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  1. #1
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    Default Stihl MS660 Magnum Chainsaws

    Stihl MS660 Magnum Chainsaws.

    As the heading suggests, my eldest lad is possibly in the market for a pair of new Stihl MS 660 Magnum chainsaws.

    (He's also thinking maybe 1 x 660 magnum for crowning and one 880 Mag for the mill - with a 4 ft or 6 foot bar depending on cost).

    He also wants an alaskan mill.

    His idea is to use one saw to fall, dock and crown the logs, and the other left set up in the mill, to slab them.

    He has access to a couple small adjacent blocks with standing timber (some 30 + year old regrowth jarrah marri and some old growth but rough standing habitat type trees) on a couple of adjacent domestic blocks that the owner wants cleared. Lads a qualified faller. Local Shire won't allow access with a loader float and dozer to push the trees - coz the new cul-de-sac road in this subdivision would be damaged by the axle loadings and there's no where for the loader float to turn around.

    So he will likely have to fall and mill the timber as he goes...then take a 950 wheel loader in and dig the stumps out and truck them away afterwards.

    Time's not a big issue - something to keep him busy in winter when not on fire stand bye.

    Owner of the block got a quote to remove the trees from an arborist (cherry picker and chip them onsite & stump grind) for $40K

    Thus she's willing to pay the lad $20K plus keep all the timber...if he falls and mills onsite. He's a 950 loader op and has MC truck license etc so can dry hire a wheel loader without problem and truck anything like stumps in or out. He could even push most of the trees with the 950 wheel loader if it has a FOPS cab & forks.

    So he is thinking 2 new Stihl MS 660's and Alaskan mill setup, should see him out. Couple standard 24 inch bars & 2 x 36 inch?

    My question.

    Is there a board / forum sponsor I should ask for a quote to supply these?

    Anyone know where they could be bought at less than retail? (i.e. trade?).

    I actually live across the road from a Stihl Dealer... and got a quote yesterday for 2 x standard saw with chain and bar, rec retail $1999, for $1800 each - plus ~ $450 or something for the alaskan mill and more again for the 2 x 36 inch bars and chains.

    Just wondering if there's anyone who's is a sponsor of the forums & looks after members - that i should give the opportunity to quote?.

    Anyone with experience have a better suggestion? I don;t think hes interested in gearing up with portable mill (lucas, Lewis saw, Wood Miser horizontal bandsaw or rail mill etc).

    Open to suggestions.

    He's just sold his 2nd hand 066 magnum and 034 AV so needs a couple new saws whether he goes ahead and mills or just keeps fire wooding in winter.

    He's had second hand used saws - and now wants the reliability of new (his times valuable to him) and hes cashed up....

    Anyone walked this particular rice paper trail have any wise words of wisdom to impart?

    Cheers & TIA.

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  3. #2
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    Default

    Although there are risks, and it may not be appropriate, however my son was importing Stihl's from the USA. They were the genuine item and not the Chinese copies.

    He was landing them here with all costs paid, freight, customs, GST etc for circa 60% of the RRP.

    As stated, grey imports are not for everyone and there is no warranty etc. However, with attractive pricing, it does not bode well for the local distributors.

  4. #3
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    Default Someone

    Someone (unknown to me - i.e. off gumtree) claims to be a pilot who fly's in and out of the US regularly contacted the lad and claims he can buy a coupe 660 mags in the USA and carry them as his carry on luggage at no cost to bring them back..

    Says he can do 2 x 660 mags with the standard 24 inch bars and chains, as well as the 2 extra 36 inch bar and chains, for $1880 each landed.

    I have concerns about 'no warranty' and also if he is avoiding import duty... for all we know, it could be a gumtree scam.

    Its not a lot different in price from the local dealer across the road ($80 each) BUT the extra 36 inch bars and chains thrown in suddenly makes it a little better coz they are ~ the $200 ea to buy I think...

    Just a little worried about the "to good to be true" aspect of it from an unknown supplier.

    Might be better maybe to stick with the known local dealer maybe...

    Any suggestions about mix n match - 880Mag for the Alaskan Mill slabber with maybe a 4 ft bar, instead of 2 x 660mags?

