size bar for MS880?

[MikeTM150]

Hi

 

Thinking of buying an alaskan for turning some big logs into something usable instead of just logging it up into wood burner.

 

Currently run a 30" rollermatic bar and a 48" duromatic bar, but really want a bigger bar than 30" but the 48" is going to get to hot i'm guessing doing longer cuts milling timber......i could have swore it was a 48" rollermatic bar but it ain't

 

So what do you lots suggest i use?

[chazzer]

Get a 090 and fit it with a 50" canon bar and put a 18" on the 880 for cutting firewood

 

Charlie

[agg221]

I use a 47" Duromatic for milling (yours may well actually be 47", the modern ones are). Mine is on an 076 and I don't have any problems with it getting hot, even when I don't use the manual oiler. You have to keep the chain tension absolutely right, but it behaves itself and I've gone up to 16ft cuts so far. I reckon it's on the limit for a mill without a secondary oiler though. You could add the aux. oiler kit to your current Duromatic, which just requires a hole. Since there's no sprocket it doesn't make any difference to any other use you may have for it.

 

Alec

[MikeTM150]

I use a 47" Duromatic for milling (yours may well actually be 47", the modern ones are). Mine is on an 076 and I don't have any problems with it getting hot, even when I don't use the manual oiler. You have to keep the chain tension absolutely right, but it behaves itself and I've gone up to 16ft cuts so far. I reckon it's on the limit for a mill without a secondary oiler though. You could add the aux. oiler kit to your current Duromatic, which just requires a hole. Since there's no sprocket it doesn't make any difference to any other use you may have for it.

 

Alec

 

Well i guess there's one way to find out, and thats to try it. Big J's offer is a good one to get me going in the right direction.

 

If i buy a 56" alaskan, will i be able to use it with these smaller bars?

[Rob D]

Well i guess there's one way to find out, and thats to try it. Big J's offer is a good one to get me going in the right direction.

 

If i buy a 56" alaskan, will i be able to use it with these smaller bars?

 

 

Yep the end clamp is all movable and you could in theory fit a 56" Alaskan to a 20" bar if you wanted!

 

Big J's offer could be a good move as the 42" Cannon bars for 880 are big money now....

 

I've used a duramatic for milling before - it does work but a sprocket nose bar is much preferable.... dunno why Stihl do not do a 48" Rollamatic ES bar when they make the 59" Rollamatic

[MikeTM150]

Yep the end clamp is all movable and you could in theory fit a 56" Alaskan to a 20" bar if you wanted!

 

Big J's offer could be a good move as the 42" Cannon bars for 880 are big money now....

 

I've used a duramatic for milling before - it does work but a sprocket nose bar is much preferable.... dunno why Stihl do not do a 48" Rollamatic ES bar when they make the 59" Rollamatic

 

Yeah Big J's offer is very good with what he's just come with wanting for it!!! I think in an earlier post a said it was a rollermatic when u said it wasn't cuz i was so sure it was........ooppps. Does seem daft they do bigger rollermatics but there must be a reason somewhere!!

 

Best i get and order an alaskan now, not cheap, have considered making my own but i've got a feeling there been a lot of developement in getting the alaskan to work well so it should be money well spent!! Was going to build me own badsaw but cutting wide enough boards is the problem, then i watch ur video using it in conjunction with a peterson and that looked best of both worlds!!!

[Rob D]

No they're not cheap and you could prob build your own - all depends on how much your time's worth really...

 

If you have a project in mind for the timber or someone who wants something made then that way at least it pays for itself quickly.....

 

I'm going to be focusing this year on rough, quick outdoor benches etc rather than the all nicely finished stuff I have done in the past.... If you build solid and cheap they will sell.

[MikeTM150]

right, just in process of ordering an alaskan, and was wondering if i really need a mini mill to square the edge of timbers of or can manage wwithout it?

[Rob D]

Depends how big your timber is..... if it'll fit within the alaskan then don't worry, if some are a lot larger then mini mill is great for dropping one or both of the sides off.

[agg221]

Depends what you're trying to do. If you're running an 880 with a 42" roller-nose bar then you will get about 34" cut width. If it's a bit bigger, you can fit the 47" Duromatic bar and get about 42" cut width. If your butts are bigger than this then yes, being able to trim up the edges first will help, but you've got access to some serious trees if many of them are this size.

 

If you're thinking of edging up after milling, the mini-mill will help if you're making a lot of beams. Alternatively this can be done by rolling the log and re-setting with a set-square to check it's true. It's very fiddly this way though for anything more than occasional use, so the mini-mill would definitely speed it up.

 

If you're making more in the way of slabs/planks, and working near to electricity, a hand-held circular saw and a rail to run it alongside is much easier. I use an aluminium rail and fix it on with a couple of G-cramps. Once I've got everything with one true edge, I set the fence on the saw and rip to width. It's very quick and gives a clean, straight edge. A 9" saw will clear a 4" depth cut - I have a Makita one which has happily ripped down all my joists and rafters. I would recommend having a normal Skil type one as well though, with the 2.5" cut, as this is much lighter and easier to handle for planks.

 

Some people resaw with a bandsaw, but I never have much luck with the smaller domestic ones and I work on my own so I'd rather move the saw than the wood as it's lighter!

 

Alec