I am going to build a chainsaw mill to cut lumber once we make the move onto dirt. I'll build it, so it can accommodate a 36" bar or there about. I am guessing that a ripping chain is going to use a bit more power to cut. So my question is, what chainsaw to get. As far as makes go, its going to be either Husqvarna or Stihl. I have no preference with either of those two and have used both in the past. I currently have a Husqvarna 450 just for cutting firewood but will obviously need something with more oomph for milling tree slabs.

372 xp--vrooooom,vrooooom.

What diameter trees are you anticipating ? I ran an Alaska Mill with a Stihl 076 and always wanted more power. It cut alright but was slow and a lot of back breaking work. I would choose the shortest bar you can get by with

there is a new stihl 880 on ebay with a 30 inch bar for 1700

Most people ripping lumber recommend a saw of 100cc. I've done my cabin with 45 and 65cc saws, the 45 for notching and the 65 for milling. The 65cc saw gets the job done, you just have to take your time. Jumping from a 65 to 100cc saw triples the price of the saw...maybe quadruples. I was on a budget and had to make do. I'm running a twenty-four inch bar for ripping.

I researched this for a month. Husky...365.

Big enough bar, and enough snort for a chainsaw mill. And save enough money over a Stihl to dang near buy the mill...lol

Perhaps the 385xp...

Whichever brand has the closest retail store for service and parts.

I have a husqvarna 385xp and a 390xp and both would do great

Not too familiar w/ Huskys but we run Stihls daily. For a mill I'd think you want no less than a 661 but maybe step up to an 880. We have 2 660s and they get used all the time but only had our 880 for a few years & only used it twice but it's a freakin beast.

Looks like fun...

Scoob my vote is at LEAST 70 cc.

Anyone have experience with the stil/huskee look a likes?

It's not.

I sure like my Jonsered cs-2166 in Husquvarna numbers almost a 371xp if it had the electric carb and a different coil it would be w 372xp but I have the non electric carb.


love the saw and it pulls a 28 inch bar well, just no slowing it down when running the 24 inch bar but I think your going to want to go bigger to pull a 30+ inch ripping setup

ripping is one of the hardest things you can do on a saw and it is a saw run for a long cut so more power working the saw less hard leads to longer life

given your machining skill I think you could probably build a band-saw mill and be happier making lumber than a chainsaw mill and probably have even money in it and work yourself less hard.

your going to need to rethink the flip flops probably even for the band-saw milling

I've got a forty foot rail system set up to do my logs. My cutting speed is measured in minutes per foot, not feet per minute. It's a give and take depending on what you're looking to accomplish. What cost me less than two hundred dollars in rail would cost several thousand if you were to buy it commercially manufactured in the same length.

I have been thinking about building a bandsaw for milling but the terrain is going to make that a difficult logistical task. Building the saw mill is easy enough. The problem is getting the logs to the mill. Now I would be looking at a tractor, winches front loader etc. I can take the chainsaw mill to wherever I drop the tree and carry the boards out on my little skid steer ( small Argo style ).
So distilling the help in this thread and going the middle route.
https://www.chainsawsdirect.com/Husqvarna-965-96-83-43-Chain-Saw/p72017.html

This one should do the trick. Between the 372XP for ripping and my 450 for the lighter jobs it should work.

The plan is to cut most of the lumber for the house myself. Mill 2" boards and then cut them to final size on my table saw. I want to build the house like I built my boats. From scratch and by myself.

Scuba I would look at the Jonsered 2166 it's the exact same saw as a husky 372xp or the js2172 the only difference is the 2166 has a block off plate on the side of the jug that has a baffle in it bit the specs are the same. I bought a 2166 to replace my 372xp that was stolen off my front porch and that's why I bought it was cause they were 99% the same saw but the 2166 was less money. On the other note my brother bought a Chinese Stihl looking saw and he uses it on his cainsaw mill and he said it works great. Ithink it's around the 90cc range.

I have never even seen a Jonsered. But the 2188 is the same price as the 372XP and has pretty good reviews as far as I can tell the 2166 has less HP then the Husqwarna272XP 4.8 to 5.5 ... now the 2188 seems to have the grunt at lower RPM and that looks appealing to me ...... needs more research I think this Jonsered thing.

Just something to think about. . . . what type of wood are you going to be milling?
There is a lot of difference in the wood that some of softwood the folks cut out west and some of the hardwood
that is cut in the Midwest. Same saw might be a difference of 6" or so bar that it can power.
Either way, ripping wood is hard on a saw. Go bigger if you can. My 2 cents.

Zim