    Lad says he uses both at work in his job and the 880 is too heavy for hand held work... but might be OK / better in the Alaskan mill where the weight is born by the rails.

    Just curious what others would/might pick as their combo.... based on experience?. Would your son be interested in quoting Cava (if he is still importing them)?

  5. #4
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    Default

    He is not doing chainsaws at the moment and concentrating on other goods, and to be honest, I do not wish to upset any of the sponsors who may be affected.

    However, it really isn't rocket science to get on the net and search. The problem is the trust that you place on the other party to actually deliver.

    Perhaps consider buying the MS660 here with the smallest bar, for warranty concerns, and importing the longer bars/chains from overseas?

  6. #5
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    Default

    The pricing issue in Australia isn't your local dealer being expensive... their margin on a new saw is pretty minimal. It's at the national distributor level, and considering the lower volumes they deal with in a country of 25 million people spread across a large area who all expect good backup service I understand their issues too.

    Having said that: My wife flies into the USA regularly, and all my saws come from there. I can't quote list prices on a MS 660, but a new husky 395 is around 1200 USD and there wouldn't be that much difference between the two. We buy through our local dealer over there, and ship back via surface mail... takes a while to get here but it's a hell of a lot cheaper then airmail. It gets posted as two packages... powerhead and bar/chain. Value the powerhead at $990 and the bar/chain at $210 and you stay under the $1000 GST threshold.
    Factor in exchange rates and for one saw it's probably not worth it right now... you might save couple hundred bucks by the time you ship it in. But for two saws that's doubled. $500 is $500, and it's easier to save it then earn it.

    Thing is, I have a very good relationship with my local dealer here too. Some of them do get a bit snotty about servicing imported saws... my guy gets enough business off me every year regardless that he's not complaining. That matters when there's no warranty - not that I've ever made a warranty claim on a big saw anyway, but you never know.

  7. #6
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    Default

    I would not worry about the warranty for a saw that is going to be used on a CS mills because as soon a that saw is put on a CS mill this voids the warranty anyway. If you read the fine print on the Stihl Warranty they are pretty firm about Warranty only being valid for "normal use".

    The other thing to consider is that Aussie 660s come with a higher volume oiler and a less restrictive muffler. Yes you can back fit these at modest cost.

  8. #7
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    Default Not a worry

    The warranty isn't as much of a worry at the moment as the possibility of getting scammed for ~$3.6K on gumtree Bob.
    I would prefer the lad deals with some kind of legit dealer / business preferably.
    I just don't know if there was a sponsor of the forums... that sells chainsaws, that I should give the opportunity to quote was all.
    The local guy across the road is pretty good to deal with, but It doesn't hurt to do the homework... and just make sure is all.
    See how it goes...
    Pretty sure warranty won't be an issue - mill use or not.

  9. #8
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    Default A solution!!

    Tim
    I got a solution for you and your son.

    To avoid the obvious heartache with the decision to buy MS660 saws either in Australia or overseas and spare you the expense of the purchase, Simply allow a few of us forumite already with MS660s to clear up all that horrible Jarrah for you!!!!!

    No, no, don't thank me, all part of my community service.

    Let's go Bobl.

    Willy
    Jarrahland

  10. #9
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Willy Nelson View Post

    Let's go Bobl.

    Willy
    Jarrahland
    Don't count on me, my milling backlog is way too long plus I need to shake a couple of health first.

  11. #10
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    Default

    I'm swinging by in late March/early April and you could see one in action , I run my 660 with a 3', 4' and 5' bar (albeit the last slowly with extra skip chain ). With a number of trees though it may be worth considering a Lucas mill, it is hard work with a slabbing mill.
    Neil
    ____________________________________________
    Every day presents an opportunity to learn something new

  12. #11
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    Default I've seen

