Introduction

[LeBucheron]

Hello.

 

I am new to posting on the forum although I've been a frequent visitor for a while.

 

I have been through quite a few threads regarding milling as I am looking to build my first set-up to mill mainly Beech, Oak and Hornbeam.

 

Like most, I have a limited budget and I would like to mate a 90/100cc+ chainsaw to at least a 36' Alaskan mill.

 

The modern alternatives are obvious, Stihl 660 and 880 or Husky 395 and 3120. Too pricey for me at the moment so I have been looking at alternatives on fleabay Germany, UK and US/Canada.

 

So far I have come across a McCulloch SP125, Stihl 070 & 090 in the golden oldies category. Would any of those be suitable? I understand they are more torquey but less revvy. On paper I would have thought that would have been a good thing for milling but if someone has experience of using them, would be good to know if they are just too much of a pig. Also, does the weight on one side makes it horrible to handle the Alaskan? I have also come across a nice Contra Lightning (106cc) from the 60's, but is that even worth considering or has the technology just moved on too much?

 

Other saws I have seen are 075, 076 and 084 as well as husky 394. They still are a bit pricey.

 

Any advice about which saw to look at would be gratefully received. Dolmar, Sachs, Echo, Makita? Or should I stick to the obvious?

 

Thanks in advance...

[agg221]

Hello, and welcome!

 

Realistically, any of the larger saws will do what you want. I'm impressed if you have managed to find an 090 for less than an 076 (and many people would probably want to know where to look )

 

The main thing to consider on older saws is parts availability. You will be working it quite hard, and parts will wear out. That includes both the obvious consumables (spark plug, sprocket etc) and also some of the longer life service items such as pot and piston. Other parts may just give up through old age or accidents.

 

I don't know parts availability on the McCulloch. The 075, 076, 070 and 090 all have excellent parts availability, both genuine and pattern. The 084 has issues with availability of pot and piston (available but only genuine at around £300) and the coil which is nla.

 

I use an 076, 070 or 090, as the mood takes me. The 076 is a nice, solid workhorse. The 070 is just as good and the 090 is quicker but thirstier. I stick the 090 on for speed or for pulling a really long bar (for freehanding stuff if I just want to split it in half for moving). They are all about equally heavy. You do have to take this into account when running a cut, but the saw is up against the butt so there isn't much leverage and it's easy enough (doesn't tend to lift up).

 

Not sure where you are in the world, given the Ebay locations you have been viewing, but in the UK, if you're prepared to keep a look-out the non-stupidly priced 075/076s have made £117-£300, 070 £180-250, 090 £272-450, depending on condition. These prices all assume no bar/chain, which may not be a bad thing as you rarely find a suitably long bar attached, and the bars are often the hard nosed Duromatics which aren't ideal. Reckon on adding about £50 to the above if it comes with a 28-36" bar, £100 for a 38-47" bar and £150 for a 52-60" bar. Obviously you can find saws for a lot more than this, but these figures are about right from the past year or so.

 

Re. the Contra - haven't tried using one but it should be pretty much the same as an 070 - slightly harder to get parts but mostly OK.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Alec

[LeBucheron]

Thanks for all the info. That is really helpful as I was a bit apprehensive about getting an older saw rather than a more recent one, budget notwithstanding.

 

There also is a Dolmar 100cc chainsaw currently on Ebay so I'll keep an eye out. I am based in Essex/NE London (Woodford/Chingford) so not that far. Ebay Germany seems to have some nice saws on sale so I have just been keeping an eye out.

 

It seems a lot of these saws go for quite a bit on Ebay so is there anywhere else I should be looking at?

[agg221]

Ah, I'm the opposite end of Essex to you.

 

The prices I quoted are all from Ebay, within the past year (I split powerhead and bar prices out to get sensible ranges). There have been higher prices than these but it wouldn't be necessary to pay them. For example, I've seen an 070 up at £500 but there was one last week at £259, buy it now or best offer. It needed new rings, but that's straightforward and would probably have been a good bet.

