster than those on the GB or Windsors, which are also great bars. I`ve never seen the benefit in Cannon or Woodsman Pro bars, but then my bars are short East Coast bars that don`t cost alot to replace either. If I were spending a couple of hundred bucks for a 5' or 6' bar I`d probably feel differently.

Russ

oldsaw-addict · January 31, 2004, 08:31:21 PM

I was just looking around on the web and I cant find very many dealers for cannon guide bars. Does anyone know where these bars are sold how much they are and how well they perform? And is Woodsman a subsidiary of Cannon? the bars for both Cannon and Woodsman look a lot alike and the information given on the Cannon website is very much like what is given for the Woodsman bars, or am I missing something here? but I did think up a solution for those of you running Oregon bars and fighting with the oil hole clogging, just take a drill bit slightly larger than the oil hole and make it a little bigger. As long as you are careful and deburr the inside of the bar rail where you just drilled it out. I know, sometimes I think too much, maybe I better just shut up for a few hours :D :D.