Stihl 056 AV super any good for use with an Alkaskan Sawmill?

[demographic]

I have a mate who has a 056 AV super and wants to buy an Alaskan Sawmill to go with it.
If its any good whats the biggest kind of size mill that it will run and what length bar should be buy for it? Currently its got a 25 inch bar (as far as I can work out but then again I'm new to all this stuff) fitted.

He intends to mill sycamore and ash but may want to do other woods if that makes much difference.
He could pay someone to haul the timber out of where it is, and mill it which might well give better results but that involves paying someone else to do something that he thinks he could have a go at instead.
Also, tell me about ripping chains, whats good and whats not.
Regards Scott.

 

[computeruser]

Yes, that saw would work. I'd consider a 28" bar a practical maximum for tolerable performance. Anything longer and it will be slow, slow, slow going...

 

[steve fryar]

G'day.That saw goes around 80 odd cc so it should be fine for milling.36" bar for softwoods and maybe 30" for hardwoods.A ripping chain will cut quicker but leave a rougher finish.It's up to your mate.

 

[BobL]

G'day.That saw goes around 80 odd cc so it should be fine for milling.36" bar for softwoods and maybe 30" for hardwoods.A ripping chain will cut quicker but leave a rougher finish.It's up to your mate.

90cc I believe, should handle a 36" bar even in most north american hardwoods. According to some of the members in the chainsaw forum it runs close to the performance of an 066 but is heavier.

 

[HPLP]

My understanding is that a ripping chain simply has a cutter filed to 5-10 degrees instead of 30.

There are other ones with different profiles too and different cutter arrangements like the granberg one.

H

 

[BlueRider]

That saw will do any thing an 066 will do, The 056 magnum is 94cc with the same size bore as the 066 big bore kit. In comparison I milled for years with an 051 which is 89cc. I ran a 42" bar which will net a 36" board when bolted in a granberg mill. It is a bit slow in some of the harder woods but investing in a long bar for that saw is not throwing money down the drain. A bar for that saw would fit some of the other big Stihl saws if you ever decided you wanted a larger saw. hardwoods logs 18"-24"diameter will be the comfort zone for an 056.

32" bar in a csm = 26" board
42" bar in a csm = 36" board


Sorry for the imperial units and making you do the math.

 

[Brmorgan]

That saw will do any thing an 066 will do, The 056 magnum is 94cc with the same size bore as the 066 big bore kit. In comparison I milled for years with an 051 which is 89cc. I ran a 42" bar which will net a 36" board when bolted in a granberg mill. It is a bit slow in some of the harder woods but investing in a long bar for that saw is not throwing money down the drain. A bar for that saw would fit some of the other big Stihl saws if you ever decided you wanted a larger saw. hardwoods logs 18"-24"diameter will be the comfort zone for an 056.

32" bar in a csm = 26" board
42" bar in a csm = 36" board


Sorry for the imperial units and making you do the math.

I may be wrong on this, but I believe the 056 takes a standard 12mm Stihl bar mount, whereas the 051/070/075/076/088/090 take the larger 14mm mount. True it would still fit an 066/660 though.

 

[demographic]

I may be wrong on this, but I believe the 056 takes a standard 12mm Stihl bar mount, whereas the 051/070/075/076/088/090 take the larger 14mm mount. True it would still fit an 066/660 though.

I do know that the bar of his 056 fits onto my 038 anyway cos when I first got my 038 I tried it out with his bar as my chain was well past its best and my bar also needed dressing.
Not that I know what size the bar mount is on my 038 either.

So anyway, the general consensus seems to be that that saw will be fine for milling the odd tree that comes his way and that a 36" mill will be ok on it?
I take it that those mills are adjustable for shorter chainsaw bars anyway?
Regards Scott.

 

[BobL]

I take it that those mills are adjustable for shorter chainsaw bars anyway?
Regards Scott.

Yep.

 

[harrygrey382]

It'll get the job done - one way or another... Some facts:
056 Super is 87cc
056 Magnum is 94cc
051 has a LOT more torque than an 056 super - it has the same max torque as an 066, and I'm guessing more than an 056M too...
Having said that, I think an 056AVS will mill fine, maybe sticking to 30" max in hardwoods.
Here's me with an 056AV (with AVS top cover ) on my 30" Alaskan, it's dead oak, hard stuff. It's now driven by an 076 with 36" and boy is it a different machine!

 

[demographic]

Right, I'll pass on the news to him and see how he gets on.

 

[BobL]

Harry, I don't wish to sound too critical but your milling stance looks very uncomfortable and the grimace on your face suggests way more effort than is necessary - back hunched over, arms too far apart, and it looks like you have to reach right across the saw to reach the trigger? are you pulling the saw through the log? I think part of your problem is your mill has no handles so it looks like you have to hang onto the vertical uprights to control the mill.

Look at this stance. Log up off the ground, standing upright, arms close together and straight, more leaning on the mill than pushing, everything set up for minimal effort. When the chain is sharp and the log is on a slope the saw goes down by itself.

I'm probably just envious that being a young bloke you have energy to burn, but I figure the slabs are heavy enough as it is without wearing myself out using the mill.

Also, with your face right over the bar like that i'd be wearing some eye protection. The first time I used my big mill a nut came off the mill and the chain flung it right into my faceguard.

Another thing I don't see is wedges.

And nice looking wood BTW

 

[Brmorgan]

I'm going to throw a wrench in the gears here... How 'bout an 056 Super vs. a Husky 288XP? Exactly the same displacement, piston bore, and stroke... 056 would be slightly heavier I believe, but otherwise? Just wondering, I just picked up a 288 from the pawnshop today, couldn't pass it up even being unemployed. Now trying to decide what other saws to potentially sacrifice for it...

