Best bar and chain milling combo for new ms880

[agg221]

Is there much of a functional difference between the granberg and the Oregon? Apart from price?

Sorry if I should be asking these questions on the website lol

 

Perfectly reasonable place to ask. There is a difference - the Granberg cuts slightly faster and leaves a slightly better finish. Whether it is worth the difference is a matter of personal opinion. What is seriously worth considering is the Granberg precision grinder - you would need one anyway if you go for the Granberg chain as the grinding back of the top plates of the chain can leave them too hard to file. It is worth having anyway as the key to good milling is a sharp and even chain. The former can be achieved by hand if you are good; the latter is pretty much impossible.

 

Alec

[antarty86]

I bought a grinder when I bought the saw, can't remember which it was tho? I think there was a mini, a maxi and an ultra? I went for the middle one lol and yeah I wasn't complaining about price sorry I was just wondering if the two had a difference or is a ripping chain just a ripping chain, is all I meant I was thinking the quality of materials used and keeping an edge etc but you've explained that, so thankyou I'd rather pay for quality from a reputable source than chance evilbay

Cheers ant

Edited July 11, 2016 by antarty86

[agg221]

I wasn't complaining about price sorry I was just wondering if the two had a difference or is a ripping chain just a ripping chain, is all I meant I was thinking the quality of materials used and keeping an edge etc but you've explained that, so thankyou I'd rather pay for quality from a reputable source than chance evilbay

Cheers ant

 

It's a fair question. The Stihl and Oregon are standard semi-chisel chain, ground at 10deg rather than 30 or 35deg. Stihl is probably slightly harder wearing and holds its edge a bit better. Granberg is a modified chain - it has half the cutters ground down to half width. These are for scoring the sides of the cut, which is then cleared out with the raker teeth. The design is more efficient but opinions vary on whether it is worth the extra in price. Personally, I like it, but some don't. I do also use Oregon chain and have used Stihl (probably still have a Stihl ripping chain for my 066 somewhere, on its last legs after a lot of use).

 

Alec

[Rob D]

It is hard to say if there is a best - but I rotate chains ie. try a Stihl ripping, then Oregon then Granberg...

 

 

Just fitted a new Granberg on a new 54" GB bar - milling some oak the other day and it was a joy to use.

 

I'd say the Granberg is the best but not by much - some people make their own by doing the grinding themselves.

 

I tend to file all ripping chains to 10 degrees - inc the Granberg (all cutters). The 20 degree on the scoring and 10 degree on the clearing is not worth the time to replicate.

 

 

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If a set up is not a joy to use - something is wrong! Usually the chain, sometimes the bar and rarely the sprocket. Occasionally you get very hard wood and that causes issues - I find ash and yew the toughest (not always but on the odd tree - is this the wood or is this the set up on the day - who knows!).

[Forest2Furniture]

If you're using a 48" (47") stihl bar then it won't be a sprocket nose.

My advice is change it for one of RobD's sugi-hara bars asap, a bar without a nose sprocket puts a lot of strain on the engine when milling especially when milling wide boards.

I'd also look at getting a 36" bar for narrower trunks, there's no point running a 48" bar down a 20" trunk!