90cc vs 120cc

[samdweezel05]

The only disadvantages are cost, weight and possibly repair parts if you get a real old 120cc saw.

Before I got my 088 (with 36" bar, chains, an Alaskan Mark III, and boxes) for $450 I saw little use for one. My big trees are on the order of 30" DBH.

It's nice to have, but I couldn't justify buying one at even near full price.

It makes a REAL nice sound when I idle it with my 2 660's.

It's like a top fuel dragster sound.

 

[nk14zp]

I too want a 120cc saw to mill with. And I have not milled with my 95cc yet.

 

[samdweezel05]

I too want a 120cc saw to mill with. And I have not milled with my 95cc yet.

See, no silly justification required. Want a bigger saw just because.

 

[mdavlee]

The big bore saws sound different from the 90cc ones.

 

[Timberwerks]

I use the 880 for milling on 56" mill. Most likely will pick up another in Spring for a 36" mill.

Here is mine, first run at home:

And on mill:

 

[sachsmo]

Awesome,

guess since the re-vamp we can post videos now eh?

 

[ptjeep]

Hey Mike!!!!!
I've been using a stock 394 on my mill with a 36" b&c and as you probably know, it does OK when milling 30" wide slabs. I haven't done much with it but plan to in the next year or so and have even thought about building a carriage mill for it. Is your 9010 stock? I've often wondered how a ported 90cc saw would hold up to milling and how it would compare to a 120cc saw? I love milling logs so give me a shout when sometime and maybe we can hook up.

 

[mdavlee]

No none of my saws are stock except the 357. The 9010 is a little slow in the wider slabs I cut. I don't know if it's faster than a ported 90cc saw. I guess we could get together with both saws and each make a cut and see which is faster. I'm sure a 120cc will be faster with being able to take a bigger bite with lower rakers.

 

[sachsmo]

It's like a top fuel dragster sound.

Ever see the video of Lees 8 166s idling at the same time?

When I fetch meself two more 152/153s I am going to make my first vid!

Always wanted a 166 and I might be a little biased, but I think the 152/153 saws sound even more 'cammed' up?

 

[jczv]

This is probably a dumb and maybe incorrect statement but it seems to make more sense if you already have a 90cc saw and your going to get a 120cc saw only for very wide logs to just get another 90cc saw and go to a double ended bar. Since anything you cut would need a longer bar to begin with you could get a double ended bar. There's the additional benefit that now have a built in backup saw for milling. And you have two saws that have more uses outside of milling. There's not a lot of posts of people using two powerheads and double ended bars (at least that I've seen) and I don't have any practical so experience I don't know how big a hassle they are to setup and use so maybe I'm missing something.

For me it may be a more theoretical then real question as I already have a 3120 and just replaced my blown up 394. I just started thinking about this as my 66" bar can be used by two powerheads and if I can get my blown up 394 working again I could try it. Started to think that two 394's may be a more practical solution (although using a 3120 has the side benefit that you never complain about the weight of any other saw).

 

[mdavlee]

Most of my milling will be solo so I won't have someone to run the other saw. It will be simpler to just get a bigger one. I'm going to try out the 394 on it here in a day or so. A 3120 would be easier since I wouldn't have to buy any more bars but I don't like how they handle compared to the 088/880. The side tensioner is a plus on the stihl also.

 

[BobL]

I have only had one saw I probably wouldn't buy an identical saw to use them in a double ended setup as I would not like to have to disconnect and reconnect a saw from a mill to do a bit of trimming or bucking so I would then need a 3rd saw to do that. When I go milling I like to have one saw permanently in the mill and one not in the mill so that they can be quickly accessed.

Most of my milling will be solo so I won't have someone to run the other saw.

If a dual remote throttle is added, another person is not needed to run the other saw BUT unless you are pretty strong the extra person is needed to help move around and lift the mill/saws up onto the log.

Dual headed CS mills make sense on "carriage mills" - mills with tracks that logs are loaded onto and a carriage containing the saw rums over the top of the log.

It will be simpler to just get a bigger one. I'm going to try out the 394 on it here in a day or so. A 3120 would be easier since I wouldn't have to buy any more bars but I don't like how they handle compared to the 088/880. The side tensioner is a plus on the stihl also.

I'm not sure what you mean by handle? I understand that folks can live with all sorts of "features" but the inboard drive sprocket, the fixed H jet and the side tensioners were the main reasons I did not pursue a 3120. Otherwise it's a great saw.