 

[harrygrey382]

Harry, I don't wish to sound too critical but your milling stance looks very uncomfortable and the grimace on your face suggests way more effort than is necessary - back hunched over, arms too far apart, and it looks like you have to reach right across the saw to reach the trigger? are you pulling the saw through the log? I think part of your problem is your mill has no handles so it looks like you have to hang onto the vertical uprights to control the mill.

Look at this stance. Log up off the ground, standing upright, arms close together and straight, more leaning on the mill than pushing, everything set up for minimal effort. When the chain is sharp and the log is on a slope the saw goes down by itself.


I'm probably just envious that being a young bloke you have energy to burn, but I figure the slabs are heavy enough as it is without wearing myself out using the mill.

Also, with your face right over the bar like that i'd be wearing some eye protection. The first time I used my big mill a nut came off the mill and the chain flung it right into my faceguard.

Another thing I don't see is wedges.

And nice looking wood BTW

Thanks for the comments bob, BUT that was my first go at milling quite a while ago - I've moved on since... Such as, a centrel handle, a remote throttle on the 076. I was pulling because I found that stance more comfortable - but I've been putting most things up on things if I can now. And the grimace - that's just my concentrating face! It didn't need much energy to push. Oh yeah use wedges now too

 

[BobL]

Thanks for the comments bob, BUT that was my first go at milling quite a while ago - I've moved on since...

Say no more

 

[demographic]

I notice that in this picture the mill you are using doesn't look like the Alaskan Sawmill, the adjusters look neat and it doesn't look like too hard to build, is there any chance of posting a closer picture of the mill?
Did you make it yourself? If its one you have made yourself could you post up details of its basics and any pitfalls to watch out for?
Any dimensions?
And the oiler at the end of it, is that one you made up or is it shop bought?

Is it (in your opinion) better than the Alaskan Sawmill MKIII that I keep seeing adverts for?

I know theres a few questions in there but that picture has got me interested now, I used to work as a welder in amongst other things and the bloke who wants the mill has a lathe so basic fabrication isn't too much of a problem for us as long as its worth doing.


Regards Scott.

 

[BobL]

I notice that in this picture the mill you are using doesn't look like the Alaskan Sawmill

A friend of mine calls it a "tropical alaskan" ie an "alaskan with all the fruit"
The whole thing is home made by me except for the ally welding done by my BIL
The design elements were most copied from ideas I have run across on this forum.
Follow the links in my sig file (BIL mill) for more grimy details. If you do also do a search for "BIL mill" you will see 60 threads mostly related to all the little and big adventures it has had over the last 2 years.
In January I started to adapt the mill to use an 880 powerhead. The link for that is here.

Is it (in your opinion) better than the Alaskan Sawmill MKIII that I keep seeing adverts for?

Yep, I haven't used a lot of commercial mills but it's better than any of the others I have tried.

I know theres a few questions in there but that picture has got me interested now, I used to work as a welder in amongst other things and the bloke who wants the mill has a lathe so basic fabrication isn't too much of a problem for us as long as its worth doing.

Oh it's definitely worth doing, every time I go and use my friends Granberg Mill and then I come back to mine it feels so much easier and better to use ........

There is very little lathe work in it, it was mostly made using a drop and band saw, drill press, belt sander and ally welder. The only things that were turned were the cam locks, the brass sleeves on the outboard lock for the tube handle, and the extended length bar bolts.

I'm happy to answer specific questions.

 

[demographic]

A friend of mine calls it a "tropical alaskan" ie an "alaskan with all the fruit"
The whole thing is home made by me except for the ally welding done by my BIL
The design elements were most copied from ideas I have run across on this forum.
Follow the links in my sig file (BIL mill) for more grimy details. If you do also do a search for "BIL mill" you will see 60 threads mostly related to all the little and big adventures it has had over the last 2 years.
In January I started to adapt the mill to use an 880 powerhead. The link for that is here.


Yep, I haven't used a lot of commercial mills but it's better than any of the others I have tried.


Oh it's definitely worth doing, every time I go and use my friends Granberg Mill and then I come back to mine it feels so much easier and better to use ........

There is very little lathe work in it, it was mostly made using a drop and band saw, drill press, belt sander and ally welder. The only things that were turned were the cam locks, the brass sleeves on the outboard lock for the tube handle, and the extended length bar bolts.

I'm happy to answer specific questions.

Excellent, I will be looking through those threads and maybe pestering you with questions as and when they crop up.

Thanks, Scott.

 

[Rockfarmer]

are you pulling the saw through the log?

Look at this stance. Log up off the ground, standing upright, arms close together and straight, more leaning on the mill than pushing, everything set up for minimal effort. When the chain is sharp and the log is on a slope the saw goes down by itself.

I'm probably just envious that being a young bloke you have energy to burn, but I figure the slabs are heavy enough as it is without wearing myself out using the mill.

Also, with your face right over the bar like that i'd be wearing some eye protection. The first time I used my big mill a nut came off the mill and the chain flung it right into my faceguard.

Another thing I don't see is wedges.

And nice looking wood BTW

agreed, isnt it easier to push with bodyweight than pull?

 

[demographic]

Another thing I was meaning to ask...

Does anyone set the alsakan samills so they take an angled cut through the trunks?
So theres a bark edge all the way around?
What do they use to guide the saw if they do as the "ladder guide" part would have to have "Rungs" missing.

Or cut into the outside of a bend in the tree which would give the same effect?

If so is there any pics showing how they do it?