Information I just discovered...

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Charlie Coyote

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...by experience. Upon assembling my Chinese Granberg style 36" mill I find that my 36" bar is 6" short to utilize the mill's widest cut. With all the videos I've watched and comments I've read over the months preparing to mill, I've not seen nor heard this mentioned. Now I'm in for a 42" bar and chain to go on the Holzfforma G660 PRO that I bought to mill. I'd have bought the 42" first had I known. Point being that if you want to maximize to the size of an Alaskan style mill, then add 6" to the mill's maximum to know what length of bar to buy. Sometimes the simplest things escape us and cost time and money unnecessarily. Just sharing a tidbit to the benefit of those entering the adventure of csm.
 
I think this has been covered in previous posts but agree, the mfg should make it clear what bar is needed. This is covered on the Granberg site. For a 30" guide will cut 26" wide planks.
Somehow over my six months of boning up in wanting to get it right the first time I missed that, even on Granberg' s videos. So, as slow and methodical that I thought I've been I'm still learning from speed bumps and curbs. On a brighter side, both of the Oregon bars I bought new on Amazon for $95 less than MSRP dedicated to the Holzfforma G660 PRO. I just would have only bought the 42" to begin with and forgone the 36", as I already had a 27" bar on my new Echo CS620PW and a ripping chain for that. Oh well, now I've got three to choose from now. The G660 had a few issues to contend with and resolve, namely the wonky chain adjuster and oiling. The oiling was insufficient from the start, so as to not damage the bar and chain I stopped. It was only oiling about 1/3 of the reserve to one tank of fuel. I ordered high output pump from Farmertec and left it sit until the pump arrived. The eye opener was when I pulled the drum and clutch to replace the pump. That revealed the housing covered with granulated magnesium caused by the worm drive spring that was so long that it carved a trench where it abraded the housing. The granulated magnesium also collected in the pump clogging it. I filed off about 1/32" from the end of the spring and deburred making sure it would clear when replaced. Installed the HO pump and turned the adjuster to maximum. This was the silver bullet. The 36" chain and bar are well oiled now. I think it would be sufficient for the 42" I have ordered, but to be safe I'm still going to rig an auxiliary oiler near the bar end. Here's looking forward to a successful maiden run.
 

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Yep this has been done to death in this forum.
Hi Bob, I was clear on the 4" or so loss capability of the mill before I purchased the 36" mill and bar, but to achieve a maximum possible width it takes a bar 5" plus, which is 42". The 36" bar requires moving the outboard clamp inward 4"-5" reducing the maximum width of the cut to 28"ish. No where have I come across information to buy a 4"-5" longer bar than the maximum capacity of the mill. I know now. Maybe when some other 70 year old or younger will be clearer before they buy. I studied 6 months and found out by experience. Never too old to learn; just like to know what others have experienced. For obvious reason I'm thinking you don't need this information, but instead of some of the baloney I've read here and elsewhere; maybe someone does. I just wonder why you sound off. Are we feeling grumpy? 😆
 
I think this has been covered in previous posts but agree, the mfg should make it clear what bar is needed. This is covered on the Granberg site. For a 30" guide will cut 26" wide planks.
It will need to have a 36" bar to actually maximize the 30" guide due to loss of bar length in mounting it. I am a noob to csw, but having retired a full cabinet door/furniture making shop I'm a bit familiar with a tape measure. The 36" mill maximum cut is 33" with a 42" bar. I get that now, because I know how to measure in thousandths.
 
...by experience. Upon assembling my Chinese Granberg style 36" mill I find that my 36" bar is 6" short to utilize the mill's widest cut. With all the videos I've watched and comments I've read over the months preparing to mill, I've not seen nor heard this mentioned. Now I'm in for a 42" bar and chain to go on the Holzfforma G660 PRO that I bought to mill. I'd have bought the 42" first had I known. Point being that if you want to maximize to the size of an Alaskan style mill, then add 6" to the mill's maximum to know what length of bar to buy. Sometimes the simplest things escape us and cost time and money unnecessarily. Just sharing a tidbit to the benefit of those entering the adventure of csm.
This is because you chose a knockoff Chinese product. In the end they always cost more, one way or another.
Granberg outlines this on their website. Buy USA made products!

