curious about drag saws

[chuckwood]

What were these things mostly used for. Cutting firewood? Here's an old one that's been restored and running.

 

[rarefish383]

A friend had one similar, maybe a bit smaller. I think the blade stuck out the side, or the back. The blade was horizontal. Had a little JD hit and miss engine, and was horse drawn. It was made to cut Christmas trees on a big tree farm.

 

[turnkey4099]

What were these things mostly used for. Cutting firewood? Here's an old one that's been restored and running.

Ours was a one-man saw, hauled it to/from the tree. fell tree with 2-man (well one man and a boy) saw and ax, onceon ground cut the log into rounds. Nice work as there was just time enough to work up/load the previous round while the saw ate it way through the next one. Last time I used it (1953) it was so worn out that it couldn't pull the blade unless you held a bit of up pressure on it.

I sure would like to have one again just for nastalgia's sake.

 

[chuckwood]

Ours was a one-man saw, hauled it to/from the tree. fell tree with 2-man (well one man and a boy) saw and ax, onceon ground cut the log into rounds. Nice work as there was just time enough to work up/load the previous round while the saw ate it way through the next one. Last time I used it (1953) it was so worn out that it couldn't pull the blade unless you held a bit of up pressure on it.

I sure would like to have one again just for nastalgia's sake.

How did you haul the thing around and into the woods, with a tractor? First time I saw the video, I looked at the hitch as the camera was panning around, I was expecting to see a modern hitch for a two inch ball on the front, like on my wood splitter. Instead, it has the original hitch on it. I like watching these ancient type machines in operation, belts and big flywheels all out there in the open, not a guard or shield on the thing anywhere.

 

[turnkey4099]

How did you haul the thing around and into the woods, with a tractor? First time I saw the video, I looked at the hitch as the camera was panning around, I was expecting to see a modern hitch for a two inch ball on the front, like on my wood splitter. Instead, it has the original hitch on it. I like watching these ancient type machines in operation, belts and big flywheels all out there in the open, not a guard or shield on the thing anywhere.

Ours was a one-man machine - works mounted on a trianglular wood frame, loop handle at the point, pivoted dogs on the ends of the two legs. Pick up the two ends and swing around onto a wagon, back to the other end, pick up andslide it into the wagon bed. Much the same while cutting, move one end, shift other end, fireup and lower the saw blade. We hauled it with a team, a tractor, or even a truck.

 

[alleyyooper]

Ours was run by a 2HP IH, hit and miss engine it was left stactionary near the house wood shed and logs were put on wagon running gears and hauled to the saw. As a block fell off it was split and tossed into the wood shed.. It was used till about 1954 when dad bought a buzz saw. He sold the engine soon after and had the saw and mounting stuff till about 1968 when he sold it to a collector at the Buckly Michigan antique steam tractoin show.

All I ever saw them used for was cutting fire wood. Much quicker than than a buck saw on the bigger stuff.


Al