Muffler Mods for Millers - ideas and pics please

[gemniii]

I realize I need to "Open up" my mufflers on all my saws, but on my main miller, the 660, I could easily do something fancier and heavier than what I would want to do on my other saws.

I've seen BobL's pretty side exhaust pipes. What I'm thinking more of is a "flexible" exhaust out the front, then wrapped around the handle, either top or bottom, and to the back of the saw. Primary purpose is "opening" up the saw, secondary is to get the fumes further from my face, without making a self propelled unit like BobL's.

Then, by taking off a few bolts I could swap the original muffler back on when I need to use the saw w/o the mill.

Ideas? Pics?
comments?

 

[BobL]

I've seen BobL's pretty side exhaust pipes.

Wassa matter don't like the pink chrome tones?

What I'm thinking more of is a "flexible" exhaust out the front, then wrapped around the handle, either top or bottom, and to the back of the saw. Primary purpose is "opening" up the saw, secondary is to get the fumes further from my face, without making a self propelled unit like BobL's.

I reckon tying anything hot to the handle is limiting because the wrap handle is useful for
a) picking up the mill.
b) placing your left hand on while the mill is running
c) leaning on the mill with my hip/knee or leg
c) placing extra handles
d) locating instrumentation.

The other thing is the wrap handle is vibe protected whereas the muffler is not and even using a flexy pipe is still gonna put vibe back onto the handle.

Another direction a pipe could take is out the front like this.

But this gets in the way of most conventional mills

One of the best reasons why I like my pipe direction is I no longer walk in ankle deep sawdust when I'm milling as the exhaust sprays the stuff well out of the way of the operator.

Then, by taking off a few bolts I could swap the original muffler back on when I need to use the saw w/o the mill.

Mine is 4 bolts and I'm good to go.

 

[gemniii]

Wassa matter don't like the pink chrome tones?


I reckon tying anything hot to the handle is limiting because the wrap handle is useful for
a) picking up the mill.
b) placing your left hand on while the mill is running
c) leaning on the mill with my hip/knee or leg
c) placing extra handles
d) locating instrumentation.

The other thing is the wrap handle is vibe protected whereas the muffler is not and even using a flexy pipe is still gonna put vibe back onto the handle.

Another direction a pipe could take is out the front like this.

Kinda of what I was thinking of, either around the bottom or over the top of this pic, with standoffs holding it on the wrap handle and the back handle.

Or heck just run it across the front bar of the mill.

 

[Brmorgan]

For a 660, I'd just go and order the dual-port muffler cover straight from Stihl; it'll bolt straight on without any fuss. I'll take a couple pics of my 660 and 395's mods later today if I get a chance.

 

[LAndrews]

I've been meaning to weld up a set of stainless pipes to look a bit like a T/F exhaust. Figure that a bit of calculating will give tube IDs that work out to the right amount of port area and careful bending and welding will put the exhaust where I want it - somewhere besides right in my face.

This could be a good motor swap.

http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/conley.htm

 

[mtngun]

For a 660, I'd just go and order the dual-port muffler cover straight from Stihl; it'll bolt straight on without any fuss. I'll take a couple pics of my 660 and 395's mods later today if I get a chance.

I've been running the dual port cover for the past year and hate it. Blows directly on my hands, except when it deflects off the Alaskan frame right up into my face. In the summer, it's too hot to keep my gloved hands on the Alaskan handle for more than a few seconds at a time.

The dual port is going away and will be replaced with an enlarged single port.

Perhaps someday I'll have time to fabricate a proper pipe.

 

[Brmorgan]

I've been running the dual port cover for the past year and hate it. Blows directly on my hands, except when it deflects off the Alaskan frame right up into my face. In the summer, it's too hot to keep my gloved hands on the Alaskan handle for more than a few seconds at a time.

The dual port is going away and will be replaced with an enlarged single port.

Perhaps someday I'll have time to fabricate a proper pipe.

Hm, what does yours look like? The two DP covers I have blow down towards the ground when the saw is mounted in the mill. Pic coming soon.

 

[gemniii]

For a 660, I'd just go and order the dual-port muffler cover straight from Stihl; it'll bolt straight on without any fuss. I'll take a couple pics of my 660 and 395's mods later today if I get a chance.

Tried that yesterday - my very local Stihl store couldn't figure out how to order me the cover.

Besides I like the thought of a longer pipe,

Maybe hang this on it

and some big fuzzy dice

http://www.arboristsite.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=127322&stc=1&

;)d=1267386569

/edit - they also couldn't sell me just the limiter caps or sell me the tool to remove the limiter caps (versus a dry wall screw)

 

[mtngun]

What's left of my dual port cover.

 

[BobL]

Kinda of what I was thinking of, either around the bottom or over the top of this pic, with standoffs holding it on the wrap handle and the back handle.

Or heck just run it across the front bar of the mill.

If the pipe ran across the bottom then when the saw was out of the mill it would rest on the pipe. It will also conflict with the mill upright - unless you have a twin vertical upright mill.

 

[huskyhank]

Husqvarna 2100 muffler (jungle model)

My 2100 has a muffler that directs the gases angled toward the lower left corner of the front of the saw. Its very pleasant to use for milling as it directs the gases well away from the user and its good for all other uses I've put that saw to.

I also have a 3120 that sends the exhaust out the upper right front. It is a horrible arrangement for milling and not so great for standard use. I'm not sure why they picked this arrangement.

I'm planning to modify the 3120 as soon as I can figure out how to tune it - there is no high speed jet adjustment. I'm thinking I'll close over the factory holes and fabricating a louver arrangement like the 2100 shown below.

http://www.arboristsite.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=115211&d=1258603312

 

[mtngun]

I'm planning to modify the 3120 as soon as I can figure out how to tune it - there is no high speed jet adjustment.

There's a guy who mods your carb for an adjustable high speed jet. I don't have the contact info, but Brad Snelling had him mod a 3120 carb and it worked OK except the guy was a bit difficult to deal with. Maybe PM Brad.

 

[Brmorgan]

What's left of my dual port cover.

Yeah, that's what my two dualports look like (except on one the front shield piece is busted off).

 

[Rob D]

I had this muffler design done and have used the saw a fair bit since. Not that much noiser and definately a power increase although I'm not technical enough to measure it! Seems to work fine CSM although I have a couple of inches between the mill and the saw dogs.

 

[BobL]

I had this muffler design done and have used the saw a fair bit since. Not that much noiser and definately a power increase although I'm not technical enough to measure it! Seems to work fine CSM although I have a couple of inches between the mill and the saw dogs.

It seems that the angle of the exit of that exhaust would still blow the exhaust back toward the operator, especially around the operators legs?

When I use any saw with a forward facing exhaust it make me a little nauseated and makes my legs hot. This is because I like to steer the mill with my arms and lean on the top of the wrap handle with my knees/legs. This takes the pressure of the operators arms & shoulders and makes milling a lot easier.

I guess the heat from the exhaust doesn't bother you guys so much in the UK?

 

[splitpost]

With my 660 dual port and the GB mill ,the mill gets very hot and the fumes get abit much when milling so i have plans to remove the dual port cover slip the spark screen out of the rear part of the muff and replace with some tin sheeting effectively closing that port and manufacturing another cover with pipe to direct gasses away from the opperator and probably help to push the sawdust further away like Bob has done,will post pics when done