My new 660, now bars and chains?

[Andrew96]

OK guys. My milling setup is coming along. My 'new to me' 660 has been apart in the shop this past week getting all cleaned up while I ooggled over it. It's in perfect shape with very little wear. New in May '09, PO out of work now..sold off his newest work saw. Anyway, I felt his price was fair, he only wanted to bargain over $20 anyway (needed the money). When I told him I'd pay his asking price since the saw was in fact very well cared for (yes, I looked in the bore...and know what to look for thanks).. Instead he started gathering stuff. Loggers tape, couple screnches, torx T handle, extra muffler cover, starter cover (complete)..more stuff I cannot remember it all...6 pack ultra, gallon of bar oil...oh...and set me up with two bars and two chains. Both 36" but in 0.63 and 0.404 pitch. Not the hot setup for milling but I wasn't about to leave them behind. So...now you can see the problem.
As I've just caught the CAD bug...and milling. My other bars are all 3/8" 0.050". Now I have this stihl pn 3003 000 7353. It's an ES though I don't know the difference. It's in very nice condition. The other bar is kind of worn. It's an Oregon, a 0.063, but has already had a 404 tip replaced on it. I'd use it..it's just not brand new like the stihl. The tip is wobbly so it needs to be replaced, or re-peened. I've only cleaned it so far.
So...sorry for the long story but.....what would you do? Get the 36" stihl's tip replaced? Make it into a .063 3/8? Will that limit my chain choices?
Sell it off for someone wanting a 404 and some chains, buy a new 36" 3/8" 0.050".
Here's another thought. There are many posts about a 1 saw plan. 2, 3, 4 plan. What about bars and chains? Do you mix them up?

 

[BobL]

OK guys. My milling setup is coming along. My 'new to me' 660 has been apart in the shop this past week getting all cleaned up while I ooggled over it. It's in perfect shape with very little wear. New in May '09, PO out of work now..sold off his newest work saw. Anyway, I felt his price was fair, he only wanted to bargain over $20 anyway (needed the money). When I told him I'd pay his asking price since the saw was in fact very well cared for (yes, I looked in the bore...and know what to look for thanks).. Instead he started gathering stuff. Loggers tape, couple screnches, torx T handle, extra muffler cover, starter cover (complete)..more stuff I cannot remember it all...6 pack ultra, gallon of bar oil...oh...and set me up with two bars and two chains. Both 36" but in 0.63 and 0.404 pitch. Not the hot setup for milling but I wasn't about to leave them behind. So...now you can see the problem.

Sounds like you did OK.

As I've just caught the CAD bug...and milling. My other bars are all 3/8" 0.050". Now I have this stihl pn 3003 000 7353. It's an ES though I don't know the difference. It's in very nice condition. The other bar is kind of worn. It's an Oregon, a 0.063, but has already had a 404 tip replaced on it. I'd use it..it's just not brand new like the stihl. The tip is wobbly so it needs to be replaced, or re-peened. I've only cleaned it so far.
So...sorry for the long story but.....what would you do? Get the 36" stihl's tip replaced? Make it into a .063 3/8? Will that limit my chain choices? Sell it off for someone wanting a 404 and some chains, buy a new 36" 3/8" 0.050".
Here's another thought. There are many posts about a 1 saw plan. 2, 3, 4 plan. What about bars and chains? Do you mix them up?

I think any plan depends on what you do with you mill and saws but whatever the case I think it is better if you can stick to one gauge for your milling bars/chains, that way you can buy a single roll of chain if you really get into it. If you are not going any longer than 42" in bar length then 050" is fine. Above that I would suggest 0.063. 3/8 has a significantly narrower kerf than 404 chain which is why I stick with rolls of that.

 

[mikeb1079]

stihl bars

hey andrew, why not just replace the sprocket nose on both bars so that you can run 3/8s at .063 gauge. baileys sells ripping (milling) chain for this gauge (as well as sprocket tips) and it's no more expensive than the .050 gauge. from what i've seen, alot of guys on here use their chain and are satisfied with it. i've been running an 066 with a 32" bar with this setup and it's worked great for me so far.

 

[mtngun]

Long bars are expensive so I'd put a 3/8" tip on one of your 0.063" bars and call it good for now.

The only downside to 0.063" is that you can't get (I don't think) lo-profile 3/8" ripping chain in 0.063" gage, only 0.050". However, regular 3/8" ripping chain is readily available in 0.063" gage.

 

[Andrew96]

Sounds like you did OK.
if you can stick to one gauge for your milling bars/chains, that way you can buy a single roll of chain if you really get into it.

I do like the idea of running all my bars the same. It's a better plan.

