New to milling

[Derik]

Nothing in particular that is not just a personal choice. I use a 660 because at the time I could get them inexpensively used and parts were availible all over the place inexpensively. The Stihl 660 will put a lot more power to the chain than any of the 80cc Echos and the Husqvarna 395 will slap the Stihl around when it comes to power. All that being said, all of them will mill 30” cut in any hardwood availible to me. More power just makes it easier and a faster if things are going well.

There is not much Echo support locally to me anymore, Stihl and Husqvarna dominate my local market.

That would be nice to have an open market for parts.

I never used Husqvarna so I'm not sure on it. If I can get a Stihl 660, that would be great. And maybe down the road get an Echo anyway as a backup or vice versa.

Echo dominates where I'm at, I live in a relatively small town. There is Stihl and Husqvarna available but no official dealers.

Reason why I consider Echo is because the price point. I have a hard time spending $1200-$1300 on a saw when it's going to be for lumber supply for myself.

 

[Justsaws]

Without having a trusted source for a good used saw or the inclination to spend an inordinate amount of your own time and cash fixing an unknown used saw I would get an Echo. The Echo saws I am familiar with are always reliable.

Folks get caught up in numbers about power, weight, anti vibe, etc., non of it matters if the saw will not start and you have to wait on parts.

If you get the Echo and start milling, keep your eyes open and pick up a more powerful used saw down the road. You might decide you really do not need it for what you are trying to do.

Only thing I would recommend is a second air filter, keep the air filter as clean as possible during use.

 

[Derik]

What do yall recommend for a rail system? I was plan on using 2x4's and the slabbing brackets, would it be better to get the full slabbing rails?

Mesquite don't grow staight down here, most of them are crooked to an extentn even the larger ones have a curve to it.

I figured I could cut the 2x4's to match up to the trunk

 

[Justsaws]

I used all types of things, ended up welding a steel ladder set, 1” tube with angle iron rungs, 2 @12” wide and 8’ long, also a piece 4’ long. I have used and will use what ever works.

 

[Brian72]

Diverse parts, are you talking aftermarket/performance parts? I noticed a few people port the engine, I'm aware Echo doesn't have much parts, other than just replacement parts.

I looked at the stihl 661, I believe that's the model, it'll only pull a 32" bar. At least that's what's recommended.

Haven't really look ino Husqvarna, kinda glanced though the models

I'm running a 28, 36 and 50" bar on my 661 with a 48" Granberg mill. I run all brands but prefer Echo. The reason I chose Stihl for milling is power. I hear the Husky 395 is great also. Get the biggest saw you can afford regardless of brand.

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[Brian72]

That would be nice to have an open market for parts.

I never used Husqvarna so I'm not sure on it. If I can get a Stihl 660, that would be great. And maybe down the road get an Echo anyway as a backup or vice versa.

Echo dominates where I'm at, I live in a relatively small town. There is Stihl and Husqvarna available but no official dealers.

Reason why I consider Echo is because the price point. I have a hard time spending $1200-$1300 on a saw when it's going to be for lumber supply for myself.

What type of milling do you plan on doing? Dimensional lumber? Live edge slabs? This can make a difference in saw selection. I help my buddy at his sawmill and we get some big logs so I wanted more power for the option of running longer bars. Honestly, I wish I would've gotten the 880 or Husky 3120. Here's an example, not a huge log but it maxed out my 36" bar. We had to trim the sides a bit to make the cuts.

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[Derik]

I used all types of things, ended up welding a steel ladder set, 1” tube with angle iron rungs, 2 @12” wide and 8’ long, also a piece 4’ long. I have used and will use what ever works.

Not a bad idea with the tube and angle. I'll try different things out and see what works best

 

[Derik]

I'm running a 28, 36 and 50" bar on my 661 with a 48" Granberg mill. I run all brands but prefer Echo. The reason I chose Stihl for milling is power. I hear the Husky 395 is great also. Get the biggest saw you can afford regardless of brand.

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I'll probably get Echo at first, it shouldn't haven't a problem with some of the smaller trees I have access to. Like someone mentioned, I'll get a more powerful saw down the road

 

[Derik]

What type of milling do you plan on doing? Dimensional lumber? Live edge slabs? This can make a difference in saw selection. I help my buddy at his sawmill and we get some big logs so I wanted more power for the option of running longer bars. Honestly, I wish I would've gotten the 880 or Husky 3120. Here's an example, not a huge log but it maxed out my 36" bar. We had to trim the sides a bit to make the cuts.

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I plan on doing both, live edge and dimensional. It'll be rare that I'll max out a 36" bar, but I want to have it when I need it.

 

[Brian72]

I'll probably get Echo at first, it shouldn't haven't a problem with some of the smaller trees I have access to. Like someone mentioned, I'll get a more powerful saw down the road

I don't think the Echo is a bad choice. Running skip chain also helps.

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[Derik]

I don't think the Echo is a bad choice. Running skip chain also helps.

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What the difference between skip chain, and ripping chain ?

 

[Brian72]

What the difference between skip chain, and ripping chain ?

Skip chain has fewer cutters. Doesn't require as much power and also gives better chip clearance. Ripping chain has a different cutter angle. I believe it's 10° where regular chain is 30°. I've ran both with good results. Personally, I just run regular chain. Mostly Stihl but I also have a few loops of Oregon. Don't let this stuff get you too confused. Good sharpening is really the key.

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[Derik]

Skip chain has fewer cutters. Doesn't require as much power and also gives better chip clearance. Ripping chain has a different cutter angle. I believe it's 10° where regular chain is 30°. I've ran both with good results. Personally, I just run regular chain. Mostly Stihl but I also have a few loops of Oregon. Don't let this stuff get you too confused. Good sharpening is really the key.

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Awesome. What do yall do with old chains? I got into sharpening properly on the last few years. Before that I used a grind wheel sharpener

 

[Brian72]

Awesome. What do yall do with old chains? I got into sharpening properly on the last few years. Before that I used a grind wheel sharpener

When mine are used up, the nephew gets them for scrap. I usually keep 1 or 2 junkers around for dirty cutting if needed.

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[Derik]

When mine are used up, the nephew gets them for scrap. I usually keep 1 or 2 junkers around for dirty cutting if needed.

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How do yall go about getting bark off fresh cut wood. If I don't get it off soon as possible. Grubs will move in

 

[Brian72]

How do yall go about getting bark off fresh cut wood. If I don't get it off soon as possible. Grubs will move in

If it peels easy, I knock it off with a hatchet or pry bar. If I can't remove it, I saw through it. I do try to get all the dirt off.

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[Derik]

If it peels easy, I knock it off with a hatchet or pry bar. If I can't remove it, I saw through it. I do try to get all the dirt off.

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How well would a draw knife do? I imagine it would be slow

 

[Brian72]

How well would a draw knife do? I imagine it would be slow

Never tried one. They do make a chainsaw attachment called the log wizard. Seems to work good but it's a little expensive. I mainly worry more about dirt. Different species peel a little easier than others. I just don't consider bark a big deal.

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[Derik]

Never tried one. They do make a chainsaw attachment called the log wizard. Seems to work good but it's a little expensive. I mainly worry more about dirt. Different species peel a little easier than others. I just don't consider bark a big deal.

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I'll try it out and see what happens.

 

[Bmac]

What the difference between skip chain, and ripping chain ?

Along with the other differences already pointed out, a skip chain will dull quicker because you have less cutter heads, but it is also faster to sharpen.
I usually run my skip chains on my longer bars.