MS 362 on a chain saw mill rig

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ReclaimedTrees

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I have an MS 362 and I'm wondering what it can handle when set up with a ripping chain and a saw mill jig. What's the longest bar you would run on it?
 
Cutting, a 28", milling, an 18". I really wouldn't recommend this setup myself. 18" or less hard wood, 24" or less softwood. Also richen the carb up, lots of heat and stress on a saw when milling.
A 460 would really be the smallest saw I'd recommend for milling, but that's my opinion.
 
The positive side to using that small of a saw for milling is that he will get very good at filing his chain razor sharp! :D
 
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  • #4
What will the 460 take? And what would you work with ideally, for milling maximum width?

I've got a 25" bar on the 362 for cutting, for what it's worth.
 
The good news, that bar will work on the 460! Really, 20-25" hardwood with the 460 is pushing hard. 25-32" Softwood.
If you want to mill, you will need a BEAST of a saw! Seriously, think 660 or larger if you want to make nice slabs. Anything less, and you will burn it up pretty fast.
 
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  • #6
I'm looking at the 880 now . . . a trade-in might be in my future. I don't need 3 saws and I have a little 16" trimmer.
 
I own an 880 and it is not interchangeable with a 362. It is much too heavy to use for anything but the biggest cuts where no other saw will work. I wouldn't lose the 362 because it is a great midsize saw and will handle almost everything in between the little trim saw and the big milling duties. I've had my 880 for about 6 months and have used it exactly once. It's a garage queen waiting for the next monster stump cut.
 
Now we are on the same page! 880, you can mill WTF you want! It just sucks because it's a special bar mount.
Sorry, I don't mean to me a jerk, but milling is ten times harder on a saw than cutting! I've seen many a burnt up medium size saw from milling! People just can't understand that.

Edit: to add to Brian's post.
The 880 isn't a saw for everyone! The 362 is a great "inbetween" saw, it's great if it's all you have, but sucks if you have other options, if that makes sense? I guess it would be a great "firewood" saw, it will cut anything you need in that range, but it's to big to limb, and to small to fell.
 
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  • #9
I'm new to it all and I'm looking for the best solutions. You can't hurt my feelings, and I appreciate the honesty. Just trying to do this right. OK Skwerl, you just cost me a few more bucks, but you make a good point.
 
Unless you're going to be going into log milling very heavily, a 660 might be a better choice for your budget. It won't have the excess power like the 880 but it's a much easier saw to use and much less expensive to run. And the bar mount is identical to all the other Stihl saws from the 260 on up, so bars are cheaper and easier to find. Everything on the 880 is $pecial order.
 
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  • #12
Yep, that's the other option I'm looking at, but I want to buy once. My main goal is to mill stuff that a 30" band mill can't do, trunk basses and what not. The 880 spec gives me 23" more bar to work with than the 660 - so that's where I'm leaning at the moment.
 
Skwerl said:
I've had my 880 for about 6 months and have used it exactly once. It's a garage queen waiting for the next monster stump cut.

That reminds me of Carl's big saw. I told him not to get it, but he still did.
 
But if he plans on milling, it's a whole new world Butch! You don't have to wield it, and there is no such thing as too much power!
 
If you want to beat a bandmill for diameter then you need to look at something like a Lucas mill ideally. Chainsaw milling in diameters over 24" is tedious at best.
 
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  • #18
Yeah, I think the Lucas mill is gonna be phase 2+ of this operation . . . think I'm gonna start with an 880 and work up to a full on mill.
 
I like the 36" capacity of my woodmizer. Anything bigger than that isn't worth the time and effort to mess with for me.

Do you have a plan to move this enormous wood?
 
That reminds me of Carl's big saw. I told him not to get it, but he still did.

That saw has easily paid for itself a dozen plus times over. Lordy, the 72" bar has only cut 2 trees. Still, those 2 trees combined were over $11k, and the bar was required.

I still don't regret the purchase. Actually I looked at a tree today that I might break it out for.
 
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  • #22
I like the 36" capacity of my woodmizer. Anything bigger than that isn't worth the time and effort to mess with for me.

Do you have a plan to move this enormous wood?

Yeah, I'm gonna cut it up first ;)
 
Where, on location? Do the people know that they are gonna have a 120cc saw blasting away forever and a day. Just something to consider. Some people are cool with the recycling wood concept until they have to put up with the noise and mess. Not trying to shit in your oatmeal.
 
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  • #24
Where, on location? Do the people know that they are gonna have a 120cc saw blasting away forever and a day. Just something to consider. Some people are cool with the recycling wood concept until they have to put up with the noise and mess. Not trying to shit in your oatmeal.

Yeah, it's not for everyone. The main purpose of the large cutting width will be to deal with big base sections and doublers. The cleaner band saw will be the primary milling tool. Besides, saw dust/mulch is good for your lawn, right? ;)
 
I hope you have fun with it. It lost its luster for me after the first several hundred BF. Hot and dusty, with the majority of the dust sticking to your sweaty body. I ran a 3120 on my alaskan.
 
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