Granberg Alaskan chainsaw mills and kits
An Alaskan mill clamps to the bar of your chainsaw and turns logs into boards, beams and live-edge slabs where they fall. Pick the mill size by the width you want to cut, then match the saw and bar to it.
Bailey's is listed on Granberg's dealer locator as a Granberg dealer.
What size chainsaw mill do you need?
Pick the widest board or slab you want to cut. For a full-width slab through the middle of a log, that is about the log's diameter inside the bark.
Widest cut as published on each mill's page by Granberg. The cut you get depends on the bar you fit: the MKIV's two clamps take about 4 in of bar (the Small Log Mill's one clamp about 2 in), plus 2 in or more behind a roller-tip sprocket.
Your pick: 36 in MKIV
Granberg Alaskan MKIV 36 in (G778-36)
- Widest cut
- up to 32 in
- Bar it takes
- 36 in or less
- Saw (minimum)
- 70cc or more
- At Bailey's
- MKIV Complete kit or mill with 36 in rails
Alaskan mill sizes, bars and saw power
Every mill: widest cut, bar and saw
As published by Granberg on each mill's page (granberg.com, October 2026). Cutting depth on every Alaskan mill is published as 1/2 in to 13 in. Granberg's own figures differ in places: its chart gives 50cc for the Small Log Mill and 18–20 in for the 24 in MKIV, and Granberg's C2 package pages ask 75cc for 30 in and 90cc for 36 in.
Cut width by bar length
Granberg’s bar-length chart
| Bar | Mill | Cut width | Saw |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 in | G777 | 14 in | 50cc |
| 18 in | G777 | 16 in | 50cc |
| 20 in | G777 | 18 in | 50cc |
| 24 in | G778-24 | 18–20 in | 50cc |
| 28 in | G778-30 | 22–24 in | 60cc |
| 30 in | G778-30 | 24–26 in | 60cc |
| 32 in | G778-36 | 26–28 in | 70cc |
| 36 in | G778-36 | 30–32 in | 70cc |
| 42 in | G778-48 | 36–38 in | 90cc |
| 48 in | G778-48 | 42–44 in | 90cc |
| 50 in and up | G778-56 and up | 50–52 in and up | 120cc |
From Granberg's power and bar chart (2023 edition), which lists these as minimum power and adds: “If your budget allows, buying a more powerful chainsaw is ALWAYS better.”
How an Alaskan chainsaw mill works
A chainsaw mill is a frame that clamps to the bar of a chainsaw and holds it level as you push it down the log. The saw is the engine; the mill makes the cut flat and even.
There is far less to buy and carry than with a sawmill, and it goes wherever you can carry a saw, which is why people buy one for a few big trees on their own land. The trade-off is time and effort on every cut.
Set a level first cut
Fix a guide on top of the log: an EZ-Rail, or slabbing brackets with two straight 2x4s. Every later cut follows the face of the one before, so the first one has to be flat. Granberg’s guide asks for the rail to run at least 6 in past each end of the log.
Set the thickness
The two depth posts set the board or slab thickness: 1/2 in to 13 in on every Alaskan mill, as Granberg publishes it, and deeper with its extended depth posts.
Mill and wedge
Push the saw through at a steady pace on ripping chain. Granberg’s advice: tap the first wedge in about 2 ft into the cut, then one every 2 ft, so the slab never pinches the bar.
Turn it into lumber
Take slabs straight off the log, or roll it 90 degrees, square it into a cant and cut boards from that. The G555B Edging Mill makes the vertical cuts that square a log without rolling it.
Chainsaw mill kits and mills at Bailey's
Start with the complete kit if you have only the saw. Buy the mill on its own if you already run a long bar and ripping chain. Current prices and stock are on each product page at Bailey's.
Shown with a Granberg double-end bar. Bailey’s kit ships with a Cannon double-ended bar. Granberg MKIV Complete Alaskan Chainsaw Mill Kit
Made for: Everything but the saw, in one order
Specs and details
Bailey’s own chainsaw mill kit: an Alaskan MKIV mill with the bar, chain and add-ons it needs to start milling. Choose the mill length and the chain pitch your saw runs.
- Mill lengths
- 30, 36, 48, 56, 60 in
- Chain pitch
- 3/8 in or .404 in
- In the kit
- MKIV mill, double-ended Cannon bar, a loop of ripping chain, slabbing brackets, helper handle, auxiliary oiler
- Chainsaw
- Not included; size it from the table above
Granberg Alaskan MKIV chainsaw mill with rails
Made for: You already have the bar and chain
Specs and details
The basic MKIV mill (G778) with its handle and rail set (G781). Two clamps hold the bar at both ends for a flat, even cut. Granberg lists it for all chainsaw makes.
- Sizes at Bailey’s
- 24, 30, 36, 48, 56, 60 in
- Widest cut
- 20 in (24 in mill) to 54 in (60 in mill)
- Cut depth
- 1/2 to 13 in
- Build
- Aluminum extrusion and zinc-plated steel
Granberg Alaskan Small Log Mill (G777)
Made for: Smaller logs on a 16–20 in bar
Specs and details
A single-clamp mill for the saw you may already own. The bar must be solid steel: Granberg says laminate bars will not work with it. A G998 conversion kit and rail set later turn it into an MKIV.
