New kind of milling bar ...

[Mad Professor]

Howdy,
This is pretty much the same technology that's used on the Logosol mills. We just took it a couple steps further to work with other mill applications like the Granberg, and a variety of larger saws. The bar slots are 12mm but, they've been elongated. This way a bar stud adapter for say a Husqvarna can be installed, and you'll still have full adjustment available for the chain. When you try this with a bar that has a standard length 12mm slot the chain adjustment is severely limited. The tip on the bar is made to run 3/8 lp which cures a few pitch issues over running a full size 3/8 tip. The other product that makes this possible with larger saws, and also cures the pitch issues like the tip is the large spline 3/8 lp rim. http://leftcoastsupplies.com/product/rim-3-8lp-x7-standard-spline-gbf-gbr7l7/ These are all compatible with any manufacturers lp chain but, we get the best feed back from the Stihl 63PMX. http://leftcoastsupplies.com/product/63pmx-lo-pro-ripping-chain-dl-375-x-050/
Regards
Gregg

Gregg this is some great news! The bars, the lp/picco sprockets and HOLY COW the PMX chain is REASONABLE priced!

Are bars ready to go for 3003 mount stihls, or need a spacer?

I had some picco rims made up special order as the stihl picco drum spur setup was getting expensive. I'm set on those but curious as to what they look like? The website has no picture. The rims I had made up used steel pinned drivers.



Is it extra to spin loops when you buy the PMX chain?

Concerning the PMX chain it has worked great on my logosol mill w/066 using 16-25" bars. I mill mostly hardwoods, ash, maple. The chain holds up pretty well and finish of the boards is smooth. I use the chains right until the teeth are wore out with no chain breakage issues. I toss a chain when the first cutter breaks off, but am still get smooth cuts. I hand sharpen.

Others, please let us know how the PMX chain works out using longer bars/bigger powerheads

The logosol mill is not really setup for bigger logs unless you mill with it inverted so 25" is biggest bar I've used. That may change as I've got lots of really big trees available

 

[Grande Dog]

Howdy,
First off, I would like to say thanks to everybody. I guess it was this thread. Anyways, we just had a real good run on this product. The prices are very attractive right now because we're doing sort of an introductory pricing. Not much meat on the bone but, it helps promotion. The bar tip is the standard GB- #GB9WTR. As far as drilling the tip, I take that you're referring to mounting a helper handle. The tip length on these is shorter so, the handle mounting holes would be in the bar. Yes, they are 3003 mount ready. The only difference on these slots compared to a standard 3003 bar is that the slots are extended. The rims look just like a standard rim, no pins. I'll try to get some pictures up.
Regards
Gregg

 

[Mad Professor]

Howdy,
First off, I would like to say thanks to everybody. I guess it was this thread. Anyways, we just had a real good run on this product. The prices are very attractive right now because we're doing sort of an introductory pricing. Not much meat on the bone but, it helps promotion. The bar tip is the standard GB- #GB9WTR. As far as drilling the tip, I take that you're referring to mounting a helper handle. The tip length on these is shorter so, the handle mounting holes would be in the bar. Yes, they are 3003 mount ready. The only difference on these slots compared to a standard 3003 bar is that the slots are extended. The rims look just like a standard rim, no pins. I'll try to get some pictures up.
Regards
Gregg

Thanks Greg.

Is the PMX chain introductory price also? Do you spin loops, if so cost?

Left Coast website has a phone # but no business hours, good time to call?

 

[Bridog]

Are you able to drill the tip on this or is it too tight of clearance?Just looks small to me.

Gregg, I was talking about drilling the tip in between the rivits of the sprocket for mounting to a grandberg mill. Like Malloff talks about in his book.
Thanks

 

[BobL]

Are you able to drill the tip on this or is it too tight of clearance?Just looks small to me.

Looks fine to me - remember a nut or bolt head is allowed to ride on the rivets

 

[Bridog]

Bob what size bolt do you typically run?

Any chance you have a picture of one of your bolted on bars?
Thanks

 

[BobL]

Bob what size bolt do you typically run?
Any chance you have a picture of one of your bolted on bars?

