Makita 6421 sufficient for loblolly pine?

[unhinged_bicyclist]

Scored a Makita 6421 recently. Currently on stock P&C, looking at milling several 30-36" diameter logs of loblolly pine into 10-12/4 slabs.
64cc, runs strong. Up for the task or should I get an OEM 79cc P&C?
Haven't actually bought the mill yet.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

That’s some big loblolly. Soft stuff but wouldn’t try w a stock 6421 w anything but 3/8 lo pro setup. Even w 79cc P&C would run a lo pro bar to do that. My stock 6421 handles anything up to 30”, even live oak, w a 36” lo pro bar. But I run my 36” lo pro bar on an 87cc saw now just so the saw oils well and isn’t taxed at all.

 

[DX250]

I was running a Stihl 460 in loblolly at half that size and it did fine. No way would I want to run it in any of the southern pines that big. I bought a Husky 592 for that. That said try it worst case you burn it up and put a p&c in it.

 

[unhinged_bicyclist]

months later update: it does alright with a redneck aux oiler setup(drilled the bar near the tip and drilled a hole in a bolt) - running 3/8 ripping chain with a cheap forester bar. slow, though. Eyeing a husky 390 and making the makita the felling saw.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

months later update: it does alright with a redneck aux oiler setup(drilled the bar near the tip and drilled a hole in a bolt) - running 3/8 ripping chain with a cheap forester bar. slow, though. Eyeing a husky 390 and making the makita the felling saw.

Good to hear. My tree service neighbor needed a bigger saw for a job as he's only got sub-20" saws right now so I rented him my Makita 6421 with a 28" bar and skip chain. Hadn't used it in a year and was a bit rough at first, stalling every time I pressed the throttle full, but then it seemed to work itself out after I ran it a bit. Waiting to hear back from him how it worked out. Last time he tried it he couldn't get it started again after running it awhile, which I had trouble with til I learned to treat it like it was flooded and hold down the throttle while starting. Does yours flood easily if choked? Thought it might be my carb ever since I got it second hand, but a video I saw said a bunch of the Makita models you never want to choke to start or they'll flood. The 390 would definitely be a big improvement with regular 3/8" ripping chain, as I said, the Makita will only do well at all in anything running 3/8LP chain and lo pro sprocket and LP bar.