# How good is the Stihl MS 880 Magnum?



## Walnut33

Looking at getting the MS 880 Magnum. I want to be able to slab large trees for natural edge tables. Is this saw worth $1,990? Does anyone own it with the 59 inch bar? Any feedback is much appreciated! Thanks!


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## BobL

Walnut33 said:


> Looking at getting the MS 880 Magnum. I want to be able to slab large trees for natural edge tables. Is this saw worth $1,990? Does anyone own it with the 59 inch bar? Any feedback is much appreciated! Thanks!



I have a 60" Gb bar and the 59" Stihl.






Yes it cuts good, really really good if you know how to sharpen it properly. It cuts even sweeter for me because I got it in a "never been used" state for 48% of RRP.

Is it worth the money, well, . . . . . . when the slabs get up over the 40" mark there's not many new saws you can really use to do the job except for a Husky 3120, or Stihl 090 (if you can find one). You can of course also look at a dedicated CS style slabber but then you are up for muchos $$$.

But I wouldn't take anyones word for it, search around on this forum and see what various folks use to cut various slabs and make up your own mind.


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## gemniii

Coincidentally I just saw an 090 on fleabay, and it's only up to about $550 with a BIN of $950.


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## keith811

gemniii said:


> Coincidentally I just saw an 090 on fleabay, and it's only up to about $550 with a BIN of $950.



the 090 is a monster I wouldn't want to lug it around in the woods all day but it would make a good milling saw I think

2 g's is a bunch of money for that saw when you could pick and 088/880 up for less than half that lightly used


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## BobL

keith811 said:


> the 090 is a monster I wouldn't want to lug it around in the woods all day but it would make a good milling saw I think



The empty powerhead weights for some big saws are
090 AV : 27.1 lbs
076 AV : 25.7 lbs
The 084 : 21.4 lbs
3120 : 22.9 lbs
880 : 22.3lbs

On a big CS mill a 5 lb difference between an 090 and a 880 is not going to be that significant. BIL mill with the 60" bar/chain weighs about 45 lbs plus fuel and oil all up about 73lbs but my logs rails weight more than 80 lbs.



> 2 g's is a bunch of money for that saw when you could pick and 088/880 up for less than half that lightly used



I'd go the 084 if you can get one. The nice thing about my 880 was it had never been used but it was out of warranty so I could modify it with worrying I was losing teh warranty,


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## Walnut33

Bob, How did you get one at 48% less? Auction or what?


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## BobL

Walnut33 said:


> Bob, How did you get one at 48% less? Auction or what?



All the grimy details are here.


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## huskyhank

If you want a big milling saw they can be found used for not that much money. I've seen a good number of used 3120s in the $500-700 range. I paid about the same as Bob did for his 880 when I bought my new 3120. And I just bought a well used 3120 for well less than half of that - looks rough but runs strong. Deals on big saws are out there if you take your time and look, lots more so than on mid sized saw models that everyone wants.


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## guitarborist

I use an 075 for milling. I have a 42, 30 and 17 inch hard tip bars. I bought the saw for $300 and the bars for another $60 on close out from Bailey's. The saw will mill 
39" logs byond that I do not know. At work we have an 088I have never milled with it but I have cut down many trees and stumps with it usung a 42" rollertip bar. The 088 requires revs other wise it boggs down. The 075 will power through on low revs. The 088 is more user friendly when it comes to vibrations and fumes but those can be avoided with a remote trigger and a good respirator. I would love to have an 088 but the price difference is not worth it. I think I would be better off switching to roller tip bars and 3/8 chain instead of .404. Used 088 tend to go for $900-$1000 in good shape, so for less than half that I can have a saw that will do 95% of the logs the 088 will do.


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## Kicker_92

*How good is the Stihl MS 880 Magnum? *

It's good. 

Although it'd be nice to have a larger saw for milling. opcorn:


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## Walnut33

So then I take it that the bigger stihl saws dont really loose power or torque over time if everyone is suggesting I buy a used one? paying $1000 instead of $2000 would be nice if the saw will still cut good.


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## Can8ianTimber

Give Madsens a try if you are looking for a new 088. I was in there about 4 months ago and I think the powerhead was going for just under $1500. They are a great company and I believe they will ship it to you. I just don't think Stihl will let them sell it online. 

http://www.madsens1.com/


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## ryan_marine

There is an 088 for sale here locally for $800 let me know if your interested. I will look it over. There is also others here on the (LD1) that I can show it too. 

Ray


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## BobL

Walnut33 said:


> So then I take it that the bigger stihl saws dont really loose power or torque over time.



Correct - they are built to last and if they are looked after can handle most things thrown at them.


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## billstuewe

I had a real bad week last Wednesday--In the process of retuning the carb on my 084 --- when I leaned the high needle the RPMs screamed up to 12000 for about a second and before I could start to back off--BAMMMM-pieces of piston were in the airfilter, in the exaust and filled the crankcase--Counted 90 pieces counting what was still left on the rod. Anyway, did the funeral and decided to get a new 880. One local dealer was $1730 +TTL, found one new on the internet w/a 41" bar for $1689 and called a small out in the country dealer and got a quote of $1425 +TTL, powerhead only ($1517.50total)---Picked her up today.
So my advice is check around--most dealers won't come down much but a few will negotiate with you. Stihl will not allow selling online or across state lines. I would order from Madsens but they are half a country away.


