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.

 

[James Sawyer]

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.

So did you go to the show... the dealer was from K-falls and it was a Husqvarna bar. I was told GB made their bars. I agree that was a darn good deal after calling around prior to the show, it why I had remorse after I got home. But, realistically I'd never use that saw unless I got serious about milling. Would like to had that saw but I'll use the square grinder more just made more sense. Milling is lot work.

So, I had guy tell me milling with square ground chain is faster or take less power because it 20% faster. It runs more efficient. Not sure that's true but made sense to me. With a grinder makes it pretty easy to setup for a milling profile. What's your thoughts on that? For me ... I can hand file square now but it take me awhile so I love running square if it conditions are right for it. It hard to go back to round chain if I can run sq ground. It just run smooth and it is noticeable faster. I love how it works cleaning up your face cuts.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

So did you go to the show...

Nah, just going by what you posted. I've never tried square grind because of the filing hassles which is what keep most people away from it (and sensitivity to dirt). With a Simington grinder though, absolutely no reason not to use it all the time as long as the wood is relatively clean. No question square grind cuts cleaner and faster. I use lo pro chains and bars and sprockets to get the same effect, which mills 30-50 percent faster in most of the tough hardwoods I mill w an ultra clean finish, and requires dramatically less power. (I've milled plenty with a 64cc saw and 36" lo pro bar in 18-30" logs where I would have needed a 661 to run normal 3/8 to even close to the same effect). But it's more suited to sub-36" wood than milling big PNW softwood. People have insisted well it's a tradeoff, smaller teeth means quicker dulling and more time sharpening but I don't find that's the case. Far as I can tell, the less time you spend cutting the less time your teeth are engaged, so it's always a win to reduce time spent cutting.

Forget if you have a 42" bar for your 661, but this is a stellar deal on a top quality titanium GB for it if you need one. https://www.harvesterbars.com/colle...cts/gb-titanium-protop-chainsaw-bar-sn42-63pa

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

One thing to consider is 881 has adjustable high and low, where as the 3120 only has adjustable low and fixed high. I’ve run both, for a milling saw I’d go with 3120 but mod the carb for adjustable high speed. If you’re not wanting to fiddle around with that kind of thing go with the 881. Just my opinion.

 

[James Sawyer]

Nah, just going by what you posted. I've never tried square grind because of the filing hassles which is what keep most people away from it (and sensitivity to dirt). With a Simington grinder though, absolutely no reason not to use it all the time as long as the wood is relatively clean. No question square grind cuts cleaner and faster. I use lo pro chains and bars and sprockets to get the same effect, which mills 30-50 percent faster in most of the tough hardwoods I mill w an ultra clean finish, and requires dramatically less power. (I've milled plenty with a 64cc saw and 36" lo pro bar in 18-30" logs where I would have needed a 661 to run normal 3/8 to even close to the same effect). But it's more suited to sub-36" wood than milling big PNW softwood. People have insisted well it's a tradeoff, smaller teeth means quicker dulling and more time sharpening but I don't find that's the case. Far as I can tell, the less time you spend cutting the less time your teeth are engaged, so it's always a win to reduce time spent cutting.

Forget if you have a 42" bar for your 661, but this is a stellar deal on a top quality titanium GB for it if you need one. https://www.harvesterbars.com/colle...cts/gb-titanium-protop-chainsaw-bar-sn42-63pa

I have a 42 .063 bar already but need a 50" bar. I need go up the hill an measure the biggest log again, I was just thinking about that this morning. My Creek is at crest it been rains hard for awhile here. i cross the Willamette River going to work and it right about crest now. If it keep up with the rain it'll be across Hy 34 and I'll have to go thru Albany.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

I have a 42 .063 bar already but need a 50" bar. I need go up the hill an measure the biggest log again, I was just thinking about that this morning. My Creek is at crest it been rains hard for awhile here. i cross the Willamette River going to work and it right about crest now. If it keep up with the rain it'll be across Hy 34 and I'll have to go thru Albany.

As you've found, not a lot of affordable options for a top quality 3/8 .063 in a 50-52" bar for the 661 - Cannon is the only one at $529. Since the idea is you'd rarely use the bar with that saw, it probably makes more sense to go with the least expensive option but you'd have to go with lesser quality China stuff like the Forester at $249 or the Farmertec/Holzfforma 52" bar and three chain package for $189 in US stock and $138 slow boat from China. I was stubbornly resistant about cheaping out for a 50"-ish bar - my arsenal previously leaped from a 42" to a 72" - so I took a chance on a 48" GB 3/8LP bar last year that conveniently is drilled to fit both an 881 and a 661 but remains to be seen whether I can mill successfully with lo pro at that length without snapping chains too often.

 

[Drifter2406]

I have run the 881 for about three years for milling and the very rare big tree, it hasn't missed a beat, easy to start. Mine has a 3 foot bar and pulls it easy, the down side is that it vibrates quite a lot, it's heavier than you think and it goes through fuel at a rate of knots too, it vibrates more than the 3120, just not as smooth and I thought for me the ergonomics was better. If I could have bought the Husky as I am a Husky fan I would have done but after using both the difference is not enough to change it, the 881 is still a great saw.