Husqvarna 592xp blade options for milling/freehand cutting

[efiles123]

Looking for some advice on what size blade to run on my new 592xp for freehand cutting some redwood logs that are up to almost 6' in diameter. The Norwood mill allows up to 34" diameter logs so my intention is to freehand cut with grain the about halfway deep into the logs and then use wedges to hopefully split them in half. From there I'll cut again into quarters. Some of the logs are likely small enough to just square off the edges to fit. In the future I plan on using the saw to chainsaw mill as well. My main questions are:

1. Is a 36" bar long enough to quarter these logs? I know the motor can handle it but some say it could handle a 42".

2. Ripping chain or skip tooth?

3. What brands of chains and bars do you guys recommend?

Any help is appreciated.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

1. Is a 36" bar long enough to quarter these logs? I know the motor can handle it but some say it could handle a 42".

2. Ripping chain or skip tooth?

3. What brands of chains and bars do you guys recommend?

You can use a 42" bar just fine. You can get ripping chain in skip but for this kind of quartering freehand ripping you're not worried how clean the cut is, I'd just use regular chain, probably in skip. Everyone has their favorites, but chain is chain to me outside of some specialty types so I go w whatever's available and cheap, it mostly comes down to how good you are at resharpening it that makes all the difference. If you can pick up some NOS Carlton on the cheap, it tends to be better than most modern stuff. Some chains dull faster than others, but that's largely irrelevant compared to the difference in people's sharpening skills. They're fantastically skilled at this kind of ripping w chainsaws of huge logs in Third World countries, not many people do it here. When I lived in Mexico, guys were surgical at freehand ripping big 6' diameter guanacaste logs with 65-75 cc chainsaws. I'll go cheap on chain, but believe in spending money for quality bars - Cannon or GB on the high end, Oregon for the middle range (you can pick up 42" Oregon bars for $99 which is hard to beat).

 

[efiles123]

You can use a 42" bar just fine. You can get ripping chain in skip but for this kind of quartering freehand ripping you're not worried how clean the cut is, I'd just use regular chain, probably in skip. Everyone has their favorites, but chain is chain to me outside of some specialty types so I go w whatever's available and cheap, it mostly comes down to how good you are at resharpening it that makes all the difference. If you can pick up some NOS Carlton on the cheap, it tends to be better than most modern stuff. Some chains dull faster than others, but that's largely irrelevant compared to the difference in people's sharpening skills. They're fantastically skilled at this kind of ripping w chainsaws of huge logs in Third World countries, not many people do it here. When I lived in Mexico, guys were surgical at freehand ripping big 6' diameter guanacaste logs with 65-75 cc chainsaws. I'll go cheap on chain, but believe in spending money for quality bars - Cannon or GB on the high end, Oregon for the middle range (you can pick up 42" Oregon bars for $99 which is hard to beat).

Think I'm gonna go with a 42" skip. Just starting to wonder how long this cutting will take. Hopefully one cut halfway through and use wedges to split the rest will work.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

Think I'm gonna go with a 42" skip. Just starting to wonder how long this cutting will take. Hopefully one cut halfway through and use wedges to split the rest will work.

No idea on time, did a bit of research of people who have done it and most do one side and roll the log 180 and do the other side. Couldn't find anyone who had tried splitting with wedges after doing it halfway. Some people blow logs in half with black powder but that doesn't seem wise nor an accurate way of splitting. One guy said a 40" log usually took him about an hour to saw it doing the both sides way but don't know what length it was. One video of a guy who worked at a mill said it usually split apart on its own after he cut through from both sides but other guys have had to use jacks and wedges to split them even after cutting through from each side. Sounds like you need my MS780 (it's basically an 880 with a longer handle Stihl designed for Third World freehand ripping) and a 72" bar with Oregon hyperskip chain (look close and you see it's only a pair of teeth every 9"). Never any use to me here in Texas but it'd be great on redwoods. Regardless, looks like a recipe for a sore back, crouched over the whole length of the log sawing down into it.

 

[U&A]

No idea on time, did a bit of research of people who have done it and most do one side and roll the log 180 and do the other side. Couldn't find anyone who had tried splitting with wedges after doing it halfway. Some people blow logs in half with black powder but that doesn't seem wise nor an accurate way of splitting. One guy said a 40" log usually took him about an hour to saw it doing the both sides way but don't know what length it was. One video of a guy who worked at a mill said it usually split apart on its own after he cut through from both sides but other guys have had to use jacks and wedges to split them even after cutting through from each side. Sounds like you need my MS780 (it's basically an 880 with a longer handle Stihl designed for Third World freehand ripping) and a 72" bar with Oregon hyperskip chain (look close and you see it's only a pair of teeth every 9"). Never any use to me here in Texas but it'd be great on redwoods. Regardless, looks like a recipe for a sore back, crouched over the whole length of the log sawing down into it.


View attachment 1151377

When the bar cost as much as a saw. Cool pic

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

When the bar cost as much as a saw. Cool pic

Was a good investment at the price I got it back when Left Coast went out of business five years ago, but sure haven't put it to any use. Bar was on clearance for like $230 plus $70 shipping, think they go for like $800 now. Only recently fixed up the mount to work properly, bar was a D009 Husky mount I I enlarged the slot on to a 3002 Stihl but had never redrilled the oil/tensioner holes. I did the slot widening with an air die grinder and a carbide burr, which was really sloppy and unstable, and I think ground it clear out to 16mm in the end rather than 14mm, and have to use 1mm spacers now to snug it up. Eventually learned that a carbide burr in my router is a way cleaner more stable way of grinding out a slot if I ever have to mod a smaller slot bar again for the big Stihl. And got a dirt cheap set of multipurpose carbide tip drill bits that drill titanium no problem so new holes are easy.