Tried Something New

[toolmaker]

I have an 026 Pro that has been with me for a long time. Always really liked this saw. Since day one, had a 16" .325 pitch bar and chain.
I've been wondering how it would do with a 20" bar simply because I would like a lightweight saw with a little more reach so I don't have to bend over so far. No intentions at all for cutting big wood.............. just for cutting small stuff and cleaning up brush and bushes around the yard.

I bought a new clutch drum and sprocket for 3/8 pitch chain and threw a 20" bar on with a 3/8 .050 chain.

Man.............. I was really impressed!
I was cutting some 16"-18" dry white oak today and it did way better than I expected! Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a powerhouse that will run with my built 462, but it was a LOT better than I thought it would be.

Gonna use this a lot from here on out!

Now I have a couple 16" bars and a bunch off .325 pitch chains for sale!! LOL

 

[Stem]

it'll run a 3/8 20" fine, just cant get too hungry with the rakers.

 

[Greasy Fingers]

I have an 026 Pro that has been with me for a long time. Always really liked this saw. Since day one, had a 16" .325 pitch bar and chain.
I've been wondering how it would do with a 20" bar simply because I would like a lightweight saw with a little more reach so I don't have to bend over so far. No intentions at all for cutting big wood.............. just for cutting small stuff and cleaning up brush and bushes around the yard.

I bought a new clutch drum and sprocket for 3/8 pitch chain and threw a 20" bar on with a 3/8 .050 chain.

Man.............. I was really impressed!
I was cutting some 16"-18" dry white oak today and it did way better than I expected! Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a powerhouse that will run with my built 462, but it was a LOT better than I thought it would be.

Gonna use this a lot from here on out!

Now I have a couple 16" bars and a bunch off .325 pitch chains for sale!! LOL

Just last week I put in new seals and did a general go over on it and opened the muffler up pretty good on my 026 and
Had a new 20” .325 bar and chain kicking around and also threw a 8 pin sprocket on it and it screams right along no problem using it for its intended purpose.

 

[Firewood Hoarder]

I laugh a bit when I hear that the 026 and MS260 won't pull a 20" bar. My setup isn't 3/8" though... and I am not a professional running saws for my livelihood.

I goofed a several years ago and bid on a windsor bar on Ebay that I didn't really need. I thought it was a mcculloch 20" bar... I was still learning bar mount patterns and such. Bar was a stihl mount, .325 20".

I later obtained an MS260 carcass from an arborist's parts heap, and proceeded to go through it and complete it. Once it was together, I needed a bar to run on it. I tried that windsor bar on the powerhead and it felt nice and relatively balanced to me.

I've had that bar on that saw for 3 years now, and it has become my "go-to" small saw. It seems to oil well enough, I can bury the bar and it will pull it as long as I don't lean on it, and I have just a bit more reach when limbing things out.

My only real complaint, is it seems to throw chains easier than anything else I've run, with that 20" .325.

 

[hacskaroly]

I bought a new clutch drum and sprocket for 3/8 pitch chain and threw a 20" bar on with a 3/8 .050 chain.

I bought a burnt 261c, replaced the piston and cylinder, put a 3/8 sprocket and 20" bar with skip chain...for the fun of it and it is fun,!!

 

[Wood Doctor]

I put an 18" bar/chain on my 026 PRO. It is having no trouble with it whatsoever.

I also added the outside bumper spike. I love this saw.

 

[toolmaker]

My 26 is clean, but not as clean as yours!! Nice saw!

 

[brushwacker]

Nothing wrong with a 20" bar on the 026 platform. I had an pro I used that way in 3/8 until I sold it. Wasn't disappointed in the least but to me the 60cc platform is ideal w/20" so I keep an 16" on my 026 as I have an 034 and 036 W/20" I use a lot.

 

[Bill G]

I run 20 inch 3/8 on all saws from 026 to 660. It makes life simple. The 026 is a dynamo and handles it fine as long as the operator pays attention.