Better for milling, 066 or 2100?

[CaseyForrest]

One needs to take into consideration whats being milled. An 066 might only be able to mill 22" of hardwood at a decent pace, but could probably take much more cut in softwood.

For instance, with a 28" bar in my GB mill, I get 22" of cut. In White Oak, taking a 14" wide slab is about all it really wants. But taking a full 22" in Cottonwood is no problem. I realize Cottonwood isnt really a soft wood, but its softer than White Oak!!

 

[oldsaw]

One needs to take into consideration whats being milled. An 066 might only be able to mill 22" of hardwood at a decent pace, but could probably take much more cut in softwood.

For instance, with a 28" bar in my GB mill, I get 22" of cut. In White Oak, taking a 14" wide slab is about all it really wants. But taking a full 22" in Cottonwood is no problem. I realize Cottonwood isnt really a soft wood, but its softer than White Oak!!

I can buy that. My 066 is just fine in 18-22" of oak, at 30"+ I've got to watch the feed rate at the wider widths, but the saw does fine. I can push the 3120 quite a bit harder, where it starts to bog, the 066 would have stalled. I run a 42" bar, and can go the full 36" on my Alaskan...and have on numerous occasions. Yep, I've got some big cottonwoods to get when the weather tames a bit.

Mark

 

[poleframer]

2nd that! I think my favorite word these days is "context". So many discussions try to apply answers out of context.
I mostly work with Doug Fir,Sugar&Pondo Pine and Incense Cedar- pretty fast milling. My setup prolly wouldnt work for those who deal with harder, and heavier wood.
Russell

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

Mr. Rail-o-matic,

What is your experience with double ended mills? Most of what I have read from users, not manufacturers, argues that the gains you get from the second power head are negligible.

What say you?

 

[brian660]

unless both powerheads are spinning damn close to the same rpm and making the same amount of power I don`t think their worth much if anymore speed through the wood, the slower saw will just suck up the power from the better running saw.


I only use my stihls for milling (090 on the gb and 660 on the mini mill) the huskies while great saws dont seem to be as great when it comes to milling, that and I got the 3120 and 395 in such great condition for so few dollars i`d like to sell em.

 

[Rail-O-Matic]

biggrinbounce2: wrote:

Based upon what Rail-O-matic has specified as far a saw displacement and width of cuts. It appears that a rule of thumb to be drawn from this is that 3cc per inch of width is minimum, while using the shortest bar possible. So as an example, if you need to mill a 25in wide slab, the minimum saw size is 75cc.
Does this work? What do you think?


Yes you have it, If you use a bigger bar than the manufacturer recommends, then the saw will endure stresses that it was not designed to encounter, and that is for normal use, add another 30% of stress, which is about what you get when milling, and the answer is a saw that will wear out before its time.

The guide will give you a happy medium, you will get a faster cut and better fuel economy, in the picture with my dog on top of the stack, I managed to cut this 30" X 12' long ash, using Roller-Matic 088, 36" bar, giving a 28" width of cut, using only 5 litres of gas/oil, I have cut the same kind of tree using my 066 and she used nearky twice as much fuel and it took about an hour longer, heaven knows how the saw felt afterwards.

www.bagpipeworks.co.uk/rollermatic__railomatic_chain.htm

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

unless both powerheads are spinning damn close to the same rpm and making the same amount of power I don`t think their worth much if anymore speed through the wood, the slower saw will just suck up the power from the better running saw.
.

This is what I have found to be the majority opinion but I have no experience with double enders myself. I DO know that my 084 runs a 72" bar with no problem provided everything is working properly. It seems to me all the extra expense and effort involved in the second powerhead is pointless. But that's just my opinion at this point.

 

[carvinmark]

This is what I have found to be the majority opinion but I have no experience with double enders myself. I DO know that my 084 runs a 72" bar with no problem provided everything is working properly. It seems to me all the extra expense and effort involved in the second powerhead is pointless. But that's just my opinion at this point.

WOW!!!!! 72" bar on your 084. I can't wait till I get my 084, I'm planning on running a 42" bar on my mill, should kick some azz.

 

[t_andersen]

unless both powerheads are spinning damn close to the same rpm and making the same amount of power I don`t think their worth much if anymore speed through the wood, the slower saw will just suck up the power from the better running saw.

Maybe all that is needed is single a powerful 084 or 088. I hope so, because I just got a 084 for milling

However, I respectfully tend to disagree with Brian. To my opinion one motor will normally not slow down the other one. Firstly, they will by definition run synchroneously as soon as the clutches are engaged and that will happen when the operators pull the triggers. Secondly, gasoline motors are not fixed-displacement motors such as, for instance, hydraulic motors, so you essentially control the torque by activating the throttle. Two motors will therefore run nicely together even if one motor carries 60% and the other 40% of the total torque.

 

[Rail-O-Matic]

This is what I have found to be the majority opinion but I have no experience with double enders myself. I DO know that my 084 runs a 72" bar with no problem provided everything is working properly. It seems to me all the extra expense and effort involved in the second powerhead is pointless. But that's just my opinion at this point.

As I mentioned earlier the bigger saws will take a bit more hump, but the bigger you go the slower things get until the board/feet bar enconomy becomes much less.
On the double enders, I have made a couple of 60 inchers before, running two Dolmar 90cc motors, the cost for two of these in GB is about the same as an MS880, but the advantage is much better than a big Stihl on its own running a 74" or bigger, the modern Dolmar's are very tough saws, and up for the job, much better than the older Stihls 074 etc.
Another advantage for the bouble ganger is, both operators have anti vibe on each end, and each motor helps each other, there is no roller nose to drag things down and you have double the bar oiling, everything helps each other, once you have used a double unit, you would want one for yourself.

 

[Rail-O-Matic]

Maybe all that is needed is single a powerful 084 or 088. I hope so, because I just got a 084 for milling

However, I respectfully tend to disagree with Brian. To my opinion one motor will normally not slow down the other one. Firstly, they will by definition run synchroneously as soon as the clutches are engaged and that will happen when the operators pull the triggers. Secondly, gasoline motors are not fixed-displacement motors such as, for instance, hydraulic motors, so you essentially control the torque by activating the throttle. Two motors will therefore run nicely together even if one motor carries 60% and the other 40% of the total torque.

One motor will not slow down the other because they are both fitted with a centrifugal clutch, once as you get started into the log, by using only one saw to stat with, the chain simple runs around the other one's cluch which is sitting waiting at tick over, then when you bring the other saw on line, you soon get a feel for where the second saw needs to be in relation to the other, there is no power loss between them, its like riding a bike, you soon get the hang of things.
I can say with confidence and through experience, a twin out fit with two higher end sized motors like the two Dolmar 90cc units I mentioned earlier, are much much better at milling than an MS880 Magnum working at its limit,
Its a 180cc versus a 120cc, with twice the oiling which also makes a really big diference to the chain speed when you are biting into the log, as the very small sawdust that is produced, tends to sap the energy away.

If you feel the bar when cutting really big stuff and compare the two, the single will be slightly hotter because of the added friction produced, this is why a few people fit an extra oil tank on the end of their mills, at at the end of the day, the twin outfit will have the most feet board, with only a small increase in fuel and oil costs, and much happier saws.