# New to milling



## Derik (Aug 14, 2018)

Hello folks, 

I'm thinking of getting into chainsaw milling. Where I'm at, mesquite wood is in abundance and seems to be a good idea because buying lumber at a saw mill, or taking trunks to a saw mill is far too expensive. 

I'm sure the biggest tree I'll work with is 30", there's not many mesquite trees around here bigger than that and it seems the local sawmill already has priority if there is a tree of that size. 

I've done a bit of research, seems Granberg chainsaw mills are a good start. I did read the pinned thread on 101 milling, quite a few pointers there. I knew about cleaning the bark and other debris, to keep chains sharp, use wedges to keep the slab from pinching the saw, and to put the log about waist high. That last one is a good one, noticed quite a few fellows on youtube working off the ground or in difficult positions. 

Now, I'm sure this is going to cause debate. I familiar with using chainsaws. Never one with a 36" bar, used one with a 24" bar several times, but the saw has always been Echo. It's what I grew up with and it's what I know. However, Stihl seems to be a leading competitor in milling and I wouldn't be opposed to Stihl. 

My question(s), is there a different mill that would be better than the Granbergs? Also, the saw that I have in mind is an Echo CS-800p. I have not purchased a saw yet, I wanted opinions on different saws & mills from experienced people. No one around me runs a chainsaw mill, there's just a local bandsaw mill.


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## ammoaddict (Aug 14, 2018)

Nothing wrong with the echo. Most bang for the buck. I have echo, Stihl , Husqvarna and Dolmar. Husqvarna is my personal favorite, but nothing wrong with the others.

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## Derik (Aug 14, 2018)

Awesome, thanks very much


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## Mad Professor (Aug 14, 2018)

Welcome to the site/forum.

If you can, apprentice with a local sawyer to learn how to open up a log, and handle the flitches/boards properly when they come off the mill.

I worked in a commercial mill for a while and learned a lot but didn't make a lot $$$.

Learning how to stack and sticker green wood is essential. Then there is opening up a log to get best boards/beams. And edging the flitches for best quality boards.

Never did any western wood. Eastern hardwoods and eastern white pine and hemlock I have worked with.

Would love to see what mesquite looks like. All I see around here is imported chips for BBQ grills.


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## Justsaws (Aug 14, 2018)

The only reason not to use the Echo is the size, 30” cut width is not huge however neither is 80cc. It is a solid machine, however it does not have much of diverse parts supply like Stihl and Husqvarna, even bar availiblity is limited.

Personally I use a Stihl 660 because of the huge amount of new and used parts and they are generally inexpensive. The is basically zero aftermarket parts for Echo compared to Stihl or Husqvarna.

If you are buying a new saw, the Husqvarna 395, it is a milling machine compared to the Echo.


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## Derik (Aug 15, 2018)

Mad Professor said:


> Welcome to the site/forum.
> 
> If you can, apprentice with a local sawyer to learn how to open up a log, and handle the flitches/boards properly when they come off the mill.
> 
> ...



Mesquite wood is a deep red color, great grain orientation. I'll see if I can get a photo or two uploaded for you


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## Derik (Aug 15, 2018)




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## Derik (Aug 15, 2018)

Justsaws said:


> The only reason not to use the Echo is the size, 30” cut width is not huge however neither is 80cc. It is a solid machine, however it does not have much of diverse parts supply like Stihl and Husqvarna, even bar availiblity is limited.
> 
> Personally I use a Stihl 660 because of the huge amount of new and used parts and they are generally inexpensive. The is basically zero aftermarket parts for Echo compared to Stihl or Husqvarna.
> 
> If you are buying a new saw, the Husqvarna 395, it is a milling machine compared to the Echo.



Diverse parts, are you talking aftermarket/performance parts? I noticed a few people port the engine, I'm aware Echo doesn't have much parts, other than just replacement parts. 

I looked at the stihl 661, I believe that's the model, it'll only pull a 32" bar. At least that's what's recommended. 

Haven't really look ino Husqvarna, kinda glanced though the models


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## Justsaws (Aug 15, 2018)

The is not much of a used or aftermarket supply of parts for Echo saws, the is not a lot of online suppliers for Echo saw parts. Parts availiblity may not be a concern, you may never need any or you might.

The only new saw I would mill with at the moment is the Husq 395, parts galore and way more power.

The Stihl 661 replaced the 660 in Stihls line up, hardly any parts availible for the 661 beyond going back to the dealer. The 661 is still to new for me to consider it a solid machine to speed that kind of money on for milling.