36″ ALASKAN​

Chainsaws with bars of 36” or less and 70cc or more displacement

cuts planks and beams up to 32” wide and 1/2” to 13” deep.

https://www.granberg.com/product/g778-36-alaskan-mk-iv-chain-saw-mill/
 
This is because you chose a knockoff Chinese product. In the end they always cost more, one way or another.
Granberg outlines this on their website. Buy USA made products!

36″ ALASKAN​

Chainsaws with bars of 36” or less and 70cc or more displacement

cuts planks and beams up to 32” wide and 1/2” to 13” deep.

https://www.granberg.com/product/g778-36-alaskan-mk-iv-chain-saw-mill/
There's no compromise in the China made mill. It's square and rock solid. Contrary to the statement in the Granberg ad, neither 36" mill will cut 32" wide with a 36" bar. It takes a 42" bar to do the 32" wide cut on both mills. That's education for those that don't know and merely think they do, because they saw it stated in an ad. You obviously are one needing this information. When a feller buys his new Stihl assembled in the U.S., take a guess where all those parts come from. Everyone has the same needs and if the Chinese people work harder to feed their families for 1/8 the of the money that lazy Americans do, then we need to pick up step. Best not look at where anything you buy is made, it will make you sigh.
 
...by experience. Upon assembling my Chinese Granberg style 36" mill I find that my 36" bar is 6" short to utilize the mill's widest cut. With all the videos I've watched and comments I've read over the months preparing to mill, I've not seen nor heard this mentioned. Now I'm in for a 42" bar and chain to go on the Holzfforma G660 PRO that I bought to mill. I'd have bought the 42" first had I known. Point being that if you want to maximize to the size of an Alaskan style mill, then add 6" to the mill's maximum to know what length of bar to buy. Sometimes the simplest things escape us and cost time and money unnecessarily. Just sharing a tidbit to the benefit of those entering the adventure of csm.
If you're not in a huge rush to get your mill running, I have a lightly used 42" bar that I'd be willing to sell. I bought it to drop a 60" oak in my back yard. I have to mill a pair of 10' long logs in half this weekend so that they are light enough to winch up onto my trailer. If I can get that done this weekend, I will no longer need that bar and chain. I'd estimate that I have less than 5 tanks of fuel on it at this point, but I'll be putting a few more tanks on it this weekend. Its an Oregon 423RNDD025 .063 guage 3/8 pitch Power Match bar. Below are the links to the bar and chain as I bought them new off of amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00470IR4A/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004K8CZYC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1


 
FWIW, I originally ran the 42" bar above on an older, well used 064. It gave up the ghost (will get rebuilt), so I ordered a G660 to finish the job. I've been running a 28" bar on the G660 getting it broken in and working out the bugs. I haven't been able to get the G660 to oil worth a darn and went through 2 cheap aftermarket oil pumps. I finally broke down and bought a high output pump for the saw, and now its oiling the 28" bar fine with plenty of adjustment left for the 42" bar. Your experience may vary.
 
There's no compromise in the China made mill. It's square and rock solid. Contrary to the statement in the Granberg ad, neither 36" mill will cut 32" wide with a 36" bar. It takes a 42" bar to do the 32" wide cut on both mills. That's education for those that don't know and merely think they do, because they saw it stated in an ad. You obviously are one needing this information. When a feller buys his new Stihl assembled in the U.S., take a guess where all those parts come from. Everyone has the same needs and if the Chinese people work harder to feed their families for 1/8 the of the money that lazy Americans do, then we need to pick up step. Best not look at where anything you buy is made, it will make you sigh.
I work in product design – I understand supply chains well and know where all of the parts come from. However there are still often inherent differences in design (original vs a clone), quality control, and material selection. Also US assembled at least has some US labor instead of 100% of the cost of manufacture going to a foreign country.

And your analogy about Chinese feeding their family for 1/8 the cost is short sighted. The cost of living is also significantly lower. For many factory workers in 中國 the pay is actually better than many other jobs/industries.
 
I work in product design – I understand supply chains well and know where all of the parts come from. However there are still often inherent differences in design (original vs a clone), quality control, and material selection. Also US assembled at least has some US labor instead of 100% of the cost of manufacture going to a foreign country.

