# Stihl880 and MK3 alaskan Too much??



## jeepyfz450 (May 17, 2010)

Ok so i have been thinking about buying an alaskan to put on my 660 and try my hand at milling. I found a guy near me with an ad in the shopper selling him stihl 880 and alaskan MK3. I got his email and he sent me a few pics and this desription.

I would like to sell this chainsaw sawmill for $2100 or best offer, i WILL NOT sell the chainsaw before the sawmill but if you already have a powerhead you may buy the Alaskan MKIII and set up for $1000 or best offer. The extreme advantage of this set up is its infinately portable and can be run anywhere you can walk around a log. I have milled in the woods when the log couldn't be moved just as easy as moving the log. When you don't have the heavy support equipment to move thos oversized logs this is the set up for you. Have sawn 30+" cherry slabs and made table tops out of them, and have sawn 16" red maple for trim. http://onlinestore.forestindustry.com/scripts/granbergint/002014.html Alaskan MK-III C3 Mill 36" The C3 mill comes complete with everything you need except the powerhead. Included are double end saw bar, ripping chain, oiler kit, slabbing rail bracket set, helper handle, and chainsaw sharpener. Retail $685 
9ft EZ Rails Constructed of durable air craft aluminum and steel, the EZ Rails attach and level in minutes providing an accurate and stable platform 
for guiding the Alaskan saw mill. Retail $200 
5ft EZ Rails. Retail $140 
Mini Mill II The compact milling attachment combined with your chainsaw converts logs into lumber or beams. It also makes an ideal edger for use with the Alaskan MK III. Comes with 12 feet of guide rail in 2 foot sections. This is attached to a customer provided 2 x 6. Retail $95 

http://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/MS880.html# For the power head i have a newer Stihl MS880 attached to the alaskan sawmill, the saw starts and runs perfectly, all new filters meticulously maintained oiled cleaned and tuned, never overheated very powerful. Also comes with 48" 0.404 pitch bar and chain. Retail $1400




So if i run the numbers i am getting around 2500 bucks he has invested. I am pretty sure this is way more mill and saw than i will ever need but i am curious on what you guys think of this setup and his price. 

I kinda think it is really steep (but hey im kinda cheep to). I might go look at his setup and offer him much less. what do you guys think?


----------



## gemniii (May 17, 2010)

jeepyfz450 said:


> Ok so i have been thinking about buying an alaskan to put on my 660 and try my hand at milling. I found a guy near me with an ad in the shopper selling him stihl 880 and alaskan MK3. I got his email and he sent me a few pics and this desription.
> 
> I would like to sell this chainsaw sawmill for $2100 or best offer, i WILL NOT sell the chainsaw before the sawmill but if you already have a powerhead you may buy the Alaskan MKIII and set up for $1000 or best offer. The extreme advantage of this set up is its infinately portable and can be run anywhere you can walk around a log. I have milled in the woods when the log couldn't be moved just as easy as moving the log. When you don't have the heavy support equipment to move thos oversized logs this is the set up for you. Have sawn 30+" cherry slabs and made table tops out of them, and have sawn 16" red maple for trim. http://onlinestore.forestindustry.com/scripts/granbergint/002014.html Alaskan MK-III C3 Mill 36" The C3 mill comes complete with everything you need except the powerhead. Included are double end saw bar, ripping chain, oiler kit, slabbing rail bracket set, helper handle, and chainsaw sharpener. Retail $685
> 9ft EZ Rails Constructed of durable air craft aluminum and steel, the EZ Rails attach and level in minutes providing an accurate and stable platform
> ...



retail
Alaskan MK-III C3 Mill 36" - $685 (you don't need all of it)
EZ rails - $340
Mini Mill II - $95
Total - 1120

I got a great fleabay 660, 42" bar and chain, 36" AK MKIII and 2 unistruts for about $800.
I'll sell it to you for $1600 

The 880 and a 36" MKIII is like putting my 7.3L diesel in my minivan OVERKILL.


