066 is older better?

[j.g. tucker]

I'm buying an 066 Stihl to run a mini-mill. The guy at the saw shop is trying to sell me a used one . He has several of them at roughly half the price of a brand new magnum. I'm sort of leaning towards the new one just so I know it's not been wooped on or hurt badly. However, is there any reason that any of the older models are prefered. I am a chronic tinkerer of two-stroke road bikes and there's no way that this saw will remain stock( not on my watch!). In other words if the newer saws are not as modifiable I might want an older one. If that's not the case then I think a new one is worth the money. Also,for anyone who has tweaked an 066, what are some good initial modifications to make (exhaust,aircleaner,carb type).

 

[Kevin]

A new one will give you a side mount chain tensioner which is a must for milling.
I use the mini mill for edging but it`s not suited for milling good lumber.
You can run a tach on an old rebuilt saw and do a compression test which might tell you something.

 

[HUSKYMAN]

The only advantage to an older one is if you can get an 066 Magnum with the dual ported muffler. These made more power than the current muffler Stihl is offering. Other than that buy the new one, you have no idea where these saws have been and if they werent tired they wouldnt be for sale

 

[j.g. tucker]

Thanks guys. I'm getting a new one for sure, that way I know what I'm starting with. I bought a new 036 Stihl last year and I love it. As far as milling goes I'm also considering an alaskan mill to go with the 066 magnum( I hope that is what kevin is implying). Is the mini-mill an "ideal partner for the alaskan mill" as they say then? It appears to be much easier than the slabbing rail set-up. Also, would Walkerizing the saw make it run cooler/better and should I break in the saw pretty well before sending it off to Walkers?
p.s.This is a great site full of info for an amatuer like myself.

 

[chainsawworld]

when buying a used 066 you must be carefull of the year. when the 066 first came out(digital mag with the LED) i bought two. they ran so well, the next year i bought two more. the second two did not have the diode(red timing light). used them for a while and they both spun the crank off just behind the flywheel. what happened was, the saw picked up such RPMs out of the wood, when you stuck it in the wood, the saw would slow down but the flywheel did not slow down as fast, shearing the crank. of course the flywheel took everything under the fan cover with it. stihl stood behind the saws but they were so de-tuned they were not worth carrying. becarefull, marty

 

[John in MA]

Wasn't the 064 the one with the overspeed light?

 

[chainsawworld]

nope. the first stihl was the 066. i do not think homelessnite had one. LOL. marty

 

[Kevin]

JG,
The Alaskan mill with slabbing rail and the Mini mill and guide make a great combination for milling.

 

[j.g. tucker]

Kevin, your saying that I should get the slabbing rail with the Alaskan mill; is it easier to make the first cut with the rails than with the mini-mill then? Also is the auxilliary oiler a must have for milling? I'm getting the new 066 magnum this week and I'm going to order the Alaskan and accessories next week so I may as well get everything I need at once. Any other general milling tips anyone can offer would be great. So far using the mini-mill seems to be a very safe operation, are there any safety concerns specific to chainsaw milling to be concerned about. By the way congrats to Canada, you were long overdue! JASON T.

 

[Kevin]

I made my slabbing rail, you`ll need one for the Alaskan.
The top cut is made first with the Alaskan and slabbing rail then with the mini mill and guide plank you remove both side slabs then switch back to the Alaskan without the slabbing rail.
If you want to leave the edge of your boards unfinished and uneven forget the mini mill.
You can see the set up in the photo section on my web site.
If you`re milling anything over 24" you should have the auxilliary oiler .
Get a dust mask!