sizing Power head/bar for alaskan

[Big86inthestixx]

I have been looking around and cant seen to find a general rule on how to size your powerhead and bar for an alaskan mill?
Does anyone out there have any advice, I am running my 575xp ported right now with a 32" bar it does good but i would like to know if there is a general way to properly size the two for milling.
Thanks for the help.
Andy

 

[the westspartan]

I have been looking around and cant seen to find a general rule on how to size your powerhead and bar for an alaskan mill?
Does anyone out there have any advice, I am running my 575xp ported right now with a 32" bar it does good but i would like to know if there is a general way to properly size the two for milling.
Thanks for the help.
Andy

A lot of it depends on the wood you are milling. I am running an MS441 and it can pull a much bigger bar through the white pine I am milling than the it can through the hard maple.

32" seems like a lot for that saw. I have never used the 575xp, but my dealer sells both Stihl and Husky and he claims the 441 and 575 are similar in power. I don't know how much the porting gives it, but 32" might be pushing it. Just my 2 cents.

 

[steve fryar]

I'm using a 395XP with a 30" bar.Depends on what you're slabbing.I slab hardwood but as a rule of thumb 70cc or bigger for slabbing.I am getting a 60" bar shortly but I'll take it easy on the saw.

 

[BlueRider]

I have an 038 Magnum(72.2cc) with a 32" bar that I have used for milling a few times. When its bolted to a granberg mill you end up with about 25" in the wood which puts it back into the recomended bar length for that size saw. Your 575xp is a cc or so biger than an 038M and with a mild port job it is probably about the same in power so a 32" bar should not be a problem.

 

[Rockfarmer]

I cant remember wether its Maloffs book or Granbergs site but for some reason I want to say something in the range of 2.7 cc's per inch of alsakan mill is needed. Anybody? :monkey:

 

[Big86inthestixx]

Thanks i think i seen that book on another post somewhere in the AS. Ill look in there..thanks