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## ammoaddict (Aug 15, 2018)

Also bear in mind that if you're milling 30" wood, you will need at least a 36" mill and 36" bar. 

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## Derik (Aug 15, 2018)

Can a person get an older saw? If so, where at?

Also, what kind of parts are we talking, power wise?


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## Derik (Aug 15, 2018)

Yr


ammoaddict said:


> Also bear in mind that if you're milling 30" wood, you will need at least a 36" mill and 36" bar.
> 
> Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk



Indeed, I'm aware of that too


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## Justsaws (Aug 15, 2018)

I am basically referring to any part on a saw, air filter to crankcase. It may never be an issue. The basics things like air/fuel filters, lines/boots, sprockets, oil pump parts, av mounts, and bars are what seem to be common milling saw parts. Sometimes a piston and cylinder, crank, and crankcase, if you are using an Echo these are coming from the dealer only and are fairly spendy.

Used saws are all over, but I would caution against purchasing one from an unknown source.


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## Derik (Aug 15, 2018)

Justsaws said:


> I am basically referring to any part on a saw, air filter to crankcase. It may never be an issue. The basics things like air/fuel filters, lines/boots, sprockets, oil pump parts, av mounts, and bars are what seem to be common milling saw parts. Sometimes a piston and cylinder, crank, and crankcase, if you are using an Echo these are coming from the dealer only and are fairly spendy.
> 
> Used saws are all over, but I would caution against purchasing one from an unknown source.



Awesome thanks for clearing that up. Is there anything you dislike about Husqvarna or Stihl?


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## Mad Professor (Aug 15, 2018)

Derik said:


> Can a person get an older saw? If so, where at?
> 
> Also, what kind of parts are we talking, power wise?




Beware buying used. Don't go too old as parts will be hard to find. Bigger is better for milling, > 90cc.

Stihls: 066, 660, 661, 088. Huskys: 385, 390, 395, the bigger one I forgot # 3120?


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## John Williams (Aug 15, 2018)

I just bought a 661c and a Granberg mill. I will be trying it out this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes.


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## Derik (Aug 15, 2018)

John Williams said:


> I just bought a 661c and a Granberg mill. I will be trying it out this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes.



Fantastic, thanks. Probably the same setup I would get. Still on the fence about the saw though


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## Derik (Aug 15, 2018)

I have a close friend that has an Echo that can pull a 36 inch bar, if I'm not mistaken it's a similar model to the 800p. He offered to let me try out his saw on the mill to see how it pulls and all that.


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## ammoaddict (Aug 15, 2018)

Derik said:


> I have a close friend that has an Echo that can pull a 36 inch bar, if I'm not mistaken it's a similar model to the 800p. He offered to let me try out his saw on the mill to see how it pulls and all that.


That would be great. 

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## Justsaws (Aug 15, 2018)

Derik said:


> Awesome thanks for clearing that up. Is there anything you dislike about Husqvarna or Stihl?



Nothing in particular that is not just a personal choice. I use a 660 because at the time I could get them inexpensively used and parts were availible all over the place inexpensively. The Stihl 660 will put a lot more power to the chain than any of the 80cc Echos and the Husqvarna 395 will slap the Stihl around when it comes to power. All that being said, all of them will mill 30” cut in any hardwood availible to me. More power just makes it easier and a faster if things are going well.

There is not much Echo support locally to me anymore, Stihl and Husqvarna dominate my local market.


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## Derik (Aug 15, 2018)

Justsaws said:


> Nothing in particular that is not just a personal choice. I use a 660 because at the time I could get them inexpensively used and parts were availible all over the place inexpensively. The Stihl 660 will put a lot more power to the chain than any of the 80cc Echos and the Husqvarna 395 will slap the Stihl around when it comes to power. All that being said, all of them will mill 30” cut in any hardwood availible to me. More power just makes it easier and a faster if things are going well.
> 
> There is not much Echo support locally to me anymore, Stihl and Husqvarna dominate my local market.



That would be nice to have an open market for parts. 

I never used Husqvarna so I'm not sure on it. If I can get a Stihl 660, that would be great. And maybe down the road get an Echo anyway as a backup or vice versa. 

Echo dominates where I'm at, I live in a relatively small town. There is Stihl and Husqvarna available but no official dealers. 

Reason why I consider Echo is because the price point. I have a hard time spending $1200-$1300 on a saw when it's going to be for lumber supply for myself.


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## Justsaws (Aug 16, 2018)

Without having a trusted source for a good used saw or the inclination to spend an inordinate amount of your own time and cash fixing an unknown used saw I would get an Echo. The Echo saws I am familiar with are always reliable.

