Smallest setup to mill 32" log?

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Blue42

ArboristSite Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2020
Messages
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Location
Maryland; southern
Firstly, hello, as it's my first post on the site. I have already spent about 30 hours searching around for information on what to do, and I thought it was finally time I joined.

I have a 32" diameter chestnut oak that uprooted and fell last summer that I can't get out to the road, and need to mill on the spot. It was an awesome tree and I wish it was still up; but at least I can not let it just rot. I have spent about five Saturdays now on it; first trying and failing to pull logs I cut from it up the steep hill it's on, then a bunch more weekends chopping and sawing on it with hand tools. And then, no kidding, another ten saturdays over the last five months thinking about how to do it and what to do with it. Last weekend I finally gave up on my traditionalist preference and I am going to go the power route to get it done. A chainsaw with lake pipes and supercharger, blowing flames out the side, and an alaskan sawmill. I really want to get this done before tick and mosquito season, which is coming starting around May.

I have basically no experience with chainsaws; just a few hours on a battery powered Milwaukee 16" bar. What I want is the smallest saw I can use to mill the logs, and then it will probably never see another tree thicker than 24" again. And it will probably only ever do milling. I would rather use my Disston crosscut saw on anything I can use it on. I do have a 20" or so sweetgum that's also down, and a 16-18" sycamore that the saw will also be used on. I have never been into chainsaws, but I am into trees, hand saws and axes, and big slabs of wood to make tables from. To get those slabs, now I'm into chainsaws by requirement.

I can pay guys to come in and do it all for $2000. I already talked to them. But for that price I could buy the equipment myself and do it. If I paid them, when they left I would have the wood and be $2000 poorer. If I do it myself, I will have the wood and be $1400 poorer, but I would also have $1400 worth of tools. This would all be great, as long as I can do it without getting myself hurt. I do have experience chopping on trees with axes and big crosscut saws, and riding motorcycles, and rebuilding a couple v8 engines. So I've definitely done stuff before where you can get hurt, and I know how to be careful. I'm 40 and in good shape. I'm just a little uneasy jumping right in with an 80cc chainsaw. I'm assuming that hooking the thing up to a mill rig is a little safer than swinging it around bucking logs and felling trees. Would you guys agree with that?

I am leaning towards a Husqvarna 576XP Autotune, but they're hard to find. Next preference would be their 572XP. However, to be able to mill this log I need at least a 36" bar. And even with the 36" bar, I would probably only be able to get about 30" in there. So I would have to hack off 2-3 inches of the log to use it. I would rather just use a 42" bar with a 36" mill (which I have read in several places is a good way to go, even though the Granberg site, and others, say a 36" mill is for a 36" bar, maximum). If the saw can just survive going through about a ten foot log at 30" average a few times, that's the toughest duty it will ever see. I'm thinking I can do that, take my time and let the saw cool between and during cuts, and be good. The guy I talked to at the Stihl dealer said the same thing. Oregon's parts finder pulls up a 42" bar for the 576X but not for the 572. It also pulls up a 42" bar for the Stihl 460 and 461; which are about $100-200 more, but are also options. A couple other places, like Forester, have a 36" bar that they say fits the 572, but I haven't found any reference yet that says a 42" bar will even fit a 572.
Alternatively, the Stihl dealer has a MS 660 for $850 that looks to be in decent shape.

Nice forum. I've read a lot of threads on here and have learned a lot. Could you offer any thoughts or advice to me?
 
Welcome to the rabbit hole :D

There is a very fresh husky 395xp from a trusted seller for $875 with bar a post cost right now... if you’re serious.... that’s a strong candidate.... it won’t last long at that price.

For a full 32” rip you’ll need a 48” granberg mill.
Could get by with a 42” bar though.
The 395 will pull and oil a 42 without much trouble... modifyvtye muffler to release more heat (many threads on that subject).
Safely subtract 6” from the mill width to understand it’s max cut capacity.

I think you're on the “right track” to get your logs/lumber out of the woods by hand.
It’s why I started milling but now not the only reason I do it (many her will agree I imagine).

Good luck!
 
Thanks Andy. That 395 would be an option for me. I'll look at it today. Is it in the site classifieds?

As to needing a 48" mill:
guys on here https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/max-bar-for-a-36-mill.108885/
say they can do "almost 36" of cut" with a 395, 42" bar, and 36" mill. They say the 42" bar allows you to use the full capacity of a 36" mill.
And this thread https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/choosing-a-mill-size.231553/
says pretty much the same thing--that you should be able to do almost 36" (which means to me, at least 33") with a 42" bar and 36" mill. A guy on another thread... here, https://*****************/board/index.php?topic=90568.0
says that with his Stihl 660 with 36" bar and 36" mill, he could do 34" logs when he removed the log dogs.
The mill sites usually say an 24/36/48 mill is for a maximum 24/36/48 bar. And then I think they give you the max cut width as being the mill width minus 6" or so. But it looks to me like that cut width is limited by your bar length, not your mill. If you put in a little bit longer bar, it's sounding to me like you can cut a log about two inches shorter than the mill width, rather than 6" shorter.
If I get a 48" mill, that extra size will be utilized one time, and then never again, almost for sure. Then after that one use I would always just have another 12" of bar hanging out the end. There are just hardly any big trees around here. The 32" one that fell is the thickest trunk I've seen anywhere in my woods. And it just so happened to fall within the couple years I've been living here. The sites I'm looking at also don't have the 48" mill for sale. So I'm hoping to use a 36".