- Widest cut
- up to 18 in
- Cut depth
- 1/2 to 13 in
- Bar
- 16–20 in, solid steel
- Saw
- 50–70cc or more
Granberg Edging Mill (G555B)
Made for: Vertical cuts: edging boards and squaring logs
Specs and details
Formerly the Mini Mill. It clamps to the bar and runs along a V-rail to make vertical cuts, which Granberg calls ideal for dimensional lumber and squaring logs for cabins. Pairs with an MKIV to square a log without rolling it.
- Bar
- 16–36 in, solid steel
- Saw
- 50–70cc or more
- In the box
- 12 ft of V-rail, wood screws, forming nails
- Cut size
- Depends on the bar fitted
Mill specifications as published by Granberg; kit contents as listed in Bailey's store. A specialist can confirm the bar and chain in each kit size.
Chainsaw mill kits: Bailey's complete kit and Granberg's C2 and C3
Granberg sells its own C2 and C3 packages; Bailey's kit is built differently. The difference that matters most: C3 means 3/8 chain in 30 and 36 in only, C2 means .404 chain in every size, and neither one includes EZ-Rails.
Bailey’s MKIV Complete kit
- Mill lengths
- 30, 36, 48, 56, 60 in
- Chain
- 3/8 in or .404 in ripping chain
- Bar
- Cannon double-ended bar
- Also in the box
- Helper handle, auxiliary oiler, slabbing brackets
- First-cut rails
- Brackets only; EZ-Rail sold separately
Granberg C2 package
- Mill lengths
- 30, 36, 48, 56, 60, 72, 84 in
- Chain
- .404 in
- Bar
- Granberg hardened steel double-ended bar
- Also in the box
- Helper handle with roller, auxiliary oiler, slabbing rail brackets, precision grinder
- First-cut rails
- Brackets only; no EZ-Rail
Granberg C3 package
- Mill lengths
- 30 and 36 in
- Chain
- 3/8 in
- Bar
- Granberg hardened steel double-ended bar
- Also in the box
- Helper handle with roller, auxiliary oiler, slabbing rail brackets, precision grinder
- First-cut rails
- Brackets only; no EZ-Rail
Bailey's kit as listed in Bailey's store; C2 and C3 contents as published by Granberg. No chainsaw is included in any of them. Ask a specialist about Granberg's own packages.
First-cut rails, ripping chain, milling bars and add-ons
The mill is only part of the setup. These are the pieces buyers add, all on Bailey's store with current prices.
First-cut rails
The first cut sets every board after it. Granberg calls EZ-Rail the quickest way to get it right.
EZ-Rail 10 ft set (G1010)
Two 5 ft aluminum sections with four cross members. Dogs hammer into the log and built-in screws level it. For MKIV 24–84 in and the Small Log Mill.
See current price of the EZ-Rail 10 ft set (G1010)EZ-Rail 5 ft set (G1085)
The short set. Join it to another with the connector kit, or leapfrog sets along a longer log.
See current price of the EZ-Rail 5 ft set (G1085)EZ-Rail connector kit (G1090)
Joins two EZ-Rail sections end to end.
See current price of the EZ-Rail connector kit (G1090)Slabbing brackets
The lower-cost route: brackets that bolt to two straight 2x4s you supply. Slower to level than EZ-Rail. Included in the MKIV Complete kit.
See current price of the Slabbing brackets
Ripping chain and milling bars
Milling cuts along the grain, so it needs ripping chain, and wide logs need a long bar.
Ripping and milling chain
Loops and reels in 3/8 in and .404 in pitch, including skip-tooth for big logs. Match pitch, gauge and drive-link count to your bar.
See current price of the Ripping and milling chainDouble-ended milling bars
Cannon bars, 44 in to 120 in, that take a saw at either end, so a helper handle or a second saw can work the far end. Granberg asks for twin saws within 10cc of each other, on spur sprockets.
See current price of the Double-ended milling bars
Add-ons that make milling easier
Worth adding once you are milling wide or long logs regularly.
Alaskan Winch (G478)
A hand winch that pulls the mill through the cut, with 38 ft of rope and a lever-arm anchor. Granberg says it lets you cut a log up to 18 ft long.
See current price of the Alaskan Winch (G478)Auxiliary oiler kit
A separate oil tank for the far end of a double-ended bar, for when you are not running a second saw there.
See current price of the Auxiliary oiler kitHelper handle with roller
A handle with a chain roller for the far end of a double-ended bar, used in place of a second saw.
See current price of the Helper handle with rollerRoller bracket (G988)
Rollers on the saw end of an MKIV, for any size. Not for the Small Log Mill.
See current price of the Roller bracket (G988)C2 parts kit (G778-17)
An on-off bar, tie bar and end bracket that stiffen the frame of a large MKIV. A frame upgrade, not a full C2 package.
