Stupid newbie question?

[Brian W Sinclair]

I'm just thinking of getting into chainsaw milling. My primary objective is to mill logs into bowl blanks 4"-6" thick and upto 12"-16" in width. I'm definitely going with the Granberg 24" mill. What is the best size of chainsaw I would need. I would not be doing this day after day. Maybe one or two days at a time. Thanks.

 

[Blisters]

I'm just thinking of getting into chainsaw milling. My primary objective is to mill logs into bowl blanks 4"-6" thick and upto 12"-16" in width. I'm definitely going with the Granberg 24" mill. What is the best size of chainsaw I would need. I would not be doing this day after day. Maybe one or two days at a time. Thanks.

Do u cut much wood?
How familiar are u with saws?
Do you know how to repair minor problems on saws?
If you are not going to do a lot of milling and don't mind taking your time on the mill, a 50cc works OK. A lot of ppl here say that's not big enough. I have done fine in the past with a 42cc but I don't recommend that now. I haven't had any problems with the 42 but it is very taxing for it to mill logs. I'm looking for a 3750 poulan saw. That's 61 cc. U may not want a poulan. I do my own repairs so I don't mind a cheaper saw.

 

[Blisters]

Do u cut much wood?
How familiar are u with saws?
Do you know how to repair minor problems on saws?
If you are not going to do a lot of milling and don't mind taking your time on the mill, a 50cc works OK. A lot of ppl here say that's not big enough. I have done fine in the past with a 42cc but I don't recommend that now. I haven't had any problems with the 42 but it is very taxing for it to mill logs. I'm looking for a 3750 poulan saw. That's 61 cc. U may not want a poulan. I do my own repairs so I don't mind a cheaper saw.

Not stupid. U got to learn from somebody.
Stupid is more of a action thing, as in Fred did something stupid.

 

[Brian W Sinclair]

Do u cut much wood?
How familiar are u with saws?
Do you know how to repair minor problems on saws?
If you are not going to do a lot of milling and don't mind taking your time on the mill, a 50cc works OK. A lot of ppl here say that's not big enough. I have done fine in the past with a 42cc but I don't recommend that now. I haven't had any problems with the 42 but it is very taxing for it to mill logs. I'm looking for a 3750 poulan saw. That's 61 cc. U may not want a poulan. I do my own repairs so I don't mind a cheaper saw.

I have a small Poulan which I use for small stuff. I'm determined on a Stilh due to their warranty. I want at least 60cc.Thanks for your input.

 

[Gixxerjoe04]

I've got a stihl wood boss which is 45cc's with an 18" bar, I use it to cut bowl blanks from small logs. Mill would probably make it easier but cutting them free hand works fine for me.

 

[mad murdock]

You might check into the fine print on any stihl warranty, I think using a saw to mill with is outside the scope of the warranty. I would get a dolkita or echo 60cc or thereabouts as a minimum size for milling. I have used several of my old McCulloch 10-10's(54cc) and homlite super xl's (58cc) with decent results, but the older saws are not a fair comparison to newer ones as I think they pull harder cc to cc comparison wise.

 

[Brian W Sinclair]

You might check into the fine print on any still warranty, I think using a saw to mill with is outside the scope of the warranty. I would get a dolkita or echo 60cc or thereabouts as a minimum size for milling. I have used several of my old McCulloch 10-10's(54cc) and homlite super xl's (58cc) with decent results, but the older saws are not a fair comparison to newer ones as I think they pull harder cc to cc comparison wise.

 

[Brian W Sinclair]

What they don't know won't hurt them. I plan on getting my ripping chains elsewhere.

 

[Gixxerjoe04]

What they don't know won't hurt them. I plan on getting my ripping chains elsewhere.

Yea I've seen people saying milling with them will void the warranty or whatever, but just don't be an idiot and tell them you're doing that, problem solved haha.

 

[KiwiBro]

Yea I've seen people saying milling with them will void the warranty or whatever, but just don't be an idiot and tell them you're doing that, problem solved haha.

Honesty is seldom, if ever, idiotic.

 

[rarefish383]

Honesty is seldom, if ever, idiotic.

I agree. I told the salesman I was buying my 660 for milling. He said he wasn't sure if that voided the warranty. I said I was currently using a 1972 Homelite Super 1050 that was out of warranty too. Then I asked if he thought Homelite made a better saw than Stihl? Was worth a couple laughs. Doesn't matter now, out of warranty anyway, still purrs like a kitten, Joe.

 

[BobL]

Especially when something catastrophic happens the dealer I work through requires you to also bring in the bar and chain you were using. Unless you have a stock of bars that have wear marks consistent with power head load and no mill marks or holes on them he'll easily works out what you have been up to.

 

[Brian W Sinclair]

Just purchased a beam mill. Starting out small. I can use this with my electric chain saw to mill blanks in my workshop.

 

[wombler]

I said I was currently using a 1972 Homelite Super 1050 that was out of warranty too. Then I asked if he thought Homelite made a better saw than Stihl?

You, sir, are a genius.

/me doffs hat

 

[rarefish383]

Actually, I was just being honest, and I have a tendency to be a bit of a wise guy with young sales people. I have 2 Super 1050's that my Dad bought new, the first in 1972 and the second in 73 or 74. I burned one up running it lean. The other still runs, and I used it to mill with for about 5 or 6 years. It's the one in my avatar, Joe.

 

[KiwiBro]

Just bought a new 395xp off a local dealer. It's the first good saw I have ever bought locally. I asked about warranty: 2 years. I noted I was to use it commercially: still 2 years. I noted I will be doing some milling with it: still two years.

I don't know if the warranty is the same everywhere or the dealer just wanted a sale or was happy I was being honest or all or none of the above. In any case, it was also a reasonable price, given the 2 year warranty coverage for a commercial user who will be milling with it.

 

[BobL]

In Oz, that means you have a good dealer and he trusts you not to flog the arse off the saw during the milling process.
If you were a recognised "saw prat around town" that's when the dealer would bring out the fine print and not honour the warranty

 

[backhoelover]

Need to get that 1050 fix one of my favorite saws