I have had an Alaskan Mill for 12 years and use a Stihl with a 36" blade. The widest plank I cut is 29". You lose a bit either end of the blade for the gripper teeth and the bearing on the end of the blade. It cost me over £1000 when I bought it, and it paid for itself with the first tree I converted, an Oak with a diameter of 48" which yielded over 90 cubic ft of lumber. With Oak at any price between £25-£50 a cubic ft seasoned it has certainly been a good investment. It's bl**#y hard work though. I also have a kiln which dries about 30 cu ft at a time. Well worth while.
Roger G