“Using the wrong size bar or chain can damage the chainsaw and injure the chainsaw operator,” says Vince Christofora of Woodstock Hardware. Read on to learn how to measure your chainsaw’s bar and chain. Sometimes called a chainsaw blade, the chainsaw bar is the metal “Arm” that holds and supports the chain during cutting.
I’ll show you the easiest methods for how to measure a chainsaw bar and how to measure a chainsaw chain length. The second way for how to measure a chainsaw bar length is called the “True” length of the blade. With the information you learned here, you no longer have to wonder how do you measure a chainsaw bar or chain because you now know how to do it.
Whether you need to replace your chainsaw bar or you are just interested in what size it is, here’s how you do it! This measurement is taken from the tip of the bar to where the bar meets the chainsaw body. The chainsaw bar itself, more often than not, will have the bar length displayed on it, along with other measurements.
We’ll cover bar and chain measurements, the difference between true length and cutting length, pitch, rivets, links, and more, to help you replace your chainsaw bar or chain. With the bar removed, place it on a flat surface and use a tape measure or yardstick to get the measurement. If your saw is old and requires a chain as well as a new bar you may find it economical to buy a new chainsaw.