New and Inexperienced

[Trentcherous]

First post and glad to be part of arboristsite! I have been reading many threads on my new passion which has become chainsaws and chainsaw mills. I am also looking heavily into the ever so time consuming timber framing. All started with a poulan 32cc gas chainsaw. I quickly returned that saw due to a faulty oiler. I then purchased my first husqvarna 235. Amazing saw for being so small and my intro into the uses of chainsaws. I have recently purchased a 240, 266 and currently waiting on a 3120xp to arrive with it's 53" bar and rebuilding a husky 50 for fun! The 3120 from what I read is amazing and will work awesome with the alaskan mill that is also on it's way. I have easily spent 2-3g on this equipment and just know that I'm gonna love doing it. I have purchased my self pro level chaps and faceshield as I learned from bucking with my 266 w/ 24" bar that chips like to fly fast and hurt when they hit your face. I know I have read somewhere in this site that there is a husky saw worth modding that will out cut the 3120 and just can't remember what model it was. It may be the 395xp but cannot recall... I don't want a hotsaw just yet something with power for felling larger trees but if I have to the 3120 will do just fine and my 266 seems capable but I do like how my collection is growing. Does anyone know how much a pickup timber trailer with a grapple is to buy or have built?

 

[BobL]

Welcome to the AS milling forum.

I really like to see newfound enthusiasm, but don't get your hopes up too high about being able to mill at super speeds with much bigger saws.

Cutting by every saw is a chain speed limited process so bigger saws rarely cut proportionately faster - all they really do is enable one to cut bigger wood.

A stock 395 will out cut a stock 3120 up to a certain diameter log simply because the 395 has a much higher WOT chain speed. For the 3120 to compete on small logs a larger diam drive sprocket has to be used, and the chain has to be modified with lower rakers but then that makes that chain unusable in bigger logs. Having multiple setups to achieve this often represents a significant investment and a PITA.

 

[Trentcherous]

Thanks for the welcome. Im not worried about speed as I am quality and I heard that the slower you move the more strain is on your saw because it will heat up faster. Because of the size of the 3120 I was expecting it to be built for these temps and able to run for a longer period of time. I did buy this saw used with roughly 5 hours on it so I may still need to break it in and I am not sure if I should just start milling with it just yet.
I have read bout the degrees of the chain. I just wanted a saw no matter the size that would not burn out on me and since I am not finding any trees over 18`` in diameter then I will probably just be using my 266 for the time being. I still keep hearing debates between the angle of the cutting teeth of the chains. Some say its best (smoothest cut) with 0 degree and others debate that 5 is the way to go, I have seen the mention of a 10 degree sweeping tooth to pull the dust out after the cutters as the rakers wont really be effective in the cut.
I have a question though. I seems to me that even when I watch videos of people milling and making the first cut they are using guide rails and this is no problem. My question is if my tree is on a slant and the diameter decreases the higher to the top of the tree you get then how are you able to make a good first pass? Are people eyeballing the measuring tape or did they just start on the low side?

 

[BobL]

Thanks for the welcome. Im not worried about speed as I am quality and I heard that the slower you move the more strain is on your saw because it will heat up faster.

Huh? I don't know where you got this from. Using a temp gauge on my saws I can clearly see the temperature of the power head increase if the mill/saw is pushed too fast. The slower you go the less the load on the powerhead and the lower the temperature of the saw

Because of the size of the 3120 I was expecting it to be built for these temps and able to run for a longer period of time.

Technically speaking no saw is built for CS milling and if there is a repair issue with a power head during a warrantee period it's up to your dealer to decide if they will handle it because the manufacturers probably will not.

I did buy this saw used with roughly 5 hours on it so I may still need to break it in and I am not sure if I should just start milling with it just yet.

If it was me I would put a few more hours on the saw or use it to mill small logs and deliberately change the operating revs up and down over a range every ft or so of cut.

I just wanted a saw no matter the size that would not burn out on me and since I am not finding any trees over 18`` in diameter then I will probably just be using my 266 for the time being.

Size of saw is no guarantee it won't "burn out". Even a 3120 will burn out on small logs or cross cutting 6" branches if it is not tuned right. What is more correct is that a bigger saw can take a bigger load so it is less likely to wear out than a smaller saw.

I still keep hearing debates between the angle of the cutting teeth of the chains. Some say its best (smoothest cut) with 0 degree and others debate that 5 is the way to go, I have seen the mention of a 10 degree sweeping tooth to pull the dust out after the cutters as the rakers wont really be effective in the cut.

Let's get our terminology right here - from the angles you are quoting here I assume it's the "Top plate cutting" angle. I don't think it matters what angle is used but I would suggest avoiding zero unless you use a grinder and even then I'd still use about +0.5º. If this angle goes negative this will twist the cutter in the opposite way in the groove and create a narrower kerf which could eventually jam the bar.

I have a question though. I seems to me that even when I watch videos of people milling and making the first cut they are using guide rails and this is no problem. My question is if my tree is on a slant and the diameter decreases the higher to the top of the tree you get then how are you able to make a good first pass? Are people eyeballing the measuring tape or did they just start on the low side?

Some operators use tapes, I mainly just eyeball it.

 

[Trentcherous]

Yea sorry I will work on my terminology, I have only just started into cs milling and only know what I have read or seen on videos. So I'm sorry if I sound like a newbie but thats because I am. Probably only owned a chainsaw for 3 months now and just started into milling. I went out for my first time the other day to mill out the tree I had fell and it was a great time This is definitely a hobby I will be enjoying, that and repairing my chainsaws. I will post some pictures of what I have been up to as soon as I figure this site out a little bit.