Maximum Bar Length

Treat the maximum as a ceiling rather than a target. Running at the maximum is reasonable when you occasionally meet oversized timber and accept slower cutting, but a saw permanently wearing its longest approved bar will feel underpowered in every ordinary cut and will run hotter. Remember that oiler output is sized around the recommended bar, so long bars often need the oil flow turned up and a closer eye on the bar rails. Bar length is quoted as usable cutting length, not the total length of the steel, so a bar sold as 45 cm is longer than that from tip to mount.