# New to milling and this site will my Homelite 360 be enough saw to mill 20" popple



## beaveradict (Jun 17, 2009)

Hi everyone I love all the post and info. I have already come across a lot of good advice. I have a homelite 360 professional in great shape only pull it out to cut 18 to 20" logs for fire wood.i have been practicing on some hard woods here in southern Michigan, white oak,red oak, and cherry. slow going to say the least. The chain is still a standard husky full chisile .This is the first time I have ever milled with a chainsaw. The wood produced looks good to me but I still don't think I have the chain adjustment quiet right.The saw tries to wind up too high and the chips are like powder the chain is like a razer but I dont seem to be geting the foward bite that I think i should. That being said.I own land up north and there is a lot of popple on my land. I would like to build a cabin from the logs on the land what do you folks think.


Thanks Beaveradict


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## BobL (Jun 17, 2009)

beaveradict said:


> .
> .
> The saw tries to wind up too high and the chips are like powder the chain is like a razer but I dont seem to be geting the foward bite that I think i should.
> .
> .



That sounds like your rakers are too high.
When did you last file the rakers?
What depth are they and how wide is your cutter gullet?


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## beaveradict (Jun 17, 2009)

The chain is a brand new full chisel no kick back built in it though i have touched it up with a file every few cuts.I cut cross grain on a log today and it cut with ease,but when I leaned on the saw it didn't bogg down much.I never have had to adjust my rakers this early into a new chain.I also never have used this brand of chain before its stamped husky in the side of the links for what its worth.By eye the rakers look too tall to me ill take some mesurements tonight. 



Thanks Beaveradict:greenchainsaw:


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## mtngun (Jun 17, 2009)

_Homelite_ 360 ? I'd never heard of it before you posted. 57 cc, 1970's vintage, not the greatest reputation. Doesn't sound like a great choice for milling. 

Good luck with the chain issue.


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## ericjeeper (Jun 17, 2009)

*I saw one at a local pwn shop*

Last week. looked like brand new.. he was asking 100$ for it..
If you own a 360 you will likely need a new carb boot. You can still get them for now.. Might as well buy one and have it on hand. They were a good firewood saw. one of the first with antivibe in the larger homelite models I do believe.


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## beaveradict (Jun 18, 2009)

Bob, you were right the rakers were too high they were only .0005" less than the front of the tooth. I'm not sure what they say it should be but i know it was way too tall. I filed .0025 off and now I got a woodchuck that will cut wood as for the carb boot got two extra the saw shop i went to to get the one i needed two years ago said they would give me a deal if i bought the three they had instock ten bucks its all good. I cut up three 18" red oak into 1" slab this morning and the first log took ten minutes only (one i timed). if this was soft wood it would have been a cake walk.
Sometimes when you buy somthing you think your getting what you thought you were. Most of the time you are getting what the MAN thinks you need.


Well it works well now but don't know if i would buy another for milling might try an an an an you guys let me know what you like


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## mtngun (Jun 18, 2009)

Glad you got the chain fixed, beaveradict. Sounds like you have a good firewood saw.

Back to your original question, small saws like that are OK for use with a mini-mill on small logs. If you plan to make a log cabin by squaring two sides and leaving the other two sides round, you might get by with your antique Homelite and a mini-mill. 

If you get more serious about milling, you'll have to decide what kind of mill you plan to use. An Alaskan is good for making slabs. A mini-mill is good for making beams. A Logosol M7 can do either and might be the best choice for squaring cabin logs. 

An Alaskan, typically set up with a long bar, likes a 90+cc saw. The other types of mills use shorter bars and can get by with smaller engines, though bigger is generally better.

Another alternative would be hiring someone with a portable bandmill. If you had all the logs limbed, bucked, and stacked neatly, ready to load on the bandmill, that could be a fast and cost effective way to get your cabin logs cut.


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## beaveradict (Jun 18, 2009)

I didn't't really ask the question correctly,or give out my plans.I would like to post frame the building all wood going in the ground being treated the rest cut of the woods siding,interior Flooring don't get me started about the hard maple on the land. So it 's not a log cabin but a cabin cut from the logs.





Man you guys are the salt of the earth
People helping people that's what its all about!


Beaveradict


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## beaveradict (Jun 18, 2009)

:greenchainsaw:Sorry, didn't even tell you what I'm using its a homemade mini milll cuts within a 16th. Not bad for a miilrite that has not weilded in years or tryed to build anything.


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## SilverBox (Jun 18, 2009)

I had a Homelite 330 that I put a new boot in and tuned up, then sold. It actually cut pretty good with a fresh boot and a tune. You could mill smaller stuff with a properly running Homelite 360, no problem, not gonna be super fast, but it will get the job done.


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## BobL (Jun 19, 2009)

beaveradict said:


> Bob, you were right the rakers were too high they were only .0005" less than the front of the tooth. I'm not sure what they say it should be but i know it was way too tall. I filed .0025 off



The rakers should be at least 0.025" lower than the cutter tip
BUT
It's a leetle more complicated that that if you want really fast cutting.
Read my response in this thread


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## beaveradict (Jun 20, 2009)

All the information has been great.The positive feed back and life experince is very cool. Even though I have been cutting wood to heat the house since I was old enough to handle a saw I didn't think about how important every detail of how the chain was sharpened,raker highth,angle of the top plate,amount of cc's(for milling), chain speed, and so on. Its been a good learning experience. Bob your links to the other threads helped me understand alot about rakers and yes I was one to just keep sharping the chain and not bother with the rakers then give up and buy a new chain.


My wife told me tonight to go buy the saw I want HMMMMMM I,m thinking Husky xp model 70sh cc since most of the wood I will mill will be under 24" what do you guys think?