See current price of the C2 parts kit (G778-17)
Part descriptions and compatibility as published by Granberg; Cannon bars and the chain range as listed in Bailey's store.
Outgrowing your chainsaw mill? Step up to a Lucas Mill
A chainsaw mill is the right tool for a few logs. When you are milling most weekends, cutting for other people or want a stack of boards rather than a few slabs, a sawmill saves the hours and the effort.
More boards, less work
A Lucas Mill swing-blade sawmill runs its own engine on rails over the log and cuts boards up to 10 × 20 in, as published by Lucas Mill. Every Lucas Mill swing-blade takes the optional slabbing attachment, so the same mill cuts slabs too.
Find the Lucas Mill for your logsSlabs wider than your bar
Lucas Mill's slabbing equipment cuts live-edge slabs up to 9 ft (2.7 m) wide.
See the DSM23 slab mill, a complete machine with its own engine
Bailey's is listed by Lucas Mill as its dealer for the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Questions buyers ask
Anything else, call a specialist at 1-888-465-8227.
What size Alaskan mill do I need?
Choose by the widest cut you want. For a full-width slab through the middle of a log, that is about the log’s diameter inside the bark. Granberg publishes the widest cut for each mill: 18 in for the Small Log Mill (G777), then 20, 26, 32, 44, 52 and 54 in for the 24, 30, 36, 48, 56 and 60 in MKIV, 68 in for the 72 in and 70 to 78 in for the 84 in. A larger mill also runs on a shorter bar, because the depth post slides along the rail, so you can buy for the bar you plan to grow into.
What is the best chainsaw for a chainsaw mill?
The most powerful saw you can run. Granberg’s minimums on its mill pages are 50cc for the 24 in MKIV, 60cc for the 30 in, 70cc for the 36 in, 90cc for the 48 in and 120cc for the 56 in and larger, with 50 to 70cc or more for the Small Log Mill. Its chart adds that a more powerful saw is always better. Under-powered saws cut slowly and can overheat and fail, and Granberg recommends against battery or electric saws. For a double-ended bar with two saws, Granberg asks for saws within 10cc of each other, on spur sprockets.
Ripping chain vs standard chain: what is the difference?
Standard chain is made for crosscutting, across the grain. Milling cuts along the grain, so it needs ripping chain. Granberg sharpens its ripping chain to 10 degrees on both its scoring and clearing cutters, and says it takes less power than conventional full-tooth (crosscut) chain. Crosscut chain, or ripping chain with uneven cutters, can pull the cut to one side. Skip-tooth ripping chain has fewer cutters and suits large logs. Match the pitch, gauge and drive-link count to your bar.
How long does it take to mill a log with a chainsaw mill?
There is no fixed time. It depends on the width of the cut, the wood, the power of your saw and how sharp the chain is. Expect to stop to set wedges about every 2 ft of cut and to sharpen often: Granberg says a new ripping chain cuts around 600 board feet before it needs sharpening. If you need volume, a swing-blade sawmill such as a Lucas Mill is the faster tool.
Can I mill a slab wider than my bar?
No. The cut is always narrower than the bar. The MKIV’s two clamps take about 4 in of bar, the Small Log Mill’s one clamp about 2 in, and a roller-tip sprocket costs 2 in or more. On Granberg’s chart a 36 in bar on the 36 in MKIV cuts 30 to 32 in, and a 48 in bar on the 48 in MKIV cuts 42 to 44 in. For wider slabs, use a longer double-ended bar on a larger mill, or a dedicated slabbing mill.
Is Bailey’s MKIV Complete kit a Granberg C2 or C3 package?
No. Bailey’s kit is its own: an MKIV mill in 30, 36, 48, 56 or 60 in with a double-ended Cannon bar, a loop of ripping chain in 3/8 or .404 pitch, slabbing brackets, a helper handle and an auxiliary oiler. Granberg’s C2 (.404 chain, 30 to 84 in) and C3 (3/8 chain, 30 and 36 in) packages come with a Granberg bar and a precision grinder. None of them includes a chainsaw or EZ-Rails.
What do I need for the first cut?
A flat, level guide on top of the log. Granberg’s EZ-Rail sets (5 ft or 10 ft) dog into the log and level with built-in screws. The lower-cost option is slabbing brackets bolted to two straight 2x4s, which take longer to level. After the first cut, the mill rides on the face it just cut.
What warranty comes with a Granberg mill?
Granberg says it will “warranty for life” most of its products, meaning it will repair or replace them, except items subject to normal wear and tear. Its examples of what is not covered are bars, chains, safety equipment, grinding stones and drive belts for electric grinders. Granberg asks owners to contact it if unsure whether a problem is covered.
Talk to a sawmill specialist
Tell us about your operation and the equipment you're interested in. A Bailey's sawmill specialist will get back to you.
Chainsaw Mills & Portable Sawmills
Industrial Sales Group
1-888-465-8227Granberg Alaskan mills, kits, rails, ripping chain and milling bars, and Lucas Mill sawmills when you are ready to step up.
Equipment Financing
Financing is available on sawmill equipment. See the options or apply online.