Chainsaw milling saws big and small, pros, cons, models...

[lehman live edge slab]

I have an 090 and 075 and the ts510 I put a sprocket on for just the mill. 075 has its first malfunction on Saturday so the 090 went it alone. I was going to try the 075 and the 510 together but after the decomp failed I ended up with just the 090. Don’t know if the 075/510 combo would have done any better or not.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Run the 510 next time

 

[lehman live edge slab]

Might try it next time even though the 075/510 run 10,000 rpm and the 090 runs 8-8500 depending on what year specs you look at. I know some people dissable the governor and turn them 10000 but not going to do that to mine.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Gear up the 090 and gear down 510. 6pin 8 pin or 7 pin 9 pin. You'll be fine.

 

[Semotony]

Just getting together some things to start milling hardwoods for the most part. Lots of saw questions.

I will be using Stihl saws from 60cc-90's for now. Might need to go bigger, might not. Might need to buy another brand.

The cons:
DON'T want. old *s-word like 075 or 2100's
1. No parts support.
2. Saws with upright filling caps.
3. Saws that tend to run hot.
4. Short strokes and big bores tend not to fair well under a huge constant load, avoiding them for the most part.
5. Saws with horrible AV and ignition problems.
6. Chainsaw milling is hard on everything saw related I'm told.

The pros:
1. Relatively cheap quality parts cause I'll be spending my money on saw consumables and go go juices.
2. Side fill caps are a MUST! for me.
3. Cold blooded overgrown pigs of a saw don't matter much here.
4. Long strokes and big clutches will help.
5. Saws with decent AV and no known ignition problems.
6. A saw can have a tuned pipe and appropriate port work, mods, ect...
7. The longer bar(s) won't matter with a good acc oiler.
8. Saws will be set up for rough and finish work.
*9. None of this matters on the beaming saw. Yes one will be dedicated to just that.
10. All fine finish resawn will be sent out or a band brought in.
11. Doing beams, posts and lumber for myself to use!
12. I'd rather not do dry wood for now. Green sawn and gone is the plan.
13. A yoke and winch seems to be the best way to pull a chainsaw mill vs pushing it.

So, here we go with the 660, 394/5, you need a 9000 bla bla bla...
Tell me why your saw is so great at milling and what could be better.

It would be nice to here from guys in the field actually milling logs or have done so in the past and not with all the fancy smancy new high-tech expensive stuff and stuffs. Always interested in others set ups for work related activity. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel here.

# 13 I'm brain damaged, but what I do works 4 me. I don't push or pull me bar threw the slice. The "top" of the bar is a few inches closer on the PH end than the tip to the end of the log . My "push" is against the cutters push of the powerhead away from the side of the log. Holding that angle has the saw self feed, along with a bit of down hill when it can be arranged. At library computer so no pics now. May add later.
I have run a chain around a 60" bar with ms-460 muf-modded only power-head. I used skip square chisel chain to halve the resistance of the cutters and seems to clear chips better than comp chain IMHO. Not a sprint, patience is needed. Aquired a 661 cylinder ported powerhead for a lot less than retail new. Still haven't found the optimal opening out of the can. A builder said "no timing advance" only adds heat to a use that already builds more heat than usual work saw use. On the square chisel chain, running a round file at an angle thru the gullet seems to help ease the load also.
It all seems to be about most efficient use of the power available. An 090 with all that torque may put up with too much "pull" from a winch, these later model saws @ higher rpm may overheat IDK but I act as if they will. When my saw is singing buried in the log all seems well.
I forgot to say earlier that I began with a 30" Alaskan that I just keep making longer rails to match the longer bars (72"max now) as I get 'em. Any one have an 84" 3/8" .063 bar 12.4 mm mount? Or a 96" same?? Always just in case! The 60" has been used for three slices only, the 72" not yet. Could have used a 72" after the last cut with the 60", for example. Not every day use- 42" is used the most by me. Like a pistol, better to have & not need than to need and not have.

 

[huskyboy]

I know is a 661 and 395 have a shorter stroke than a 660 and both have more torque and better oilers to boot for milling

 

[Semotony]

I know is a 661 and 395 have a shorter stroke than a 660 and both have more torque and better oilers to boot for milling

Best shot I have to use. Log on slope, bar at an angle rather than perpendicular to the log. Edge of bar that is pressure lubed by PH is in the lead. I started this way before being influenced by more experienced. Just to keep from clogging up under the cover. The other thing is that the angle helps the self feed aspect along with the slope.
Ladder angle is to relieve the cramped area at the end of the cut.
42" bar ms-460 PH Oregon skip chisel chain.

 

[Wolverine]

View attachment 132661
Best shot I have to use. Log on slope, bar at an angle rather than perpendicular to the log. Edge of bar that is pressure lubed by PH is in the lead. I started this way before being influenced by more experienced. Just to keep from clogging up under the cover. The other thing is that the angle helps the self feed aspect along with the slope.
Ladder angle is to relieve the cramped area at the end of the cut.
42" bar ms-460 PH Oregon skip chisel chain.

Wow. With that slope, you could lock the throttle and sit back and have a coffee!

