Sachs Dolmar 153 question

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Damski

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I have just purchased a lovely Dolmar 153 that I want to use as an Alaskan mill. I am very new to all this and would appreciate any advise with regards best chain and what would be the best mill set up.
Tia


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I have just purchased a lovely Dolmar 153 that I want to use as an Alaskan mill. I am very new to all this and would appreciate any advise with regards best chain and what would be the best mill set up.
Tia


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I got into milling not too long ago and purchased a Granberg 36” Alaskan mill setup. I’ve been very happy with it (though I haven’t tried any other mills). I am getting consistent good results now. I bought a couple ripping chains to start but have since started using full chisel cross cut/standard chains as that’s what I have stock of now for my bigger bars. I am getting almost the same results with the full chisel chain as I was with the ripping chain and I am moving through the cut a bit faster.

I plan on sticking with the standard chains and slowly grinding them into a ripping top angle as they need sharpening. Key I have found is staying on top of the chain as far as sharpening goes. Always have some files on you and be prepared to sharpen the second you slow down on the cuts. It really does make a difference. Or take a number of sharp chains with you and swap out as you go.

Lots of good advice on this site, hopefully others will chime in with their experience and setups.

On the saw front I’ve got a smaller dolmar and really like it for limbing and prepping the logs, great little saw. I imagine the big dolmar will be a great mill saw, curious to see what you end up slabbing with it :).
 
I got into milling not too long ago and purchased a Granberg 36” Alaskan mill setup. I’ve been very happy with it (though I haven’t tried any other mills). I am getting consistent good results now. I bought a couple ripping chains to start but have since started using full chisel cross cut/standard chains as that’s what I have stock of now for my bigger bars. I am getting almost the same results with the full chisel chain as I was with the ripping chain and I am moving through the cut a bit faster.

I plan on sticking with the standard chains and slowly grinding them into a ripping top angle as they need sharpening. Key I have found is staying on top of the chain as far as sharpening goes. Always have some files on you and be prepared to sharpen the second you slow down on the cuts. It really does make a difference. Or take a number of sharp chains with you and swap out as you go.

Lots of good advice on this site, hopefully others will chime in with their experience and setups.

On the saw front I’ve got a smaller dolmar and really like it for limbing and prepping the logs, great little saw. I imagine the big dolmar will be a great mill saw, curious to see what you end up slabbing with it :).

I wouldn’t even know what my chain is, it is only just wider than the bar. The chap I bought it from said he used it once to cut down a house ash tree and he purchased from a saw mill.


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Well, I just looked your saw up and it's 100CC's, so that's a good size to mill with. As for chain, it says 3/8's or 404? Usually on the power head end of the bar there is a code that tells what bar mount it fits, the Number of teeth, the pitch and gauge. I also run out of the box still "RS" chain. My Stihl dealer sells all his chains, buy one, get one free. So I get all of mine there. Just make sure the box has a yellow square in the lower right corner. That's the aggressive stuff. Your local dealer, as long as it's not Home depot, can hook you up on the chain.
 
Not a bad bit of info on finding your chain pitch and gauge...
1F663A8E-5721-4395-A1D9-B7DC853ECCEC.jpegF061C5E4-AF5E-4C2D-B111-04E8C791D6F8.jpegE66F3B88-3C48-40CA-A434-11065B8924C6.jpegNote that as rarefish mentioned you may have a .404 pitch chain on the big dolmar, some of the bigger saws come stock with the .404 pitch.

Hope this helps :).
 
Well, I just looked your saw up and it's 100CC's, so that's a good size to mill with. As for chain, it says 3/8's or 404? Usually on the power head end of the bar there is a code that tells what bar mount it fits, the Number of teeth, the pitch and gauge. I also run out of the box still "RS" chain. My Stihl dealer sells all his chains, buy one, get one free. So I get all of mine there. Just make sure the box has a yellow square in the lower right corner. That's the aggressive stuff. Your local dealer, as long as it's not Home depot, can hook you up on the chain.

Thank you, this is very usefull


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Not a bad bit of info on finding your chain pitch and gauge...
View attachment 898511View attachment 898512View attachment 898513Note that as rarefish mentioned you may have a .404 pitch chain on the big dolmar, some of the bigger saws come stock with the .404 pitch.

Hope this helps :).

This is great thanks. As previously mentioned in this thread as it’s old and I’m thinking now maybe to sell it and buy a new more suitable model. I wouldn’t want to break this thing as it runs a treat and some may appreciate it more than I would.


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This is great thanks. As previously mentioned in this thread as it’s old and I’m thinking now maybe to sell it and buy a new more suitable model. I wouldn’t want to break this thing as it runs a treat and some may appreciate it more than I would.


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That’s an option. I used my Dad’s Homelite Super 1050, he bought new in 1973, to mill with for a long time. 6-8 years ago I bought a Stihl 660 to give the old saw a rest. The 660 is a nice all around saw, with 25” and 36” bars. I get a lot of use out of it. The 660 cost me over $1000 US, back then. I was using a 1968 Homelite XL12 to cut 24” Oak into firewood yesterday. I don’t mind using the old saws. You probably won’t be able to replace your saw buy selling it. You will either have to go smaller, buy used, or add a good bit of money to your sold profit. My old 1050 is 100CC’s also, the 660 is 92-93CC’s. The 660 is quieter, smoother, less vibration. The 1050 pulls 404 chain, cuts faster in big hardwood, and stands up to to foreign material in the wood. If I hit one nail with 404 chain it will clip the nail off, and maybe dull 2-3 teeth on each side. If I hit the same nail with the 660 with 3/8 chain, it stops cutting immediately, and dulls every tooth on the chain. That might have something to do with the 660 revving much higher. Either way works. Happy milling!
 
That’s an option. I used my Dad’s Homelite Super 1050, he bought new in 1973, to mill with for a long time. 6-8 years ago I bought a Stihl 660 to give the old saw a rest. The 660 is a nice all around saw, with 25” and 36” bars. I get a lot of use out of it. The 660 cost me over $1000 US, back then. I was using a 1968 Homelite XL12 to cut 24” Oak into firewood yesterday. I don’t mind using the old saws. You probably won’t be able to replace your saw buy selling it. You will either have to go smaller, buy used, or add a good bit of money to your sold profit. My old 1050 is 100CC’s also, the 660 is 92-93CC’s. The 660 is quieter, smoother, less vibration. The 1050 pulls 404 chain, cuts faster in big hardwood, and stands up to to foreign material in the wood. If I hit one nail with 404 chain it will clip the nail off, and maybe dull 2-3 teeth on each side. If I hit the same nail with the 660 with 3/8 chain, it stops cutting immediately, and dulls every tooth on the chain. That might have something to do with the 660 revving much higher. Either way works. Happy milling!

Thank you for explaining this, you have been most helpful.


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