Max Bar for a 36" mill

[AaronB]

What is it? You loose some bar because its in the saw right, so can you actually use a larger bar and it still fit on a 36" Alaskan mill?

 

[olyman]

you could stick a 60 inch bar in there--but it would stick wayyyyy out!!!! serious, but why??? the rails on the 36 wont go out any farther, to allow a longer bar---tho you can buy the longer top rails--for longer bars

 

[glennschumann]

A 42" bar is just about perfect for a 36" mill. It allows the full cutting capability of the mill, and enough extra bar to still operate the chain brake without exposing excessive bar near the power head. I'm quite happy with my 42" bar, but I also use a 24 and 36" bar when cutting smaller logs... less spinning chain exposed, lighter, and cheaper chains.

Hope that helps.

 

[mtngun]

I run a 36" bar on a 36" Alaskan and am left with about 29 - 30" cutting capacity. The Alaskan clamps take up some space, plus you have to avoid clamping the sprocket (though BobL has demonstrated a way around that limitation) so the mill capacity will be 4" - 6" less than the bar length.

As glennschumann said, a 42" bar is required to make full use of a 36" Alaskan.

Longer bars cost more money, consume more horsepower, and are heavier, so one tries to match the bar & mill to the trees. In my area, 18" - 24" trees are typical, and 36" trees are monsters, so I'm OK with the 36" bar and 29" capacity.

 

[woodsrunner]

A 42" bar is just about perfect for a 36" mill. It allows the full cutting capability of the mill, and enough extra bar to still operate the chain brake without exposing excessive bar near the power head. I'm quite happy with my 42" bar, but I also use a 24 and 36" bar when cutting smaller logs... less spinning chain exposed, lighter, and cheaper chains.

Hope that helps.

:agree2:

I have a 42 inch Orgeon power match on my 395 for the GB mill with the 36 inch rails. Works perfect. Give me almost 36 inches of cut. Baileys (a sponsor here) has them for not alot of money.

I went the route of shorter bars for smaller logs. I don't think I would do that again. More cost. the longer bar will cut a smaller log just fine. Why pay more for more bars and more chains? Just my 2 cents worth. Plus you're always changing your setup. I gave up on that. Now I only use the 42 inch bar setup and the 60 inch setup for big logs.

Scott

 

[AaronB]

I didn't know if the "guard" on the end off the mill would still allow for a longer bar, but it sounds like it would, at least up to a 42" bar.

 

[BobL]

I didn't know if the "guard" on the end off the mill would still allow for a longer bar, but it sounds like it would, at least up to a 42" bar.

Be real careful of too much excess bar hanging out the end of a CS mill. Apart from the danger of direct physical contact, the saw/mill is then susceptible to kickback. Normally this is not a problem but milling in confined places with a lot of excess unprotected bar nose handling out the end of the mill, even if you are deep in a cut, if the saw kicks back and your bar clamp bolts are not rock solid, the bar can slide out of the clamps and wreck your chain. Unlikely but just not worth it IMHO.