Milling saw recommendations?

[kneedeepinsaws]

So modified means they won’t last as long? Asking for a friend.

Well its not that black and white and i think i came across as implying that.
the candle that burns twice as bright lasts half as long.

Porting a milling saw is a variable i dont want for something that goes WOT for up to 2 minutes at a time buried in wood. But that doesnt mean its a bad idea. Just something i dont want to take a chance on a saw that already costs alot of $$$

I dont want to come across as an expert, i wanted to give my opinion on what i run and why to answer the OP’s original question. There are guys who have been doing it for a decade or more and i would like to hear what they have to say. Ive only been doing it for 2 years as a weekend hobby

 

[Lightning Performance]

Well its not that black and white and i think i came across as implying that.
the candle that burns twice as bright lasts half as long.

Porting a milling saw is a variable i dont want for something that goes WOT for up to 2 minutes at a time buried in wood. But that doesnt mean its a bad idea. Just something i dont want to take a chance on a saw that already costs alot of $$$

I dont want to come across as an expert, i wanted to give my opinion on what i run and why to answer the OP’s original question. There are guys who have been doing it for a decade or more and i would like to hear what they have to say. Ive only been doing it for 2 years as a weekend hobby

Not true about the candle theory imo.

LED lights and synthetic oil have come a long way.
Two modern things that take beating like well built chainsaws and quality chain.

These guys know how to set up a saw for any task including super heaving milling on full tank runs repeatedly with no off the trigger time. I did last week on my 084 and it will step on a new stock 880... just a fact. It still needs a minor port job just to catch the other one with a bit of carb work and refined transfer port entries and intake port work. The exhaust still needs to be widened and transfers lifted to get at the real power available in that jug. An 088 or 880 done up like yours will pull with less stress and better rpm in the cut ported by a competent experienced person with your long term plans in mind. No one said you have to square up ports for max power or ride the ragged edge. Built right they go like stink, ask around.

Starting with the transfer entries, port corrections to smooth out transitions, correct intake and exhaust numbers will go a long way plugged in with less blow down on the transfers openings and your gonna really like it and sacrifice nothing. I'm doing zero machine work to my mill power heads. Will sand my band on one just to get a bit more with a gasket delete in favor of 518 liquid candy. I like candy.

 

[Wolverine]

Well its not that black and white and i think i came across as implying that.
the candle that burns twice as bright lasts half as long.

Porting a milling saw is a variable i dont want for something that goes WOT for up to 2 minutes at a time buried in wood. But that doesnt mean its a bad idea. Just something i dont want to take a chance on a saw that already costs alot of $$$

I dont want to come across as an expert, i wanted to give my opinion on what i run and why to answer the OP’s original question. There are guys who have been doing it for a decade or more and i would like to hear what they have to say. Ive only been doing it for 2 years as a weekend hobby

I get it and respect your thought process. I’ve had, on several occasions, slabs that took an entire tank each. Never shut the saw off, just refill while idled. Now think about how much longer those cuts would take if the saw was not dickered with. Millin is the hardest thing a chainsaw can do IMO so whatever works for you is what ya stick with. I’ve had a tach on mine and the rpms at which the saw likes to cut (on the mill) did not change after port work. She sure does chug through quicker!

 

[Lightning Performance]

I get it and respect your thought process. I’ve had, on several occasions, slabs that took an entire tank each. Never shut the saw off, just refill while idled. Now think about how much longer those cuts would take if the saw was not dickered with. Millin is the hardest thing a chainsaw can do IMO so whatever works for you is what ya stick with. I’ve had a tach on mine and the rpms at which the saw likes to cut (on the mill) did not change after port work. She sure does chug through quicker!

You must be talking about that 394 you have?
Mine needs more time to get seated up and go back in. A header will help it some more.

 

[mdavlee]

Well its not that black and white and i think i came across as implying that.
the candle that burns twice as bright lasts half as long.

Porting a milling saw is a variable i dont want for something that goes WOT for up to 2 minutes at a time buried in wood. But that doesnt mean its a bad idea. Just something i dont want to take a chance on a saw that already costs alot of $$$

I dont want to come across as an expert, i wanted to give my opinion on what i run and why to answer the OP’s original question. There are guys who have been doing it for a decade or more and i would like to hear what they have to say. Ive only been doing it for 2 years as a weekend hobby

I’ve run ported saws in cuts that takes 6-7 minutes or runs out mid cut. It is scary the first time you run out mid cut and it goes lean and dies LOL To me saws are a tool that’s not expensive compared to the tractors, trucks, and trailers used for most of us to be able to mill. Almost at a consumable level if you buy used ones[emoji2371]

 

[Lightning Performance]

I’ve run ported saws in cuts that takes 6-7 minutes or runs out mid cut. It is scary the first time you run out mid cut and it goes lean and dies LOL To me saws are a tool that’s not expensive compared to the tractors, trucks, and trailers used for most of us to be able to mill. Almost at a consumable level if you buy used ones[emoji2371]

I here you about the cost of these tools ain't bad compared to others. It is kinda small and consumable for long bars and milling. The maintenance takes far more than gas and run till they die and replace. Dependable is kinda nice though for the direction I'm heading. This isn't a hobby anymore for me milling. 6-7 minute cuts in stumps are much easier than 12-16 minute mill runs ripping 40-50" wide old oaks. Most stock saws would be a waste. If bobbled just stop and reload it. No worries is the goal. Often it gets refilled before it runs out on my watch.
If not maintained you would consume one a week lol.