If you are not going any longer than 42" in bar length then 050" is fine.

Now that's the kind of seat of the pants info I was after. I don't "think" I'll be getting into anything bigger than 36" so I might work towards getting everything 0.050". Thanks BobL

why not just replace the sprocket nose on both bars so that you can run 3/8s at .063 gauge.
i've been running an 066 with a 32" bar with this setup and it's worked great for me so far.

Mike, I think I'll have to see about getting a matching tip for the newer bar. Save the old 404 bar and chain for if I ever have to cross cut some monster stump or something. I'm hoping my 32" bar in will also run great with my 660. I'm looking forward to my first 660 milling day tomorrow.

Long bars are expensive so I'd put a 3/8" tip on one of your 0.063" bars and call it good for now.

The only downside to 0.063" is that you can't get (I don't think) lo-profile 3/8" ripping chain in 0.063" gage, only 0.050". However, regular 3/8" ripping chain is readily available in 0.063" gage.

Mtngun. You know that's what I'll end up doing. Running the 0.063 until I wear out the bar then I think it will get replaced with a 0.050 to match everything else I have.
What is this 'low profile' ripping chain? Why would I want it? Lighter, therefore lower reciprocating mass? lower so reduced friction in the cut? What looks different about it?

As I'm almost ready to call myself a "Slabber" rather than a miller, I'm still using regular chain as I'm interested in cutting speed more than the finish....and I'm still new.

 

[excess650]

It will require a 42" bar to take advantage of the full width of a 36" Alaskan. That said, I think that you'll find the 42" bars will be 3/8 .063".

My milling chains are 3/8 .050", but I would have no qualms about using 3/8 .063. My longest bar is a Stihl 36", and I've agonized as to whether or not I should have a 42" for occasional use, but so far haven't spent the $$. Even 30" wide slabs are heavy, so 36" would be heavier yet. There have been occasions when I've wished for a 42", and may yet do it. I hate to trim wide logs so that my setup will clear.

I would change the tip on at least the Stihl bar to 3/8. The other B&C could be reserved for stumping and rough duty.

As for the low profile 3/8, its just another variable to worry about. I'm not going that route with long bars on a big saw.

 

[BobL]

What is this 'low profile' ripping chain? Why would I want it? Lighter, therefore lower reciprocating mass? lower so reduced friction in the cut? What looks different about it?

Low profile 3/8 has a slightly smaller kerf than regular so it requires less power to make the same cut. On the downside it stretches a lot more and my limited experience is it goes blunt slightly faster than regular chain - I think it only comes in 0.050" gauge. Some people I know use it right out to 42" but I wouldn't use it beyond 24" in the wood I cut. I occasionally run it on my baby Alaskan mill with a 50 cc Homelite saw with a 20" blade (16" of cut)

As I'm almost ready to call myself a "Slabber" rather than a miller, I'm still using regular chain as I'm interested in cutting speed more than the finish....and I'm still new.

Slabbing speed for most CS milling is slow and slower so don't expect too much. Unless you have a general need for rough cut boards then it is worth trying to get a reasonable finish.

I agree with Excess, "change the tip on at least the Stihl bar to 3/8".

The 42" is really nice to use, not so much for logs but for maneuvering around branches and crotches etc
Whatever you get you will want more. With a 42" bar I get 39.5" of cut with the 076 and 38" of cut on the BIL Mill and I still get stuck.

 

[mtngun]

IWhat is this 'low profile' ripping chain? Why would I want it?

You might want to try it because it is faster than standard ripping chain. I don't have the link handy but some speed tests have been posted somewhere on this forum and the lo-pro chain was 10% - 20% faster than the next best thing.

I haven't tried lo-pro myself because my bar is 0.063". If I ever wear out the 0.063" bar, the plan is to switch to 0.050" and lo-pro.

I looked into buying chain by the reel, thinking milling would consume a lot of chain. However, the mill never hits dirt or rocks, so only a light sharpening is required. I've been milling pretty intensely for over a year and haven't come close to wearing out a chain.

When milling softwood, a chain typically cuts well for half a day, so all I need is two chains and maybe a 3rd just for insurance. If you are milling hard woods as BobL does then the rules change dramatically.

 

[Andrew96]

Well I got my new replacement tip for the long bar this past weekend. I'm going to create a 3/8" 0.063" bar out of the 404 roller tip bar. Any tricks I should know about riveting this tip on? Or maybe drilling the other rivets out? I've never done it before. Looks quite straight forward enough but you never know what tricks you guys have. Hmm..maybe I should go to the chain saw forum...though I don't know anyone there.

 

[Mad Professor]

Be sure to true up the rails before you mill with the used bars.