Need opinions from Chainsaw owners...

[Black Dog]

Woodworking is a hobby of mine.  Lumber, especially thicker slabs, is expensive.  I have access to a good deal of Hickory, American Elm, Birch, and a few other species of good size logs.  I'm thinking of getting a 'Portable Saw Mill' that uses a chainsaw as the heart of the unit.  I've decided on the 'Mill' I would like to purchase (Granberg G777 Small Log Mill), but it needs a good strong chainsaw to make it work as expected.  Something over 50cc's and that would have a 20" bar.

I'd say that I'd go up to $500 (less is good too), but would consider a bit more $$, if there was a good reason to do so.

Lemme know what you have, and why ya like it...  I trust this group to give a 'real world' opinion of just about anything, so tell me a few stories 

Thanks, in advance.

Black Dog

[G-Man]

I have a Stihl that cost me around $350.  it has a 16" stick.  It is not too heavy and well balanced.  Easy to add chain oil and gas must be mixed with oil.  It did a great job cutting uo tree limbs of up to 8" thick this past fall.  I am no lumberjack by any means and not even a regular user of chainsaws so take this for what it's worth.

[T.P.]

HEY BLACK DOG,  I have a 14 year old Jonserud 2065 turbo. cutting machine with 4+hp and a 20" bar, the same as the 2165 turbos made now.  I know a professional logger in northern Minnesota who insists on Husqvarna saws, he uses them every day, he should know.

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/homeowner/products/chainsaws/husqvarna-chainsaws-for-homeowners/

[Dave Weaver]

+1 on the Jonsered or Husky

[Jabba]

The older Husqvarna's were bullet proof.  The newer ones, like most things, have gone downhill.  At least that's MY opinion.

Stihl makes a nice saw now-a-days.

Using a chainsaw as a sawmill HAS to be hell on the blade doesn't it?  Or do they somehow adapt the chainsaw engine to a sawmill blade?

Jabba

[alph]

i helped a friend do exactly what you want to do, once.  i mean once.  it was a bear!!  i would think it would be easier to bring your lumber to a mill and have it done for less.  not only that, but when i helped my old friend, the lumber came out wavey, not very straight......  there's a guy that my father-in-law knows, he charged me $30 to saw up 4, 16 to 20" logs (black walnut).  maybe, if you've got a trailer, and wouldn't mind driving up to the chippewa falls area some weekend, i could get in touch with him and see if he still has the equipment.

al.

[the inspector]

Dog....check out this site. I think you'll find what your looking for.

"the inspector"

http://www.baileysonline.com/default.asp

[Big-T]

Check these out for slabbing your logs. my uncle had one, worked fine. 
http://www.woodmizer.com/us/promo.aspx

[Chattanooga Mark]

About 5 years ago I bought a Sears Craftsman (made by Husqvarna). It's 18" 55cc it's very powerful, light weight, runs and cuts like beautifully. I don't get to use it much but I sure enjoy it when I do.

Mark

[hubcapsc]

The older Husqvarna's were bullet proof.  The newer ones, like most things, have gone downhill.  At least that's MY opinion.

Stihl makes a nice saw now-a-days.

Using a chainsaw as a sawmill HAS to be hell on the blade doesn't it?  Or do they somehow adapt the chainsaw engine to a sawmill blade?

Jabba

I have a 5? 10? year old Husqvarna... not one of the models they sell at the big box store... it is "pretty"
good... Sometimes I wonder if a Stihl might a better choice...

I was real interested in them for a while, and studied up on them... they use special "ripping" chains...

Wimpy chainsaws need not apply...

-Mike

[Pete]

About 1972 I bought a Super XL Homelite, still runs and cuts great today. Engine still all original.
Heavy duty saw with 17" and 25"+ bars. Have used it a lot on some really big hardwoods. As I have made many chop blocks, end tables and coffee tables using very big Oak and Maple trunks.
 
Worked so well that when I decided I needed a light weight saw I bought another Homelite.

Been well very satisfied with both.

[R J]

Steve, I think that is what my brother-in-law has in Missouri.

