milling thread

Anyone lean toward a 3120 over 880?

Do I really need a 661 sized saw? 261 with a 20", 461 will pull a 36" in a pinch for straight thru in the tree, or 461 with a 28" for double-cutting in the tree.


If I'm getting a new saw, I might as well get it ported. I lost track of the guy not very far from me, south of Olympia, who builds saws. Anyone remember a guy?

Madsen's probably had a guy.

A ported 880 should chew through rounds like nobody's biz.
 
I never once milled with a 46/460 sized saw. Milling with a 66 seemed slow as f-ck. IMO you will burn up a 46 milling with the bar lengths you mention on it. Or you might shoot yourself first out of desperation/boredom.
 
I'd naturally tend toward the 3120. I'm thinking of getting a ported one for milling when I'm ready to build my house. Prolly with a 9 tooth sprocket and mildly aggressive chain.
 
460/461Just for these cedars, way soft wood.

One purchase at a time, coming into winter.


I'll have a wood miser come out for most of the milling.

Sooner or later a big saw.
 
squisher said:
Or you might shoot yourself first out of desperation/boredom.
Click to expand...


In the ass, just to have some action going on.

Man, I couldn't imagine milling with a saw like that.

Stihl made an extremely heavy electrical saw, back in the days, to use for bucking logs at saw mills.
It was hung in a rig, suspended from the ceiling, cause it was too heavy to lift.

Can't for the life of me remember it's name, but that would be ideal for milling.
 
What about an electric motor?
It could be useful for homework without pissing too much the neighborhood.

Passed by Stig:)
 
That's what I was thinking for my band saw mill.....since I have an electric motor repair shop.

I have an electric motor on my log splitter.
 
I was considering electric, but don't have time to explore that.

You guys even milled cedar with a ripping chain?
Obviously not ideal, but my down-payment took away a lot of reserves.

A ported 880, 72" capacity bar, mill and chains is an easy $3k.
 
Screwing around.

With some cooling time, wedging time, and shaving the butt end, 15 minutes cut time.

I got lucky the far end was Max 31" (36" bar), just had to shave all the bark, no wood. 12.5' long.


Milled some small bench slabs. 20* downhill, what a help!
View attachment 90637




A stiff push broom really helps clean the surface, along with the blower. Less likelihood of mold.








Maybe better to buy a big saw first, big mill second.
I bought my mill used, and don't know it's actual capacity. My 36" bar is the limiting factor, not the mill.



IMG_20181118_131928368.jpg
 
I need to figure out a winch for my mill.

I gave an electric "hand held" chainsaw mill a thought. I'm still unsure about it. I have some of the necessary parts to make a 4-10kW saw at about 25-40lbs (battery, motor(s) and all that makes up the powerhead) But the huge battery might only get one 5 minute rip at ported 3120 power. The other idea is the same lightweight motor, but running on a 240v extension cord, but converting that power to efficient high speed 3 phase power could be more expense and work than its worth. I do like the idea of quiet operation. The bonus to the motors I have is that they weigh 4lbs and can output a continuous 6hp vs a 60lb standard 240v 5hp machine motor.
 
Some others that I milled, as aforementioned on a 20* slope. Until I got it dialed, I had a ski slope.


IMG_20181119_084640234.jpg




Well, I free-hand ripped the butt log for loading. Next time I'll mark a line to follow. Correction is not easy while ripping in a time pinch.
 
I got a price on an ms661, 42" oregon bar, 2 chains, tax, $1400 roughly. I need all different bars and chain for an MS880, running .404 pitch- .63 gauge. The 661 can run all my .375/ .050 bars. PHO $1100 plus tax, I think.

That's basically two 661s for the price of an 880 with 36" b/c.

Seems more versatile, and I can use 2 661s much more in day to day work, than the 880. When it's time to get a bigger bar and mill, I can get a double-ended bar, and a second 661. Granberg said to stay within 10cc of the other powerhead. I forget the specs, but it looked like and 880 is about 20-30 cc different. Buying 2 880s seems like a much slower ROI.
.
The 42" bar will max out my current mill, 36" cut width, I think. Christmas is coming. Don't know if wood slabs make good gifts.



Maybe buy it tomorrow, if I'm headed that way.
 
There is no replacement for displacement.

Just ribbing. I had a 66 and a 660 in the arsenal before I considered a 880.
 
My 30" cut 066 did good in the softwoods, poplars even walnut and soft maples. Oaks, sugar maple, beech, ash was tough on me with the 066.

The gift of wood is always nice. Saves me a bundle at Christmas!

I have a 12" planer, going to look at a 16" planer this morning. The main size of logs that I would be able to take is in the 20" and smaller range.
 
New ms661, 42" Oregon, ran out of capacity of the mill quickly.
Seems I can just upgrade the rails and round-bar, however the 72" mill has a 48" minimum bar.

I wonder why there is a minimum bar length.


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How much of an asking price per board foot?
 
I think the nose protector limits the min. length.

In my area cedar plain cedar can go for $5/bf to $10/bf for figured live edge.(CAD)

Nice boards! I can smell them from here!

Nice saw!
 
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