Homelite 1050 auto for milling?

[cleb]

I am looking to get into chainsaw milling some of the trees on our 50 acre wood lot... I have a Stihl 034av with a 18 inch bar and a Dolmar 116si with a 20 inch bar but was thinking those would be to small....

A friend has a Homelite 1050 auto that runs that he's looking to get rid of... anyone use one for milling? Any pluses or minuses to them? things to check or know about? never run a saw over 70cc's or milled so this is all new to me...

The homelite has a 24 inch bar so I'd probably be hunting around for a 36+ bar eventually... looking to get an alaskan mill... most of the trees would be in the 2-3 foot range...

thanks

 

[betterbuilt]

The saw is big enough. The real problem would be parts. milling is hard on a saw. I know I've been through a few clutches and a 100 other parts. Actually the older saws were made to last. The speed was a lot slower but that where they get the power to chew wood from. It's hard to say how that specific saw is going to do. I'd also bet it needs all the fuel lines replaced and a carb rebuild. Then again it's hard to say. I hope someone else has some better info. cheers

 

[buzz sawyer]

Early models had a 5/8" wide clutch which was replaced with a 3/4" in later models - might be a little stronger. Other than the concern with replacment parts, it should be a good milling saw. My first one has done a lot of work over the past 40 years and still runs great.

 

[BobL]

The saw is big enough. The real problem would be parts. milling is hard on a saw. I know I've been through a few clutches and a 100 other parts. Actually the older saws were made to last. The speed was a lot slower but that where they get the power to chew wood from. . . . .

The 1050 has an operating range about 2000-3000 rom lower than modern saws and seeing as cutting with chainsaws is primarily about rpm it will be slower than modern equivalent CC size saws. The 1050 does have more torque at those low RPMs so some improvement in cutting speed can be obtained by dropping the rakers more than stock settings but I would not expect a dramatic increase in performance.

 

[john taliaferro]

Might be slower in the cut but cut time is a lot less than prep like raising one end and mounting rails ,moving slabs . If your organized you can make up for slow cut . Besides whats the $ number on the homelite verses a new saw . you could get a truck load of slow saws for 2500 .:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[rarefish383]

I wouldn't be able to mill without my 1050. It served 20 plus years of commercial service, and then 20 more of me beating on it. One thing I noticed back when we were still using the saw for work, with the slower rpm's and the 404 chain, I could feel a nail and back off before I wiped out the chain. It would make a clunk-clunk and you could pull back. Usually it would snip off one nail and only nick a couple teeth. With our newer saws with 3/8 and high r's, there would be a ZIIIIPPP, and the chain would be gone. Since I've been milling I've hit nails and wire taking a log down, but never actually in a milling cut, so I don't know if the comparison is apples to apples or not. I could never afford a new saw, and as long as this one holds up I'm happy with it. If it croaks on me I have another one waiting for the funds to rebuild. I found an NOS P/C and carb over the years, so I should be good to go for a long time. Here's a couple pics. Since I still use my saws for side work, take downs, and firewood I use factory chain out of the box. One of these days I'm going to try a loop of milling chain to see how much better the finish is, Joe.

 

[rarefish383]

As JT mentioned, prep time is way more than cut time. I built a set of cribs to set my logs on. The tall one just fits under the end of my trailer. I tie the log off to a tree or pole and set the crib under it. Pull forward till the log slides back a couple feet, readjust the crib, then pull forward till the front end is about to drop off the trailer. Then slide the shorter crib under the log and pull out. Works pretty easy, Joe.

 

[ErrolC]

Hi Rarefish...I have 3 chainsaw mills (running 30, 42 & 65" bars on 3120 & 880 powerheads) and been slabbing timber for a few years now...and played around with a LOT of different settings,chains etc...evolving a design through 4 evolutions with a friend and myself, helped a LOT with a rope winch system which makes it easy to operate single handed and easy enough for my wife to be able to setup and use (just to show it IS easy, she's just 5'3"). Anyway!

The only difference between milling chain and std is the angle of the cutters (unless you're talking about skip tooth, which you only need cross cutting/bucking with bars longer than 30" to clear the chip between cutters)...angle to teeth is mainly to minimise chain chatter in the cut and the side drag that creates, causing cutting with the side of the cutter and peeling the side out of the cut on the return along the top of the bar...it leaves prominent cutter ridges...literature says to use 10deg...our experience has lead us to settle on 15 deg which cuts a little faster in the soft woods without chatter...15deg on the top plate and 35-40 deg angle on the edge...depending on the wood...harder - less angle both settings...so just a tad more under cut than normal if you use a round file...

We've heard a lot of people talk about the old saws not having enough rpm for chain speed...I've heard, and seen the same dribble about the 880 vs the 660...do none of them ever change their sprockets...I have both and can tell you...the 880 on a 25" bar & 10tooth 404 blows the 660 on a 20" & 8 tooth 404 clear out of orbit...so for your 1050 just try a larger tooth rim sprocket. though!!

One thing I've noticed...there is a particular chain speed that lets the chain set in the wood really good in the cut about 6000rpm on a 7 tooth...and it cuts quite course grained pulp vs the much finer grain dust at the higher rpm...and the speed through the cut is about the same...and the saw uses a little less gas in the process...so I'd have to say its cutting more efficiently and probably saving wear on the chain...un-decided about the strain on the powerhead and its a little tricky to keep the right on the ideal rpm.