Saw size for milling small logs

[onegunsmith]

I'm looking at milling some spruce and maybe some birch logs in the 12 to 14 inch range (Grandberg mini mill) and am wondering how big of a saw would be more than enough. I plan to make two sided logs for a remote cabin and from what i can see i will probably only have 6-12 inches of bar in the log. I'm thinking MS 660 but wonder if that is way overkill and would be better served by a MS 441 or 461. If the milling goes well and gets in my blood then i'm already thinking I may want to try some slab milling and get one of the Alaskan mills and make some 1x8's or 2 by's for other projects. Is there such a thing as to much saw? I would consider a Husky but we have any dealers around other than the box stores. Thanks for your time and patience with the FNG.

 

[scogar]

I have an MS460 with a 20 inch bar that I cut 10 inch wide pine with. I upgraded to a 32 inch bar with aux oiler and have cut 15 inch or so no problem. So if i were just squaring I would have no issues with using my rig with the 20 inch

 

[mortenh]

For milling logs of 14" (or less) diameter, any professional 60 cc saw (or greater) would be fine.

This would include current STIHL saws: MS 362, MS 441, MS 461, MS 660.

 

[onegunsmith]

I was worried about buying too small of a saw and having regrets. I never stopped to think that i would then have a good reason to buy a bigger saw. I checked prices today and there really isn't that much difference in the three. Thanks again for your input.

 

[Magnumitis]

I milled this red cedar today, my first CS milling with the logosol timberjig. 461 with 20" bar and RS chain, I have some pmx ordered. Tuned saw plenty fat, it can handle plenty more than what I cut today (8x8). It didn't get hot at all, 75*F 50% RH. I am very pleased. Thank you mad murdock, jake g, bob L.....and others who post here!

 

[onegunsmith]

I can smell that wood all the way up here. Love that smell.

 

[rarefish383]

Onegunsmith, we use that term at work, FNG, and those guys usually deserve it. Around here it's just the New Guy, and after the second post your not new anymore. Welcome to the site, Joe.

 

[onegunsmith]

Thanks Joe.

 

[gemniii]

Well I think onegun is a Fine New Guy, and very polite.

As far as the saw goes, consider how far you are going too have to pack it. If your largest tree will never be over 15" a 660 would be overkill and heavier than you need.

 

[flashhole]

Is there such a thing as too big a saw for milling? I've been using my Stihl 460 for edging 6" thick slabs. Plenty of power but the oiler is a bit stingy. I would go with the 660 if money is not an issue. My milling saw is a Husky 394, it does OK but I wish I had a bigger saw.

 

[flashhole]

Yeah, I can smell that cedar too.

 

[qbilder]

I can't comment on CSMilling in AK because I haven't, but I have cut lots of trees in AK for use in my billiard cues. Birch was pretty much my primary wood. I recall the coastal birch getting larger & growing faster, while the internal birch was very slow growing & incredibly hard. I used to cut the inland birch as substitute for sugar maple because it would have fairly white wood & grain lines that looked like laminated paper. The stuff was hard. I plan on coming back to AK in a few years & building a retirement cabin. My wife is Inupiat. She's sitting at 21yrs. active duty military & she's ready to call it quits & retire. And i'm ready to cut some more of that Alaskan wood. I found some really neat, obscure trees that gave me some incredible wood. My favorite is a toss between the big burly willows and the gnarly coastal spruce. It's the spruce that is submerged in high tide but exposed in low tide. I have never seen it cut for timber (aside from myself) but golly that stuff is crazy grained & quite hard for a spruce. It's nearly an identical match in hardness & weight to Thuya, a conifer that grows high in the mountains in Morocco & Spain.

 

[HuskStihl]

I think you have to go at least 70cc for milling. It's just really hard on the saw and you'd rather it be loafing a little. Non-R Stihl's are notoriously oil stingy. If you get hooked on milling you're gonna wish you got the 660. You could also pick up a used 394xp, send it to Mastermind for some porting and new bearings and seals and come away with an awesome miller for much less than a new 660. In another thread he also said he had a ported 066 for sale for $650 which would be great as well. Sorry to sound like a randy commercial, that boy just does good work, and stuff

 

[Magnumitis]

If I decide I'm going to do more milling, I'm going the used/bigger saw route. Hate to do that with a $1000 stihl

 

[onegunsmith]

Thanks for the input fellas. I'm on the look out for used saws but they are few and far between up here and bring top dollar to boot. Shipping a saw back and forth to the lower forty eight may be very spendy as well. I'm still undecided on between the 441 and the 660 but will get an R model either way. With the 661 on the horizon I may have to go 441 until the 661 comes out. That's what im thinking anyway.

 

[Nato]

A couple of years ago I started with a 441. I thought I would never need or want a bigger saw. I thought i would never get into milling anything over 12 or so inches....... Good luck with that one! Now I own a few big saws, bars up to six foot, spool my own chain,and love that fine sawdust that keeps getting in my eyes even after the shower! (where does it come from!?) I know I'm on the extreme end of all this but, choose wisely,choose once. Good luck and work safe. N8

 

[onegunsmith]

Well i won't want a bigger saw.

I was planning on getting a new 441 M tronic but while searching C-list i found a saw that should fit the bill. Now a 3120XP may be a bit large for the mini mill but the price seemed right and the saw looked brand new.

 

[Lutty440]

I was planning on getting a new 441 M tronic but while searching C-list i found a saw that should fit the bill. Now a 3120XP may be a bit large for the mini mill but the price seemed right and the saw looked brand new.

You will find that with milling, the bigger logs you tackle the more wood you get per cuts. Example... I have a 440 magnum with 20" bar. First log approx. 12' round, 6 cuts = 3 2x8's. Yesterday I decided to mill a 21 inch juniper (18 on small end)and after 4 cuts have a 14x8beam/ or 6 2x8's after 5 more cuts. But I like the beam. So in my opinion get a big saw, ms 660 or 3120xp and mill everything.

 

[nk14zp]

How is a Jonsered 2095 for milling?

 

[flashhole]

I believe my Husqvarna 394XP is the same size as the 2095. I use a 30" Alaskan mill with ripping chains and sometimes in the hard wood I wish I had gone the next size larger saw but it does a good job overall.