Looking to lighten my Dolkita 6400

[Wilhelm]

View attachment 114880

I don't want to step on Your toes, nor is this post intended as criticism! :surrender:

I am a homeowner firewood hack, and I have a couple of these saws with three different spike versions.
The US Style 1 that You have on Your Makita generates good leverage and makes it easy to force cuts, the US Style 2 even more so.

Is it possible that You force Your cuts causing heat and pressure to the rails and generally wedging Your bar apart?

From my viewpoint that bar has seen a lot of use, or some abuse - there is almost no paint left on the PH side.
It also looks like You haven't flipped the bar for equal wear?

Damn. Paint isn’t even worn off

Factory original 12 years old Dolmar branded Oregon laminate bar.
To be fair this picture was taken mid summer last year so that makes it only 11 years of usage - note the amount of paint still intact on the PH side.


I admit it is not a high tech light weight bar, but I think it kinda shows "non abuse".

I tend to utilize my saws spikes to finish a job at hand too, but I prefer not to do so throughout an extended period of time.
Steel sliding over steel under pressure is generating a lot of wear and heat!

Again, no criticism, no bashing, just trying to figure out why the VersaCut doesn't work for You.

 

[Steve]

I have a versa cut on my 550xp. Cut alot with it no problems yet. I was skeptical as to the durability as they are glued together instead of rivited like the prolites. Maybe it's time to find a different bar that can handle your cutting conditions/style?

 

[LittleLebowski]

Guys, I've got a permanently disabled gunshot strong arm and don't cut everyday, not even every week due to that. I do flip my bars, I do think this bar wore unevenly due to it cutting at an angle as it broke yesterday.

I believe that I need to reiterate that I don't have this issue with my 421 at all nor do I have this issue with my other 6400 bars. Furthermore, I think you guys are forgetting that Oregon flat out told me they had a known problem with these bars.

 

[Wilhelm]

Guys, I've got a permanently disabled gunshot strong arm and don't cut everyday, not even every week due to that. I do flip my bars, I do think this bar wore unevenly due to it cutting at an angle as it broke yesterday.

I believe that I need to reiterate that I don't have this issue with my 421 at all nor do I have this issue with my other 6400 bars. Furthermore, I think you guys are forgetting that Oregon flat out told me they had a known problem with these bars.

No bad thoughts intended!

Contact Oregon again, see what they have to say.

Maybe You got a replacement bar that is out of the same bad batch as the first one.

Steer clear of VersaCut bars, You seem to have bad luck with them.

I hope You get this sorted out!

Edit/P.S.:
Glued bars will never be able to withstand what spot welded laminate bars can, lest what solid bars endure.

Get a solid bar, drill or mill holes in it and fill them up with molten plastic - that is what I wanna try at some point.

 

[jakethesnake]

Guys, I've got a permanently disabled gunshot strong arm and don't cut everyday, not even every week due to that. I do flip my bars, I do think this bar wore unevenly due to it cutting at an angle as it broke yesterday.

I believe that I need to reiterate that I don't have this issue with my 421 at all nor do I have this issue with my other 6400 bars. Furthermore, I think you guys are forgetting that Oregon flat out told me they had a known problem with these bars.

Sounds like a pair of sh it bars to me. As in junk

 

[jakethesnake]

I don’t care how hard someone is or isn’t on a bar. I get pinched some. Who doesn’t. Bar shouldn’t do that

 

[Dub11]

Just my *pretty boy 2 cents but if the saw was ran hard enough to *f-word that bar up I think some crank seals would be melted too.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Bump

 

[cgraham1]

Glued bars will never be able to withstand what spot welded laminate bars can, lest what solid bars endure.

Get a solid bar, drill or mill holes in it and fill them up with molten plastic - that is what I wanna try at some point.

Isn't this exactly the way Sugihara and Tsumura make their “light weight” bars?

 

[Wilhelm]

Isn't this exactly the way Sugihara and Tsumura make their “light weight” bars?

And charge a premium.

Who am I kidding, I'll stick with laminate a solid steel bars - I am big enough to carry them around and I am not doing so all day every day.

 

[cgraham1]

I have a few Sugihara bars and they really aren’t very light weight at all. My Stihl ES light is noticeably less weight than a standard bar, but I imagine it will bend easier. But I guess it’s worth the risk to me.

 

[Wilhelm]

I have a few Sugihara bars and they really aren’t very light weight at all. My Stihl ES light is noticeably less weight than a standard bar, but I imagine it will bend easier. But I guess it’s worth the risk to me.

I have yet to wear out my first factory OEM laminate bar on my PS-6400 which is in use since 2006.
That says a lot about my requirements and usage.

In the last 365 days I have acquired another 3 saws complete with good condition B&C setups.
Additionally I have acquired a couple new bars and several new chains/loops.
Considering my current usage I'm covered for the next decade or two!

To someone using his saws on a daily basis a lightweight bar makes sense, no argument there.
To someone like me a lightweight bar doesn't really wake much interest.

 

[Dub11]

Isn't this exactly the way Sugihara and Tsumura make their “light weight” bars?

I thought they just killed out holes on standard bars then filled with epoxy. While these versacut bars are like a three piece combo with an aluminum core with two outer pieces of steel iirc.

 

[cgraham1]

Get a solid bar, drill or mill holes in it and fill them up with molten plastic - that is what I wanna try at some point.

Isn't this exactly the way Sugihara and Tsumura make their “light weight” bars?

I thought they just drilled out holes on standard bars then filled with epoxy. While these versacut bars are like a three piece combo with an aluminum core with two outer pieces of steel iirc.

Thats what @Wilhelm was talking about doing, and thats what I was replying to...

 

[Dub11]

Thats what @Wilhelm was talking about doing, and thats what I was replying to...

Oops I didnt read all of it lol.

 

[Wilhelm]

No harm done!

It is easy to loose track once off topic posts are being made.

 

[cgraham1]

When I went into my local Stihl dealer and ordered a 28” Es Light, he thought I was crazy, but man does a 70-80cc saw balance better with a light weight bar, especially the 7900 which tends to be a little nose heavy IMO.

 

[Adirondackstihl]

When I went into my local Stihl dealer and ordered a 28” Es Light, he thought I was crazy, but man does a 70-80cc saw balance better with a light weight bar, especially the 7900 which tends to be a little nose heavy IMO.

A 28” ES Light is the best balanced bar on a 7900/7910 I have found.

 

[cgraham1]

A 28” ES Light is the best balanced bar on a 7900/7910 I have found.

Exactly how I feel.

 

[Woodpecker]

When I went into my local Stihl dealer and ordered a 28” Es Light, he thought I was crazy, but man does a 70-80cc saw balance better with a light weight bar, especially the 7900 which tends to be a little nose heavy IMO.

Agreed. 24" Total/tsumara light and Tough with 3/8th .050 full chisel.