old McCulloch saw with alaskan mill?

[chris.miller]

I have a McCulloch saw (I-43, an 80cc saw from the early 1960s). It's heavy, loud, but cuts well.
Recently purchased a 30" Alaskan MkIII (used).

I've got two smaller Stihl saws here at work that we use; neither is big enough for the mill (largest is the 026 pro).

I've only got one chain and an 18" bar for the Mac.

Is it worth trying to find a longer bar and chain that would work with the Mac? The saw runs well, and I'd have no problem dedicating it to just mill use. Any suggestions on who could guide me in sourcing a longer bar and ripping chain?

I expect to be cutting mostly soft wood; occasional oaks but of smaller diameter.

Thanks, Chris

 

[BobL]

My guess is the chain speed would be quite low and it would pretty slow compared to a more recent comparable cc saw. It would be fun for a couple of boards and then you'd be wanting something faster.

 

[woodsrunner]

I agree with Bob, but, it might be a way for you to get started without spending a whole lot of cabbage. Provided you could find a good longer bar cheap. Then you could figure out what you really will need in the way of a more modern saw to upgrade to. Because as we all know once you start this milling stuff you won't want to quit.

Scott

 

[Brmorgan]

I'm guessing that 1-43 is pretty close in size and design to the 1-62 I have (minus the geardrive portion), which is also 80cc:

Either way it'd be a helluva beast to run on a mill, but it would get the job done. Just slooowly compared to a modern 80cc saw, and with an awful lot more noise and vibration. You'll have plenty of torque but not much chain speed, which is more critical with smaller logs. That thing would shine more in big wood, since that low-end torque will just keep pulling the chain along.

The other concern is that milling is pretty hard on saw components, many of which are either very difficult to find and expensive, or no longer available at all for old saws like that. I don't know what your cash situation is, but if I were you I'd put the $50-100 you'd be spending on a bar and milling chain towards a good used saw in the 70-90cc range. If you end up wanting to get into milling on a more serious level you'll just be doing it later on anyway.

I just want to make clear that I'm not trying to discourage you - nor, I assume, would Bob or Scott or any others. I'd just hate to see you spend a wad of money to set that old gal up for milling, only to be underwhelmed by its performance and/or overwhelmed by the noise and vibration, both of which can be amplified significantly with milling use. Milling with modern saws is a completely different ballgame, both in terms of ergonomics AND productivity. Some of the old heavy torque monsters can come in handy for really wide cuts, but in general they can't match the newer ones.

 

[woodsrunner]

I would never discourage anyone from milling! It's too much fun!!

(Does that mean I'm an enabler too Brad?)

Scott

 

[mikeb1079]

yup

Either way it'd be a helluva beast to run on a mill, but it would get the job done. Just slooowly compared to a modern 80cc saw, and with an awful lot more noise and vibration. You'll have plenty of torque but not much chain speed, which is more critical with smaller logs. That thing would shine more in big wood, since that low-end torque will just keep pulling the chain along.

The other concern is that milling is pretty hard on saw components, many of which are either very difficult to find and expensive, or no longer available at all for old saws like that. I don't know what your cash situation is, but if I were you I'd put the $50-100 you'd be spending on a bar and milling chain towards a good used saw in the 70-90cc range. If you end up wanting to get into milling on a more serious level you'll just be doing it later on anyway.

I just want to make clear that I'm not trying to discourage you - nor, I assume, would Bob or Scott or any others. I'd just hate to see you spend a wad of money to set that old gal up for milling, only to be underwhelmed by its performance and/or overwhelmed by the noise and vibration, both of which can be amplified significantly with milling use. Milling with modern saws is a completely different ballgame, both in terms of ergonomics AND productivity. Some of the old heavy torque monsters can come in handy for really wide cuts, but in general they can't match the newer ones.

:agree2:

mr morgan nailed it there. good advice.

 

[chris.miller]

re: old mac

Thanks, that's the kind of guidance I'm looking for.
Yes, my saw looks much like yours if you didn't have the gear drive.
It's been a fun saw over the last 20 years; cut a lot of firewood with it.
I'd assume there is little to no market for it... would be willing to trade it towards a saw more suitable for milling.

Most of what I expect to find to cut will be either smaller logs, or softwood, so the low end torque isn't really what I need, I suppose.

I've read about 18 pages into the forum so far, but it seems the most popular saws are pretty expensive even used. I'll keep my eyes open for a suitable used saw. Thanks for the honest feedback.

Chris on Cape Cod, MA.

 

[SilverBox]

I haven't done any timed tests, but I've used a Pioneer 650 (1960s saw) to mill with (100+cc, 5500 rpm) and it doesn't do so bad, I did file the rakers down a bit extra, because its such a torque monster it can pull it. I don't think its as fast as my solo 681, or Husky 394 on the mill, but its pretty close, definately way better then 60cc or smaller modern saws I've tried to mill with.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9ocfzG-nUQ

 

[Brmorgan]

Thanks, that's the kind of guidance I'm looking for.
Yes, my saw looks much like yours if you didn't have the gear drive.
It's been a fun saw over the last 20 years; cut a lot of firewood with it.
I'd assume there is little to no market for it... would be willing to trade it towards a saw more suitable for milling.

Most of what I expect to find to cut will be either smaller logs, or softwood, so the low end torque isn't really what I need, I suppose.

I've read about 18 pages into the forum so far, but it seems the most popular saws are pretty expensive even used. I'll keep my eyes open for a suitable used saw. Thanks for the honest feedback.

Chris on Cape Cod, MA.

It's too bad you're all the way back on the east coast. Big 90cc+ saws show up in pawnshops and for sale around here for under $400 regularly. It takes some knowledge and patience to steer clear of the POS ones but I've scored some really good deals at the pawnshops especially.

 

[Richard C]

I'd try it you can get chains and bars from Bailey's. I have an old 444 or 440 I can't remember and have been thinking about it.