What saw to go for?

[Eddt]

Cheers for the info Pete

[Arbtech Tree Services]

Thanks for the advice guys, im based in Neath South Wales, trying them out maybe an idea, do you mill often?

 

Don't use it very often, did a Beech before Christmas but don't have anything lined up at the moment. Anything crops up i'll let you know - I'm between Cowbridge and Rhoose.

 

Regards,

 

Steve.

[Eddt]

Don't use it very often, did a Beech before Christmas but don't have anything lined up at the moment. Anything crops up i'll let you know - I'm between Cowbridge and Rhoose.

 

Regards,

 

Steve.

 

Cheers Steve, keep me posted, may have bought one by next time you use it but thanks again for all the advice, I think the 880 of husky equivalent is the saw to go for.

 

cheers

 

Ed

[Eddt]

Husky 3120 is your orange option, it has something the 880 hasn't got, a manual oiler! Very useful addition!

 

Cheers for the info , will have a look at the husky too

[Dean O]

After doing that oak the other day Ed I fancied an 880, but to be fair if we hadn't had to mess about with getting the logs from out of the tree and trying to make sure that we weren't going to get squished by the root plate we would have been so much more productive.

 

having spent 2 thirds of a day on preparation we spent the rest of that day plus 2 more in actually producing stuff, and I calculated (very roughly as it wasn't for sale, and I could be wrong) that we produced around £900 worth of timber in that time with the 660.

 

From what I know of you and what your likely to get hold of for milling get a big mill but a smaller saw.

 

bigger logs can be ripped down for the Alaskan when you come across them and this will allow you to create a much more stable product than through and through cuts.

 

nothing more frustrating than watching a lovely wide board banana over time because of the way its cut..

 

with a bigger mill at least you can upgrade the saw if after a bit of use you want to move up and the work you line up can justify it... and as others have said (like with a 660) at least you can use it for cutting your firewood pile.

 

I'm not sure what they cost in comparison to a 660 or 880 but I find our husky 372 is quite surprisingly poky.

 

Dean

[Eddt]

After doing that oak the other day Ed I fancied an 880, but to be fair if we hadn't had to mess about with getting the logs from out of the tree and trying to make sure that we weren't going to get squished by the root plate we would have been so much more productive.

 

having spent 2 thirds of a day on preparation we spent the rest of that day plus 2 more in actually producing stuff, and I calculated (very roughly as it wasn't for sale, and I could be wrong) that we produced around £900 worth of timber in that time with the 660.

 

From what I know of you and what your likely to get hold of for milling get a big mill but a smaller saw.

 

bigger logs can be ripped down for the Alaskan when you come across them and this will allow you to create a much more stable product than through and through cuts.

 

nothing more frustrating than watching a lovely wide board banana over time because of the way its cut..

 

with a bigger mill at least you can upgrade the saw if after a bit of use you want to move up and the work you line up can justify it... and as others have said (like with a 660) at least you can use it for cutting your firewood pile.

 

I'm not sure what they cost in comparison to a 660 or 880 but I find our husky 372 is quite surprisingly poky.

 

Dean

 

Thanks for the very good advice Dean, it was a rather fidly job, the timber looks good though, poped past to have a look the other day, look forward to seeing the finished product.

Thats why I wasn't to sure on the saw size as i want it for more hobby milling to produce timber for myself out of wood I come across through work. The 880 seems a rather extravagant price after further though and im not sure how much use I will get out of it really. I feel to justify such a saw I would have to push to sell the service and the timber which is not my aim at the minute. After watching you mill the other day I would just like to be able to make some products out of the wood I normally leave for waste.

I will give you a ring in the week for a catch up on it.

 

Cheers

 

Ed

[Eddy_t]

Thanks for the very good advice Dean, it was a rather fidly job, the timber looks good though, poped past to have a look the other day, look forward to seeing the finished product.

 

Thats why I wasn't to sure on the saw size as i want it for more hobby milling to produce timber for myself out of wood I come across through work. The 880 seems a rather extravagant price after further though and im not sure how much use I will get out of it really. I feel to justify such a saw I would have to push to sell the service and the timber which is not my aim at the minute. After watching you mill the other day I would just like to be able to make some products out of the wood I normally leave for waste.

 

I will give you a ring in the week for a catch up on it.

 

 

 

Cheers

 

 

 

Ed

 

 

Your alternatives are a Stihl 075/6, 084 or 070/090, they're older but have plenty of grunt for big bars, and all have manual oilers

[nantmoel]

I got an Alaskan Mill 36", running a 44" Bar with a Husky 3120, I'm up in Mountain Ash if you ever want advice drop me a pm.

[Dean O]

I know others do, but I couldn't make a living from an Alaskan mill personally.

And I know I might get slated but I think its a piece of kit that's best used as a hobby tool.... unless your using it to break down large logs for further processing with a band-saw, as I appreciate some on here do.

 

I use it because I love wood and making our waste into something nice... Its certainly satisfying seeing the freshly cut wood and then making something out of it on a hobby scale, but there's only so many benches and coffee tables one house can take.

 

I love the idea of going down the mobile milling route or even having a static set up somewhere but I just don't see a big enough market for the product at the moment to justify it.

 

I purchased the Alaskan I have when I worked for someone else and used to mill the odd bit of something here and there in my spare time out of stuff that would otherwise be firewood - which is kind of what your looking at at the moment Ed.

 

Back then I used something like an old ms440 with a long bar on it, maybe a 25 or 28 inch bar.

 

maybe a smaller saw like this pared up with an Alaskan and a vertical mini-mill might be a better long term purchase allowing you more flexibility in the short term while giving you the chance to upgrade to something bigger if you find you want to.

 

I guess you come across plenty of stuff that they'd let you at in your spare time or on their behalf.

But if doing it for yourself transport and storage is something else to consider too while you wait for buyers to want what you've got.

[Eddt]

I got an Alaskan Mill 36", running a 44" Bar with a Husky 3120, I'm up in Mountain Ash if you ever want advice drop me a pm.

 

Cheers for that, I may well drop you a PM soon.