660 vs 395 for milling

[BobL]

someone in the chainsaw thread told me that i'll burn up a new saw if i use it for a mill and that it's not worth it to go and spend a grand on a saw for a mill...they're made to run aint they

That may be the case for a cheap saw but is not correct for a brand name saw. As Justsaws says, milling will immediately void your warranty. I was lucky to pick up a never used 880 that was still under warranty but in Australia warranty cannot be transferred to another owner so I managed to get the seller to knock a bit more off the price and in the end I picked it up with a 60" B&C for just under half the RRP.

A brand new saw should be run in normally according to the manual and after that it can be used for milling provided it is run a tad rich so the max RPM is a few hundred RPM below what it is normally tuned for. That aside I also know someone that bought a brand new 660 and started milling with it immediately and it has survived just fine.

 

[WidowMaker1]

milling will immediately void your warranty.

only if you tell them :msp_wink:

 

[Rudolf73]

well, when I looked into the 441 R-CM and the 461R, I found that the R means it comes with dual felling dogs, larger clutch cover with a oversized mud flap type deal, 3/4 wrap handle, and a high output bar oiler. I was kinda figuring that was the difference between all of the R vs non R models.

That is correct, the R models also includes a chain catcher/roller. Good value for money if you want those extras.

 

[Freakingstang]

I

I do not turn the saw off to top off the fuel and oil tanks, it is not uncommon to consume 2-5 gallons of gas during a good milling session. 5 gallons of gas through the mill saw in a day is a loooooooong day and not typically very enjoyable unless it is Spruce or Pine, that is just fun milling.

Do not let the saw run out of fuel! I too refuel with the saw running. I used more than a gallon and a half, almost two millin up that 30" oak. At the end of the day I was wore out and had saw dust everywhere. The tree was fairly green (felled in the last couple weeks) and I checked the air filter after every second tank. Just remove the prefilter, tap it a couple times and good to go again. I couldn't imagine going through 5 gallons in a day!

Like others have said run the saw a little rich to prevent burning it up.

 

[mad murdock]

someone in the chainsaw thread told me that i'll burn up a new saw if i use it for a mill and that it's not worth it to go and spend a grand on a saw for a mill...they're made to run aint they

Like I eluded to in the other thread, I mill with a husky 372XP. I also have a stihl 075 that I have used, and it mills well, just a lot more to swing weight wise. I retooled my 372 with the stihl picco chain on a 32" bar, it cuts faster than he 075 pulling .404 chain. I like the husky air intake setup, I clean it maybe everym10 tanks of gas. A sharp chain will really cut down on the fineness of the sawdust, which helps things run cleaner. I run my premix 32:1 and have not had a single issue with my saw wear and tear wise. I have milled abt 6,000 bd ft with it. The last 100 or so has been with the smaller profile chain setup, and I can not overstate how much faster the milling goes with it now as compared
To the 3/8 chain I was using previously.

 

[Dobbs]

I have a MS 650 w/36" bar on my mill that I like real well. Has done anything I have put it on.

that is sawing a big pecan

 

[BobL]

I agree not to let the saw run out of fuel, but before I knew much about saws I used to regularly let my all plastic Homelite run out of fuel. I don't know what it is with that saw but nothing seems to worry it.

While I can understand why there might be dust problems with cutting orientations in non-milling CS operations, I don't understand why there is so much concern about air filtration in relation to milling. I can't think of much that would be dustier than some of the hardwoods that I have milled that have been on the ground for nearly 100 years. In these cases I have just tapped out the air filter maybe just once or maybe twice during a milling day.

From what I have seen the main problems with dust are not so much with filters but with chains, especially the raker setting.

 

[4x4American]

thanks for all the good input yawl! I can get a 660 and a 395 for damn near the same price. I like stihl alot seein as how i have a bit of parts for stihl and I like the whole stihl setup better than husky and also i have a bunch of stihl bars and chains, and only .325 stuff for my one husky i own. the 395 is pretty BA saw i gotta say....also that 3120...wow that thing is heavy.

 

[srcarr52]

I have a ported 394 that pulls a 36" with and 8 pin milling without a problem. It does need an auxiliary oiler at that length.

 

[hamish]

thanks for all the good input yawl! I can get a 660 and a 395 for damn near the same price. I like stihl alot seein as how i have a bit of parts for stihl and I like the whole stihl setup better than husky and also i have a bunch of stihl bars and chains, and only .325 stuff for my one husky i own. the 395 is pretty BA saw i gotta say....also that 3120...wow that thing is heavy.

If you like Stihl and have bars and chains for it already then go the Stihl route, with both saws it mainly boils down to personal preferance.

Yes bigger saws are heavy, as are longer bars, and fatter women....................what did you expect?

 

[BobL]

...wow that thing is heavy.

On a CS mill weight can really work to your advantage.

