Chainsaws for an Alaskan Mill - advice please.

[Hymer]

Many thanks Chris

 

I have bought Oregon ripping chain for my saw and received excellent advice, service and prices from Mark at NewSawChains.

 

I was able to attend a local chain saw demo of Makita, Stihl and Efco saws, tried the sizes I wanted and was very impressed with the Makita DSC 7901. It is a very powerful saw for its size/weight and I was able to negotiate a very good deal for the saw with an 18" bar (for the Mini mill) and an additional 28" bar for the Alaskan itself.

 

I used it for the first time today on one of my fallen oaks and it was superb. Well pleased and very impressed with the whole Alaskan setup. I used a alu ladder for the first cut and couldn't believe the quality of cut. Even though I am a total novice I found it very easy to adjust and use.

 

Thanks for your interest.

 

Pat

[liamjordan]

Many thanks Chris

 

I have bought Oregon ripping chain for my saw and received excellent advice, service and prices from Mark at NewSawChains.

 

I was able to attend a local chain saw demo of Makita, Stihl and Efco saws, tried the sizes I wanted and was very impressed with the Makita DSC 7901. It is a very powerful saw for its size/weight and I was able to negotiate a very good deal for the saw with an 18" bar (for the Mini mill) and an additional 28" bar for the Alaskan itself.

 

I used it for the first time today on one of my fallen oaks and it was superb. Well pleased and very impressed with the whole Alaskan setup. I used a alu ladder for the first cut and couldn't believe the quality of cut. Even though I am a total novice I found it very easy to adjust and use.

 

Thanks for your interest.

 

Pat

i myself have just started milling with an alaskan, therefore im a novice to, i used it for the first time on wednesday and found it was great! I also used a ladder for the first cut and it worked great!

 

Running a sachs dolmar 153 (100cc) with a 25" bar, just put a 36" bar on and when someone wants some bigger stuff cut up will use rthat on the mill.

[tommer9]

Been using chainsaw mills for over ten years now. Started out with double headed (2x076av) stihl setup with 56" bar. STihl stopped supplying the mill- if it ever actually was from them- but continued with the double ended bar for a while. The next one was an alaskan, which i have run ever since on a single 088 with a four foot bar, using stihl rcx .404 ripping chain. It buries the oregon stuff. Make sure you have an oiler at the far end of the bar if you do go that big tho'. The ladder set up for first cut is the best i have found, although granberg (who make the alaskan) advise all sorts of wooden rail set-ups. Keep the chain really sharp, and dont take the rakers down as much as you would on a cross cutting chain. It cuts slower, but it wont dig in leaving unsightly grooves across your board/ log, and will give a better cut. I also have a mobile bandsaw, and on a good day, the chainmill will give a cut nearly as good as the bandsaw. I have seen the logosol machines used with an 088 sporting (i think) about a 20" bar, with a picco chain making feather edge. Not used one though. Oh yeah, granberg make an attachment for milling at 90 degrees to the first cut, for sectioning out timber. I foung it to be a waste of money btw. Hope this helps not bores the pants off you. Happy milling!

[hplp]

Thanks for that.

 

Snippets of useful info there. Ive got a 56" bar that I could have 2 powerheads on but I recon I'll just stay with the one Stihl 084 for the time being. Im still waiting for a 3/8" sprocket for it!

 

Is it very much a bad idea to use a 3/8" chain on a 404 or is it something I could get away with? The suspense is killing me while waiting!

 

H

[tommer9]

Yeah, you cant mix chain pitch / sprocket size- the .404 chain wont sit in the 3/8 chain sprocket properly.

Are you waiting for a 3/8 sprocket for the saw or the double ended bar- i take it you mean the saw and that you have a conventional bar for it and a load of 3/8 ripping chain?

[hplp]

The saw has a 404 sprocket on it and I am waiting for a 3/8. The ripping chain and bar are both 3/8.

 

Looks like I'll just have to wait.

 

I have a double ended bar with a handle/bearings on the other end to the powerhead but this can be removed and replaced with another powerhead.

 

H

[tommer9]

sounds like a nice3 versatile set up. Got me thinking....wonder what the quality of the cut would be with 3/8 chain.......better i reckon, and less likely to "grab" when too much forward pressure is applied when sawing. Have fun. Hope your sprocket arrives soon. I hate waiting for gear like that when you really want to get on.

[Alex]

The Makita is a very good saw,

 

Huqsvarna 390xp is all so worth looking at. These smaller saw thou will take longer you will find much more useful and handy than some of the big boys in your day to day work.

 

If find the bigger modern Stihl 660 and 880 tend to get stiff chain breack when used in situations where the exhaused heat is refelected back, eg when ring up big stems or in your case milling.

 

The main key I have found to my own milling is the use of correct chipper chain/ripping chain will make all the diferance, just let the saw do the work and do not rush it.

[danroker1987]

i use an 064 with a 25 inch bar with ripping chain,pureley for the reason i havent had the money for an 88 yet.i used an 88 with normal chain and it ripped,88 all the way

[rxe]

I've used a 3ft Alaskan with a number of saws, some thoughts.

 

1)There's no substitute for saw size - the bigger the better. Weight is not an issue - you aren't lugging the saw around, and while you are milling, the saw is fully supported. That said, lifting the mill and a heavy saw into position is something of a challenge!

 

2) My favourite milling saws are old Stihl 070s. You can get them for reasonable money, and at 105cc they are slow running torque monsters. With an 8 pin sprocket, they will run a 28" bar through Oak very nicely. These are a much cheaper way of getting into it than dropping close to a grand on an 880. The only down side of the old saws is that the chain adjuster is forward facing, and you need to loosen the mill mounts to get access.

 

3) I'd ditch the .404 chain and get 3/8". You can get Stihl large mount bars in 3/8 from Cannon and probably others. It makes a huge difference. I've heard of people running .325 on large saws, but that just frightens me! Stretch is a problem for the first run or two, then it settles down.

 

4) Milling chain is also vital - I've used Granberg (expensive) and Woodsman Pro (Oregon?) (cheap) and I can't see the difference. A quick touch with a file after every two runs is all it needs.

 

Whatever you do...enjoy it...