# Choosing a mill size?



## cowroy (Mar 13, 2013)

I recently lucked up and was able to buy a Dolmar 166. I am about to have it ready to use and have been looking to buy a panther mill II to do some chainsaw milling. I have searched, but can't seem to find how to choose a mill length based off of bar length. It has 36" of usable bar past the bucking spikes and I could probably get a couple more if I took the spikes off. I hope it's not a dumb question to ask what size mill should I get for it. I have tried to get a longer bar, but can never be the right place at the right time. A new cannon is $400 dollars and that is just not gonna happen. So, does a 36" mill go on a 36" bar or how does this work? Sorry if I am making this more difficult than it is. As far as the size wood I will be milling, who knows. If I would have had a mill, I would have milled this baby. That is a 24" bar for reference. I might brake down one day and buy the 60" bar but no time soon. TIA!
Red Oak


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## qbilder (Mar 13, 2013)

Plan to lose a few inches. A 36" bar will not max a 36" mill. You need to account for clamping at each end of the bar, so if you lose 3" each end you'll have a 30" capability. To get the maximum 36" cut on a 36" mill, you'd need a 42" bar....ish. Nice tree, BTW. You'd hit metal in the heart, but still get some great slabs.


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## excess650 (Mar 13, 2013)

There are a couple of approaches to the size of mill question. If your objective is to cut live edge slabs, you'll need a mill wider than your anticipated log diameter. With a Granberg Alaskan it takes a 42" bar to get the most from the 36" mill. What you need to realize is that as the slabs get wider, they get heavier, so what is truly practical?

If you're going to cut beams and cants, 70% of the log's diameter will be the yield. A 40" log will yield a 28"x28" cant. 28" wide slabs are much easier to cut and handle than 36". 

I see your mention of a Dolmar 166 as your milling saw. While its truly a large displacement, powerful saw, I wonder how practical it will be knowing that milling is severe service for a chainsaw. I hope you have a good source for parts.

My current bars for milling run from 28"-42". Yes, they get $$ as they get longer, and so do the chains. If you plan to cut 48" slabs, be prepared to pony up the $$ for a long bar and chains.


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## cowroy (Mar 13, 2013)

So, what size mill for a 36" bar, 30"? That is what I have for now. I don't have any other big saws, but as far as parts go there are not any, but what good is it doing me sitting on a shelf 99% of the time. I won't own something I can't use. It is a very low hour saw so it should serve me for years. It has the K&N filter and I am gonna get me a filter wrap for it so it should work well. Most of the trees I cut, I can do so with a 371xp and if I need bigger I have a 288xp. I am not gonna start a milling business, but just a log here and there.


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## PhilB (Mar 13, 2013)

I just looked at the PantherPro site and it seems to me their mills are adjustable. You could get a longer mill for a future bar and use it with your 36" bar for now. For every 6" longer the price goes up just $10. If I'm wrong in my assumption, somebody pipe in. Kpantherpro checks in from time to time so he should tell you what you need.


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## excess650 (Mar 13, 2013)

If you have a 36" bar, go ahead and get a 36" mill. You should be able to cut 30"-32" with a 36" bar if you remove the bark dogs and clamp where the removeable bar tip and bar join.

My first mill was 24" since I had a 272xp and a 28" bar for the first go. I later bought 36" rails for the mill and that is what I've been using. There are times I think I should have a 48" mill and 50"+ bar, but the reality of the size and weight of the slabs sets in....


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## GeeVee (Mar 13, 2013)

O know not of the Huski saw you own. 

But chainsaws are for Sawing, Band mills are for milling. 

An entry level mill will save you money and more importantly, TIME.

Time is money.

More importantly yet, How much of your time, do you have to spend?

I have a new Signature line. Thank you Cowroy..


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## excess650 (Mar 13, 2013)

GeeVee said:


> O know not of the Huski saw you own.
> 
> But chainsaws are for Sawing, Band mills are for milling.
> 
> ...



