3120XP or MS880 or 395 for milling

[TGB]

Now I know the 3120XP and MS880 would be better for milling but would the 395 be suitable for milling.

 

Next question. Which is best for milling, the 3120XP or MS880? I've used MS880 for milling in the past but what do people think of the Husky?

[Joe Newton]

I believe the 3120 has the manual oiler button which would be an advantage.

[agg221]

The bigger the saw (.cc) and the higher the torque, the bigger the timber you can mill at a given speed. At the lower end of the timber size, there is negligible difference. So for example, a 60cc saw will mill up to about a foot or so comfortably, 18" slowly. A 70cc saw will mill around a foot quickly, 18" comfortably, 2ft slowly; a 90cc saw would be 18" quickly, 2ft comfortably, 30" slowly. The 110cc+ saws will mill more like 30" quickly, 48" comfortably, bigger than this slowly.

 

Obviously this is a big generalisation, but it's an OK rule of thumb, so the 395 will be OK if you are milling up to 30" occasionally, but mostly 18" or less. This means you could stick a 36" bar on a mini-mill, quarter up a 3ft log and make quartersawn boards out of it with relative ease.

 

The MS880 is generally reckoned to be better for milling than the 3120 if you were buying a dedicated saw - slightly more torque and a more convenient chain tensioning mechanism, but both work fine if it's what you have available.

 

Alec

[Big J]

Get two MS880s and a double ended bar. Cuts 40" softwood at 4ft plus a minute.

[mixedangased]

I find husky 3120 good, did a pop with a 076 and a 056 combi with a 84" double ok.yet to try 3120 and a 575 combi.when I do will put some pics up.