Folks get caught up in numbers about power, weight, anti vibe, etc., non of it matters if the saw will not start and you have to wait on parts.

If you get the Echo and start milling, keep your eyes open and pick up a more powerful used saw down the road. You might decide you really do not need it for what you are trying to do.

Only thing I would recommend is a second air filter, keep the air filter as clean as possible during use.


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## Derik (Aug 16, 2018)

What do yall recommend for a rail system? I was plan on using 2x4's and the slabbing brackets, would it be better to get the full slabbing rails?

Mesquite don't grow staight down here, most of them are crooked to an extentn even the larger ones have a curve to it.

I figured I could cut the 2x4's to match up to the trunk


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## Justsaws (Aug 17, 2018)

I used all types of things, ended up welding a steel ladder set, 1” tube with angle iron rungs, 2 @12” wide and 8’ long, also a piece 4’ long. I have used and will use what ever works.


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## Brian72 (Aug 17, 2018)

Derik said:


> Diverse parts, are you talking aftermarket/performance parts? I noticed a few people port the engine, I'm aware Echo doesn't have much parts, other than just replacement parts.
> 
> I looked at the stihl 661, I believe that's the model, it'll only pull a 32" bar. At least that's what's recommended.
> 
> Haven't really look ino Husqvarna, kinda glanced though the models


I'm running a 28, 36 and 50" bar on my 661 with a 48" Granberg mill. I run all brands but prefer Echo. The reason I chose Stihl for milling is power. I hear the Husky 395 is great also. Get the biggest saw you can afford regardless of brand. 

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## Brian72 (Aug 17, 2018)

Derik said:


> That would be nice to have an open market for parts.
> 
> I never used Husqvarna so I'm not sure on it. If I can get a Stihl 660, that would be great. And maybe down the road get an Echo anyway as a backup or vice versa.
> 
> ...


What type of milling do you plan on doing? Dimensional lumber? Live edge slabs? This can make a difference in saw selection. I help my buddy at his sawmill and we get some big logs so I wanted more power for the option of running longer bars. Honestly, I wish I would've gotten the 880 or Husky 3120. Here's an example, not a huge log but it maxed out my 36" bar. We had to trim the sides a bit to make the cuts.






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## Derik (Aug 17, 2018)

Justsaws said:


> I used all types of things, ended up welding a steel ladder set, 1” tube with angle iron rungs, 2 @12” wide and 8’ long, also a piece 4’ long. I have used and will use what ever works.



Not a bad idea with the tube and angle. I'll try different things out and see what works best


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## Derik (Aug 17, 2018)

Brian72 said:


> I'm running a 28, 36 and 50" bar on my 661 with a 48" Granberg mill. I run all brands but prefer Echo. The reason I chose Stihl for milling is power. I hear the Husky 395 is great also. Get the biggest saw you can afford regardless of brand.
> 
> Sent from my Moto E (4) using Tapatalk



I'll probably get Echo at first, it shouldn't haven't a problem with some of the smaller trees I have access to. Like someone mentioned, I'll get a more powerful saw down the road


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## Derik (Aug 17, 2018)

Brian72 said:


> What type of milling do you plan on doing? Dimensional lumber? Live edge slabs? This can make a difference in saw selection. I help my buddy at his sawmill and we get some big logs so I wanted more power for the option of running longer bars. Honestly, I wish I would've gotten the 880 or Husky 3120. Here's an example, not a huge log but it maxed out my 36" bar. We had to trim the sides a bit to make the cuts.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I plan on doing both, live edge and dimensional. It'll be rare that I'll max out a 36" bar, but I want to have it when I need it.


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## Brian72 (Aug 17, 2018)

Derik said:


> I'll probably get Echo at first, it shouldn't haven't a problem with some of the smaller trees I have access to. Like someone mentioned, I'll get a more powerful saw down the road


I don't think the Echo is a bad choice. Running skip chain also helps. 

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## Derik (Aug 17, 2018)

Brian72 said:


> I don't think the Echo is a bad choice. Running skip chain also helps.
> 
> Sent from my Moto E (4) using Tapatalk



What the difference between skip chain, and ripping chain ?


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## Brian72 (Aug 17, 2018)

Derik said:


> What the difference between skip chain, and ripping chain ?


Skip chain has fewer cutters. Doesn't require as much power and also gives better chip clearance. Ripping chain has a different cutter angle. I believe it's 10° where regular chain is 30°. I've ran both with good results. Personally, I just run regular chain. Mostly Stihl but I also have a few loops of Oregon. Don't let this stuff get you too confused. Good sharpening is really the key. 