 

You can find them anywhere that people sell things, but they're pretty uncommon so the odds are very low. On the plus side, a farm auction or similar may turn up a real bargain (I have recently got really, really lucky, but it was a one-off and I wouldn't expect to repeat it). Ebay realistically is the only predictable source with enough turnover to produce a benchmark on price. Try searching completed auctions to get a sense of price range.

 

Dolmar should be OK, but I would try checking L&S Engineers, Garden Hire Spares and Mister Solutions (along with general Ebay search) to check for parts availability.

 

You will also need to consider whether you want to (or can/learn to) do the maintenance and servicing. There are a couple of people on here who will happily do it (well, Spud will grudgingly do it if it's not a Husqvarna ) so you aren't dependent on your local dealer unless you want to be. They can, in my experience, look at you in a slightly strange way if you mention 1970s saws and rapidly try to sell you a brand new 880....

 

Alec

[LeBucheron]

There currently is a 070 on ebay.de that is basically unused at 777 euros. A bit too pricey for me. There also is a 076, an 051 (a bit underpowered?) and a 880 that was used for ice cutting and is on sale by bailiffs over there. There also is a nice contra on there that may be worth a punt. Funnily enough that's the third one in a week. I just got a 660 but I am still looking at an older and perhaps bigger one as a back-up saw, particularly if the price is right.

 

I think I am getting sucked in by all those old chainsaws as I almost bid on a 125cc Solo Rex! One for the mantelpiece I guess....

[Big Beech]

Unused 070 or 090 do not exist or are extremely unlikely to be found outside of collectors hands.

That one is an imitation chinese knockoff. There was one one on the ukbay for 900 a while back. Avoid at ALL cost!!!!

[LeBucheron]

Wow. Sold for 805 euros! Stihl 070, Oldtimersäge, selten,Sammler | eBay

 

Is that really a fake chinese version? Why go to the trouble?

 

Anybody here has any experience of McCulloch sp125 or Dolmar 166?

[Big Beech]

a little readin:

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/chainsaws/31389-can-you-spot-fake.html

[agg221]

Is that really a fake chinese version? Why go to the trouble?

 

Yes, it's fake. The bar will almost certainly be genuine, hence the close-up of the sticker. The clutch cover is how they come from Stihl currently (logo cast in but no black paint). Earlier ones had black paint on the cast lettering, very early ones had no lettering. The giveaway is that the genuine ones have the 'R' registered trademark symbol after the word Stihl (I have one right next to me which arrived direct from Germany yesterday). The starter cover should also have the registered trademark symbol after the word Stihl, and I think the raised line on the casting is too long. The genuine badges are also still rivetted on - the only Stihl badge which hasn't gone over to push-in plastic. Again, I have one in front of me.

 

To be honest, the basic castings on the pattern ones are perfectly serviceable. The problem appears to be the quality of the moving parts. There has been some discussion over them on an Australian forum, where someone bought one (knowingly, and cheaply) to try for milling. The verdict was not favourable.

 

I haven't seen a fake 090 yet - and I do check regularly (Simon, do you have any reference info?). I've seen saws which claim to be an 090 but are actually an 070, but that's a different thing.

 

Why bother? - well the price tag should answer that question.

 

Anybody here has any experience of McCulloch sp125 or Dolmar 166?

 

Not personally, but the Dolmar 166 has a good reputation. Again, I would check parts availability.

 

Alec

[Big Beech]

no, not that ive seen Alec,

noot sure if you read that thread i linked to but a good source of info at least.

 

Umm, just wondering if mine is original:confused1: going by the amount of new parts needed it will be a counterfiet soon :lol:

 

thanks for the bar details,

where yout thoughts in that thread regarding chain skip etc. still current or?

Edited May 17, 2013 by Big Beech