What YOU don't understand is that I have a bandmill as well as CSM. There are things that can be cut with a CSM that can't be cut with a BM. I can carry my CSM into places where I couldn't consider towing my BM. BOTH have their purposes.


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## discounthunter (Mar 13, 2013)

i would get at least a 40"/42"(not sure on exact measurements)mill. you can run a shorter bar in a longer mill,just the rails will ecstend out farther.that way if you get a good deal on a longer bar,the mill is ready to go.i have a 36"alaskan,for the most part i run a 24"bar.sometimes 28",rarely the 36"bar.on the 24'bar i get 19.5"wide cuts.do take your daws off if milling ,you'll gain a couple of inches.

the 166 will handle easily 48" on a mill. before you procede to using as a miller,get some replacement part prices and availibility.im not sure how practicle a 166 would be for milling.


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## cowroy (Mar 13, 2013)

discounthunter said:


> i would get at least a 40"/42"(not sure on exact measurements)mill. you can run a shorter bar in a longer mill,just the rails will ecstend out farther.that way if you get a good deal on a longer bar,the mill is ready to go.i have a 36"alaskan,for the most part i run a 24"bar.sometimes 28",rarely the 36"bar.on the 24'bar i get 19.5"wide cuts.do take your daws off if milling ,you'll gain a couple of inches.



Ok, this is what I was looking for. I would like to get a bigger mill in case I get a bigger bar later. 



> the 166 will handle easily 48" on a mill. before you procede to using as a miller,get some replacement part prices and availibility.im not sure how practicle a 166 would be for milling.



I figured I might get some flack over using the 166, but I have seen pics of people cutting old growth with these saws. Parts are rare, but pistons and rings are available, other stuff not so much. What good is it to me if I cant use it. Maintenance is key to the life of anything. Is milling that hard on saw?


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## excess650 (Mar 13, 2013)

The reaction you're getting for the 166 is the astronomical prices they seem to bring.

Milling hard on saws? It is probably the hardest duty for a saw. My 066BB has survived so far with only a broken clutch spider/carrier. I rebuilt a 660 basketcase to have as a backup saw. My 3120 has only been used on the mill a couple of times, but that was with the 30" .404 B&C. Its now 3/8 with 28" and 42" bars and a 394xp to act as backup and share bars. I need a 36".....


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## cowroy (Mar 13, 2013)

I just missed a PM Canadian 275(123cc) for real cheap that I had in mind for milling, but missed it by a few minutes. That would have been a little more practical.

I know a 166 isn't the most practical saw for the application, but it is what I have. The prices people pay for them is crazy, but who am I to say it's crazy really. When I have the money I may pay way more than something is "worth" too. I may hunt for another saw, or try to trade around for something else. We will see.


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## jnl502 (Mar 13, 2013)

Milling with a saw is a little harder on saw compaired to bucking a big stick. The key to long life milling is keeping the chain sharp and giving the saw a cool down after a long run. It pays to hit the chain a stroke or two after every long cut you make. In hard cutting more. Also keep the rakers filed too. It is better to pull chips than dust. Dust makes more heat. Let the saw idle a few minutes before shut down. Also I run my saw without the clutch cover. It holdes saw dust and the clutch would be smokin after a run. Now I will tell what I'M mill with. I run a 930 j-red. It is not as uncommon as your 166 but it is really nice and would make a nice shelf queen. I tried to sell or trade it to get something more common but everybody wanted it but had no money and wanted to keep their good stuff. Back to milling. I run a hard nose bar because of a few reasons. One is IN get more cut width by clamping ñear the end and IT think with the nose oiler the hard nose doesn't get as hat as a roller nose. I used a grinder and cut a groove into the nose about a 1/3 from the back edge . 1/4 wide and inward the depth of the bar groove, about 5/16" and only the top layer so the oil goes strait on the drivers. I turned thr bar over and done the same thing so what ever eide is up the oiler drips in the same spot and goes strait into the grove from theinside of the groove. Good for now


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## discounthunter (Mar 14, 2013)

cowroy said:


