Mill Set Up?

[SheffieldStu]

Hi all,

 

This is my first post and like many others i have been reading previous threads to ascertain the knowledge i so desire. I am considering buying a husqvarna 395xp on a 36" oregan bar 3/8 chain for chainsaw milling. In terms of mill from what i have read, the 36" Alaskan would fulfill my needs. (Are they cheaper through Arbtalk members than ebay?) Could someone tell me if they have used an oregan bar for milling. Also, the spec for this saw says that it takes up to 36" bar is it possible to run a larger bar?

I phoned two rated chainsaw retailers today to discuss my proposal: 1st told me that they only sell as standard set up (28") and that i would need to buy new cog and bar to run a different pitch chain. 2nd offered 36" oregan bar with 3/8 chain as an addition to the 28" and 3/8 chain for £1028.

I am planning to mill Doug fir for structural lumbar and wish to assemble a decent set up.

Your thoughts and professional advice much appreciated.

[agg221]

The 395xp will make a decent milling saw.

 

Alaskan mills are available from several sources, all of which so far as I'm aware are currently the same price (although if you order from chainsawbars as an Arbtalk member you will get a free gift thrown in).

 

Because of the way the mill bolts to the bar you lose about 8" of the bar length (6" if you take the dogs off the saw). This means that a 36" bar will allow you a 28"-30" cut.

 

There is a longer bar available for the 395xp - it's a 42" bar which works for milling but don't expect it to be very quick if you are milling wide enough boards to need it. Chainsawbars still have a few left, but are not re-stocking these:

 

Products for the category: Special Offers

 

There is nothing wrong with Oregon bars for milling - they work fine.

 

Have you tried FR Jones for the saw? They might be able to sell you a bare powerhead (as may several other of the dealers who advertise on here).

 

The dealer who told you that you will need to change the chain pitch is wrong.

Don't forget that you will need ripping chain rather than crosscut chain, and unless you are extremely proficient at chain sharpening I would strongly recommend the Granberg precision grinder as you need to keep the teeth not only sharp but also equal in angle and even in length, particularly if you are running at the full width capacity of the saw.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Alec

[Big J]

Welcome to the forum Stu.

 

The first thing that I would say is get the biggest saw that you can afford. I wouldn't ever recommend anything smaller than a Stihl MS880 for milling unless you are only going to mill very occasionally. The lack of power will drive you nuts. After years of milling with a single power head (Stihl 088), I've just discovered twin powerhead milling and I'd never go back. There is no substitute for power. You can get a Stihl MS880 without bar or chain from FR Jones for exactly a grand including VAT and my 50" chainsaw milling set up (mill, bar, 3 chains) will be up for sale very shortly.

 

Jonathan

[SheffieldStu]

Thanks both for the in-depth info. My reason for citing the 395xp over the something bigger is to allow me a little versatility as i will also want to use this saw for general work as well as milling. Looking at the trees i plan to make lumbar out of a 36" mill set up should cover me.

 

As this is a new venture for me and i am absorbing the new info, i have a few more questions.

 

Big J- After reading what you have said about double power heads i am thinking about possibilities in the future. If i ever got to a point where a) i established timber bigger than 30" and b) could justify the outlay- is it possible to achieve double power heads with 395xp on a bigger bar than 42"?

Highly unlikely that i will get to this point but good to know what all my options are.

 

Alec thanks for the bar and chain info are you able to divulge what the 'free gift' is from chainsawbars?

 

Thanks again, your experience and knowledge on all the posts i have been reading have given me a great deal of food for thought.

 

stuart

[njtimber]

you can source larger bars for milling but a 395 isn't going to run them we use an 880

on a 5ft cannon super bar but they are expensive must admit we could always do with more power. Oregon bench grinder for sharpening saves hours.

[MattyF]

I'm using a 395 on a 36" bar for milling it is ok ,a little sluggish in hard woods and have not had many trees that won't fit and needed ripping .. You will not get a 36" cut though probably more around 28 as the felling dogs get in the way and the mill has to be mounted about2- 3" under from the top bar sprocket or it will pinch it up.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

[agg221]

Thanks both for the in-depth info. My reason for citing the 395xp over the something bigger is to allow me a little versatility as i will also want to use this saw for general work as well as milling. Looking at the trees i plan to make lumbar out of a 36" mill set up should cover me.

 

Alec thanks for the bar and chain info are you able to divulge what the 'free gift' is from chainsawbars?

 

stuart

 

I'm afraid I don't actually know what the 'free gift' is. In practice, I believe there are several options, relevant to the thing you buy.

 

Whilst I agree with Big J to an extent (bigger is faster), in practice I find using a saw of about the size of a 395 (in my case an 066) makes no discernible difference to milling speed when you drop below about 18" cut width. I mill with an 066, 076 and 090. The 090 is great for wide cuts as it doesn't bog down. The 076 is really good running from 18-30" or so and drinks a lot less fuel. The 066 is really good with a 25" bar and Granberg chain, although I also run it with a 36" bar on (for deep cuts with the mini-mill) and before I had the bigger saws I used to use it as my standard milling saw - I have cut at the full 28" width, slowly.

 

Running this set-up, I would use a mini-mill first to cut things in half and then mill the other way (quartering if justified). This yields higher quality boards and keeps the cut width down to the point where you won't notice the speed difference to any great extent.

 

Alec

Edited March 9, 2014 by agg221

[muttley9050]

I have a twin and single powerhead set up. The twin is super fast, but has the disadvantage of needing two operators. So if the single setup is big enough it usually wins out. Just bought a Lucas on the weekend so big slabs in the future will be cut with that.