You might be sorry you asked !
None of my bars are directly bolted on at the nose.
But I do drill the bar nose and insert a short 1/4" or 5/16 tensile bolts through that hole. I then use a single ended clamp to clamp onto the bolt.
On my bigger mills this is essential because I have no inboard clamp, instead the mill is bolted to the saws bar bolts - I'll explain below.

Here is the inboard end of my small alaskan inward is bolted direct to the bar with an 8mm Allen bolt


Here is the outboard end of the small mill. The 1/4" tensile bolt head and nut sit in a 1/16" deep round recess in the clamp jaws.
It was the first alaskan I made and is WAY more complicated than it needs to be.
I plan to refurb this small mill and remake the outboard post.
The bottom part of the clamp will be removed and the top part welded to teh upright.
The bar nose will then be bolted direct to the top jaw.



On my big mills there are no inboard clamps - the saw is bolted to the mill using the bar bolts - see pic below.
This gives me a bit more cutting width but it means the bar cannot be hard bolted to then nose, otherwise I would not be able to tension the chain.


Instead there is a short 5/16" tensile bolt through the centre of the bar nose that slides along slotted steel jaw pieces and clamped tight.
This picture shows a hardnose bar but I have the same thing on my roller and sprocket nose bars.




To adjust the chain I slacken the bar bolts, and slacken the nose clamp bolt - when I tension the chain the nose bolt slides along the slots in the steel jaws.
When the tension is right I tighten the bar bolts and the bar nose clamp bot.

Confusing eh. The strange bar clamp setup allows me to remove the chain with the mill still bolted to the saw. It doesn't seem possible to remove the chain but with a bit clever twisting I can just do it.

Hope it's not too confusing.

 

[SeMoTony]

You might be sorry you asked !
None of my bars are directly bolted on at the nose.
But I do drill the bar nose and insert a short 1/4" or 5/16 tensile bolts through that hole. I then use a single ended clamp to clamp onto the bolt.
On my bigger mills this is essential because I have no inboard clamp, instead the mill is bolted to the saws bar bolts - I'll explain below.

Here is the inboard end of my small alaskan inward is bolted direct to the bar with an 8mm Allen bolt
View attachment 635591

Here is the outboard end of the small mill. The 1/4" tensile bolt head and nut sit in a 1/16" deep round recess in the clamp jaws.
It was the first alaskan I made and is WAY more complicated than it needs to be.
I plan to refurb this small mill and remake the outboard post.
The bottom part of the clamp will be removed and the top part welded to teh upright.
The bar nose will then be bolted direct to the top jaw.
View attachment 635592


On my big mills there are no inboard clamps - the saw is bolted to the mill using the bar bolts - see pic below.
This gives me a bit more cutting width but it means the bar cannot be hard bolted to then nose, otherwise I would not be able to tension the chain.
View attachment 635594

Instead there is a short 5/16" tensile bolt through the centre of the bar nose that slides along slotted steel jaw pieces and clamped tight.
This picture shows a hardnose bar but I have the same thing on my roller and sprocket nose bars.
View attachment 635590

View attachment 635595

To adjust the chain I slacken the bar bolts, and slacken the nose clamp bolt - when I tension the chain the nose bolt slides along the slots in the steel jaws.
When the tension is right I tighten the bar bolts and the bar nose clamp bot.

Confusing eh. The strange bar clamp setup allows me to remove the chain with the mill still bolted to the saw. It doesn't seem possible to remove the chain but with a bit clever twisting I can just do it.

Hope it's not too confusing.

Great amount of info Bob. Always gain a lot from the pictures you have shared with us.
Thank You

 

[Bridog]

Thanks a million Bob! Never sorry. Your pictures are very helpful and always innovative.
Brian

 

[Johny.W]

Sorry I haven’t been around more this week got crazy busy on me everyone got spring favor here in Georgia

I did Do a test cut with the bar the other night and the first thing I’m going to recommend to others is pre-stretch the chain before mounting it on the mill on approximately 35 inch log had to stop and tighten the chain three times within 5 feet but it did seem to cut nice with the factory grind

 

[BobL]

I’m going to recommend to others is pre-stretch the chain before mounting it on the mill on approximately 35 inch log had to stop and tighten the chain three times within 5 feet but it did seem to cut nice with the factory grind

Yep thats what I found as well.