 

[mdavlee]

I here you about the cost of these tools ain't bad compared to others. It is kinda small and consumable for long bars and milling. The maintenance takes far more than gas and run till they die and replace. Dependable is kinda nice though for the direction I'm heading. This isn't a hobby anymore for me milling. 6-7 minute cuts in stumps are much easier than 12-16 minute mill runs ripping 40-50" wide old oaks. Most stock saws would be a waste. If bobbled just stop and reload it. No worries is the goal. Often it gets refilled before it runs out on my watch.
If not maintained you would consume one a week lol.

Unless you add an extra gas tank I never got over 9 minutes of run tune out of any ported saw on a mill.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Unless you add an extra gas tank I never got over 9 minutes of run tune out of any ported saw on a mill.

Theses saws are not ported. Muffler mods and that's it. Base gaskets installed. Maybe more like 12-13 minutes maybe. I'll try to remember and get a time. Two tanks is one pass on fat logs with a 660 or 084.
Have saws waiting for the port job and other mods like large Uni filters and a header pipe to a vertical tube or a mill mounted muffler from a Kawasaki 600. Quiet is better. Then add power is the plan. 8 and 12hp should be perfect on the 42 and the 60.

 

[huskyhank]

If the cost is in line for you, a modded for milling 3120 is the answer. There is no replacement for displacement. 42” bar, 7 pin and a nose oiler and you are set. I sold mine last year because I ran out of places to store the wood from the past 10 years of milling. But if starting again, that’s where I’d start today.

Next in line would be a modded for milling 395 or 394. Or possibly a 2100 if you can find one. I do like the torque of the long stroke saws like the 2100. Its easier to keep a long steady pull going. I have one I bought new back in the day and if I find a great tree that begs to be milled I will use it again.

100 mph is fast but 120 mph is lots faster and so it goes with milling saw displacement.

I would not consider a 390 for milling. Its made to be a light weight big bore falling saw and great at that but its not heavy duty like the others above. I have a MMWS 390 and it is an aboslutely wonderful saw, just not the best pick for milling.

 

[foragefarmer]

I prefer the outboard clutch milling to put the heat further our away from the plastic Oiler drive and the rubber seals. A 394/5 is probably the best saw to get unless you want to use a 48” mill a lot then go to a 120cc

Mike sold me a butt ugly blank canvas 394 a few years back that I turned into a milling saw with a little TLC and a few mods and have never looked back. Ugly as sin means you don't worry about beating it like a rented mule.

 

[mdavlee]

Mike sold me a butt ugly blank canvas 394 a few years back that I turned into a milling saw with a little TLC and a few mods and have never looked back. Ugly as sin means you don't worry about beating it like a rented mule.

I’m glad it’s still going strong for you.

 

[kanscruzer]

I cured that. DJ sent me a busted 371 cover to chop up and flip over. Never did get to install it yet but you will need to shorten the adjuster pin and cut off the fat. Some grinding will make it clear the drum.
Your Welcome.

371 cover, trim/ flip works great you can buy AM cover $10 ,,, chop chop, easy peazy

 

[Isaac]

I have tried multiple saw sizes and multiple bar sizes for milling. I am not an expert but I have a couple years experience. Ill share my thoughts

bar length
36” IMO is the biggest you want to go to keep things portable-ish. 36 fits the alaskan mill nicely if you take off the dogs on your powerhead. If you choose to keep them on, its still lots of room for the majority of logs here you will find in the west coast area.
I live on the east side of the rockies and mpst trees here are 12-24” diameter live for fir trees. Down by the river you will find larger But I only fell what i can manage.

powerhead
I cant recommend the 395xp enough. It is far superior in stock form to the 390 and even the 3120xp in stock form. Remember i said stock. You can make the 3120xp the ultimate milling saw for power but it requires quite a few mods to make it worth while.
The 395 has an excellent oiler and will keep up with the 36” bar no problem given a sharp chain. It has an outboard clutch and trust me this is what you want for milling. You are keeping alot of the heat of that clutch away fr the motor promoting longer saw life for the task of milling. Once your chain is broken in and stops stretching you will not be worried in the least about having a front chain tensioner. you will be only using one bar and one chain for a milling saw and once the chain is set it will not stretch given you sharpen it properly.
the 395 has plenty of power for 36” bar in live softwood as well, and will carry full comp very well for the best finish compared to skip on your wood planks. It doesnt require a muffler mod or anything else to promote this power either and when tuned properly runs at just the right temp never getting too hot.

the air filter, which is important for milling, on this unit is superior in every way to every other current husqvarna saw. It has a rubber boot that has an excellent seal via a clamp to the air horn of the carb setup. It will not pass particulates and has a very large surface area to draw from, almost as much as the 3120xp

particulate seperation via the cooling fan on the side of the saw also seperates large chips from small chips extremely well and even the small chips to not get into the filter that much. This is important because you dont want a coked up air filter after 5 passes on your milled work, you want to keep going.

the 390xp is a great saw, its one i do not own but the inboard clutch is designed for quick chain/bar changes and is not designed for the heat of milling. This is not to say it will not mill, i have milled with the 372 inboard clutch, but it is not an ideal setup for a long lasting power head in this type of Application. .

the weight between the 3120xp and the 395xp is extremely noticable as well. Again for a first millingg saw that will serve you well right out of the box for milling is the 395.

i have recently retired my 395 and upgraded to a 3120xp. I had to modify the air filter, the coil and the carb to get it to run properly milling. This cost alot of money and time and if I had the 3120 years ago as my first milling saw i would have been disappointed given my experience back then. Only after the mods has it finally stepped up to the level and beyond the 395 for milling.

again this is just my experience, take it as you will. Others may chime in and say that its *B-S.... and the 3120 beats the 395 any day for milling. I strongly disagree in its stock form.

I know this is an old post, but i sure did appreciate you posting it. I'm just starting to get into milling and i was having some heartburn choosing between the 395 and 3120. Your info helped me a lot, thanks.

 

[JIMG]

Care to share which you are choosing to go with?