Run this tip or not?

[David _4]

I have never seen this before, I have other bars that have been run a lot longer than this one. The bar is an Oregon 28" PowerCut, large Husky mount and was mounted on my Makita DCS6421/7900. The bar has been flipped once and the worn area was on the upside of the bar. Am I correct to say the tip is junk?

 

[Nutball]

I've not seen it that bad, but it does happen especially to the cheap Chinese bars. Maybe you just got a bad one from Oregon, they arent top notch, but a good ways above Archer and cheaper brands. I'd personally run it as long as it cuts straight and still obviously supports a chain well.

 

[kneedeepinsaws]

I personally dont think its worth the risk damaging drivers on the chain. It may not, but if it gets any deeper, imo, that will start to affect the drivers. Just my .02$

 

[jk14]

I have never seen this before, I have other bars that have been run a lot longer than this one. The bar is an Oregon 28" PowerCut, large Husky mount and was mounted on my Makita DCS6421/7900. The bar has been flipped once and the worn area was on the upside of the bar. Am I correct to say the tip is junk?View attachment 249459 View attachment 249460

If it's got a replaceable tip I'd put a new one on for sure. I'd also reach out to Oregon theres a good chance that they'll take care of you.

 

[Wilhelm]

What Jeff said.
Even if they don't take care of You at least they know they have an unsatisfied customer.

For what I do I would blend in that chipped area so the chains DLs don't catch on to them and run it.

"It's just the tip!"

 

[David _4]

Thanks for the replies. I decided to replace the sprocket tip and contact Oregon to see what they have to say.

 

[fearofpavement]

What kind of chain tension do you run? I've seen that kind of damage to be more prevalent with people that run their chains loose. (the chain whips up and down on the bar)

 

[David _4]

I have used the same method for 45 plus years which most consider to be the correct way and it mirrors what Oregon recommends. The chain that was being run when this happened is the only chain run on this bar and still has a lot of life in it.

 

[Ronie]

Nice people over at Oregon. I call them once about a 3/8 tip I put on a .325 20" bar and was wondering what the drive count should be, it wasn't the same as a 3/8 bar. They ended up sending me a chain and a couple of key chains for free.

 

[David _4]

Oregon has awesome customer service. I had an email conversation with Glenn Lovell from Oregon and after seeing the pics of my bar nose, he is sending me two replacement sprocket nose kits. That's much more than I expected.

 

[Czed]

Oregon has awesome customer service. I had an email conversation with Glenn Lovell from Oregon and after seeing the pics of my bar nose, he is sending me two replacement sprocket nose kits. That's much more than I expected.

Excellent service
The newer bar's are much better than the old one's i have
Much firmer
No issue's I have 12-15 24" and 28" mostly

 

[fearofpavement]

Oregon has awesome customer service. I had an email conversation with Glenn Lovell from Oregon and after seeing the pics of my bar nose, he is sending me two replacement sprocket nose kits. That's much more than I expected.

Did they provide any insight as to what the cause was? ie, did they have a batch with out of spec metalurgy or something? Glad they took care of you.

 

[David _4]

He didn't say, but I suspect the damaged side wasn't heat treated properly. I flipped the bar two days before I found the damage and when I flipped it, the nose was in great shape and wasn't showing any noticeable wear. I have been was bucking hardwood logs from landing cleanups that ranged from about 18" to 32" in dia. I would cut them to length about 2/3 rds of the way through from the top, the log would be rolled and I would cut up following the original down cut. Up bucking the larger logs would put more pressure on the upside of the nose, especially those that are wider than my 28" bar, but the other side of the nose held up just fine when it was on the upside of the bar.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I have seen this on a few bars but only after a year or so of use. For this to happen so suddenly is unusual. I hate to blame the chain, but it is on one side of the bar only.

Your method of bucking with a log roll over in between is common. But, cutting up might be inferior to merely cutting down and in between the kerfs of the original down cut. These can usually be seen after the roll over, and I can usually sight the bar position unless the log is truly mammoth. Up cutting always kind of gives me the creeps and I try to do that only on an initial cut, such as a tree limb, to avoid pinch.

I have figured out a way of bucking big logs without a roll over, but that entails several cuts or finding portions of the log that are above ground. The ground is still the enemy of any sharp chain.