038 Mag II on a 36" bar for milling Update: got a free bar for the Dolkita

[CountryBoy19]

Update: I was at a friends today and he said he found a bar in the woods, presumably from the last time his place was logged. It won't fit his Stihl. As it turns out it's a 28" Oregon Powermatch for my Dolkita...I think I will run with that for now... the sprocket nose is tight (will see if I can free it up) but the bar itself is in really good condition...I guess these things have a way of working themselves out...


I have a nice West German 038 Mag 2 I picked up several years ago at an auction for a song because they couldn't get it to start (choke linkage was messed up). I really didn't need it, but at $160 I couldn't resist...it's sat unused since then and it's time to get it to work.

I already have a Dolkita 7900 and want to keep that as my saw to grab when I need smile on my face. I'm thinking I'll make the Mag 2 a dedicated milling rig.

I'm going to put a 36" bar on it. I know that's pushing the length a bit for that saw, should I use skip or semi-skip if I'm milling with it? I'm thinking I'll lighten the load on it a bit, even if it takes a touch longer to complete a cut.

Thoughts?

 

[Eduardo K]

I’ve never milled with an 038…. That said, I’d think that as long as the bar is oiled and you keep the rpms where they should be any chain should be ok.

 

[redneckhillbilly]

36 inch is a big bar for a 72cc saw, maybe 32 with skip might go better as long as the oiler can keep up just my .02 Ive never owned an 038.

I have milled a few posts from doug fir with a 572 and 32 inch bar and its pretty slow going

 

[CountryBoy19]

36 inch is a big bar for a 72cc saw, maybe 32 with skip might go better as long as the oiler can keep up just my .02 Ive never owned an 038.

I have milled a few posts from doug fir with a 572 and 32 inch bar and its pretty slow going

That was my thought too, that's why I'm asking. My other thought is Granberg's special milling chain that has half the cutters cut down to a smaller profile...they say it reduces the pull force on the chain...

 

[redneckhillbilly]

i filled a chain at 10ish degrees and it made alot smoother of a cut, but took even longer, the last few cuts I made i just sharpened to 25° and delt with a rougher look.

never tried one of grandbegs chains, if was going to do more milling it would probably give one a shot

 

[Woodwackr]

cruel and unusual punishment for that saw, IMO.
no way the oiler will keep up.

 

[Maintenance Chief]

A cheap 066 clone would make that job easier, save the 038 for edging.

 

[hacskaroly]

I'm thinking I'll lighten the load on it a bit, even if it takes a touch longer to complete a cut.

One other thing a lot of people are milling with smaller saws (smaller than a 2100CD, 661, 881, 3120...etc) they can overheat easily, burning their oil and then scorring. I had a customer that was milling with a MS 311 (why...I don't know), but he got his so hot that the glue on his transfers melted and blew the transfer covers off of the cylinder (not bolted on like Husqvarna). That is a lot of heat. I was able to JB weld the transfers back on, but told him that he should stick to cutting with it and get a saw better built for milling.

What type of surface are you looking for on your finished product, that will help determine what type of chain to use too.

 

[Woodwackr]

A cheap 066 clone would make that job easier, save the 038 for edging.

run them with 32:1 mix, open up the muffler, replace the air filter with OE Stihl and you have a good 36" mill saw.
I just rebuilt one that the owner had used 50:1...oops...ground up rebuild.

 

[jblnut]

I bet there would be a line of people waiting to buy that 038 if you posted it for sale. Don’t kill it on a mill !!

I’ll start the line …..

 

[thedude74]

I have a nice West German 038 Mag 2 I picked up several years ago at an auction for a song because they couldn't get it to start (choke linkage was messed up). I really didn't need it, but at $160 I couldn't resist...it's sat unused since then and it's time to get it to work.

I already have a Dolkita 7900 and want to keep that as my saw to grab when I need smile on my face. I'm thinking I'll make the Mag 2 a dedicated milling rig.

I'm going to put a 36" bar on it. I know that's pushing the length a bit for that saw, should I use skip or semi-skip if I'm milling with it? I'm thinking I'll lighten the load on it a bit, even if it takes a touch longer to complete a cut.

Thoughts?

