Is milling hard on saws?

[Moose McAlpine]

1 hour ago, Rough Hewn said:

As for the 881 performance, it’s almost identical to an 880.

 

Oh, i thought it would've been an improvement, new saw and all.

[Paddy1000111]

2 hours ago, Rough Hewn said:

But if you aren’t careful with maintenance it’s easier to damage a saw milling.
I didn’t clean my fuel filters and it leaned out until the piston seized.

Lucky I boarder on the anal side when it comes to saw maintenance. I wrap the saws in anti abrasion tape (the stuff that's used on helicopter rotor blades in iraq) so they never look like they have been thrown around in a truck. On the maintenance front I blow them out at the end of every day with the compressor on the truck and check the filters once a month. On top of that I boroscope the bore and save the pictures and replace all the filters, plugs etc every 12 months no matter the condition.

 

Fingers crossed that doesn't happen to me! Interesting that you don't think there was any performance increase. Did you find a fuel saving? 

 

I'm not going to be regularly milling. maybe only 10-15 times a year. An 881 appeals to me as a usable saw instead of the 661 I was originally planning on. If I get an 880 then I will also need a 661

Edited December 17, 2020 by Paddy1000111

[Paddy1000111]

Interesting thinking about saw cooling/heating cycles. From an engineering mind there's obvious benefits to allowing it to heat up properly. The section of the piston between the exhaust and the chain gets hottest quickest and that can cause some damage if the rest of the piston/cylinder isn't hot yet. 

 

On the cooling down point it's interesting. Once a saw has been running flat out for a bit it's fully heat soaked and won't get hotter. If you allow it to shut off from hot without cooling down then something is likely to warp/crack. If you start it again soon after then things will all be at odd temps and tolerances will be off. Got to remember its not just the cooling fan but the intake air cooling too. 

 

I always knew about letting it idle first from turbo diesels etc where the turbo needs cooling or the oil cooks in it. I suppose in theory it's the same with 2 strokes oil cooks inside. I've always let things idle for a bit after, be it cars after a long trip, chippers after hard work or chainsaws after a big cut. Never been a negative! 

[Rough Hewn]

 
Oh, i thought it would've been an improvement, new saw and all.

A 1960’s landrover and a 2020 ranger both do the same thing too.
The 881 is such a different saw to the 880,
it handles so much easier,
feels like a 500i/661 on steroids.
You should try one.
[emoji106]

[Macpherson]

1 hour ago, Wonky said:

But when you’ve been milling on a hot day you just know instantly to let it run a bit longer.

Yeah, everyone has their own take / understanding of engines and I'd agree with you that the main variant that's outwith your control is the ambient temperature on any given day....I was milling yesterday in the pissin rain and the saw was normal and barely stressed but it would be a different story in a heatwave, cheers.

[Rough Hewn]

Okay so for those that have seen some of my other posts you may know where I am going with this. I need a new saw and I was eying up a 661 but I have been asked about milling by a company that makes worktops etc and they need someone to mill timber in the forest and have links with other companies in the same position. They've been trying to find someone to do it for them but can't. This has made me consider stepping up to the 881 and buying an Alaskan mill as it could open the doors to some side work. At the same time, I am also thinking if really I want to do milling as it seems pretty brutal on the saw? Are there tricks to make it less hard apart from the additional chain oiler?
 
Cheers! 

I’ve ran my 880 relentlessly for over 3 years before I melted the engine.
Entirely my fault too.
With correct maintenance and use a saw will last a very long time.
The 8 series are absolute tanks.

Yes.
Keep your chain razor sharp and your froth gauges perfectly set.
For wide hard wood use a skip or hyper skip chain.
This reduces the drag and therefore less engine strain.
Don’t push it too hard!
If you find this happening either your chains blunt or you need to reset the depth gauges.
Or worse you’ve just met an inclusion.
[emoji106]

[Rough Hewn]

Yes the 881 is advertised for chainsaw milling.
I did post quite a bit about testing it.[emoji106]

[Paddy1000111]

13 minutes ago, Rough Hewn said:

Yes the 881 is advertised for chainsaw milling.
I did post quite a bit about testing it.

That's what I thought! I was reading through the post. That's why I was surprised when Big Beech said it would void the warranty! Glad to know it can handle it. An 881 sounds like the perfect beast, enough power for milling but handle-able enough to use for take downs and bucking 👌

[Rough Hewn]

That's what I thought! I was reading through the post. That's why I was surprised when Big Beech said it would void the warranty! Glad to know it can handle it. An 881 sounds like the perfect beast, enough power for milling but handle-able enough to use for take downs and bucking [emoji108]

I haven’t read the warranty, I’ve no idea.
But I’ll ask stihl.
Plenty of power for milling[emoji106]
Yes it is a great saw for felling and cross cutting medium to large trees.
Would have to be a huge tree to climb with an 881.
The 30” bar combo is surprisingly well balanced.
[emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

[Paddy1000111]

14 minutes ago, Rough Hewn said:

I haven’t read the warranty, I’ve no idea.
But I’ll ask stihl.
Plenty of power for milling
Yes it is a great saw for felling and cross cutting medium to large trees.
Would have to be a huge tree to climb with an 881.
The 30” bar combo is surprisingly well balanced.

Well I would climb with my 261 for most stuff but for chunking things down I want something that can handle chunking down big bits. I have been up a tree before on gaffs sectioning the rounds into quarters to throw it down. This is why I wanted a 661 as it would be the biggest saw I am happy to climb with but if the 881 has the ergonomics it will be a stop fill until I get 500i or something! I was a bit lost really saw wise, a 461 is too close to a 261 and a 500i is too close to a 661. If I have a 881 then a 500i seems like a good middle ground! 

Edited December 17, 2020 by Paddy1000111