Need advice on Chainsaw Mill power plant

[mushroom]

Hey everyone

First post - new member

I have access to a few chainsaws and I was wondering if anyone could give me any tips to make these work and what would be the longest bar I could run with each. I have heavy equipment to move the logs and a welder to make the setup.

I have found 4 Homelite C71's and a C7 as well as a Mc 1-45 and I - 52 - can I get any of these to run a 42 to 48" bar with ripping chain? I know I can move into a 36" bar but I would like to be able to handle the logs I get without having to take off the sides - I am after natural edge planks - I am aware of cupping and will be taking proper pro-cautions on drying and stacking. I plan to spend good money down the road but right now the saws listed is what I have to work with. If a C71 can work with modifications to the motor - please share.

I am also considering just buying the bar I want and mounting a garden tractor motor to it but that adds many more hours to the project - I planned to move up later when the right stuff finds itself in my path.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Mushroom

 

[mdavlee]

48" bar ripping is 100 cc plus or gear drive.

 

[rarefish383]

All of your saws are 80 cc saws. A bit on the weak side for that much bar. If you had big bars for them I'd say take it easy on them and give it a try. I haven't looked for a while, but the last time I did, big bars for those Homelites can be hard to find, and in good shape, can bring pretty good money. I mill with a Homelite Super 1050 (100cc ) with a 36" bar and if I lean on it a little too hard I can bog it down, Joe.

 

[mdavlee]

I use 90 cc for 28-32" bars. Anything bigger and I'm going t. 120cc saw.

 

[abbott295]

The consensus seems to be that any one of those power heads wouldn't be enough for the size bar you are talking about. Maybe two power heads? Just throwing that out there.

Welcome to the best place to ask those questions. Many people here, happy to help. Read, starting with CS Milling 101, search, read some more. Unfortunately many pictures were lost fairly recently when the site was hacked, so ask more questions, read, etc.

 

[BobL]

. . . . .I have found 4 Homelite C71's and a C7 as well as a Mc 1-45 and I - 52 - can I get any of these to run a 42 to 48" bar with ripping chain?

50/60 cc saw comfortably mills ~16'
70 cc saw comfortably mills ~20"'
80 cc saw comfortably mills ~28"'
90 cc saw comfortably mills ~36"'
So, as overs have said you are some ways from a 42-48" bar.

I'm not saying you can't cut bigger but it becomes hard work. Not only are you cc limited but these older saws are seriously chain speed limited (max of 6000 rpm) which is half that of a modern saw. Chain speed is critical in maintaining anything other than a glacial cutting speed. You will have a bit more torque that average but you really need to know how tot finesse the setting up of the chain to take advantage of this. Do you for instance know what "progressive raker setting is"?