He has a big Husky 20" chainsaw on it.     He says, don't crowd the chainsaw or a chain could disintegrate.

[Madmike]

I grew up in logging in BC and used to do contract bucking etc when I was a younger fellow and have used lots of saws around sawmills etc.  I have used Canadians, Pioneers, Homelite, Stihl, JonSered and Pioneer/Partner saws.  I have about 8 saws at home some oldies and some newer - my go to saw is a Husky with a 26" bar on it, that said they all break down same as everything else that goes round and round.

The biggest difference between the older saws and the newer ones is production techniques.  All the Swedish saws used Electrolux motors in them 25 or 30 years ago - I am not sure if that is the case now.  In most cases the basic powerhead is not the problem it is the stuff on the outside that causes grief.  Powersaws are the same as most other manufactured things with the tendency to more plastic parts for cheaper manufacture etc.  The saws now have far superior vibration isolation systems in them compared to the older saws - but there is a loss of rigidity because of the softer mounts and these are easier to pull apart than the older style saws - good operating technique etc will minimise this.  If the chain is properly sharpened and cutting right then this will make it way easier to operate.  Cleanliness of teh saw will help minimise problems and make it last.  Blow out the area surrounding the carb on a daily basis if you use it all day, clean the bar groove and lube the tip.  If you are cutting lumber you will want to power up - lengthways cuts produce a longer stringier chip than a cross grain chip and seem to take more power maybe partly because the sawdust tends to bind in the clutch more.  As well you will have the saw in the cut and loaded for a longer period of time compared to something  like limbing and cutting blocks.

I would stick with any of the majors, and would look around for something that is used.  I have run saws over 100CC's and are gear drive but that is likely extreme for this application.  I would look for something in the 70 t0 80 cc range.  One reason I say this is that at that size you are going to be more in the range of the "professional user" type saw and so the unit should be more durable and made for heavier use.  Check the saw over and use it to do some repetitive cutting - get it warmed up and you will get a good idea what kind of shape it is in.  If teh mounts are pounded out of it look for gas and oil tank and frame cracks etc. as these can get expensive.  If you are going to mount this on a mill the mill manufacturer may be able to give you some names of other users and you can find out from them what is working well for them.

[Fatboyman05]

A few questions:
how thick of slabs do you need to cut?
what lengths of logs will you be seeing?
what kinds of widths?

and more importantly, whow will you be handling the lumber afterwards?
what machining will you be doing to it?

way back when I used a Mighty Mite, then a custom job. had a 4 sided planer once upon a time, beast of a machine that had poured babbit bearings and took a 6" by 12" dimension. must have weighed 2 tons without a drive unit....

[bigfish_Oh]

About 5 years ago I bought a Sears Craftsman (made by Husqvarna). It's 18" 55cc it's very powerful, light weight, runs and cuts like beautifully. I don't get to use it much but I sure enjoy it when I do.

Mark

beware, all sears products change manufacturers every several years, whoever gets the bids. I have a list of all the manufacturers used by sears listed by their XXX part number. seller1047 at gmail dot com

stihl, jons, husq,     


chain saws are like Valks and tractors, the best ones are orange

[bogator]

 I've used several saws ,now I have a Husky that I found in a pawn shop for 60.00 and its the best saw that I've used so far, 20 in , its like a timex ,takes a likkkkkkkkin and keeps on tikkkkkkin.

[Jess Tolbirt]

get one of those with that 350 v-8 on it,,, that oughta cut what you need....

for 500 dollars you should be able to get a big saw blade and build something to hold it and make a mini regular saw mill...

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I've got a Stihl Farm Boss IMO you could not get a better saw.

[sheets]

I have a "tree crew" consisting of a dozen guys, a couple high-rangers, a few other trucks and chippers. They cover seven counties doing tree work; from oak (Calif native) to eucalyptus to redwoods and everything in between. Their saw of choice is Husky. Same as most of the few remaining loggers in my neck of the woods. I'm on my second Stihl. First one lasted 25 years. Too old to find repair parts for. Picked up #2 a couple years ago. I was real close to purchasing a Husky. I had an emotional attachment with my old Stihl... so I got another one. Yrmv, 

[Bob E.]

