Stihl 325 in Red Oak

[fjray]

Just got a new 362, put the comfort chain aside and put a full skip on the 20" bar for red oak. Has anyone used this saw with a 25" or 28" in a comparable hard wood? It cut great I was wanting to get a little longer bar for this one and use the 20 on another saw. Just wasn't sure how it would perform.

[Caloren]

Have the smaller MS 310 with 25" bar [actually measures 24"] and it does fine on our black oak, tan oak, and madrone. Don't have red oak, so couldn't say how it would do. Never ran skip chain either.
Loren

[fjray]

I appreciate the input. I'll check the densities on the oaks you've listed to see how they compare.

[Al_Smith]

Red oak is not all that hard to cut .It chips out easily doesn't clog the chain etc .

I can't say I've ever even seen the saw in question but being of that size you shouldn't have any problems .

[JohnG28]

I have a Stihl 361 that I keep a 20" bar on most of the time and it runs great with it.  I use full comp chain though, no reason to run skip on a 20" bar really.  I also have a 24" bar for it, full comp also.  It will pull that just fine, not super fast, but will do the trick.  Maybe a skip chain would be better on the 24", especially in hardwood, but I think 20" is better on this size saw.  What are you cutting with it?

[fjray]

I cut a variety of hardwoods: oak, black locust, wild cherry etc.
It'll really does fly thru the material with a full skip chain on a 20". I just wasn't sure if the 25" would do the same.

[Al_Smith]

Skip was really made for long bars and hard to clear chips on west coast Douglas fir etc .I've never seen much difference myself on hardwoods .

What does make a difference is weather or not the regardless of configuration if the chain is sharp .