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## Derik (Aug 17, 2018)

Brian72 said:


> Skip chain has fewer cutters. Doesn't require as much power and also gives better chip clearance. Ripping chain has a different cutter angle. I believe it's 10° where regular chain is 30°. I've ran both with good results. Personally, I just run regular chain. Mostly Stihl but I also have a few loops of Oregon. Don't let this stuff get you too confused. Good sharpening is really the key.
> 
> Sent from my Moto E (4) using Tapatalk



Awesome. What do yall do with old chains? I got into sharpening properly on the last few years. Before that I used a grind wheel sharpener


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## Brian72 (Aug 17, 2018)

Derik said:


> Awesome. What do yall do with old chains? I got into sharpening properly on the last few years. Before that I used a grind wheel sharpener


When mine are used up, the nephew gets them for scrap. I usually keep 1 or 2 junkers around for dirty cutting if needed. 

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## Derik (Aug 17, 2018)

Brian72 said:


> When mine are used up, the nephew gets them for scrap. I usually keep 1 or 2 junkers around for dirty cutting if needed.
> 
> Sent from my Moto E (4) using Tapatalk



How do yall go about getting bark off fresh cut wood. If I don't get it off soon as possible. Grubs will move in


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## Brian72 (Aug 17, 2018)

Derik said:


> How do yall go about getting bark off fresh cut wood. If I don't get it off soon as possible. Grubs will move in


If it peels easy, I knock it off with a hatchet or pry bar. If I can't remove it, I saw through it. I do try to get all the dirt off.

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## Derik (Aug 17, 2018)

Brian72 said:


> If it peels easy, I knock it off with a hatchet or pry bar. If I can't remove it, I saw through it. I do try to get all the dirt off.
> 
> Sent from my Moto E (4) using Tapatalk


How well would a draw knife do? I imagine it would be slow


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## Brian72 (Aug 17, 2018)

Derik said:


> How well would a draw knife do? I imagine it would be slow


Never tried one. They do make a chainsaw attachment called the log wizard. Seems to work good but it's a little expensive. I mainly worry more about dirt. Different species peel a little easier than others. I just don't consider bark a big deal.

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## Derik (Aug 17, 2018)

Brian72 said:


> Never tried one. They do make a chainsaw attachment called the log wizard. Seems to work good but it's a little expensive. I mainly worry more about dirt. Different species peel a little easier than others. I just don't consider bark a big deal.
> 
> Sent from my Moto E (4) using Tapatalk



I'll try it out and see what happens.


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## Bmac (Aug 18, 2018)

Derik said:


> What the difference between skip chain, and ripping chain ?



Along with the other differences already pointed out, a skip chain will dull quicker because you have less cutter heads, but it is also faster to sharpen.
I usually run my skip chains on my longer bars.


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## Derik (Aug 18, 2018)

Bmac said:


> Along with the other differences already pointed out, a skip chain will dull quicker because you have less cutter heads, but it is also faster to sharpen.
> I usually run my skip chains on my longer bars.


Always a catch, thank you for that. I imagine I would have found out eventually


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## Brian72 (Aug 19, 2018)

Derik said:


> Always a catch, thank you for that. I imagine I would have found out eventually


On longer bars, you'll appreciate the skip chain. It clears the chips much better. Full comp can really get plugged up. I usually resharpen every 2nd or 3rd pass. As long as you don't hit any metal, it's not a big deal.

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## Derik (Aug 20, 2018)

Brian72 said:


> On longer bars, you'll appreciate the skip chain. It clears the chips much better. Full comp can really get plugged up. I usually resharpen every 2nd or 3rd pass. As long as you don't hit any metal, it's not a big deal.
> 
> Sent from my Moto E (4) using Tapatalk


Sweet deal, I'll get a cheap metal detector and go over the logs just as a precaution


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## Brian72 (Aug 20, 2018)

Derik said:


> Sweet deal, I'll get a cheap metal detector and go over the logs just as a precaution


Good idea. We use one of these from Harbor Freight at my buddy's mill. They work pretty well. Can't beat the price.






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## Derik (Aug 20, 2018)

Brian72 said:


> Good idea. We use one of these from Harbor Freight at my buddy's mill. They work pretty well. Can't beat the price.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Gotta love harbor freight, bought quite a few tools from there


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## Brian72 (Aug 20, 2018)

Derik said:


> Gotta love harbor freight, bought quite a few tools from there


Yep. Same here. My next purchase will be a winch for my trailer.

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