About the only thing I know about chainsaws is that every time I go cut fire wood, I usually walk away with a bad case of poison ivy.  So I generally try to avoid them.  However, my brother and my dad both heat 99.999% with wood.  In fact, until last year, my dad's house didn't even have a working furnace for about the last 20 years or so.  They are actually both out splitting wood right now.  Anyways, they both have Stihls.  They went together and bought a bigger one for major cutting and a smaller one for limbing and brush and stuff.  They have run the hell out of them for years. I would guess they cut about 15 full cords a year minimum.

[Varmintmist]

I have 3 huskys. A little one for limbing (136) and 2 bigger ones, a 359 with a 20" bar and a older 61 with a 16" and a 24". I heat 100% with wood and have 50 ac in trees, they are plenty big for what I do. You dont need a lot of saw to crosscut.

To chainsaw mill you are going to need a lot of saw and a ripping chain (Baileys.com) and I would go pretty large. The 359 would run you under a 600.00 bill out the door and I wouldn't go smaller. You will need to buy rip chain loops from Baileys most likely.
http://www.husqvarna.com/us/forest/products/powerful-robust-saws/359/

I have no heartache with Stihl, the better dealer around here carries Husky. Shop the dealer as much as you shop the saw.

[Black Dog]

Thanks for all the replys guys 

The wood I'll be 'making' will be primairly 8/4", with some in the 3/4 - 5/4 range...  However, the 'Mill' I'm considering, can cut from 1/2" up to 13".  Width of boards will also range from 6" to 18".  I've thought about taking the wood to be milled (Kettle Moraine Hardwoods is 20 minutes from my house), but one of the nice things about the 'Mill' I'm considering, is that you take it to the tree, not the other way around.  The company that makes the Mill, also offers 'Ripping' chains, for less stress on the saw, and a better cut surface.

Once cut to slabs, I'll sticker them till dry, then I can surface plane boards up to 15", and have access to a planer that will do 24" boards.

I'm a hobbiest wood worker, and considering supleminting my income by making some one of/custom stuff..  I've already sold some of my creations (Headboards, Dressers, Tables, Baby Cradles, and some 'Special Request' kind of stuff) over the years, and here in Wisconsin, during the months when I can't ride, makin' saw dust, keeps me sane 

Got me some thinkin' ta do...  Thanks again, for all the good replys!

Black Dog

[NiteRiderF6]

When I buy something like this, I look at what the pros use. If you look at the vehicles of state maintenance crews or DOT types, all they have is Stihls, weedeaters, edgers, chainsaws are all that brand and they use them all day five or six days aweek. I have a Poulan, which is a good saw, but the compression is low, so I plan to replace it with a Stihl this year. I had a guy cut down a pine for me at our new place last year just after we moved and that's all he had was Stihl saws. Good luck!

[Monkey Boy]

I have a Stihl and I wouldn't own anything but.... Very strong running saw.

[Varmintmist]

Niterider, you are correct. However what the pros use varies. My 61 is a Asplund saw that they retired. The trick is that for pro use, you buy up the line.

If you want real pro saws then Efco, Johnsred, and Dolmer have to be added to the HIGH END Husky and Stihl saws.

BTW, DO NOT overlook Shindawia if you have a reputable dealer near you.

Shop dealer FIRST, the brand is less important when you cut into a old oak and 300 gal of ice water runs through the rotten center like it is coming from a fire hose and hits your hot engine block.

[Sludge]

I think Pete mentioned the Homelite XL.  That was a great saw.  I had one.  I lost focus and let a tree pinch it and then kick it .. busting it up pretty bad.  Ive had a couple Huskys since then.  Also good saws.  However, I am on my first Stihl and its certainly the best saw so far for me.

[Skeeter (Va)]

I've got a Stihl Farm Boss IMO you could not get a better saw.

    I have had a  Stihl  024   16" since  1985. I live on acreage and cut all my own fire wood and general sawing back the heavy stuff.  I am told my not in production 024 is eqivalent to the Farm Boss.....I maintain it myself, but did need to take it in once for a new choke mechinizm last year.  Awesome machine !