Best bar and chain set up for milling

[Mike Dean]

What would be the best option as a bar and chain for milling with a MS 660? The bar will be 36". Hardnose for those extra inches vs. sprocket nose for longevity? Your opinions will be appreciated.

Thanks
Mike

 

[mdavlee]

Sprocket nose for sure. Cannon or Tsumura for rail wear.

 

[Cbob]

This is what I want to try one day.
Using a cannon now
http://alaskanmill.co.uk/product-category/lo-pro-milling-bars-for-stihl/

 

[Ferguson system]

Sprocket nose.

 

[jnl50201]

I have always ran hard nose bars and they work great

Sent from my Z750C using Tapatalk

 

[BobL]

What would be the best option as a bar and chain for milling with a MS 660? The bar will be 36". Hardnose for those extra inches vs. sprocket nose for longevity?

Drilling a small hole in the bar nose through the centre of the sprocket enables the the same length of bar to be achieved with a sprocket nose as for a hard bar nose.

The hole can be used to either
Bolt the bar nose to direct to the mill
Or
A short bolt/nut can be located in the hole and conventional bar clamps can be modified (e.g. drill a recess into the bar clamp) and clamp direct onto the bolt.
I use the latter on two of my mills and it works really well

 

[Shawn Curry]

Sprocket because you'll want the power running 36 on a 660. You need the high output oiler or some other way to get more oil on the bar. .063 gauge is best to allow for max oil flow. I just ran some 404 in the mill for the first time today, and I'm a convert - at least for the 30" bar I was running it on. I got 4 cuts on 1 tank instead of the usual 3 I get with my 3/8 chains - I think simply because they were cutting faster. Lasted longer too - I was in the middle of the 6th cut before I felt performance loss; my 3/8 usually start dropping off around the 4th 8' cut.

 

[MRGrindz]

Sprocket because you'll want the power running 36 on a 660. You need the high output oiler or some other way to get more oil on the bar. .063 gauge is best to allow for max oil flow. I just ran some 404 in the mill for the first time today, and I'm a convert - at least for the 30" bar I was running it on. I got 4 cuts on 1 tank instead of the usual 3 I get with my 3/8 chains - I think simply because they were cutting faster. Lasted longer too - I was in the middle of the 6th cut before I felt performance loss; my 3/8 usually start dropping off around the 4th 8' cut.

What is 404? I just purchased a MS660 and a 36" bar to do some milling at home and am just hunting around for the best set up to get the most life or longevity out of the chainsaw. I dont want to burn it up or ruin it by having it set up wrong.

 

[Mad Professor]

I really like the stihl PMX chain but it is damm expensive. The picco chain also has smaller kerf which takes less power and wastes less wood as sawdust.

404 is the next step up in chain size from regular 3/8