Sandstone Heritage Trust - News
HTN 137 - Old American Edger Saw Restored - by Andy Selfe
15th September 2006
Members of the public are fascinated to watch the old Edger Saw working at the show
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Road train arrives at a show with the exhibit, and support vehicle, a 1928 Fargo
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Old American Edger Saw Restored
When the farm next door was sold for development recently, the elderly owner, Mr F von Solms-Baruth walked around with the buyer pointing at various pieces of old machinery, saying, "Zees ees for Mistair Selfee". The farm had been home to his business called Top Poles, and amongst the equipment was a reciprocating Edger Saw. Unfortunately he couldn't remember what make it was, but he described it as 'Old American'. Several years ago I had helped him with a forklift to lift it out of its concrete pit where it had been standing waist-deep in water. He also pointed out three carriages for clamping logs to, which run on rails, set up next to the saw. The reason he thought of me was he had previously given me a Lister AHK and a rare Shanks 2CA vertical diesel engine, which I had restored and given him large colour photographs of them. A good investment, it seems! |
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The old sawmill being pulled down | |
I knew I didn't have the facilities to restore the saw or display it, but I did also have a Daimler Benz M 202 B 2-cylinder vertical Diesel engine, which was popular with the sawmilling industry, also waiting for an opportunity like this. The chance came when I met up with Keith Wetmore of Somerset Timbers, just over the mountain. He was keen to get involved in a restoration project and jumped at the idea of mounting the saw, engine and trolley on a 4-wheel drop-centre road trailer he has. I was more than happy to give all of this and a heap of suitable pulleys and bearings to Keith to make his project possible. | |
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Waiting for an opportunity: The crankcase of the Edger Saw after lying waist-deep in water for many years. The tower on which the frame saw is attached stands behind it. | Chuffing Daimler-Benz engine, whirling laminated wooden connecting rod, and straight reciprocating saw blade all make an attractive exhibit at any show! |
I had been sent a video of the recent Steam Rally at Rangiora in New Zealand, at which the Hawkins family had demonstrated their abilities as vintage sawmillers. This we studied in depth, looking for ideas. They operate exclusively with steam, using four or five engines to haul, load and saw logs into planks. They also have a crane which we could see would be necessary for handling the logs. The video showed how they hook their logs, with a chain only slightly longer than the logs and a butcher's type hook at each end, which they hook into each end of the log, and they lift the chain in the middle. Andy! |
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