Chainsaws: A History.
Description
Contains Photos, Bibliography, Index
$49.95
ISBN 978-1-55017-380-4
DDC 621.9'3'
Publisher
Year
Contributor
Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.
Review
Yes, they’re noisy and yes, they can be dangerous, but if you appreciate a well-designed, efficient tool, chainsaws can be beautiful.
In this magnificent coffee-table album, Lee reviews the history of chainsaws, from the massive 600-pound, two-man models made in the late 1800s for the west coast timber industry to the 10-pound modern models intended for occasional use by homeowners. The book’s scope includes the technical, economic, and historical forces that influenced the development of chainsaws as tools to replace the “misery whip” crosscut hand saws used in forestry. Lee covers the evolution through drag saws, electric, pneumatic, and gas mechanisms, chain types, engine size, and bar length to the addition of modern safety features. Design problems are described, with details of how they were overcome by technical innovations.
Chainsaws, Lee says, are the most misunderstood of power tools. Contrary to horror-film lore, they are totally unsuitable for massacres. They did, however, revolutionize the logging industry, and they were important for bridge building during World War II.
The text is rich with brand names and models, technical specs, prices, and marketing initiatives. Manufacturers in Canada, the U.S., Sweden, Norway, Germany, Australia, France, and Russia are included, and we’re given glimpses into the careers of some of the key entrepreneurs in the field.
More than 300 photos are packed into the album. Among them are archival shots of early saws in use in the forest as well as historic advertising materials. The majority of the photos are professional-quality, colour shots of chain saws in all their collectible variety.
A historical timeline of chainsaw development, along with on-line resources for collectors, makes the book a valuable reference for both novice and experienced tool collectors.