Homemade Reduced Weight Bar

[T.Roller]

I'm in

 

[Jon1212]

A big THANKS to Jason @USMC615 for "hookin' a brotha up" with some very useful attachments to make my efforts much more feasible.

This for cutting the holes that will be the ends of the cutout ovals.


And this 30 pc assortment of 1/8 shank carbide bits for finish work.

 

[CR888]

Nice...when you remove the metal and pick up the bar, its like a lightbulb moment, you'll think 'why have people/oem's not been doing this'. Remember the more weight taken from the sprocket end of the bar, the lighter it will 'perceive' to be when on the saw.

 

[Mycamaro_68]

A big THANKS to Jason @USMC615 for "hookin' a brotha up" with some very useful attachments to make my efforts much more feasible.
View attachment 30417
This for cutting the holes that will be the ends of the cutout ovals.

View attachment 30418
And this 30 pc assortment of 1/8 shank carbide bits for finish work.

Jon you will definitely want to use plenty of cutting oil with that bit. I have never used one on hardened steel but they work great on mild steel and even work decent on stainless steel.

 

[Jon1212]

I am still trying to come up with a few options for filler.

I want to keep air bubbles to a minimum for obvious reasons, but am thinking a two part epoxy with a longer open time/ slower cure may be the way to go.

Thoughts?

 

[Jon1212]

Jon you will definitely want to use plenty of cutting oil with that bit. I have never used one on hardened steel but they work great on mild steel and even work decent on stainless steel.

Ryan,

I plan on using lots of thread cutting oil.

 

[Red97]

I am still trying to come up with a few options for filler.

I want to keep air bubbles to a minimum for obvious reasons, but am thinking a two part epoxy with a longer open time/ slower cure may be the way to go.

Thoughts?

I would try some plan jb weld.

Piece of tape on the bottom fill the top. Once dry use those burrs and groove out the air bubbles and apply a skim/finish coat of jb on each side. Use a nice flexible steel putty knife with high pressure to apply the skim coat. One nice swoop, fight the urge to play with it.

Worst case knock it out and try a different material.

 

[Mycamaro_68]

Just out of curiosity has anyone ever lightened a bar and left it open (not filled in the holes)? I had thought about drilling a bunch of smaller holes and leaving them open. What do you guys think?

 

[Mycamaro_68]

Thinking of a similar hole pattern as this.

 

[Wagnerwerks]

Someone did on A S Site. It just loaded up and caught in the log.

 

[Toad22t]

View attachment 29916
Got this 32" in a stack of used bars, from the Doughnut drop off. So to answer your question, yes.

Dibz!!!!!

 

[Jon1212]

http://www.eastwood.com/hi-temp-lab-metal-24-oz.html

Anyone have any experience with these type of products?

 

[Philbert]

I am still trying to come up with a few options for filler. . . Thoughts?

Aircraft use a honeycomb structure with thin skins for lightweight panels.

Expanded PVC is very light, with smooth sides, and very easy to work. Sold as signboard, ceiling panels, etc. Trick would be to get the right thickness, and to find the right glue / method of attaching. Cut pieces to fit your holes with a router.

Philbert

 

[Philbert]

Just out of curiosity has anyone ever lightened a bar and left it open . . .

Philbert

 

[Jon1212]

Aircraft use a honeycomb structure with thin skins for lightweight panels.

Expanded PVC is very light, with smooth sides, and very easy to work. Sold as signboard, ceiling panels, etc. Trick would be to get the right thickness, and to find the right glue / method of attaching. Cut pieces to fit your holes with a router.

Philbert

I think trying to bond expanded PVC to hardened steel would prove very challenging. Especially with the exposure to heat, and bar oil. I wonder what the material is that Tsumura and Sugi Hara use for there cutout inserts?

 

[jake wells]

cut holes in the bar using a metal hole saw and fill the void with babbit because it is pretty light stuff but strong.

 

[Sty57]

http://www.eastwood.com/hi-temp-lab-metal-24-oz.html

Anyone have any experience with these type of products?

I've used that stuff under my powder coating.

 

[Wagnerwerks]

cut holes in the bar using a metal hole saw and fill the void with babbit because it is pretty light stuff but strong.

I don't know... Babbitt is lead or zinc based and not super tough. My pap and I (mostly him) used to pour bearings in projects when I was a kid... I remember it being pretty heavy.

I haven't used any in years. Maybe I'm way off here.

 

[P.M.P.]

http://www.eastwood.com/hi-temp-lab-metal-24-oz.html

Anyone have any experience with these type of products?

This seems like the way to go.

 

[Philbert]

I think trying to bond expanded PVC to hardened steel would prove very challenging.

If it was easy, all the slackers would already be doing it! You would probably want some kind of mechanical connection (keyway, slot, groove, recess, etc.) along with glue or heat welding the plastic.

I have never been privileged enough to touch a Sugi bar, but I assumed that they used something like HDPE. Maybe you can find a scrapped / damaged bar and do some reverse engineering?

Philbert