How much faster are 18-inch chainsaws than 16-inch chainsaws at cutting?

Other things being equal, I'd probably get the 18-inch, but I have some extra 16-inch chains that could be reused if I got a 16-inch saw. But maybe it's worth it (in speed) to forget about those chains and get an 18-inch anyway?

Comments

3 Responses to “How much faster are 18-inch chainsaws than 16-inch chainsaws at cutting?”
  1. shooter1 says:
    March 27, 2010 at 4:52 am

    The 18 inch would allow you to cut a slightly larger diameter tree but the speed of cutting is more controlled by the sharpness of the blade and the strength of the engine/motor. Being a longer chain does not make it cut any faster unless the chain is sharp and turning at a higher rate of speed. It is also dependent upon the force exerted during the cut. If you have to push excessively hard to make the cut it’s time to sharpen the chain. The weight of the saw should do most of the work with you only having to control the saws direction.

    Good luck and enjoy!

  2. brazospete says:
    March 27, 2010 at 4:52 am

    A sharp chain cuts faster than a dull one. 18 in chains have more teeth to get dull!

  3. Hondu says:
    March 27, 2010 at 4:52 am

    All things being equal, such as engine horsepower, sharpness of the chain, and the size of the log you are cutting, the sixteen inch bar will cut faster simply because the chain drag of the longer bar will pull the engine down more. I have seen folks put an extra long bar on a saw that just didn’t have the horsepower to pull it. You need to determine the average size of what you are going to cut when you buy a saw. You can cut most anything with a sixteen inch bar that you can with an eighteen inch, even if you have to saw it from both sides. On the other hand, the shorter the bar, the more prone it is to kickbacks.


 
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