# NEED HELP CHOOSING WHAT SIZE BAR & RIPPING CHAIN FOR STIHL MS661



## justin38506 (Aug 20, 2015)

hi all! I need a help choosing what's the maximum size and brand off bar and ripping chain for my MS661 for milling lumber? thankx all for your help


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## Ferguson system (Aug 20, 2015)

It depends on what your cutting and the type of sawmill that you are planning on using.


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## Michaelmj11 (Aug 20, 2015)

I have the same question, and am intending to work with Osage Orange, and maybe some Maple


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## justin38506 (Aug 20, 2015)

Mostly red and white oak and some hickory


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## justin38506 (Aug 20, 2015)

mostly STIHL MS661. Greatly appreciated and thank you for taking the time reply to us newbie


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## Ferguson system (Aug 21, 2015)

A 661 has enough power to pull a 36" bar, but in hardwood i'd say max a 30" bar. A 24" bar is just about perfect for making lumber combined with a Logosol mill. Don't forgot to use a chain meant for milling. Cutters filed 10' instead of 25-35'. And turn up the oil flow to max. 
Get a bar/chain combo from a known manufacturer. Stihl, Husqvarna/Jonsered, Oregon, Gb, Tsumura, Sugihara, Cannon, Iggesund Forest are some examples.


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## BigOakAdot (Aug 21, 2015)

I definitely wouldn't get over a 36" bar and you can easily find ripping chain by calling baileys. Fairly inexpensive compared to getting it from a dealer. 

I've milled almost 30" diameter logs with my 660, but found out an aux oiler is very necessary to keep the chain sharper for more passes. Definitely take it slow though because you could burn it up. Sharpen the chain at least after 2 passes. 

Also, I added foam pipe insulators to the bars of the mill to help with the vibrations on my hands. Obviously gloves will help with this also.

Good luck.


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## justin38506 (Aug 21, 2015)

BigOakAdot said:


> I definitely wouldn't get over a 36" bar and you can easily find ripping chain by calling baileys. Fairly inexpensive compared to getting it from a dealer.
> 
> I've milled almost 30" diameter logs with my 660, but found out an aux oiler is very necessary to keep the chain sharper for more passes. Definitely take it slow though because you could burn it up. Sharpen the chain at least after 2 passes.
> 
> ...


thankx amillion


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## Michaelmj11 (Aug 21, 2015)

What about keeping a 36" bar on the ms661 but milling smaller stuff? I can't think of a reason it would be any more difficult to use the 36" bar to mill a 20" tree, now I can get behind the idea of not going over 30" milling, but yah... why not just leave the 36" on (and note, I am decidedly NOT a mechanic).


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## BigOakAdot (Aug 21, 2015)

Michaelmj11 said:


> What about keeping a 36" bar on the ms661 but milling smaller stuff? I can't think of a reason it would be any more difficult to use the 36" bar to mill a 20" tree, now I can get behind the idea of not going over 30" milling, but yah... why not just leave the 36" on (and note, I am decidedly NOT a mechanic).


You can always mill smaller logs with a large bar, but you are causing more unnecessary strain on the power head. I personally downsize to a 24" bar for smaller logs but if all you have is a large bar that will work just fine. 

The chain running across that extra amount of bar is just unnecessary and will make sharpening much more of a *****. It's your call how to go about it. 

BOA


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## rarefish383 (Aug 21, 2015)

I'm lazy and don't like messing with the mill to put the 25" bar on, so I just leave the 36" on. The dealer said if I went over 36 it would void the warranty. Most of my stuff is in the 24 to 28 inch range so the 36 works great. I did have a piece of Black Walnut where the trunk flared out to 42 inches and it would have been nice to have a long enough bar. I guess I get a solid 30 inches of cut with my 36" bar. This is with my 660. When I was using my old Homelite 1050 with a 36" hard nose I gained a couple inches by clamping close to the end of the bar. I've thought about a longer bar, not to mill bigger logs, but to get past the odd knot or root flair that has some great grain. Warranty doesn't matter anymore, it ran out. Oh, I run stock Stihl chain. I think it's been shown here you really don't get much of a time difference with ripping chain, just a smoother finish, and I can live with the cuts my saw makes. I still use it for firewood too, but, that's just me, Joe.


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## Michaelmj11 (Aug 21, 2015)

BigOakAdot said:


> You can always mill smaller logs with a large bar, but you are causing more unnecessary strain on the power head. I personally downsize to a 24" bar for smaller logs but if all you have is a large bar that will work just fine.
> 
> The chain running across that extra amount of bar is just unnecessary and will make sharpening much more of a *****. It's your call how to go about it.
> 
> BOA



Like I said, I am not a mechanic (nor a physicist) but I just do not see how the extra 12" adds much more strain on the powerhead.

I mean the only difference is what 6-10 ounces of weight for the powerhead to move, right? When comparing the amount of force/torque needed to cut through a 24" log, with the amount of torque/force needed to move 6 ounces of metal horizontally. The 6 ounces just doesn't seem that it would have any discernable influence.

BUT the reason for asking the question here, is that I am not sure of all the stuff ^above^, and didn't know if there would be someone on here who would know more definitively


Oh yah, and wouldn't the sharpening equal out in the end? You would have to sharpen more often with a 24" chain, but have MORE chain to sharpen (if less frequently) with the 36"? I mean if the two chains are used to cut the same amount of wood, the 36 would dull slower because more teeth were spreading the cutting out.


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## mdavlee (Aug 21, 2015)

A 36" with a 30" will gives 27" of cut. A 36" mill needs a 42" to max it out. The 661 has a better oiler and more power than a 660. The 36" is only going to be wider and more awkward. If you're going to leave the bar on slide the mill in some and it will handle easier. Just don't let someone walk into the other end. An aux oiler is great for over 24" of cut. It keeps heat down which makes the bar and chain last longer.


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## Trx250r180 (Aug 21, 2015)

if you guys need better oiling try .404 chain


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## Michaelmj11 (Aug 21, 2015)

mdavlee said:


> Just don't let someone walk into the other end.



Um,.... yah!

Although there IS that whole natural selection thing. You'd think that the people who would be in the vicinity of a running chainsaw,would be smart enough to give it a very wide berth, but what is that saying.... "People are stupid, a person is intelligent". Either way, I hear you


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## Grande Dog (Aug 21, 2015)

Howdy,
Considering both bars are sprocket nose, the length of the bar has negligible affect. I've liked using the longer bar because it helps balance the weight of the powerhead when cutting something smaller. Plus, if you collapse the mill on a single ended bar there's no guard for the bar tip. All things vary with powerhead weight, mill size, and log size.
Regards
Gregg


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