 

[Semotony]

Wow. With that slope, you could lock the throttle and sit back and have a coffee!

The insured professional who dropped it cut higher than I wood have and the trunk was left on the stump. One of those situations I am not going to mess with. Golfers say "play it as it lies". Any thing I tried woodn't improve the situation!
If the mill had rollers to prevent catching on/in the bark, you are correct. BobL from Perth Australia has a shot of his mill self feeding down a log more than four feet wide with him fifteen or more feet away in a lawn chair with an iced tea in hand.
Edit add: Forgot shot of stump last slice wish I'd have had 72" bar for another slice.
The root buttresses reached 7 or more feet side to side in a three inch slice down, wooda been last available. I was not able to find that bar soon enough have it now just in case.

 

[Lightning Performance]

I been looking for a set up I saw a while back. Saw had a pipe exhaust but it wasn't expansion chamber. It routed the gasses up and away from the operator. It looked nice to me, I'll keep looking.

Any luck looking?
I'm thinking a skinny tuned pipe or just the first half. They require much different timing numbers depending on the strength of your return signal. Most say too much pipe will cook it.

 

[ajschainsaws]

I’ve narrowed it down to Four saws for my sawmill Iam getting built

1. Husqvarna 3120
2. Echo cs-1201
3 . Husqvarna 395
4. Dolmar Ps-9010

All would be muffler modded and anything done to aid cooling

 

[Lightning Performance]

I’ve narrowed it down to Four saws for my sawmill Iam getting built

1. Husqvarna 3120
2. Echo cs-1201
3 . Husqvarna 395
4. Dolmar Ps-9010

All would be muffler modded and anything done to aid cooling

IMO you picked the tops for stroke and oil delivery factory oem.
For price and parts upkeep I'm sticking to 660's built up.
The 395 will be cheapest to run over time from that lot. Pray you don't lose a powerhead on the other three, pricy.

@Wagnerwerks will have us all beat on outlay and up keep. He might out pull the 3120 if he sends me the head for a little adjustment.

 

[Wolverine]

Any luck looking?
I'm thinking a skinny tuned pipe or just the first half. They require much different timing numbers depending on the strength of your return signal. Most say too much pipe will cook it.

I gave up till my son completes a 2 year welding program. I've never welded and don't have the equip.
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop_archive/csm2.htmhttp://www.ablett.jp/workshop_archive/csm2.htm

 

[Lightning Performance]

I gave up till my son completes a 2 year welding program. I've never welded and don't have the equip.
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop_archive/csm2.htmhttp://www.ablett.jp/workshop_archive/csm2.htm

Good field tests in that thread he wrote. We need more of those!
Thanks

 

[Lightning Performance]

This saw needs a muffler. It has a dual port on it now with the screens in. It will only get louder with mods. Muffler time indeed. Starting with a single port can.
Leave the can or go with none is the question. If I drop the can a pipe can exit from either side if it is symmetrical.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Dumped the muffler screen and ran the large hole single port muffler on the mill today. 28" 404 on a stock 660 power head. It was a so so shakedown. The mill needs more weight to keep it under control when the wood narrows. She likes to hop. The cut is much better going back to 404H and some machining tweaks to the mill plates has yielded the nicest slabs I have ever cut from hardwood. Very smooth for a chainsaw mill. Still need to get a stone for the chain to tune it more. 20* is too much on the chain face. I have to wear down this harvester chain to get the drags up. 0.032 still and it is easy to stuff it. The plus was a perfect pass with large chip for a mill. Finally got this back up power head rung out! Pics later or tomorrow.

Brakes went on the truck going to my daughters dance practice tonight. Just another rear brake line. No harm no foul. Win one lose one, meh....life goes on.

 

[Lightning Performance]

All my pics from milling are in the wrong thread. I put them in the lets talk 404 by mistake

Quote of the day.
Jimmy Kimble just said "it's like questioning Bevis without asking Butthead."

 

[AlfA01]

I gave up till my son completes a 2 year welding program. I've never welded and don't have the equip.
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop_archive/csm2.htmhttp://www.ablett.jp/workshop_archive/csm2.htm

Good find. I'm planning on milling with a 2100. Waiting for my v-stack and a P&C.

Wouldn't mind an exhaust like this. Wonder how it is for tuning.

 

[Wolverine]

Good question. I run it pretty fat millin and usually tune w a tach. In which case, the weird pipe might not be too much of an issue. I’ll definitely try it some time.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Back from the dead.

New victim

CS670 with 72dl 3/8" 0.050 new Oregon set up is the beaming tool flavor this month. Seven pin rim....no mods.

Have some more bars to get set up for 3/8" 0.063 chain under 120dls.

Still running the 660's.
Parked one....old reliable. Piston is just worn down on the right side from years of use. Revived a stock stripped down junker 660 back to life. Bone stock, busted upper spike mount, smashed plastics, plus more and a never opened long block. This one will stomp the tired one. This saw has a huge front port and side port. No screens. Loud mfer too. Carb mods with work in the choke area and around the filter support stud mount. Needs an exhaust pipe, badly.
Starting out with RS chain and see what angles it likes. Then file it square.