Perfecting my stihl 070 setup

[steve7962]

Evening all,

 

I've been keen to start milling timber for a good while now, and this week I've finally got my old stihl 070 up and running she runs really good considering she cost me £90 and £50 of parts to get the monster running again

 

Now I've been able to borrow a 48" alaskan mill ( though I'd like to own one before long) ,and I've had a little session/practise tonight on some scrap pieces in my yard and I'm now hooked!

 

At the moment I have a 36" bar and chisel chain fitted, and I would like to fit a bigger setup to create larger boards and blanks. How big would you guys go with a 070? I'm sure a 50" would be fine as this saw is a wood eating monster would 60" be pushing it? Or maybe more

 

Also, what bars do you guys recommend? Obviously money comes into it, but I'm willing to spend if I can see a profit so to speak.

 

Looking forward to your replies, Steve

[Rob D]

I'd stay around the 50" - it's an easier set up to shift about than 60" and also you can do big and small stuff.

 

 

Someone on here had unearthed some 50" old stihl bars - solid noses but you may be able to get one off them for a good price.

 

 

Sharp chain is the key to milling.

 

 

[steve7962]

Thanks for your reply rob, I'll have a look for them bars. I presume that the mill can be mounted right at the end as there's no sprocket to pinch? so would that mean I get a full 48" cut with a 50" bar? I have removed the felling dogs to create more room.

 

Regards, Steve

[Rob D]

Thanks for your reply rob, I'll have a look for them bars. I presume that the mill can be mounted right at the end as there's no sprocket to pinch? so would that mean I get a full 48" cut with a 50" bar? I have removed the felling dogs to create more room.

 

Regards, Steve

 

 

Yep you can go a bit further with the solid noses to get that extra width.

 

 

[steve7962]

Great thanks for the advice

[Forest2Furniture]

I'm not a great fan of the solid nose, puts a huge strain on the engine especially if you're milling wide boards.

I stopped using my 47" stihl for milling and bought a 46" bar with nose sprocket from Rob, much better set up now.

[steve7962]

I'm not a great fan of the solid nose, puts a huge strain on the engine especially if you're milling wide boards.

I stopped using my 47" stihl for milling and bought a 46" bar with nose sprocket from Rob, much better set up now.

 

I've used solid nose bars on a 880 before, definitely seemed to sap power,and getting the righ chain tent ion wasn't easy.

 

I've found some 50" cannon bars, for less than £300 imported so I, considering these, are the better quality than other offerings? Stihl etc?

[Eddy_t]

You are aware at that size it weighs a hefty 30+kg just for the saw and you'll have to hammer the manual pump in harder wood!

All that aside, make sure you tune the saw for the bar, it's as sluggish as hell if it's not tuned properly, but tuned right, you can really push it through the cut!

 

 

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[Rob D]

I've used solid nose bars on a 880 before, definitely seemed to sap power,and getting the righ chain tent ion wasn't easy.

 

I've found some 50" cannon bars, for less than £300 imported so I, considering these, are the better quality than other offerings? Stihl etc?

 

 

Cannon are great bars - but always found the longer bars saggy....

 

I do the Sugihara 46" (longest they can make in the factory) for £185-00+vat - found this has pretty much no sag - but of course you loose 4" of cutting width.

 

Guide bars