As to the muffler mods; I'm actually looking at going the opposite way--making it quieter, and hopefully not losing power. I know that with cars, taking all the backpressure away opens up the high rev power somewhat, but loses you power down low. I like being quiet out in the woods and in my yard, by God's grace. I looked up a lot of threads on quieting 2 strokes already; using dirtbike/scooter/atv silencers on the chainsaw. The neighbors would also thank me not to have to listen to a chainsaw going all day. The noise is half the reason I didn't want to get one.

So you got into this by accident? I hope not to get to far down into this rabbit hole. I have too many other hobbies already. Although I am enjoying looking at the saws some. And the videos of milling with the chainsaws to get big slabs of wood are very impressive. The men who sweated all day pulling pit saws back in the last century would have wept seeing what these things can do today.
 
Thanks Andy. That 395 would be an option for me. I'll look at it today. Is it in the site classifieds?

As to needing a 48" mill:
guys on here https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/max-bar-for-a-36-mill.108885/
say they can do "almost 36" of cut" with a 395, 42" bar, and 36" mill. They say the 42" bar allows you to use the full capacity of a 36" mill.
And this thread https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/choosing-a-mill-size.231553/
says pretty much the same thing--that you should be able to do almost 36" (which means to me, at least 33") with a 42" bar and 36" mill. A guy on another thread... here, https://*****************/board/index.php?topic=90568.0
says that with his Stihl 660 with 36" bar and 36" mill, he could do 34" logs when he removed the log dogs.
The mill sites usually say an 24/36/48 mill is for a maximum 24/36/48 bar. And then I think they give you the max cut width as being the mill width minus 6" or so. But it looks to me like that cut width is limited by your bar length, not your mill. If you put in a little bit longer bar, it's sounding to me like you can cut a log about two inches shorter than the mill width, rather than 6" shorter.
If I get a 48" mill, that extra size will be utilized one time, and then never again, almost for sure. Then after that one use I would always just have another 12" of bar hanging out the end. There are just hardly any big trees around here. The 32" one that fell is the thickest trunk I've seen anywhere in my woods. And it just so happened to fall within the couple years I've been living here. The sites I'm looking at also don't have the 48" mill for sale. So I'm hoping to use a 36".

As to the muffler mods; I'm actually looking at going the opposite way--making it quieter, and hopefully not losing power. I know that with cars, taking all the backpressure away opens up the high rev power somewhat, but loses you power down low. I like being quiet out in the woods and in my yard, by God's grace. I looked up a lot of threads on quieting 2 strokes already; using dirtbike/scooter/atv silencers on the chainsaw. The neighbors would also thank me not to have to listen to a chainsaw going all day. The noise is half the reason I didn't want to get one.

So you got into this by accident? I hope not to get to far down into this rabbit hole. I have too many other hobbies already. Although I am enjoying looking at the saws some. And the videos of milling with the chainsaws to get big slabs of wood are very impressive. The men who sweated all day pulling pit saws back in the last century would have wept seeing what these things can do today.

Sounds like you have a plan.... go for it....
Yes, The 395 is here in as classified.

I’m running a 3120 after previuosly using a 661
The 661 was great but just had Little headroom remaining imo in oiler and power.
In the big saws I’ve tried, husky has the better oiler, tensioner, air filtration, and online parts availability.

My falling and utility saws are Stihl... milling is/will be Husky.

BTW
I usually run a mill36”/36”bar but bought a mill72”/62”bar for one project figuring it would be a one off...
I’ve used the big set up many times now... it just keeps finding uses !
 
Your 72" mill keeps finding uses, like milling the roof of your car off to make it a convertible? I'm kidding, they did say somewhere to get bigger than you think you need.
That 395 on here sold, just before I got to the seller. Unfortunate. I appreciate your experience with Husqvarnas being preferable for milling. There is a ported 395 for sale now, but I don't know that I want something that isn't OEM that I might have to mess with right off the bat.
 
Your 72" mill keeps finding uses, like milling the roof of your car off to make it a convertible? I'm kidding, they did say somewhere to get bigger than you think you need.
That 395 on here sold, just before I got to the seller. Unfortunate. I appreciate your experience with Husqvarnas being preferable for milling. There is a ported 395 for sale now, but I don't know that I want something that isn't OEM that I might have to mess with right off the bat.
Haha.... actually I used the bar on the saw without mill to get these nuggets into the truck the other day.
Too short for leverage and too heavy to lift... spilitting in half was the solution and worked.
9BF39736-C678-4244-A017-1BABAB048F79.jpeg
 
That looks nice, being done by free hand. Of course you could have split it, but then you wouldn't have been able to plow through it with your chainsaw.

