Which Chainsaw for 56" Mill?

[Tyler Olson]

What would be the best chainsaw to use for milling wood up to 56" I don't think i will have anything that big often but i currently have something that size. If there is something that will work but i will have to go slow i can do that. I do not have much of a budget. So far i have been looking at a Stihl 660. I would like to see what you guys think would work best.

 

[BobL]

56" is an awkward size because using a conventional alaskan you need 56+6" = 62" long bar to make the cut.
But bars don't come in that size and the next size up from there is 72" - this will be very awkward to handle to mill smaller logs and is also a bit of an ask for a 660.

If you are prepared to, remove the dogs, drill the bar and modify the mill it is possible to just sneak a 56" cut onto a 60" bar.
if you custom build your mill you should be able to get 58" of cut from a 60" bar
A 660 can manage a 60" bar and 56" cut as long as it is not doing it too often.

I reckon a good size bar for a 660 is 42" - it can handle a 36" wide log but is not too unwieldy to use on smaller logs.
On my mills I use the 42" bar with the 880 for logs between 20 and 40" , for logs less than 20" wide I use a 441 with a 25" bar.

 

[Tyler Olson]

ok great, i have a 36" bar for a 660 already (bought a 064 from CL and it didnt work out) i just want to make sure the next one i buy will work for what i am doing.

 

[TruettB]

Bob,
I dunno. A 660 for a 60" bar? I only had a 660 briefly, but my (stock) 084 works a bit on a 60" bar, especially milling! Your experience far outweighs mine, but I'm surprised. I will grant that you said "not too often" on that 660.
To the OP, if you get into milling, and continue down that path, you may find, as I have, that the size of the trunks with which you are presented tends to exceed the size of the mill/bar you have. I have three: the small log mill, which serves me well with a variety of woods and situations, a 36", and a 72" (given that I simply convert one to the other with the width bars, etc. Bars: 36", 42", 60" (and a bunch smaller).
Regardless, read Bob's stickies and remember auxiliary oiling, raising the end of the log for a gravity boost, don't forget the little stuff like wedges, etc, and chain tension! Milling is a whole different beast relative to cross-cutting.

 

[Tyler Olson]

I have taken a lot in. My plan was to use lot of oil and also a winch on the mill to help me clean cuts. The pieces I have right now are 42" across so maybe I only get the equipment to cut that and then stay with a 42" max bar and chain.

 

[TruettB]

Sounds good. When I'm stretching it for a wide cut, the dogs come off, and I'll do anything to get that extra inch. I probably will eventually drill the bar like Bob, and mount that way for a number of reasons.
The winch I use off and on, when I'm solo, which I typically am; for some reason it tends to bog me down at the powerhead end. Probably too aggressive with it.
Just don't do what I did not too long ago; I was interrupted by someone while setting up for the cut, and went back without a thorough recheck. Wound up toasting the sprocket of a 41" Stihl ES Rollo because I clamped just a little tiny bit too close to the whirly end. Fortunately the replacement tips for those large mount Stihl bars are still available ;-) I bought two of them... and extra rivets...

 

[Tyler Olson]

Do you guys know of any where online I can buy a rebuilt 660? I have find a few on eBay that have been rebuilt.

 

[BobL]

Bob,
I dunno. A 660 for a 60" bar? I only had a 660 briefly, but my (stock) 084 works a bit on a 60" bar, especially milling! Your experience far outweighs mine, but I'm surprised. I will grant that you said "not too often" on that 660.

I agree it's not a thing I would recommend as a regular operation. But every now and then would be. Just don't run the rakers as low, I's use a racker angle of around 5º in hardwood and maybe 5.5-6º in softer wood,

 

[rarefish383]

Check the free classified here. I think most folks have good encounters, and the sellers are usually known, so a little less worry of a bad deal, Joe.