On a big saw in hard wood if you don't stop and tighten multiple times there's a chance the chain will jump the drive sprocket - this may damage the links that jumped so much that they will need to be replaced otherwise they will keep jumping at that point on the chain. On a really big saw there's a chance that the chain will eventually stretch so much that it may eventually jump the drive sprocket, after that the chain may be useless. I'll leave it to others else to see if that becomes a common occurrence.

 

[Johny.W]

Ya this maybe a soft wood only setup I will find out as soon as I have some more time and it’s not raining

 

[Rosss]

Gregg this is some great news! The bars, the lp/picco sprockets and HOLY COW the PMX chain is REASONABLE priced!View attachment 635248

Are bars ready to go for 3003 mount stihls, or need a spacer?

I had some picco rims made up special order as the stihl picco drum spur setup was getting expensive. I'm set on those but curious as to what they look like? The website has no picture. The rims I had made up used steel pinned drivers.



Is it extra to spin loops when you buy the PMX chain?

Concerning the PMX chain it has worked great on my logosol mill w/066 using 16-25" bars. I mill mostly hardwoods, ash, maple. The chain holds up pretty well and finish of the boards is smooth. I use the chains right until the teeth are wore out with no chain breakage issues. I toss a chain when the first cutter breaks off, but am still get smooth cuts. I hand sharpen.

Others, please let us know how the PMX chain works out using longer bars/bigger powerheads

The logosol mill is not really setup for bigger logs unless you mill with it inverted so 25" is biggest bar I've used. That may change as I've got lots of really big trees available

Where did you get special rims made up? I am looking for a 6 tooth rim instead of a 7 tooth for my milling saw. I think dropping to 6 tooth would give the torque to run a longer bar on my saw instead of having to get a bigger saw.

Thanks

 

[Mad Professor]

Where did you get special rims made up? I am looking for a 6 tooth rim instead of a 7 tooth for my milling saw. I think dropping to 6 tooth would give the torque to run a longer bar on my saw instead of having to get a bigger saw.

Thanks

Danzco made them up. They do real quality as they make lots of stuff for the hotsaw guys. I tried to get those here to do a group buy years ago, but no takers. I brought up the limited run so I'm set for standard spline 3/8 LP/Picco rims for quite some time. I'm happy to see Greg/LeftCoast has seen the need.

You won't be able to get a 6 tooth as the circumference/diameter would be too small to fit over the standard size clutch drum splines.

Running 3/8 LP/Picco chain helps some as you are not cutting as much kerf. Another thought is a semi-skip or skip chain, but you won't find that in picco.

EDIT

I went to the danzco website, and they are now 6kproducts, but still making great stuff.

Book mark this link chainsaw millers! They now have a web page listing all sorts of CS sprockets in all sorts of pitches. 3/8 lp/picco rims are listed as are whole crap load of others. The smallest 3/8 LP/picco rims are 7 tooth but they also list larger.

https://www.6kproducts.com/chain_saw_sprocket.html

 

[ericm979]

I'm going to get into milling. I've been reading the Maloff book. I like the idea of using narrow chain. What length of one of these 3/8 LP bars would be appropriate for milling with a MS460? I'll put an HO oiler on it but not the HD felling spikes. I'll be milling madrone, big leaf maple, fir using a 36" alaskan mill.

 

[Mad Professor]

I'm going to get into milling. I've been reading the Maloff book. I like the idea of using narrow chain. What length of one of these 3/8 LP bars would be appropriate for milling with a MS460? I'll put an HO oiler on it but not the HD felling spikes. I'll be milling madrone, big leaf maple, fir using a 36" alaskan mill.

Felling spikes are not needed for milling. HD oiler is good, you can just get internals to go HD oilerand save $$$. Get a DP muffler or Muf mod.

I use a 066 w/DP muffler + HD oiler , PMX chain, and even with 25" bar sometimes wish for more power.

460 will do it , just go slower and don't push the saw.