Help for a newbie - which Stihl chainsaw for occasional milling

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BarkMulch said:
Hello everybody,
I'm pretty much a FNG when it comes to all this milling stuff.
I have been hanging around a while but haven't posted because I have had nothing to add and figured why clutter the posts. But I have become more knowledgeable because of the time spent and would like thank everybody for all of the info and insight.
The reason I decided to open my yap is that I saw Pauster is from Glen Cove and I am over in Sea Cliff, one town over and wanted to say hello.
This area isn't exactly a haven for milling and chainsaws.
So again, hello to all.
Click to expand...

Hello Neighbor,

if you ever want to team up on some felling and milling, let me know :eek:)

:phone:

Patrick
 
BarkMulch said:
Hello everybody,
I'm pretty much a FNG when it comes to all this milling stuff.
I have been hanging around a while but haven't posted because I have had nothing to add and figured why clutter the posts. But I have become more knowledgeable because of the time spent and would like thank everybody for all of the info and insight.
The reason I decided to open my yap is that I saw Pauster is from Glen Cove and I am over in Sea Cliff, one town over and wanted to say hello.
This area isn't exactly a haven for milling and chainsaws.
So again, hello to all.
Click to expand...

Hello BarkMulch and welcome. Feel free to open your yap anytime you please.
 
I see that they don't offer charcoal filter packs for it. I guess since it doesn't fully seal to your face they can't officially rate it for fumes. Bummer. I was also hoping to use when I'm spraying finishes.

The filters look very similar to MSA brand filters and they are availabe with charcoal. I wonder if they fit?
 
aggiewoodbutchr said:
I see that they don't offer charcoal filter packs for it. I guess since it doesn't fully seal to your face they can't officially rate it for fumes. Bummer. I was also hoping to use when I'm spraying finishes.

The filters look very similar to MSA brand filters and they are availabe with charcoal. I wonder if they fit?
Click to expand...

I think you have hit the nail on the head. The charcoals would probably work although somewhere I heard that the charcoals also had a higher flow resistance and that would reduce overall air flow and also strain the pump motor. The unit does come with a simple ball-in-a-tube test flow meter so it would be easy enough to check. Maybe I will buy some charcoals and try it out. My take would be any reduction in fumes is better than nothing.
 
BobL said:
I think you have hit the nail on the head. The charcoals would probably work although somewhere I heard that the charcoals also had a higher flow resistance and that would reduce overall air flow and also strain the pump motor. The unit does come with a simple ball-in-a-tube test flow meter so it would be easy enough to check. Maybe I will buy some charcoals and try it out. My take would be any reduction in fumes is better than nothing.
Click to expand...

Even if the charcoals didn't work, my guess would be that you would inhale less fumes anyway as the filter pack is wore on you back.
 
Pauster, good luck with the new saw, and be careful!! Make sure you always wear that helmet WITH the goggles, like you described. I broke one of my own rules, and almost paid for it tuesday afternoon. Although I had my Stihl protective helmet/faceshield/ear protection on, I didn't wear my safety goggles UNDERNEATH. Long story short, a branch under tension snapped up when I cut it, and I was at just the right angle for it to knock my visor up and hit me right in the eyeball. Hurts like a ?????. ER docs and Opthalmologist say I'll be fine, but it'll hurt for a few days. The contact lens I was wearing probably kept the injury to the cornea, or lens part of the eye, from being worse. I did tear a gash through the conjunctiva, into the sclera. (sorry, I'm in school for nursing; this means through the clear covering of the eye into the white part of the eye below the colored part).....


Check out the chainsaw injury forum if you have a strong stomach. It really could've been worse!!! Thank god I was wearing the visor.
 
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aquan8tor said:
Paulster, good luck with the new saw, and be careful!! Make sure you always wear that helmet WITH the goggles, like you described. I broke one of my own rules, and almost paid for it tuesday afternoon. Although I had my Stihl protective helmet/faceshield/ear protection on, I didn't wear my safety goggles UNDERNEATH. Long story short, a branch under tension snapped up when I cut it, and I was at just the right angle for it to knock my visor up and hit me right in the eyeball. Hurts like a ?????. ER docs and Opthalmologist say I'll be fine, but it'll hurt for a few days. The contact lens I was wearing probably kept the injury to the cornea, or lens part of the eye, from being worse. I did tear a gash through the conjunctiva, into the sclera. (sorry, I'm in school for nursing; this means through the clear covering of the eye into the white part of the eye below the colored part).....


Check out the chainsaw injury forum if you have a strong stomach. It really could've been worse!!! Thank god I was wearing the visor.
Click to expand...

Oh oh, you are right. I found the cost of all the PPE items high, but then I thought what the copay for many doctor visits is .... Chaps face shield/helmet and glasses don't literally cost an arm and a leg, not having them might.

Hope all will turn out well with your eye ... good luck !
 
Thanks. Its already on the mend, so to speak. I'm off the percocet and onto ibuprofen. Yeah, the PPE is expensive, but, as I just found out, not that bad. $150 copay for an ER visit-----would've been less than $40 for a NICE pair of goggles. Painful lesson in humility, and safety.
 
All,

just a quick update - I cut 4 nice 5/4 - 6/4 boards and a 3 inch slab (7 1/2 feet, 8-12 inch wide, nicely spalted maple) from a log that had been waiting for a year to be cut up in your back yard.

Amazing how the 044 plowed through that log !

I didn't notice a big nail at the bottom between board 2 and three which gave
me plenty of sharpening excercise. :biggrinbounce2:

Eventually I have to buy some ripping chain - the Woodsman Pro from Baily. Which type would I need ? I am a bit confused by
the sizes offered.

I did notice that my wagner moisture meter (205) is not working anymore, hope their customer service can help me fix it ...

I have another log, about 16-18 inch diameter, which will be next once it stops pouring.

Anyway just wanted to thank you all ... I'll be back with more questions soon !

Patrick
 
Last edited:
Oh and I forgot to mention - having all the safety gear made me feel a lot more comfortable with a powerful saw. Glad I took your advice.
 
If you own a nice saw that you use to heat your house or make the REAL money, DON'T use that one. Your milling saw will most probably have a substantially shorter life span than saws used conventionally. If your budget is really $300, you might want to be lookng for a good running Stihl 051, 056, or an old Jonsereds (90, 910, etc.) The older, quality saws are fairly well designed for milling and there are a few models for which parts can still be had. I would love an 066, but finding a good runner for under $300 might not be doable. I myself have been keeping an eye out for an 051, they still make a concrete saw based on that model so there are still pistons and cylinders available.

Also, you're going to need some coin to find the right bar and chain(s)... not very cheap. If you really decide you enjoy it and have a use for the lumber, then make the bigger investment... Once you're displacing the cost of store-bought lumber, the saw will pay for itself in short order.

I've also found that milling the larger dimension lumber is MORE cost effective. Beams are REALLY expensive at the lumber yard and yet they are easier to mill... fewer cuts! Harder to cure, though.
 
Andy

I did get the 044 with saw 20'" bar for $300 and love it so far. It is a hobby only for use a few times a year. For a bit of milling of logs 20" and under and occasional firewood cutting it seems to work great. I will et a 25' roll of ripping chain and eventually and a longer bar and better milling attachment if I do this more frequently.

But I am sure soon I'll add to the collection of saws :laugh:

Patrick
 

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