Adding another saw - Need advice please

So do my pothead friends.

 

The answer about what the closest local shop sells and services is a smart choice. I say stihl 660 or husky- i have a 576 and its a beast

 

I’ve done a bunch of chainsaw milling. One thing I like about [most] Husky’s is the external clutch. It helps keep extra heat out of the case/bearings/seals.
Aside from that, obviously a full metal case saw is in order. Older models generally oil better. Biggest question is what wood you will be sawing the most.
Agree with earlier statements, the Husky 394/5 really is a hoss for mill duty. They can oil 42” bar no sweat. They are kinda spendy though, and unless you are in need of the 48” mill, smaller saw could do the trick.

 

Not L&S, nor am I in AVL, but as luck would have it the dealer I went with is reasonably near to AVL.

These are the guys I got my Husky from: https://generalrents.com
I've done some other business with them in the past and can say they've always been helpful and friendly. Found out after I picked up the 395 that a buddy of mine knows some of the guys there and has nothing but good things to say about them too.

 

Hoarders,
Thank you for all the good advice. My plan is to have a mill in place by Spring 2020. I have 12 saw logs all sealed and ready for milling this Spring. Most are Walnut, Oak and Black Cherry. I have one standing maple that has a 34 inch burl that I'm fairly excited about.

I took a trip late this afternoon to my local Stihl dealer (of whom I have used for a while now) to discuss my needs for the mill. They also had an opinion that mirrors most of what I am seeing with your advice. I have a local Husky dealer, but they cater mostly to home owners. I will visit them soon to discuss their larger saws. So the mill discussion will continue as I want to choose wisely.

Now for the rest of the story. Currently I have 40 - 50 logs I have been dragging to my wood lot for firewood processing. This being the case, the wife and I plan to CSS for the next week (no kids, no planned Christmas activities, vacation days to burn), I caved in this afternoon to my impulsiveness/Hoarder Sickness and walked away with a new ms261. Merry Christmas to me. Tonight, I have to stand in front of the bathroom mirror and practice my best liars face while repeating, "no dear, that's always been in the back of my truck, you must not have noticed."

Thanks again guys. I look forward to the continued discussion and researching your suggested links to buying a larger saw, mill and operating tips.
Happy Holidays All,
HD

 

They may take my firewoodhoarder card for this but it wouldn’t hurt to look around in your specific area for someone with a bandsaw mill that still works cheap. I found one recently. At $40 an hour it would take a whole lotta logs to make up the difference. Plus the bandsaw wastes a lot less wood.
You can possibly barter other logs for the cutting fees
If it’s a hobby I understand. I’ve wasted tons of money on hobbies. If it’s a matter of practicality,,,,,different story.

 

I'm very impressed with my 6421 dolkita. It cuts as quick, if not quicker than my buddy's magnum 460 which is a 78cc saw. It appears that the dolmars in this series saw outperform their CC size. I'm thinking a port job and muffler mod will really make my 64cc saw sing. A 7900 or 7910 appear to do a bit of milling work if you look around.

 

I second this idea. ^^^

Had a guy come down with a woodmizer and it was fast, effective, and cost a lot less than a big saw that I'd barely ever use.

Great suggestion.

 

Thank you very much!

 

Fyi, The dealer I just got my saw from was doing a single day sale, 20% off all Husqvarna. He mentioned they'd be doing it again in the spring, (or should I say late mid-winter in Wisconsin?) I didn't grab the details but I got the feeling it was a Husqvarna promotion, or Husqvarna did 10% and the dealer did 10%, so you might be able to grab the same deal up your way. It was a solid chunk of change off a $1300 saw, and the 395xp comes with a bar and chain. Buy a gallon of their pre-mix fuel with the saw and they bump the non-commercial use warranty up to 5 years.

You're very welcome!

 

sounds like you have a case of CAD Holland Dell
Chainsaw
Acquisition
Disorder.
Its okay though. It usually goes hand in hand with hoarding wood! I didnt have it when i joined, but with the gracious help of my FHC brethren, i came down with it!