Brand new to milling, looking at a 24" MK III for my MS361

[Ed in Maine]

I have a bit of 18" softwood around that I would like to make some 1" boards out of for misc side projects (tree stands, shelving at camp, etc...). I am pretty sure my saw can do it, how well it can do in hardwood is another question. I have a 16" bar and chain that came with it, and I have a 25" bar with a full chisel full skip chain. I was thinking of getting a couple loops of ripping chain for the 25"l, or should I bother quite yet?

Ed

 

[timberwolf]

I think you would be asking a lot of the saw with a 25 inch bar and 18 inch trees, sure it could be done (slowly), but certainly not worth burning up a saw over.

If you could keep the trees down under 12" and run a 16-20 inch bar it would be more realistic. Easy to sharpen a chain for ripping and give it a try. I dont know if I would run out to buy a MKIII to do the amount of wood that you would want to tackle with a 60 cc saw.

 

[woodshop]

I have a bit of 18" softwood around that I would like to make some 1" boards out of for misc side projects (tree stands, shelving at camp, etc...). I am pretty sure my saw can do it, how well it can do in hardwood is another question. I have a 16" bar and chain that came with it, and I have a 25" bar with a full chisel full skip chain. I was thinking of getting a couple loops of ripping chain for the 25"l, or should I bother quite yet?

Ed

Welcome to milling and sawmills. Unless you are absolutely sure you will never want to use a larger saw/blade, get the 36" mill. The extra cost is not that much, and then you have something bigger if you should ever run into large logs, which you will. You can put a smaller bar on the larger mill, but of course not the other way around, so you will forever be stuck with 24 inches, which means you won't be able to slice anything more than 18 inches or so (you lose a few inches when you mount the bar). An MS361, being a 60cc range saw will mill 18 inch SOFTWOOD, but not anything larger, and not hardwood unless you really want to work that saw to death. No need to get ripping chain if you don't need the boards to have that smooth of a finish, regular chain will cut just as well, but milling chain will give you a smoother surface.

 

[Ed in Maine]

Thanks for the reply guys! I am just eager to clear some wood at camp but don't want to jump into anything. I have been wanting a 20" bar anyhow so that may be the best bet.

If the MKIII is overkill, should I fall back to the G777? I like the bar tip guard on the MKIII though. Good tips on the chain. I may just use a standard cut for not and go to a ripping chain if I need it smoother...

 

[woodshop]

Thanks for the reply guys! I am just eager to clear some wood at camp but don't want to jump into anything. I have been wanting a 20" bar anyhow so that may be the best bet.

If the MKIII is overkill, should I fall back to the G777? I like the bar tip guard on the MKIII though. Good tips on the chain. I may just use a standard cut for not and go to a ripping chain if I need it smoother...

My personal opinion is to not get the G777 unless again you are absolutely sure you will never want to mill anything larger. Example, my father bought the G777 and we used it in the woods a few times. It didn't take long before we realized its limitations and he got a 36" Granberg... was less than $200 and worth it. Yes the 36" mill is overkill for the 18 inch logs, but there will come a time when you will want to mill a 24" log, or bigger.

Then again, if cost is a real issue, I have been THERE also.. and understand completely.

 

[wdchuck]

Go with the bigger mill,
20" bar, semi chisel, full comp chain,
open the H jet just a little, to let more fuel through thereby keeping the saw running just a little better, milling is tough on it.

If you are starting with 16-18" dia logs, once you slab off and have cants, the 361 will do just fine, because you will have much less to cut through.

Turn your oiler to max output if you can.

Have fun, and take pics if you can.

There are guys doing this with electric chainsaws, too.:greenchainsaw:

 

[timberwolf]

As for your milling chain, once you dull a standard chain, just file it straight accross with a file one size smaller. After 3-4 sharpening it will be a ripping chain and you will have gotten use out of the chain teeth without sharpening them half away for nothing.

 

[Ed in Maine]

Good point on going up a size in the widths. I did not realize that much of the bar was consumed with the clamping scheme. I do know that I will not own a saw larger than my current 361 for years to come, so I may be limited to sub 24" by it alone??

 

[dustytools]

Good point on going up a size in the widths. I did not realize that much of the bar was consumed with the clamping scheme. I do know that I will not own a saw larger than my current 361 for years to come, so I may be limited to sub 24" by it alone??

I agree with Woodshop totally about going with the 36" mill for future expansion, however if you have no intentions of going with a bigger saw and bar for quite a while the Small Log Mill should do you and your 361 just fine for what you are currently milling. Best of luck to ya.:chainsawguy:

 

[HandLogger]

20" bar on the MS 361

Ed,

Although I have not milled with it in this configuration, I have experimented with different bars on my MS 361. The saw will pull a 20" chain very well, but I wouldn't recommend larger bars than that. As I read that you're considering the 20" bar, I thought I'd give you my general impressions.

By the way, I have felled and bucked some fairly healthy hardwood with the MS 361 and the 20" bar -- even large, dead hardwood -- but milling is, obviously, a bit more of a test. Good luck to you with your milling up there ... :newbie:

 

[stonykill]

lp milling chain and 24 inch bar

while I've never milled with a 361, I probably have more experience than most with milling with 50 cc saws. I have an 031 that I have run many times with a 24 inch bar and lp chain. LP chain is the key to milling with 50 cc saws. IMHO its just not worth milling with a 50 to 60 cc saw with regular or regular milling chain. LP reduces the drag, and lets your saw work more efficiently. As a comparison, the 031 is only 48 cc's. If that can pull a 24 inch bar with lp, I can't see why your 361 wouldn't.

If you can afford a few loops of Baileys LP milling chain, do yourself a favor and get it. I can't even begin to tell you how many logs I have milled with a 50 to 58 cc saw, and a lot with the 48cc 031. It will work, not as fast as a large saw, but it will get the job done. LP milling chain is the key.