> Ok, this is what I was looking for. I would like to get a bigger mill in case I get a bigger bar later.
> 
> 
> 
> I figured I might get some flack over using the 166, but I have seen pics of people cutting old growth with these saws. Parts are rare, but pistons and rings are available, other stuff not so much. What good is it to me if I cant use it. Maintenance is key to the life of anything. Is milling that hard on saw?



no flank here. you know exactly what you have there and how to use it. thats a big step in the right direction. since its more limited mill use you should really have no problems,just keep your maintenance up. if you go more full time i would look for something with more readily availible parts.

btw i run a 143. while no where near uncommon as a 166,i still cant run down to my dealer for 
parts either. i cruse ebay alot.lol. theres also several 152/153 millers on here too.darn good saws.i agree,if you cant use why have it.


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## qbilder (Mar 14, 2013)

cowroy said:


> I figured I might get some flack over using the 166



Nothing wrong with using that saw. It's a big arse saw! About the best use for a 100+cc saw is milling, IMO. Sure they are great for felling & bucking giant logs, but how often does that happen compared to milling?


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## qbilder (Mar 14, 2013)

GeeVee said:


> But chainsaws are for Sawing, Band mills are for milling.



I agree to an extent but as already stated there are things a CSM can do that a BSM cannot. My band mill will handle a 36" log, slab right through a 31" log. Anything larger is firewood if not for the chainsaw. This summer I am going to use my chainsaw to retrieve a giant old growth white oak that has falling into a deep ravine. My 4000lb winch won't pull the log out unless I cut it into short pieces, but I would rather have 8-10' logs. I plan to quarter saw it as it's wide and straight and solid. The only plausible way for this to happen is using a chainsaw mill to quarter the giant log(s) and winch out each quarter at a time. Once out I can skid to my band mill & get me some 15"-18" wide quarter sawn white oak lumber  

Without the chainsaw mill, that white oak would lay there and rot over the next several decades. I wouldn't have any chance at milling it. Otherwise, I agree that whenever possible, a band mill is a better way to go. But band mills have limitations with size and portability. Even with that huge oak lying next to my band mill, I wouldn't be able to do anything with it unless I could split it into quarters, or even square up a cant with, either of which would require a chainsaw mill. Band mills are also expensive, though the price of big power heads for chainsaws are getting up there. I have a nice band mill and quickly realized that I needed a chainsaw to supplement it. I imagine if I had a chainsaw mill first, I would be wanting a band mill. Personally, I think both are crucial and compliment one another rather well. Instead of choosing, just get both.


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## mikeb1079 (Mar 14, 2013)

as usual well said qbilder.

they do compliment each other. in my area there are enough 30" plus logs that it's really nice to have a large chainsaw mill setup for breaking them down. yes i could freehand quarter them but i've not had much luck getting straight cuts. i find that it's much easier to setup a csm to break down the big logs into more manageable pieces then onto the bandsaw. i suppose what i really need is a swing mill too. :msp_tongue:


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## qbilder (Mar 15, 2013)

A swing mill does both if you have the slabber attachment!!! Good idea. Anybody want to buy an 084 & a manual band mill for $12G's?  I'd love to have one but dang they are expensive.


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## KiwiBro (Mar 27, 2013)

*Best of both worlds or a lousy compromise?*

Portable swing-blade mill. can set it up over logs you can't move and piece it out or add a slapping attachment and slab it out. Lumber, portability (granted, not as portable as a CS mill), fast slabbing. the low kerf blades these days aren't anywhere near as bad for making dust as they used to be either.


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## cowroy (May 20, 2013)

Well, some of you guys are gonna breathe a sigh of relief. When a deal comes along, you might as well take advantage of it. I believe I'll use this old girl for milling instead of the 166.



Got a really good deal on it. Missing a few parts, and supposedly has no spark, but the way the wire setup looks I'll put a new wire on it and check it again before I deem it bad. Already have a 36" cannon bar for it too.:msp_thumbup:


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