# 70cc or 90cc for Occaisional for Alaskan Style Mill



## steve147 (Nov 6, 2015)

I am interested in dipping my toes in the chainsaw mill waters and am looking for a saw.

I can't see myself milling anything much larger than 20" hardwood. I'm not doing it for money - just want to get lumber for my woodworking hobby and I think it'd be cool to say I was involved literally start to finish.

Because I'd only be doing this occasionally, I am leaning more towards a 70-80cc saw (Dolmar 7910, Stihl 044/046/460 etc, Husky 372, etc.) since it is still light enough that I'd consider using it for other tasks.

Is a saw in this range enough for occasional milling or should I focus on 90cc+? 

My concerns are that the 90cc+ saws are going to be to heavy for much beyond milling. Also, 90cc+ saws in my price range are generally older so I worry about parts availability - especially with a saw like the Dolmar 9010.


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## mdavlee (Nov 6, 2015)

Get the biggest you can afford. 395 is heavy but does about the best of the 90 cc class. 7910 will do fine for 20" wide. I've used 046, 7900, and all the saws above that for milling.


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## HuskStihl (Nov 6, 2015)

I think a few extra pounds for some more cubes would be an excellent trade-off when milling is involved.


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## Trx250r180 (Nov 6, 2015)

powerwise will both do the job ,but the bigger saws have bigger clutches ,which will last longer from the extra load ,my 460 clutch cover felt warmer than the 660 milling 20 inch plus stuff .


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## Freakingstang (Nov 6, 2015)

I'd get the biggest saw you can afford.. Milling this oak with my ported 660 wasn't fun or easy, 75% of the boards were 24" or smaller, the center sections were 28-29". It took two tanks per cut and wished I'd had a larger saw


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## lindnova (Nov 6, 2015)

My MS461 does ok, but I wish I had some more power. I am an occasional miller, so it works for now. Keep a sharp chain. In big oak like Freakingstang's pictures it needs gas and a file every board. 20" 2 cuts per gas & file.


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## steve147 (Nov 6, 2015)

I have an eye on a Dolmar 9010 available used. How is parts availability for these saws, since they aren't sold here in the US anymore?

I imagine not too bad since the Makita DCS9010 should be interchangeable?


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## BobL (Nov 6, 2015)

I use a 441 on my 24" (~20" cut) mill and it does fine especially with Lopro chain.


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## mdavlee (Nov 6, 2015)

Some 9010 parts are expensive. They are still available through dolmar dealers.


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## abbott295 (Nov 6, 2015)

Some of us started with a PoulanPro 4620 (46 cc, 20") in red maple that got up to just about 20"wide with a Granberg small log mill. Only attaches to one end of the bar. There were a few cuts where the bar didn't reach all the way through. Not as hard as oak, hickory or hard maple. More cc's would be better; 70 should be adequate for logs not over 20 inches. (We have bigger saws now.)


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## steve147 (Nov 6, 2015)

Freakingstang said:


> I'd get the biggest saw you can afford.. Milling this oak with my ported 660 wasn't fun or easy, 75% of the boards were 24" or smaller, the center sections were 28-29". It took two tanks per cut and wished I'd had a larger saw


Who is the MFR of that mill? It looks very nice!


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## steve147 (Nov 6, 2015)

So I ended up buying a used PS7910 based on your help. 

I think if I find myself enjoying this, I can see a nice big-cube rebuild project in my future...


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## Jimbo209 (Nov 11, 2015)

steve147 said:


> So I ended up buying a used PS7910 based on your help.
> 
> I think if I find myself enjoying this, I can see a nice big-cube rebuild project in my future...


A PS 9000/9010 or 394/5-3120 will keep you on the same bar mount when you need more oomph


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## WildPrGardens (Nov 17, 2015)

Great milling guys.



steve147 said:


> Who is the MFR of that mill? It looks very nice!



I second that request for the MFR of that mill _freakingstang. 
_
Or maybe more and upclose pictures of details.

I'm hoping to build my own soon, with some of my own unique details, but that one looks like an excellant base design to start from.

It looks like a triangular piece attachs to the engine somehow.

Does the mill clamp to the bar or is the bar drilled?

Sorry for the hijack of thread.

Thanks
Dave


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## Freakingstang (Nov 17, 2015)

steve147 said:


> Who is the MFR of that mill? It looks very nice!





