torn

[4x4American]

Long version:

I didnt go in to work today because my truck didnt run, it was a bit of a hassle but i fixed it, it needed a bunch of wiring harnesses cleaned and a new crank position sensor from diesel fuel spilling everywhere when i installed a new pump on it the other day..so after i got my truck going i decided to go on a long test drive. so i went on stihl's website and found some dealers up north a piece that are near this huge husky dealer that i love going to. I wanted to find a good stihl dealer. I gave one a call and asked if he had a hookaroon in stock. he said yea come on by! i was excited, so i went to one in cornwall, ny, and bought a 20" bar and rs chain from him, I mentioned a 660r to him and he went and looked it up and got me a price and said he could beat anyone else's price. I stayed and shot the bull for awhile, i liked this dealer. then i went to the next one 5 min away, the guy who said that he had the hookaroon. when i asked him where the hookaroon was, he was dumbfounded, he had no idea what that was. I said that its kinda sorta somewhat similar to a cant hook it helps you move around logs and slabs off the sawmill. he said oh you're the guy i talked to on the phone, yea its right over here. he walked me over to a cant hook, i told him that was a cant hook not a hookaroon. he asked one of his everyday customers who's a tree care guy who happened to be there if he knew what it was, tree care guy said no. the dealer said well if he dont know what it is then it cant be a very good tool.......so he opened his stihl book and i pointed it out to him. he said he could order it i said no thanks i'll get it from my local dealer. the tree care guy was looking at new saws, he was liking the 461 he had there, i told him it'd be worth the wait for a 461r and that i just recently got one and i'm loving it, the tree care guy had no idea what that was. i explained it to him and all the extra things that it comes with and he was sold. then the dealer came by with a flyer that said the the r model 461 is now available in the east coast, i said yea that'd proberly my doing from giving stihl such a hard time about taking so long to get me mine..anyways, the tree care guy started talking about getting rid of his 088 that he bought new a few years back and hardly ever uses. said he's used it 3 times it hardly has any scratches. he said that he'd sell it plus 3 bars (42", 36", and one other cant remember size) for $1000. The dealer said bring it in i'll have it sold tomorrow i have a guy who's been looking for an 880 he'll love this...I got the tree care guy's info and was all excited since i'm gonna start chainsaw milling that would be perfect. after i left i seen a snap-on guy outside a shop nextdoor and i gave him two rat####s and he fixed them for me and then i headed to the husky dealership..now here at the husky dealership the guy has had a 3120k with a 6 foot bar on it for years upon years. I seen it now had a brand new 36" b+c on it i asked how much he was selling it for. he said $800 bucks. it looks real old but it runs like a cherry he says. he's a real nice old timer who owns the shop. so now i got 4 choices for a chainsaw mill saw: 3120 with 36" b+c for $800, 088 with 3 bars for $1000, a brand new 660r with 32" b+c for $1000, brand new 395xpw for $1075 with 36" b+c. watcha think


Short version:

I got three choices for a chainsaw mill saw: 3120 with 36" b+c for $800, 088 with 3 bars for $1000, a brand new 660r with 32" b+c for $1000, brand new 395xpw for $1075 with 36" b+c. whatcha think


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[Guido Salvage]

I wouldn't run a new saw on a mill, much less one that cost $800-$1000. You could have a bandsaw operator mill a lot of nice lumber for that price and not end up with a burned up saw and a lot of waste.

 

[4x4American]

I wouldn't run a new saw on a mill, much less one that cost $800-$1000. You could have a bandsaw operator mill a lot of nice lumber for that price and not end up with a burned up saw and a lot of waste.

so then my 066 will be the contender...that saws on its last legs though my 461 pulls a 36" bar better than the 066

 

[mdavlee]

Out of those I would go 3120 for sure. The oiler is a little better on it and the outboard clutch will keep some heat away from the cylinder when making long milling cuts that could be 10 minutes straight.

 

[4x4American]

Out of those I would go 3120 for sure. The oiler is a little better on it and the outboard clutch will keep some heat away from the cylinder when making long milling cuts that could be 10 minutes straight.

good to keep in mind, thanks for your input. do you know if the 3120 can use any large mount husky bar or is it different? i believe that on an 088 you need special bars for it, unless i have the two confused.

 

[gcdible1]

I cannot speak for the husky but the 088 uses the largest stihl bar mount 3002? The 066/660 down use the 3003, and the 3005 mount is for the lil guys ms170, polesaw, etc.

 

[mad murdock]

I would use the 461, outfit it with a 32" .050 barand use the stihl picco ripping chain. My husky 372xpw is about the same, and with the thin kerf chain, it cuts awesome! You don't need the hp to pull the low pro chain, and I find that the oilomatic feature of the stihl chain does a real good job of keeping lube on the chain nicely. You will be into your milling setup for minimal $$ and it will do you good. A 3120 sounds tempting especially at that price, but you could almost pick up a good used logosol mill for what you will have rapped up in a new or new(to you) saw.

 

[Justsaws]

From the choices listed at the prices listed:

1. 3120, it would have to be in good shape. Oil'n mofo.

2. 088, again in good shape. These two saws are money pits as soon as anything goes wrong but the 3120 is cheaper typically to keep running and easier to source non dealer MSRP supplied parts. Bearings and seals alone make the 3120 the cheaper rebuild, typically.

Flip a coin between the other two, 395 has more power the 660 is easier to use on the mill. When buying the 660R you are paying extra for things that you do not need for milling but may want for regular use, I would not but that is up to the individual user. The oiler up grade is nice but does not seal the deal. The 395 will still out oil it.

Those are really good prices on the 660 and 395 compared to around here.

Size matters when milling, take the biggest saw you can afford and handle safely.

 

[Justsaws]

good to keep in mind, thanks for your input. do you know if the 3120 can use any large mount husky bar or is it different? i believe that on an 088 you need special bars for it, unless i have the two confused.

Large mount Husq. for the 3120, 9.5mm.

The 088 uses a 14mm mount, old Dolmar, Echo, Solo mount as well. The 660 uses a 12mm mount. Tail profiles and hole positions can be different between the 12 and 14mm bars but the 9.5 and 12mm mounts are typically very similar. I usually try to purchase the 12mm and use spacers for the Husqs. The same can be done with the 14mm but additional modifications to the oiler and adjuster holes may be needed, sometimes the tail profile will need to be narrowed for the non .404 sized rims, usually not as issue though.

 

[4x4American]

thanks for the words, fellers...I got some thinking to do now. i love me a 660, 395 would be an exciting new territory to enter.