Alaska Chainsaw Mill Saw choice

[Timbercruiser]

I want to buy a Alaska Mill. Is a saw like a husky 390 or 660 stihl Big enough to run a 36 inch bar on a Alaska mill ??  Im not sure what size to buy and dont want to be under powered.

[HolmenTree]

Depends how much lumber you're planning on cutting. Husky 395XP would be a better choice in the 390 / 660 dept.
If you're really serious Husky 3120XP    or    880 / 090AV Stihl .
I prefer my 090, just can't wear it out.

[mad murdock]

What is the average dia. log you will be milling?  I would gear up for that.  If you are going to be consistently milling 24" plus dia logs, I would go as big as you can afford.  Look at used saws as well, you can often get more cc's for less money, I got an 075 Stihl for free, tho it needed about 40 bucks worth of parts to get going good.  It came with a 36" roller nose bar. Maybe you can find an old Pioneer? They made some stout saws of larger cc.
If you go new, you will be spending nigh on 2,000.00 for a big saw.  The smallest I would go is a 395 ish size, unless you will be only getting in to the 24" plus dia logs once in a great while.  I have a 372XPW and it does well, for most of my milling, the 075 comes out for the big logs.

[HolmenTree]

I believe legendary Alaskan sawmiller author Will Malloff from the PNW mentioned using old gear drive saws. I have no experience with gear drive saws but they sound like they would be suitable for ripping off those big slabs and ripping the full width cants.
www.spirit-wrestlers.com/excerpts/Inquirer/People/Malloff_Will.html

[Ianab]

An old Stihl 090G would probably be Holy Grail of milling saws  :D

But a good one of them is likely to cost more than a new MS660. 

Ian

[HolmenTree]

An old Stihl 090G would probably be Holy Grail of milling saws  :D

But a good one of them is likely to cost more than a new MS660. 

Ian

Now that you mentioned that Ian if I remember correctly Will Malloff used a 090G in his book that I mentioned in my last post.
I loaned that book to a fellow logger about 20 yrs ago and haven't seen it or him since.