Hello all !

[huskymac]

I stumbled across this sight while surfing for ideas on building a small cabin on the cheep. What a gold mine of info! Thanks guys !

I'm planning on buying a 36" Alaskan mill and a saw to go with it. It will be used to mill beams and lumber for a small post and beam cabin. I also build cabinets and furniture as a part time job so the really nice stuff will probably end up heading for the wood shop.

I am looking for advice on what saw would make the best dedicated milling saw. I have run a few searches. Most of what I have found the folks were looking for entry level saws or wanting the saw for multiple uses. Or by the sounds of it have been around saws and or milling for long enough that saw selection and the reasoning behind there choice of saw isn't in the post.

I have a Husky rancher 55 that I have been heating the house with for the last 6 or 7 years. It has been, and still is a great firewood saw. So I have been looking at the Husky 395 with a 36" bar. My Husky choice isn't set in stone. Ive just been very happy with my Rancher and so that is where I started looking.

Before I drop the big bucks on another saw, does one saw or brand have a more milling friendly design?

Better power band?

Better chain adjustment feature?

Better saw to mill interface?

Is there anything I'm over looking?

 

[woodshop]

...So I have been looking at the Husky 395 with a 36" bar...

Good combo, thats what I use to mill logs into cants before I slice them up with the Ripsaw mini-bandmill. Plenty of power, a little cheaper than the Stihl counterpart in same cc range, and will mill all day long as long as you have the energy to push it down the log.

 

[slabmaster]

I've got alot of Stihl 066s and big huskys.I find the 395 to be the best saw for milling with the alaskan mill.The o66s are ok too,but the husky seems to not work as hard at it. Mark

 

[dustytools]

I too run a 395 on my Alaskan mill. It has served me well so far. The only downside to the 395 on the Alaskan is the front chain tensioner, however you can modify the mill a bit to overcome this problem.

 

[BobL]

Hi Huskymac,
Welcome to this site.
I agree with Woodshop, the 395 and 36" bar is a great combo.

Most people focus on the saw and the mill, but they are only 2 of about 5 factors in successful milling, and reducing the load on the saw and the operator is something to really think about.

Chain: You have to find one that works for you, ripping profile obviously, but skip or not, gauge, and cutter shape will take some experimenting as it depends on what you cut. Practice to sharpen so the cutters are as even as possible and razor sharp.

Rails and set up gear: Some CS millers find a 4 x 2" board, a hammer and a handfull of nails and milling the log where it lays is all they need, others want the "full kahoona(?)" of getting the log off the ground and sloping it so that gravity assists the milling process.

Log and lumber moving gear: Many beginners thinks they will just find pristine logs with no obstructions around them but then they realize it's rarely that simple. Obviously we don't all need or can afford a 4WD forklift but they sure are handy!

Anyway, this site discusses these 3 and many other things so you will find it a great resource.

 

[irishcountry]

Hello back! I gotta agree with you on the 455 I too have cut lots of firewood with mine and just a minor thing here and there so far!! I bought my 395xp this year and have used it for milling this summer it has been great too I just make sure to clean it up and lube it up everytime I'm done including taking the air filter off and giving it some air from the compressor to keep it clean. As far as mills I think to do it over I would get the Alaskan I have a GB and while it is built like a tank it weighs the same as one especially once on the saw, and I am not crazy about the locking mechinism it tend to need to be checked alot to make sure it didn't loosen up which really stinks!! The alaskan is a little simpler which in this case isn't a bad thing I may still get one down the road along with the mini-mill for making beams! Whatever you decide have fun it does take some patience and a little elbow grease but in the end you will only remember the stack of wood you have waiting to go to good use and not in you woodburner!! irishcountry

 

[huskymac]

Thanks guys

Sounds like I'm headed in the right direction, I'm a little surprised there isn't any die hard stihl fans warning me away from the orange nastys.

BobL You raise some good points, and I have been rolling some ideas for rails around in my head. I'll be sure and post some pics and give a report on my first attempt. As for moving logs around, I have a friend that owns a farm. His tree lines and creek beds are in desperate need of some TLC. Ive been pulling dead stands and blow downs out for firewood the last few years. He has offered to get the tractor out and pull some out for me several times. I have been politely refusing while secretly planing on saving the offers for the big stuff that I want to mill.
If I continue milling after I run his land dry I will probably have to break down and find something better than my pickup. But for now I think I will keep the investment as small as possible. 1500 bucks isn't really small for me but Ive found that I have never been disappointed spending more for quality tools even if it turns out that they don't get as much use as I had planed. There's nothing worse than thinking you saved big money buying as cheep as possible only to find 2 weeks later your shopping for a replacement.

 

[deeker]

Husky???

What the hell is a "husky"? I thought it was a dog.

Stihl rules!!!!! Huskies just drool.

Is that better???

Welcome to the site, lots of good info here. And a few really lost souls with huskies.

Kevin

 

[huskymac]

Oh look here come the Stihl Nazi's now!

:greenchainsaw:

Just kiddin!

I stopped in at the local Stihl dealer on the way home from work. I wanted a good look to compare. Well Nebraska really isn't the milling capital of the US but nobody keeps any of the big saws on the shelf. Husky or Stihl. I did have a look at the 460. I really like the side location of the bar adjuster and the wrap air filter. I don't know if Husqvarna has updated there filters or not, my Rancher 55 is 8 years old.

I'm going wait till after the holidays to do the deed so I have a few weeks to think it over.

Thanks again guys!

 

[dustytools]

You wont see too much Stihl or Husky bashing here in milling, now over in the Chainsaw forum you will see more than your fair share. If you prefer Stihl over Husky then the 660/066 will serve you just as well as the 395. Good luck to ya!

 

[Brmorgan]

Husky's Air Injection filtration on the bigger saws is far superior to Stihl's filtration. I don't know if they employ that system on smaller saws such as the 55 though. If you don't believe me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rztm0HM9XzE

I can personally vouch for this too. The filter on my 395 doesn't need cleaning nearly as often as the 660.

 

[huskymac]

Brmorgan

Thanks for the link. There were a few other good clips there as well.

I was leaning towards the husky from the start. The more research I do the more I like the 395.

 

[Rockfarmer]

yep BRmorgan that is an amazing clip that really does show a filtration difference between the 2 different saw manufacturers. I'm trying to find ways to improve my stihls filter.

 

[oldsaw]

yep BRmorgan that is an amazing clip that really does show a filtration difference between the 2 different saw manufacturers. I'm trying to find ways to improve my stihls filter.

Your filter is fine. Clean it after a days milling when you clean the saw.

Mark

 

[Brmorgan]

Yep, the problem isn't with the filter itself, it's all in how the saw draws its air to the filter. I don't really know what the specific design differences are, just that the results speak for themselves.

 

[Rockfarmer]

Your filter is fine. Clean it after a days milling when you clean the saw.

Mark

I will. Whats the preferred method, low compressed air?? How many lbs? Any other tricks? You dont like the idea of a foam jacket or anything to increase the surface area of the filter?? I like the size of the filter on the 066, my 041 + 045 just have this square little screen filter, looks like she'll plug up with the fine stuff when milling.

Brmorgan, supposedly the husky blows back through the filter on every other stroke and its like a self cleaning filter. I dont know how it does it either but you can see that it surely does from that video, WOW