And, I just ordered a Granberg 36" mill, so there's no going back now. Now have to get the saw, ripping chain, protective jacket and hard hat. Then monkey around some with making it quieter, so some flexible tubing that can handle exhaust, and a smaller 2-stroke silencer, along with clamps and fittings; or I'll have to make the fitting for the exhaust port.
 
Blue42, I know Rarefish383 is in Maryland; look him up, talk to him; he may be able to help you in some way.

I also know where there is an Echo cs8000 in a pawn shop with a 36 inch bar, well the saw has the 36 inch bar, priced at $450.
 
Appreciate the replies. I'm in Leonardtown Joe. I definitely want to learn what I'm doing some before jumping in with a 7hp saw and getting hurt. I work with a guy who had a tree business on the side, so I plan to ask him to give me a hand.

I saw that ported 395 on the classifieds. I'm just leery of getting anything modified, as I don't want to get all into learning about everything now, or dealing with something extra as a novice. Right now I want the standard. Lower my chances of getting hurt, or getting something that I blow up from lack of knowledge.

I found a new 390xp for a good price, but all the threads say not to mill with it, and they recommend a MS 660 or 395xp over the 390. But it's a little unfortunate that a beat up old 660 is the same price as the new 390. Makes it a hard decision. I'm trying to decide now. Factored into that decision is that I have one 32" log to mill (which is what got me into this to start with) and after that I'll probably never put the saw into anything bigger than 24" again. However, it would probably take a 42" bar to cut the 32" log, and nobody recommends a 42" bar on a 390.
 
There's a used 660 for sale locally from a Stihl dealer for $850. I'm thinking about that, but, again, it's a tough choice to go that way when there is a new 390xp for the same price available.

Also see a 572XP available for $800. If it could survive milling a couple thick logs, it would be nice to have the Autotune and other newer technology in a lighter saw.
 
Never asked you what your final use was for the lumber.
You can shave the sides of most any log at the flare... unless you’re going for live edge for all of it.
Also consider, the center cut is always the widest.
It also contains the pith which one normally cuts out.
So that center plank will be eventually cut down to tree smaller widths anyway inorder to remove the pith.
That pith area is still good for a post or other use..... but if left in the full width, you get a warp in the overall width 99/100times.
So removing all or some of the sap wood on a log at it’s center (widest) in order to fit in a mill is usually not a deal breaker.

Example:
one reason I noodled those big Cedar slabs in half.... the center would be cut into rips regardless of other uses (full width live edge planks).
The pith cut out i have 2 roughly 10” straight grain pieces plus a 4-6” wide piece from center (pith).
 
I'm going to slab it for the primary use of a nice 3' by 8' or so dining room table. A couple benches also. I don't care about a live edge, so shaving some off the sides would be an option. The logs have boring worms of some kind right under the bark too. Don't know if they're ash borers or something like them. I got the bark off about half the tree now, but there won't be any live edges.

Makes perfect sense. If the pith is going to make a full width center slab just about unuseable anyway, narrowing down that center slab by shaving the sides isn't a big deal. Do you every try to make one of your slab cuts right on the pith so that the pith only goes 1/2" or so into the slab, and you can still use it? Or would that slab still warp? Does anyone screw rails to the slabs as they dry to keep them straight?
I plan to take all the wood to a kiln, since the powerpost beetles have gotten to the wood some. Want to bake them all. (The log has only been down about 6 months but the bugs sure did hit it right away.) I don't want to wait two years for drying either. I already hit the log with some Borax spray. Might also mix some Timbor type stuff to penetrate the slabs and spray it with that also. Although the holes don't do beyond about 2 inches into the sapwood at the deepest.

I have a lot to learn still.
 
If the pith region appears solid, I usually try and keep it intact for use as a “post”.
Depends on both the species and the individual tree how it gets treated.
I left about an inch on some western maple slabs..... Hard to imagine them warping.
Some Wetwen hemlock I milled Was the opposite.... had to leave a margin as the heart area around the pith was really showing softness.
Inspect and plan your best then... expect a possibility of adjusting end use further after drying.
 
I found a saw I want to buy on Outdoor Power Equipment Forum, but have to register to make any contact or purchase. I signed up at 3 and have been waiting now for an administrator to approve my account. Would have had this done by now if I could just call the guy.
 
I found a saw I want to buy on Outdoor Power Equipment Forum, but have to register to make any contact or purchase. I signed up at 3 and have been waiting now for an administrator to approve my account. Would have had this done by now if I could just call the guy.
He might be here on this forum with same username.... you could try and search it.
 
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