----------



## BobL (May 17, 2010)

I agree those prices are steep.

$685 for an Alaskan is ludicrous for what the are given they are so easy to make.

The EZ rails are unnecessary as at a minimum you can use a straight guideboard, or you can buy two lengths of 20 ft unistrut fot 1/4 of the price if the EZ rails.

Unless you have a lot of big trees to mill the 880 is also overkill.


----------



## jeepyfz450 (May 17, 2010)

thanks for the input i really appreciate it. I might go check out the guys setup next week. The 880 is really more of a dreamsaw than anything for me. I was thinking i will go see the saw and the mill and offer him like 1200 cash. honestly i dont even know how much i will like milling i should probably just put a cheap alaskan on my 660 and run it.


----------



## mikeb1079 (May 17, 2010)

his asking price is high, and like bobl said you can get a great setup for way less. pick up some unistrut, or even a straight 2x8 for a guide rail. poke around craiglook and pick up a nice used 075 for 3-400 bucks. get creative, there's plenty of options out there. but beware, you'll get hooked.


----------



## jeepyfz450 (May 17, 2010)

thanks mike thats probably what i will do.


----------



## motomedik (May 18, 2010)

I'm also local to this guy and responded to his ad and respectfully told him he was asking retail for a used setup. He politely responded and sounded like he might entertain reasonable offers- I did not follow up as I found a 395 and have my own homemade mill- and the 880 is too hard to find bars for. Would still be cool to have...Make him an offer, someone!


----------



## jeepyfz450 (May 18, 2010)

Im pretty sure there is no way i will be buying his setup but what do you think is a resonable offer? I thought about throwing 1200 cash in his face and seeing if he would bite. Im sure its worth more than that but you never know.


----------



## motomedik (May 18, 2010)

Yeah, I almost thought of going to see his setup and maybe go as high as $1500 -the 880 is a cool saw, for sure, but not the one for me for most of the milling I have been doing. It's been said that your milling setup is best if it's only as big as it needs to be- no bigger. 
The other thing that made me think is that there was a complete J-red mill that was on CL for $1500 in T-burg recently. Wanted to check that one out, but the mill was on its way to PA an hour before I called...Oh well.
I wonder, Did anyone score the J-Red mill w/o the saw that was posted last week??


----------



## WoodRipper (May 27, 2010)

I saw a J-red mill for sale in PA, near Williamsport somewhere, a couple of weeks ago on Craigslist for $900, but he said he'd take less for cash.


----------



## oldsaw (May 31, 2010)

880 on a mill is a cool deal. I miss my 3120 on the big logs with the 42" bar.

That guy is sort of on crack pricewise.


----------



## betterbuilt (Jun 3, 2010)

I responded to his ad also and he seem like he wasn't gonna come down. jeepyfz450 If you do find a 660 and don't want to buy a mill I live near you and I have a 48 inch mill. We could try two powerheads out and see if it makes a difference. I also have lots of logs just waiting to be cut. I be interested in Sawing some of them up. I know you've seen my craigslist ad. http://picasaweb.google.com/rogersdeadfallfurniture


----------



## huskyhank (Jun 3, 2010)

betterbuilt said:


> snipped.....
> 
> http://picasaweb.google.com/rogersdeadfallfurniture



cool!!!


----------



## betterbuilt (Jun 3, 2010)

Thanks huskyhank


----------



## jeepyfz450 (Jun 9, 2010)

Yeah i talked to the guy a few times he said 1900 is the lowest he would go so i stopped wasting my time. Betterbuilt where are you at? let me know if you are milling sometime i would love to chech out your setup.


----------



## betterbuilt (Jun 10, 2010)

jeepyfz450 said:


> Betterbuilt where are you at? let me know if you are milling sometime i would love to chech out your setup.



jeepyfz450 I'm in Hammondsport, NY. I Will let you know the next time I'm milling. IF you find any interesting logs let me know. I've been to busy to actively look for logs.


----------

