36" Bar, .050 gauge chain for Alaskan 36?

[open_market]

I just purchased a Stihl 660 to use with a Granberg 36" Alaskan mill. Still in the break-in phase. The saw came with a 36" bar, 0.050 gauge and a 3/8", full skip chain. Is this a usable bar/chain for this mill? What kind of problems might I expect? - Any better recommendations? I have a nice 26" diameter oak in waiting.

Thanks - Rick

 

[mtngun]

Perfect bar. The 0.050" gauge gives you the option of running either standard ripping chain or lo-pro.

My bar is 0.063", and lo-pro ripping chain is not readily available in 0.063".

You'll only be able to cut about 29" with the 36" bar on an Alaskan.

I'm not sure about the full skip chain for ripping. Try it and see how you like the finish. Many of us run Bailey's ripping chain. Granberg ripping chain is supposedly slightly better but quite a bit more money.

 

[open_market]

Thanks for the replay. I'm a little concerned because Bailey's say the chain is good for bars 12" to 16" long?

WoodlandPro 30LR Ripping Chainsaw Chain (Per Drive Link)


Ripping chain is specifically designed to cut efficiently with the grain of the wood, unlike standard saw chain. It is most commonly used to slab logs, burls and stumps. Most people use it with chainsaw powered sawmills such as the Alaskan Sawmill (Part Number 46776) or Beam Machine (Part Number 46100). Ripping chain gives you a smooth, consistent surface when cutting parallel to the grain of a log. On the contrary, standard saw chain is designed to sever wood across the grain, and when you saw parallel to the grain, your cutting speed falls dramatically, and your sawn surface becomes very rough. 30LR is used on chainsaw mills with bars anywhere from 12" to 16" long.

Thanks - Rick

 

[BobL]

Full skip is fine for ripping. The reason Baileys recommend the 30LR for small bars is that it stretches a lot and can come off the bar. You just have to treat it gently and it will be OK.

 

[excess650]

I'm not a fan of full skip for milling because of the rough finish that I experienced with it. I run Bailey's ripping chain or Stihl RM full comp (semi-chisel). My 066 has a Stihl 36" 3/8 .050" and is working pretty well.

Tune the saw rich to limit max rpm to 11-12K and run your mix at 40-1 and it'll pay dividends in the way of a cooler running, longer lasting saw.

 

[sleddude5]

Thanks for the replay. I'm a little concerned because Bailey's say the chain is good for bars 12" to 16" long?
WoodlandPro 30LR Ripping Chainsaw Chain (Per Drive Link)

Thanks - Rick

I use the 30RP on my ms460 with real nice results, I would think that you would want to use the same.

http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=WP375+30RP&catID=854

Jerry C

 

[open_market]

Thanks - These are all great suggestions.

- Rick