Our top pick is the Timber Tuff 24-Inch Portable Saw Mill, which is lightweight, easy to transport, and can handle logs up to 22 inches in width. Here are the best chainsaw mills. The Timber Tuff Portable Saw Mill is small enough to easily transport, weighing under 14 pounds, making it easy to carry to a downed tree. It can cut planks of lumber anywhere from 0.2 inches to 11.8 inches thick, and it quickly attaches to your chainsaw with the included hardware. This well-made and easy-to-assemble chainsaw mill makes it a breeze for you to turn a log into smooth and even wood planks with your chainsaw. Price at time of publish: $174 The tool is crafted from heavy-duty steel and finished with a powder coat to resist corrosion. The only downside is that you don’t have quite as much flexibility to cut different size boards. Price at time of publish: $30 As with all Granberg products, this chainsaw mill is built to last. Made of tubular aircraft aluminum extrusion and zinc-plated steel, the tool accurately cuts lugs into planks and beams up to 32 inches wide and ½ to 13 inches deep. At a reasonable 20 pounds, it’s not a chore to set up your mill wherever a tree falls. Price at time of publish: $255 Made of aluminum and steel, this is a sturdy chainsaw mill that will serve you well whether you are new to the tool or an old hand at milling lumber. Like any chainsaw mill, you’ll get the best results if you use it with a powerful chainsaw that has a blade towards the longer end of the size range. It weighs just 15 pounds so is easy to transport. Price at time of publish: $86 This high-end chainsaw mill is made from aircraft aluminum and zinc-plated steel, and it will work with all chainsaws of 120 cc or more. The lightweight design clamps onto your bar with no drilling necessary, and you can adjust it to cut boards between ½-inch and 13 inches thick. It also includes the brand’s new end brackets, which are easier to adjust and create less vibration than previous models. Price at time of publish: $432 Unlike other chainsaw mills, the Lumbermaker swivels your saw downward to create plunge cuts, and its design is compact and lightweight, making it ideal for remote jobs. It’s best for milling squared beams, rather than flat boards, although you can certainly cut boards with it. Price at time of publish: $120 This tool takes a little bit of practice to get used to, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to create clean, even cuts—even if you’ve never used a chainsaw mill before. It’s ideal for cutting slabs, planks, and beams up to 17 inches in width. Price at time of publish: $169 This unit works with chainsaw bars up to 22 inches and models of 65 cc or high, and it’s recommended you use a ripping chain. It can handle logs up to 14 inches in diameter, and you can cut lumber up to 8 inches wide. This model is faster and easier to use than a standard Alaskan sawmill, and is a smart purchase for anyone who plans to mill a large number of logs. Price at time of publish: $1,587
Cutting Capacity
Most chainsaw mills are adjustable in width. However, keep in mind that you can’t expand the chainsaw mill further than the size of your chainsaw’s bar. Also remember that the chainsaw mill’s guide rails take up some of the width—anywhere from 2 to 8 inches depending on the mill—so you’ll actually be limited to smaller logs than the stated cutting capacity. The majority of chainsaw mills have bar lengths between 14 inches and 36 inches, but there are heavy-duty mills that extend much further in length.
Cutting Depth
Typically, the cutting depth of a chainsaw mill is adjustable, but that range varies from brand to brand. As a general rule, a versatile chainsaw mill has a cutting depth of ½-inch to 12 inches. If you expect to be cutting very large logs, however, there are chainsaw mills with cutting depths of 13 inches or more.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This article is edited and updated by Michelle Ullman, the tool expert for The Spruce. She has extensive experience not only in writing about all things related to the home, but also in carrying out various DIY projects, including landscaping, painting, flooring, wallpapering, furniture makeovers, and simple repairs. For this roundup, she considered dozens of chainsaw mills, evaluating each for basic features, extras, and customer feedback. The operator starts by securing the slabbing rail to the top of the log with screws, then attaches the chainsaw mill to the chainsaw bar, and slowly and carefully cuts down the length of the log, using the slabbing rails as a guide to keep the cut straight. This removes the outer, rounded layer of the log. Once that’s accomplished, you can set the slabbing rails aside, as you’ll use the top of the log as a guide for subsequent cuts.