I used an 039 with a 28" and full comp to mill up several logs. Most of that was done in the winter(less heat). It's less than ideal, but the saw survived. With same bar/ chain I also used a Makita 7900. Worked better. With a 36" bar I'd want like a 395xp or something similar. Dedicated milling/ripping chain makes nicer cuts.

 

[CountryBoy19]

I bet there would be a line of people waiting to buy that 038 if you posted it for sale. Don’t kill it on a mill !!

I’ll start the line …..

I don't plan to kill it. It will be only occasional use, and the reason for 36" isn't because I plan to always be cutting big wood, it's just for flexibility if I needed to tear into some larger wood. The use will be so low that I really can't even justify having a 28" and 36" bar for it. If I find that I run it more often than intended a bigger powerhead will be a top priority because I don't have time to waste.

In regards to oil, I'll setup an auxiliary tank at the nose to make sure it's getting enough oil.

I am open to selling it, but the choke linkage is still messed up (I just open the air box to choke it) and parts are hard to find. The handle (part of the tank assembly) has some cracks in it. And I would have to get enough out of it to buy a clone saw and do the upgrades, and last I looked 038s aren't bringing that much.

I have too many saws in that size range. I have my dad's west German 034 (57 cc), a makita 6401 (64 cc), the 038 Mag 2 (72 cc), and my Dolkita 7900 (79 cc). I don't give them enough love and runtime as it is.

 

[Shane¹]

I would put the mill on the 7900 but i also think if you go slow and it is occasional use either saw will be fine

 

[Maintenance Chief]

That 038 is gonna be painful slow on a log bigger than 18" .
I've seen a 372xp stop dead in a 24" pine log that was a little bit hard from sitting.
I think its fine to do what you please but honestly a used 80cc + saw is gonna save you time just in hrs milling.
Hell check scrapyards! Both my 066s came from bone piles. Aftermarket tanks, handles ,and maybe a piston ? Might have 120.00$ in the last one.

 

[CountryBoy19]

That 038 is gonna be painful slow on a log bigger than 18" .
I've seen a 372xp stop dead in a 24" pine log that was a little bit hard from sitting.
I think its fine to do what you please but honestly a used 80cc + saw is gonna save you time just in hrs milling.
Hell check scrapyards! Both my 066s came from bone piles. Aftermarket tanks, handles ,and maybe a piston ? Might have 120.00$ in the last one.

An extra 8 cc makes that big of difference? The 038 Mag2 is 72 cc...

I wish I had good bone piles around here...I've never seen one, the only place that had any resemblance of one went out of business, it wasn't much, and it wasn't cheap.

 

[hacskaroly]

the only place that had any resemblance of one went out of business

Do you have any dumps with scrap piles around your area? I picked up an 046, 272 and 2100CD that were tossed out at my dump.

 

[Maintenance Chief]

An extra 8 cc makes that big of difference? The 038 Mag2 is 72 cc...

I wish I had good bone piles around here...I've never seen one, the only place that had any resemblance of one went out of business, it wasn't much, and it wasn't cheap.

Unfortunately 8cc is alot in terms of chainsaws, 372xp ,044 are 70cc saws ,the 181se and 064 are only low 80cc, but they are totally different animals.
Check recycling centers that aren't government owned, often you can get a saw for scrap price, even vehicle recycling yards, they can end up with chainsaws and not really know what they're looking at.
Basically the deals are out there, and yes it requires footwork and networking but you can score a heck of a deal if you commit to it.
One of the scrap guys I befriended knew I liked big saws and sold me a running 394xp for 300.00$ ! Which could mill a 36" log no problem.

 

[Woodslasher]

My two bits, milling with small saws sucks. I had a woods ported 181 on a mill, 36" bar maybe a 24" wide cut in pine and it was painfully slow. I slapped my 2100 on there and boy howdy, what a difference that made! Even running a pretty new 395 on a mill was noticeably slower than a 2100. Don't piddle around with small saws, get a big one and you'll never regret it.

 

[hacskaroly]

I slapped my 2100 on there and boy howdy, what a difference that made!

The parts are coming together for my 2100, I am hoping to have it running this spring!!

 

[Woodwackr]

The parts are coming together for my 2100, I am hoping to have it running this spring!!

Same here. I think I have everything but...
Looking for a cheap 5' bar to go with it.