WildPrGardens said:


> Great milling guys.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



its an older granberg mk3. I guess they don't make them like this anymore? I've had it for about 8-10 years. It works pretty good. no real complaints

It mounts to the powerhead with its own bar nuts (replace saw bar nuts with these, then there is an allen bolt that goes through the triangle part of the frame into the "new" bar nut. the front is just an allen bolt that is tightened against the bar. nothing needs to be drilled through the bar.


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## MontanaTed (Nov 17, 2015)

Thanks @Freakingstang I was scouring this earlier thinking it looked like liked Granberg. This is a interesting design assuming its aluminum construction or is it galved steel?


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## WildPrGardens (Nov 17, 2015)

Thanks _freakingstang _for the info and the extra pictures.

I think the 4-post is better than the 2-post they have now.
Of course it would cost more to make with the extra bolts and welding on it.

I had been thinking along the lines of 4 acme thread corner posts like my Bel-Saw thickness planer had 40 years ago.

But the whole thing would probably have weighed 200lbs.

You get a pretty smooth cut don't you, without much gouging, even when you have to stop to refuel?

How long are the 'new' bar nuts?

What length bar do you have there?

Thanks again
and love your beaver loader build.

Dave


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## scheffa (Nov 18, 2015)

I mill up to 42" with a 660 and anything bigger I use an 880. 660 is my go to saw, only saw smaller than that is my top handle 201


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## wadeclinton (Nov 19, 2015)

My brother and I prefer to run a 3120 and a 42" bar on the CSM, but the 395/394's do get the job done. I have used a 372 on the beam machine but my 385 does better, and I go to it more often than not for the sides of the log.


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## Freakingstang (Nov 21, 2015)

MontanaTed said:


> Thanks @Freakingstang I was scouring this earlier thinking it looked like liked Granberg. This is a interesting design assuming its aluminum construction or is it galved steel?



galvanized thin steel. the power head mount is the only thick part.



WildPrGardens said:


> Thanks _freakingstang _for the info and the extra pictures.
> 
> I think the 4-post is better than the 2-post they have now.
> Of course it would cost more to make with the extra bolts and welding on it.
> ...



it is fairly smooth for what it is. depends a lot on your chain...that is a 36" bar, but you only get about 32"-33" max width. The bar nuts are around 1" thick to space the mount just far enough way from the clutch cover.


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## WildPrGardens (Nov 21, 2015)

Freakingstang said:


> galvanized thin steel. the power head mount is the only thick part.



Wow! And I thought it was mostly aluminum.

Thanks again for all the info.


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## Freakingstang (Nov 21, 2015)

WildPrGardens said:


> Wow! And I thought it was mostly aluminum.
> 
> Thanks again for all the info.



Its not as heavy as it looks/sounds. it isn't thick gauge steel, doesn't need to be...


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## BobL (Nov 21, 2015)

WildPrGardens said:


> Thanks _freakingstang _for the info and the extra pictures.
> 
> I think the 4-post is better than the 2-post they have now.


More important for strength than the number of posts is the fact that the mill bolts to the bar bolts. 
This requires 2 posts at the inboard end but one post is sufficient at the outboard end.
This is what I have on the BIL mill where instead of a clamp across the bar, a one sided clamp, clamps onto a bolt through the middle of the nose sprocket.





The Al clamping pads have since been replaced by steel with recessed slots for the bolt to sit in.
The slot is needed so the chain can be tightened.



> I had been thinking along the lines of 4 acme thread corner posts like my Bel-Saw thickness planer had 40 years ago.


But the whole thing would probably have weighed 200lbs.[/QUOTE]

I made a 4 poster made from steel (except for the mill rails which are ally) and that mill with a fueled up 880 in it weights 80 lns
It uses all thread rod as the adjusters. 2 at the inboard and 1 at the outboard.
Acme would last longer. I had to replace one of the all threads adjusters on the BIL mill after using it to mill over 100 logs
Here is the mostly steel 4 poster with the 076 aboard.
The posts are C-section with the all thread rods running down the middle of the inboard posts.


This mill uses a 44" bard nose bar with a roller nose bar added to the end of the hard nose.
This allows for the chain to be adjusted at the outboard end of the mill.
Brass and Al are used on some parts around the nose area in case the chain comes off.



Here's that mill with the 880 on it you can see the underneath of the chain adjustment at the nose end.





> How long are the 'new' bar nuts?


On 2 of my mills that bolt to the bar bolts I made longer bar bolts.
Here is the longer ones compared the the original.


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## WildPrGardens (Nov 21, 2015)

Thanks _bobl,
_
You sure do some nice work there.


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