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## mtngun

billstuewe said:


> I had a real bad week last Wednesday--In the process of retuning the carb on my 084 --- when I leaned the high needle the RPMs screamed up to 12000 for about a second and before I could start to back off--BAMMMM-pieces of piston were in the airfilter, in the exaust and filled the crankcase--Counted 90 pieces counting what was still left on the rod.


Ouch ! ! !


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## Kicker_92

billstuewe said:


> I had a real bad week last Wednesday---pieces of piston were in the airfilter, in the exaust and filled the crankcase--



Hmm, sounds familiar...

Like Bob said, they'll handle *most* things thrown at them. It's just more painful when you see the parts bill for the bigger, newer saws.


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## BobL

Kicker_92 said:


> Hmm, sounds familiar...
> 
> Like Bob said, they'll handle *most* things thrown at them. It's just more painful when you see the parts bill for the bigger, newer saws.



Yeah, while I was writing that post I initially had written "everything" instead of most but on re-reading it I changed my mind.

Oh yeah and commiserations on the 084 bill.


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## diesel&coffee

hey billstuewe

What kind of wood do you mill there around Georgetown??


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## billstuewe

Mostly dead wood---


I have about 12000bf of dried or very near dry wood. Pecan, hickory, red oak, live oak, post oak, bur oak, walnut, ash, elm, bodark, mulberry, chinaberry, hackberry, mesquite, cottonwood, sycamore, Texas ebony, apricot, cherry, chinese pistacio, cypress, silver maple, maple (hard and soft), loblolly pine, deador cedar, aromatic cedar, juniper cedar, (all of which I have sawn) and over half a dozen other species that I have scrounged that I do not know what they are.











I cannot get back far enough to get all of it in the frame but this is a sampling.





This is about 1/4 the large flitches i have plus I have about30 crotch slabs/flitches--the biggest are these:




If you are ever up this way, stop by


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## BobL

Now that's what I call a stash!


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## john taliaferro

first a full moon ,now those big flethes & talk of 88 i will never get to sleep . i do like the big saw,mine has a muffler mod bout 7/8 pipe 45* foward . thiresty:censored: sucks down some gas then you look and your done for the day a real work horse .john t


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## mikeb1079

hey bill steuwe (or anybody), about how long do you dry with stickers/seperation before you can stack the boards directly on top of each other? as we all know, stickering takes up space and it'd be nice to just stack directly after a certain amount of time. nice stash btw. 
cheers
mb


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## billstuewe

You must keep it on the stickers until it is air dried as low as it will go in your area, then you can flat stack it. This depends on the area you live in, the time of year, the species, the thickness, and about 15 other variables.
1. Get a moisture meter or learn how to oven dry to determing MC
2. Download this bulletin and read it. Check the chart starting on page 4 for your area.
3. A not-so-accurate-rule-of-thumb is wood will dry about 1" per year. For me here in Central Texas--June july And August = 1 year for most norther places.


Sorry I cannot be more specific but I have some 16/4 oak that has been drying about 3 years and still has a way to go and I have dried 4/4 cedar (ERC) in 3 weeks.


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## BobL

mikeb1079 said:


> hey bill steuwe (or anybody), about how long do you dry with stickers/seperation before you can stack the boards directly on top of each other? as we all know, stickering takes up space and it'd be nice to just stack directly after a certain amount of time. nice stash btw.
> cheers
> mb



I stand hardwood slabs, of 2" or greater thickness, vertically before they are completely dry.
2" thick stuff I stand up after 1 year, 3" after two years and 4" after 3" years etc - seems to work OK. For <2" I usually wait till they reach local long terms MC.


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## Madacobain

Walnut33 said:


> Looking at getting the MS 880 Magnum. I want to be able to slab large trees for natural edge tables. Is this saw worth $1,990? Does anyone own it with the 59 inch bar? Any feedback is much appreciated! Thanks!



I brought an MS880 Stihl with a 60 inch Stihl bar and an Alaskan mill, never looked back, it handles any task, I cut mostly Rimu, Totara and gum, bars are expensive and I have set up another mill with a 900 bar because I was so impressed with Stihl products, they do the business and its money well spent buying new, one person operater, owner makes the difference as its looked after properly, Ive had mine for over a year and still looks new apart from some paint of the bars, running a rev counter with a built in hour clock tells me when maintenance time comes around and gives me piece of mind for the extra $100. I have a good dealer thats got a mill so his experience has made the difference in getting it right. I also have another mate thats had the same set up in business for 10 years and when it takes driving 3 hours in the back blocks and another hour on a quad you dont want trouble and the Stihl just keeps on being faithfull and does the milage plus. A real mans tool.


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