And your analogy about Chinese feeding their family for 1/8 the cost is short sighted. The cost of living is also significantly lower. For many factory workers in 中國 the pay is actually better than many other jobs/industries.
I've spent my entire adult life working in the manufacturing sector. 17 years in Automotive and another 9 in medical device. Before those it was residential construction and working in machine shops. On one hand, while the wages and cost of living are lower in Asia, most people working at a factory live in (what we would call) a slum. I have no problems with them earning a living. I DO have a problem with the the collage educated idiots in the finance department shipping business overseas and then trying to sell the products as Made In The USA just because we paid a union worker to put the last 6 bolts in it, and then turning around and trying to sell it for top dollar because it's good old fashion American quality. The only difference between the major brand names, and the clones is the quality control is lower on clones. However, as has been the case for the past +60 years, every year the QC gets better and so do the manufacturing processes where as on US products, every year they are cutting more and more corners to save more and more money. Buying name brand stuff because it's made in the USA is, in most cases, foolish. Being loyal to those companies is counter productive because they are no longer loyal to their customers. Continuing to do business with them just because they are an "American" company prevents them from experiencing the financial ramifications of their poor business decisions. In turn, that prevents them from making the changes that are needed to ensure their customers are actually getting the top quality products they are paying for. They only language a company speaks and understands is the language of money. Every dollar we spend is a word spoken so choose your words wisely.
 
I do agree with most all points you have made here, except that it is foolish to buy Made in USA.

If the two choices are to buy something either made or final assembled here, vs something that was 100% made and assembled in China, at least some of the revenue will remain here for wages, Capex, etc.

However in some of those cases the company may be Chinese as well, and use foreign nationals, so it is probably a moot point.

And yes, the auto industry making parts in China, assembling them in Mexico, and then shipping them across the border to put into a Chevy Silverado is a scam against this country.

Overall I agree with your sentiment and outlook though - not good.
 
Just because something says its "made in X" means little these days. My Italian cousin owns a small custom made electric motor factory and all his motors say "Made in Italy" but the components all come from Hungary, Bulgaria, India etc, Of course he has to warranty the final product so he uses the best suppliers he can.

Perhaps the strangest relationship is that between Taiwan and China. Despite the frosty or icy political relationship between these two countries I read recently that more than 100 major and unknown minor Taiwanese manufacturers use Chinese factories or Chinese made components and assembly lines. Even this is changing as Chinese assembly is being out bid by countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam.
 
If you're not in a huge rush to get your mill running, I have a lightly used 42" bar that I'd be willing to sell. I bought it to drop a 60" oak in my back yard. I have to mill a pair of 10' long logs in half this weekend so that they are light enough to winch up onto my trailer. If I can get that done this weekend, I will no longer need that bar and chain. I'd estimate that I have less than 5 tanks of fuel on it at this point, but I'll be putting a few more tanks on it this weekend. Its an Oregon 423RNDD025 .063 guage 3/8 pitch Power Match bar. Below are the links to the bar and chain as I bought them new off of amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00470IR4A/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004K8CZYC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Thank you for the offer, but I bought a new one of the same model from Amazon warehouse for $82.
 
There's no compromise in the China made mill. It's square and rock solid. Contrary to the statement in the Granberg ad, neither 36" mill will cut 32" wide with a 36" bar. It takes a 42" bar to do the 32" wide cut on both mills. That's education for those that don't know and merely think they do, because they saw it stated in an ad. You obviously are one needing this information. When a feller buys his new Stihl assembled in the U.S., take a guess where all those parts come from. Everyone has the same needs and if the Chinese people work harder to feed their families for 1/8 the of the money that lazy Americans do, then we need to pick up step. Best not look at where anything you buy is made, it will make you sigh.

The problem is greedy corporations wanting to maximize profit short term to make the shareholders happy. We dont want chinese living standards or workers safety in the civilized world. But its been going downhill the last 60 plus years...

Just dont buy holzforma bars they are junk.
 
In past experience about 12 years back buying a mid sized lathe there were 3 standards of the same unit, bottom fully china, Mid mixed parts but assembled in Taiwan , top- speced out, qc, part finishing, and assembly, all done in Taiwan.
 

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