    I've seen an old Alaskan Mill in operation with a pair of old 090's & a 72 inch bar on a huge old Jarrah Log and it was dreadfully tough going (days in fact before they gave up / quit) but the particular 2 operators weren't the sharpest tools in the shed, (something to do with all the gunga they were smoking probably)...
    I don't think the lad would get time to make a portable mill pay to be honest.
    The Alaskan will admittedly be slow going, but he can do this at his leisure in effect... in winter (coz summer he's on fire standbye).
    I don't think theres enough good timber on these two small blocks to justify buying a portable mill to be honest.
    Once this access to private property timber is gone, I can't see more available in the foreseeable future to justify a mill.
    And everyone knows getting access to logs from State Forest just doesn't happen nowadays unless things change in future.
    The 2 saws and Alaskan should allow him to get thru whats there without over capitalizing, he can quit one saw later if he's of a mind too and just keep one and the Alaskan mill.
    It sort of gives him the ability to cash in on the odd log of it comes up... once in a blue moon.
    He's thinking along lines of produce just a few narrow slabs say 600mm ish wide, Maybe transport them down to the guy bought my old business and kiln, and pop them in the kiln for 3 months, then bring them back to me with the Robland, where I make a few natural edge coffee tables...





    And I sell them on gumtree etc and send him a few shekels for the wood.

    Basically he wants to make a quick buck getting paid to clear the 2 blocks (i.e. enough to help pay for a decent dual cab 4wd ute to replace his aging old 2wd version) and the timber gets stacked dried and slowly made into coffee tables by me and sold to return an ongoing drip feed of cash to him to help thru winter on one wage with 2 kids and no fires standbye / overtime etc.

    It sounds do-able without going overboard to me...

    I'm too old, cranky, herniated (from lifting slabs) & lazy to get back into commercial timber production etc, the young bloke would eagerly get into it, but likely I'd die trying to keep up - so maybe handicapping him with a Alaskan mill - will keep his rate of production of wood - something I can keep up with without going back OUT of semi retirement to keep pace.

    There might just be some "method" in my madness.
    I'm trying to protect my interests in this scheme of his is all.

    Also you got to treat them mean to keep em keen...so he can learn a lot by jumping thru the hoops - rather than me just hand it to him... then its just easy come easy go.
    A little hunger to get ahead is a good thing at his age and stage in life.

    Buying a portable mill (and you have to remember I've been there n done that)



    -Will likely just teach him to jump in both feet, to heck with the consequences, and play merry hell with a big stick and break things..... and I am hoping he might learn thru this softly softly slowly slowly lesson - NOT to repeat his old mans mistakes in life!

    Least that's what I am thinking at the moment.

    If he makes enough for his new ute and he then goes out and makes enough for a portable mill of his own - THEN fair play to him.

    No point getting old if you don't get cunning.

  13. #12
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    Default

    Mate, I would be watching for a second hand Lucas. I picked up a dedicated slabber for my son a couple of months ago off an old Bushie. $3000 and that was his asking price! Only done 8hours. I didnt try to haggle, I didnt have the cheek. He said he needed the room in the shed for a new horse float. You never know whats out there.

  14. #13
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    Back when I was younger and stupider we used to do a bit of milling with an alaskan. Made a lot of money out of it too... a mate and I got a hell of a lot of cedar out of places where we'd never have got the timber out even with the Lewis Saw we had... just slabbed them into 4 1/2" thick slabs, freehand ripped them back to "manageable" widths and then skidded them out behind a horse. Hard yakka that!!!

    I keep eyeing off that Weekend Warrior CSM setup that Jake Peterson is building. I don't know what the pricing is. I don't know how well made it is. But for a hobby setup I see how it could be pretty effective. Back in those "good old days" I'd have been all over that like white on rice.

  15. #14
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    Tim
    I read your post regarding the access to future timber and it may not be worth getting a poratble mill, reminded me of another story from a fellow down south. He wanted to build a shed, got a quote for the timber and thought it was expensive. He worked out that he could buy a mill for that, and cut his own. Well, all his neighbours found out he had a mill and he was paid to mill their timber. It was five years before he got around to doing his own milling, it was proving tooooo popular

    Just a thought

    Willy

    PS> I like the tables and this thread, interesting

  16. #15
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    Default There are

    There are a few portable mills in the area.... heck probably he could dry hire one, if he was of a mind too.

    I don't believe he is of a mind to (buy rent or dry hire one).

    He has his reasons.

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