Stihl MS881 or Husqvarna 3120xp

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

Maybe the whole project doesn't make sense, I'm taking it as more want to hobby thing.

I'm all about making use of what I have and not letting anything waste, even if it's not necessarily the most time or cost effective. So I get where you're coming from. For a really long cut for long beams, bolting together sections of heavy duty 10' unistrut with a couple feet of overlap between each piece works pretty well as a first cut guide. You use threaded rods to connect the two parallel pieces together like a ladder. That way you can customize how wide the guide is for different size trees by using different lengths of threaded rod, and you can make up 10' rails, 18' rails or 26' rails, etc, depending on what you're working on

 

[StihlPotlicker]

I had a bridge across my creek which I built with some 12" by 16" or 18" beams I got from my brother in-law who worked for the county. I had 5 beams 30 years ago. Over time these rotted and I have one left, they were used when I got them, so they weren't prefect. During high water this is the only way I have to get across. So as we know making a long cut like that is not going to be perfect but it doesn't have to be. Its not going be a continues cut and there is no way I know to setup a fence that long. I have two big blow downs with clear logs with just about 45" on the butt with some length on that 1st log. My problem I got do something with them this summer or just let them rot. problem is this ground is steep and there is not a way to move these with the equipment I have now. Getting them off the hill and across the creek just no way. I do have a friend with a 36" mill but I have no way of getting them to him. I have a chainsaw mill and MS661 but I don't think that's going do it. My dad has a wildfire cat I could haul in after the season but by the time I pay for the trucking 4 ways, even thou my dad has a lowboy... but then what? Timber prices are up on this size of timber and its ready, so I could have someone come in and log it but I rather not have the eye sore... Let the kids log it when I'm gone. If I can cut some cants then I can get them off the hill, my neighbor has a small excavator to move them. I'd just take the cant out thru his place and my buddy will mill them, I think his carriage I think like 20'. Anyway, that my thoughts and I been saving for a bigger saw and have the money, its more a fun want to project . I know what those logs are worth and it just eats at me to let them rot. A couple weeks ago I let my two of my neighbors come in and pull the some of the smaller blow down out with his excavator... short logs. I just let them have them for firewood. The logging show is this weekend, so head down tomorrow to see what kind of deal I can get on a saw. Another member pinged me on good price on saw so thought I check out the show 1st and talk to some people. A 6" wide cant is plenty wide enough for main beams. a 10" or 12" cant for milling into treads. Anyway that's my thoughts and that a lot work if you done any milling for what it is! I'll cut the 1st cant off at 6" wide see how that goes. Maybe the whole project doesn't make sense, I'm taking it as more want to hobby thing. The wisest thing would be to buy a semi hay trailer ( the frame on the outside for those that don't know) set it as a bridge. level it with pony benches and pour abutments. Drop it on the abutments and bolt it.

you could do what all those 3rd world country people do, and I have seen some vidjas of others doing it, (I have too) and just use your saw and walk the bar down a chalk line. maybe just mill the logs down into manageable sizes you could resaw later?

 

[James Sawyer]

Everyone been so helpful and I wanted to do update on this post.

I went to the Oregon Logging conference Friday... Learned a lot. I did find a good buys on MS881 package deal 42" bar 404 chain $1895 (no other bar options no exception). No one at the show had a longer bar than the 42" with 881 mount not even Cannon. The best deal was a 3120 Husqvarna power head only $1475 with 60" bar 404 chain $1875 2 year warranty. The 60" bar was the only bar for 3120 at the show. Big 120cc saws aren't in demand so supplies and the power heads are hard to come by. These big saw are not stock is what I found. 90% of those saw purchased are people who Mill, North California or southern Oregon hold most of the market with timber fallers. 42" 50" and 60" bars are the normal size bars if you can find one. Bars can be ordered and I was told Madsen's. A Bar and chain runs about $400 to 500. Shops around here don't stock those 120cc saw but they can be order most likely get one in a couple weeks $2500 range. Those two saws at the show were a good deal. I had called a couple shops I normally do business with before the show.

I ran into a guy from Cottagegrove "Cork" who has 3120, thou the 3120 is a 25 plus year design it's a work horse he said ! He has one and does mills with it. He also said if I buy that saw at the show it'll always be worth what I paid for it. For the little job I have he said my MS661 would do the job if I don't care about the finish and if I'm worried about over heating I could just let it idle a bit and cool it down. So, i walked the show and gave what he said some thought. I end up not buying the saw... I got home... this weekend had second thought about it but I spent my money on other things so there was no going back on Saturday.

However, I bought a Simington at the show cash price $1200, I spent a lot of time in their booth. Talked to some old timers about Square chain and some present day fallers. We changed stone profiles and ground some chain...I learned a lot. What I did find out hand file works but is limited to the file profile and you can get more out of Square Ground Chain with a grinder because you can dress the stone to add durability or more speed.

By the way Cannon did have 50" bar for my MS661 but man they want a lot for their bars. I was a little disappointed not much there for saws at the show... not much need for saw like the old days The processor these days handle 35" plus trees, hot saw fall the timber. Oregon was there, Cannon, Simington, Baileys (no saw stuff). I was disappointed West Coast Saw wasn't there.

Some pictures from the show.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

Wasn't familiar with Simington, but that seems like a thing of beauty that produces great results.

I believe if that 60" bar was Husqvarna branded, it used to be made for them by GB and probably still is, and should be the same bar as the GB Titanium 60" bar which is a fantastic bar. The GB's are $550-600, and Husky sells their 60" titanium bar on their website for $349 which is amazing value. The 3120 package for $1875 w that bar does sound like a pretty excellent deal.