 

[jczv]

Most of my milling will be solo so I won't have someone to run the other saw. It will be simpler to just get a bigger one. I'm going to try out the 394 on it here in a day or so. A 3120 would be easier since I wouldn't have to buy any more bars but I don't like how they handle compared to the 088/880. The side tensioner is a plus on the stihl also.

I was assuming a remote throttle but still don't have practical experience at how unwieldy is the double powerhead configuration is to use alone. A lot of people seem to prefer milling with the 088/880 but since all my bars / chains are husqvarna that's all I'll probably ever know anything about. I only picked up the 3120 because it was cheap used (like a lot of husqvarna saws and one of my main saw purchase crtieria's) and worked with what I had. I have no complaints but maybe ignorance is bliss. It certainly chugs through the bigger crap with much less effort then the 394.

 

[PhilB]

For the first cut of the log I set the mill on the ladder (already attached to the log) and then mount the two power heads. I have two saw horses that lets me move the mill one end at a time while I setup the ladder brackets for the next cut. This makes the weight manageable. Although I have done this, most of the time there's a helper available to manage the mill. I need a helper to move the slabs when cut anyway.



See my signature for a link to my mill post.

Phil

 

[BobL]

For the first cut of the log I set the mill on the ladder (already attached to the log) and then mount the two power heads. I have two saw horses that lets me move the mill one end at a time while I setup the ladder brackets for the next cut. This makes the weight manageable. Although I have done this, most of the time there's a helper available to manage the mill. I need a helper to move the slabs when cut anyway.

That's a neat way of doing it even for regular rails. My 20ft long Unistrut log rails weigh a fair bit and lifting them on and off the log is a bit of a heave-ho so I think I will set up some saw horses like yours.
Good point also about ending help with slabs.

 

[porsche965]

I haven't milled but knowing Mike from the threads over the years if you don't buy big you will never be satisfied Mike! LOL.

 

[mdavlee]

I have only had one saw I probably wouldn't buy an identical saw to use them in a double ended setup as I would not like to have to disconnect and reconnect a saw from a mill to do a bit of trimming or bucking so I would then need a 3rd saw to do that. When I go milling I like to have one saw permanently in the mill and one not in the mill so that they can be quickly accessed.


If a dual remote throttle is added, another person is not needed to run the other saw BUT unless you are pretty strong the extra person is needed to help move around and lift the mill/saws up onto the log.

Dual headed CS mills make sense on "carriage mills" - mills with tracks that logs are loaded onto and a carriage containing the saw rums over the top of the log.

I'm not sure what you mean by handle? I understand that folks can live with all sorts of "features" but the inboard drive sprocket, the fixed H jet and the side tensioners were the main reasons I did not pursue a 3120. Otherwise it's a great saw.

The outboard clutch on the 3120 doesn't bother me any. The oiler on it's great. I was actually planning on going from a 70cc saw to the 120cc as the next size up if I get one. The 3120 sucked lugging around a wood pile and in the woods. The 084/088 seemed much better balanced with a 42-48" bar. There's some logs on the ground now if they're not hollow I don't think I can get them bucked up with a 70cc and a 32" bar.

 

[showrguy]

hey mike,
did you find a big saw yet ??

 

[Trx250r180]

How long of bar do you plan on running with the bigger powerhead ?

 

[Big_Wood]

i have to agree with the way a 3120 handles. i'm gonna be honest with you guys. i hate those saws. if they weren't so great on the mill i would sell them in a heart beat. the handling does not matter one bit on the mill which is why i own them and that is all i ever use them for. even if i need to fall big tree's i just grab a 395 but prefer the 385 for most falling. i have milled with a 084, 088, 880, and an 090. i hate those too. the 090 is an awkward POS even with the way to expensive 10 pin rim. i have no idea why people like them. the only benefit IMO is the side chain adjuster of the 084/088/880 on the stihl. i like the 3120's more (once muff modded and carb modded by terry). i did own a 084 a few years ago that i milled with for 2 years never letting it cool between cuts and that thing was a champ. i sold it for more then i paid for it. still prefer the 3120 over it though. the 880 seemed extremely turdly but i only used it in a 60" mill. may have been better in a 36". one thing i will say mike is that a 120cc saw pays for itself in a mill.