Bar Stud Conversion

[dougie]

Not a 660, but I recently bought a G260, needed a light utility saw I can let friends use under my supervision. I then saw a site was running a sale on the holzforma orange/grey 070 ($319 shipped) and could not say no as it will be as close as I come to having a real 090.

Seems w/ the MS881 (maybe ms880 also) switching to the 3003 bar mount, that the 14mm slotted 3002 bars are harder and harder to find. Not wanting to spend more on the bar than the saw... Cannon is not in the budget. I see adapters to make the big 3002 saw fit 3003 mounts, but that is no help to me but...

That got me thinking and a search here did not show. Has anyone tried to use the 12mm mount studs in an saw that had 14mm mount studs? Seems if an adapter lets me mount 3002 mounts on a 3003 saw, if I can fit 3003 studs on a 3002 saw I should be able to use my 3003 or but a 12mm bar.

Studs are cheap enough I may try it if no one here has...

dw

 

[Shane¹]

14mm bars are still out there for a Stihl what size bar are you looking for? I am unsure if you can use the smaller bars on the big saws. The studs would be the easiest thing to change first I would just be curious if oil holes and everything else were close I am thinking a 3003 mount might be to small at the tail to line up with the oil slot

 

[dougie]

I ordered a 36 holzfirma bar & chain for now. I may want to go 42. I may try some milling but the saw will typicallbe a mantle/shelf queen.

Looking at granberg or cannons site they say the 12mm saws can run the big bar with an adapter they sell. That should mean the oil holes line up, at least on some bars. I have also seen people say you can machine the 12mm slots to 14mm and use them on the larger mount.

Seems the stud shoulder is the only issue. What I don't know is if the portion that screws into the case is the same thread pitch. Would it need to be helicoiked down etc... if the studs will screw in it should be a no brainier. Which has me wondering why nothing has been posted.

dw

 

[Shane¹]

You could always turn or grind the shoulder down if that's the only difference

 

[dougie]

Thought about that as well. Chuck the stud into a drill spin it while I hold it to a grinder wheel

Seems the 14mm mount is becoming scarce, Baily's no longer list a bar for a 090. Some chinesium brands on Amazon, fleabay and sellers that deal w/ holzforma of course but reading their bars are not the best, but probably good enough for my needs.

Cannon and Granberg seem to be the only brand names really making bars, and those are not cheap. Greanberg seems to only make the large mounts and sells bushings to run the 14mm bar on the 12mm studs.

dw

 

[Sauen]

I modded the studs on my 084 to accept an unmodified 12mm bar, did it by filing the bottom shoulder of the studs, so the bar effectively sits higher on the saw making the oiler hole line up. Only downside to this is having to grind the chain tensioner screw smaller.
Works well enough to run a 36” with an 8pin for me.

 

[dougie]

Thanks - I have 1 bar coming and would never wear it out if quality/strength is anywhere close to Stihl bars.