Beaveradict


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## BobL (Jun 20, 2009)

beaveradict said:


> ]My wife told me tonight to go buy the saw I want HMMMMMM I,m thinking Husky xp model 70sh cc since most of the wood I will mill will be under 24" what do you guys think?



372 sound like the go.


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## ShoerFast (Jun 20, 2009)

It would be a hard sell to get me to think that 660's were not born to mill. 

Just a way to look at it, don't get the saw to fit the logs you have. Get the logs to fit the saw you have. Your going to be hooked, you know that right?


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## beaveradict (Jun 22, 2009)

Shoerfast your right. i'm hooked and loving it and i did some thinking about your last post. Its true to get the logs that the saw i currently have can handle.

Beaveradict


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## excess650 (Jun 22, 2009)

If you're thinking Husqvarna, think 385xp, 390xp, or 395xp. The 372xp is a high revving fire wood or felling saw, but wouldn't be my choice for a milling saw.

My first milling experience was with a 272xp, 28" bar on a 24" Alaskan. It seemed to work the saw harder that I thought it would, so upgraded to a Stihl 066 with big bore kit(36" bar and 36" Alaskan rails). The increased displacement really helps. For even bigger hardwood, I've since added a 3120xp. The big Husky running .404 chain doesn't work nearly as hard as the 066BB running 3/8 .050".

An Alaskan or Mini Mill are fine for cutting slabs and beams. For cutting quantities of lumber, I'll take my bandmill.


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## LAndrews (Jun 23, 2009)

One other tidbit - if you're using a smaller saw, be careful to take your time and not overwork things. Let the saw cool down some, richen up the high needle a tad and do your best not to push the saw too hard. Try to remember that you're running the motor WFO for way longer than it's used to. 

I've goofed around wiht my 350 and that was enough to convince me to move up to the 395. Sliced a slab from a 10" log with the 350 for kicks once - it worked fine but took forever. Co-worker wanted the bark layer with thick lichens for an orchid display...

Hope this helps a tiny bit and welcome from another newbie!


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## beaveradict (Jun 23, 2009)

yep,already richened up the high end jet it four cycles a bit when not under a load. I let it set and idle for a few minutes in between cuts and on this saw i have always ran 32:1 mix originaly to keep the skeeters away when i used it for cutting fire wood never has fouled the plug.As for the saw i would like to get I'm torn between a few got a line on a 090 but it needs some work and I'm not a big guy. So i keep leaning tward a husky be it whatever size. The weight to hp seems apealing to me.


Beaveradict


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## SilverBox (Jun 23, 2009)

I wouldn't worry about the weight of a milling saw. Is only heavy when your moving your alaskan with powerhead around, once your in the cut the extra weight isn't very noticable, although when you make that last little bit of cut with an alaskan you kinda have to muscle it to keep it true. 

I've used a pioneer 650 (102cc) that weighs 30+ pounds to mill and the smallest saw I've used is a stihl ms250 that weighs about 12 lbs, the ms250 was actually more tiring to use because I end up pushing it more..


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## BobL (Jun 23, 2009)

SilverBox said:


> I wouldn't worry about the weight of a milling saw. Is only heavy when your moving your alaskan with powerhead around, once your in the cut the extra weight isn't very noticable


Yep agree with this



> , although when you make that last little bit of cut with an alaskan you kinda have to muscle it to keep it true.


Not if you run on log rails all the time. Starting and finish are high physical risk periods so running on log rails makes things safer and easier.



> I've used a pioneer 650 (102cc) that weighs 30+ pounds to mill and the smallest saw I've used is a stihl ms250 that weighs about 12 lbs, the ms250 was actually more tiring to use because I end up pushing it more..


Weight can also be an advantage, eg Put the log on a slope and the 880 and BIL with 60" bar and chain (weighing in at 72 lb) slide down the log rails under their own weight. I'm hardly pushing at all on short logs. Long logs are a bit more work because they can't be put on a steep enough slope.


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## beaveradict (Jun 23, 2009)

Hmmm didn't think about it like that (dumb fire wood cuter) .You are right, as soon as I'm in the cut even with my 360 the weight is gone untill i get to the end and yes you have to free hand the last three inches. the way I'm set up. Bob you are right i think the rails would help a lot for the start and finish of each cut curently using a ladder as my staight edge works ok but working on a set of log rails made of uni strut and all thread. Thanks for all the ideas. 


Thanks again
Beaveradict:agree2:


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## beaveradict (Jun 24, 2009)

Ok called the local saw saw shop i deal with and he said you guys are full of poop no not realy he said you guy know what your talking about and mabe and i should leave him alone. I'm acting like a crack whore!
HE HAS A DEMO husky 395 FOR A $1000 WITH A TWO YEAR warinty not bad from what I'vr seen


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## SilverBox (Jun 26, 2009)

You might want to consider used.. I bought my 394 for $300 bucks and the guy who sold it to me let me pull the muffler and plug and flashlight inspect the bore and piston (they looked very good) and then pulled the side covers off and checked the bearings (they were good), so I happily ponied up the money even thu the exterior plastic was pretty beat and the oiler drive gear was bad (no oil to b/c). Tuned it a little fatter and put in a 10 dollar oiler gear and I was in business. 

If your patient and watch your local craigslist you should be able to find a deal on a decent larger used saw. Ebay is a bit overpriced in my opinion.


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## beaveradict (Jun 26, 2009)

Silverbox I ran the saw yesterday and though it ran well it look to me like a 500 dollar saw looked pretty beat for a demo not worth 1000 maily cosmetic but if they are asking that much i would have thought it would have looked better. I think I'm going to wait and yes been shopping the local craigs list to see what i can find. I have to back off milling a bit right now anyway just too stinking hot out here 95 with a uv index of 11. 


Thanks again Beaveradict


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