390xp

[treedragger]

Good morning, I'm thinking of buying a used 390xp for milling.  I've never used anything but stihl.  I have an 046 right now that I use for most of my felling and bucking.  Will the 24" chain that comes stock with my 046 interchange with a stock 390xp with a 24" bar?  This is important to me and would probably keep me from switching if the Husky is designed different.  Thanks

[Rocky_J]

Is it 84 links? Should be, if I remember correctly. As long as you use the same gauge bars then yes, you can use the same chains on either saw.

[HolmenTree]

Depending what part of the US you're in the Husky b/c may be a .058.
Guaranteed the 046 is .050.
With a wire strap adapter you can mount the Stihl .475" tail slot bar on the 390 Husky. But the .355" Husky bar won't mount on the Stihl.
For milling you're better off spending the little extra money on a 395XP.
Willard.

[windthrown]

There is no guarantee of the 460 bar and chain being a 0.050. I have had as many Stihl pro saws come with 0.063 bars here as 0.050. Loggers seem to prefer the 0.063 gauge in the US, especially in the south. The 460 will come with a 3/8 standard bar and chain (but with one of the two optional guages; ,050 or ,063).

Personally I have never used Stihl chain on a Husky saw or vice versa. Lots of Husky saws use 0.058 gauge around here. That's between 0.050 and 0.063, and if so, neither of the 460 Stihl gauge chains will fit. Stihl and Husky bars have the same link counts on a 24/25 inch bar, so if you have a 3/8 0.050 bar and chain on your 460, and your Husky 390 also has a 3/8 0.050 24 inch bar on it, in that case you can swap chains between them.

The bars can be swapped if you get an adapter. But I do not know why you would wanna do that, especially on a chainsaw mill. I do not see why you do not just use the 460 for milling? And if you are used to Stihl, why buy a Husky? On Chainsaw mills my friends also recommend filing the chains at about a 20 degree angle. This is for a better cut along the length of the log (the hardest way to cut a log with a chainsaw, BTW). So it is not likely that you would want to swap chains between a milling saw (sharpened at a 20 degree angle), and a cross cut/bucking saw (sharpened at a 30 to 35 degree angle). Stihl chains come filed at a 35 degree angle, BTW.

[HolmenTree]

If your gonna do any serious milling the 460 or 046 is too light. 90cc plus is the favored.
10 degrees top plate angle works better for ripping with a mill. I have gone down to 0 which is slower but makes a nice smooth cut.
In the winter months [frozen wood] I file my cutters at 20 degrees for cross cutting with a saw of any size.
BTW  Treedragger what is your chain's gauge.. .050 or .063?
Willard.

[treedragger]

My saw is .050.  Wow, the community here is so helpful.  Thanks very much for your input.  My 460 is modified and has a oversized piston and cylinder.  Right now it might be needing some carb work.  Even with the work; I don't think that it would hold up to the constant load of a mill.  I've even been told that an 084 has loads of torque and the manual oiler lever makes it milling friendly.  Good suggestion on the 395xp.  Probably too rich$ for me though.  Thanks!