Instead of pushing the saw/mill along a log laying on the ground, if you put the log on a slope (and add a slippery coating, like high density Polyethylene, under the mill rails) a heavy saw will easily cut under it's own weight with a relatively shallow slope. Lighter saws will need more push - or you can add weight :msp_biggrin:

 

[john taliaferro]

I have also taken the rain cover off the filter on my 660 ,now it stays lots cleaner and is easey to brush clean . Heavy Is Good .

 

[glennschumann]

Filter

thanks for the input, good food for thought. do you just give it a quick knock out or do you blow it out with compressed air and wash it and stuff in between each pass cause if so i'm going with a husky

I just knock the dust off the filter and slap the prefilter band a few times on something hard to clean it out. It isn't a big deal, but I'd prefer to not have to do it all the time.

 

[excess650]

I'm a little late getting tot his thread, but my primary milling saw is an 066 with WP big bore kit and dual port muffler. I've been running 3/8 .050 on 32" and 36" bars, but may have to give the lowpro a try. The 066 BB has noticeably more grunt than my 660, also dual port, but the 066 BB is tuned richer. Yeah, I've heard the complaints and arguments about the aftermarket BB kits, but mine has worked hassle free without modification.:msp_thumbup:

I have a 3120, and just ordered a 42" B&C, 3/8 .063, so it will get the heavy duty work that really makes the 066BB grunt. The 3120 is too heavy for me to use for bucking logs, so it will go onto the mill. I bought the lightly used 3120 for a bit more than used 660s were going for at the time, so relatively inexpensive compared to new.

My first go with milling was with a 272xp with 28" B&C. It didn't take long to realize that the 272xp was underpowered for 20"+ rips so was the reason for the 066. I just redid the top end on a 440, opened the muffler and retuned. It seems strong, but I have no illusions of using it on the mill. 70cc saws are great for bucking logs, but really don't have enough torque for milling. There is no replacement for displacement.:chainsawguy:

 

[excess650]

I'm revisiting this thread after having purchased a lightly used 394xp. The 394 is definitely heavier than the 066/660, but has much better anti-vibe, and OILER. Ive since discovered that my 066BB wasn't oiling as well as it should due to the plug missing from the end of the oiler piston bore. The plug has been replaced as well as the piston and adjuster screw (high output oiler kit), so now I'll see how well it oils the 36". To be honest, despite not using much oil, the bar didn't seem to suffer, and the chains didn't stretch.

I wil be comparing the 394 to my 066BB soon. I have a 40" boxelder waiting....

 

[srcarr52]

I will be comparing the 394 to my 066BB soon. I have a 40" boxelder waiting....

That 394 should walk all over the 066 on a mill. Those things are torque monsters.

 

[excess650]

That 394 should walk all over the 066 on a mill. Those things are torque monsters.

That is good to hear. ''Searches" that I've done here seemed to indicate that the 394 may have more torque than the 395, and that both are ahead of the 066/660. This 394 was intended to be the backup to the 3120 with sharing bars and chains in mind. I really like the "feel" of the Husqvarnas.

 

[srcarr52]

That is good to hear. ''Searches" that I've done here seemed to indicate that the 394 may have more torque than the 395, and that both are ahead of the 066/660. This 394 was intended to be the backup to the 3120 with sharing bars and chains in mind. I really like the "feel" of the Husqvarnas.

I'm yet to build a 395 but that is what I hear as well. I'm guessing it has something to do with the tiny quad ports they put in the 395 and the more restrictive intake, all could be fixed with work. I like the 394/5 AV much better than the 660 but you don't get to use it much on the mill. If you're used to the 3120 on the mill then the extra weight of the 394 compared to the 660 isn't going to bother you.

What size mill are you running? I'm running a 36" bar with full comp and an 8 pin sprocket on my ported 394. Sometimes I even run lo-pro which makes pretty quick cuts.

 

[Trx250r180]

anyone else have this problem milling with a 660 ? View attachment 285404

 

[excess650]

I'm yet to build a 395 but that is what I hear as well. I'm guessing it has something to do with the tiny quad ports they put in the 395 and the more restrictive intake, all could be fixed with work. I like the 394/5 AV much better than the 660 but you don't get to use it much on the mill. If you're used to the 3120 on the mill then the extra weight of the 394 compared to the 660 isn't going to bother you.

What size mill are you running? I'm running a 36" bar with full comp and an 8 pin sprocket on my ported 394. Sometimes I even run lo-pro which makes pretty quick cuts.

I have a 36" Granberg, but have only run a 36" bar on my 066BB without bark dogs, so limited me to 32" width. The few times the 3120 was on the mill it was wearing its original 30" .404 and waltzed through stuff the 066BB was struggling with. I've just converted the 3120 to 3/8 and have a 42" B&C for it (3/8 .063 ripping chain). 30" oak and walnut made the 066BB work pretty hard.

I've not tried low-pro, so that may be a plus for the 066BB. I'm debating as to whether to get a 36" Husky bar, or just use Stihl to Husky adaptors to use my 32" and 36". I have 24" and 28" both Husky and Stihl bars, 32" and 36" Stihl, and a 42" Husky.

How big is your mill?