Wards chainsaw inspired "Texas Chainsaw Massacre"

[Bill G]

I have to admit I have seen "Motel Hell". I do not remember about the saws but I do remember the post hole digger. He planted them in a post hole alive with their vocal cords cut. A very distrurbing film.

Bill

 

[JohnL]

Diddn't TCM fans refer to the victory dance Leatherface does as the McCulloch ballet, but they are not saw people

There's a saw in Evil Dead 2, an odd movie almost a comedy weird effects and stuff, film speed .

 

[Qatanlison]

The 2003 remake saw is probably a Husky 359. In one frame the snap-lock for the top-cover cover is visible. Also the chain-brake is that of a husky. Since the bar seem to be a 20+" with a large mount and the only husky with broad snap-locks + large bar mount is the 359, that's where I´d put my money...
But they probably used quite a few saws for different effects...

/Ola

 

[hk33ka1]

Well since the thought of bigsawman and his 36" 385 (no offence )got me thinkin about this again here is one of my posts off a movie forum I also frequent. Can anyone help fill in the blanks? aka rent some movies and have some fun guessing?

In the spirit of a thread on another forum here it is:

In the first Massacre 1974 the saw used was %100 for sure a Poulan 306A. Not to be confused with the 306,306SA or 245. The 306A had a 16" guide bar. These were made by Beaird-Poulan from 1970-1980, and were a very popular model in the USA. I own one myself. They usually pop up on eBay every few weeks and I have seen atleast 12-15 this year already. This saw has a really distinct sound to it compared to other saws. You may have wondered why it sounded so good in this movie compared to the somewhat lame saw dubs in the other films. They obviously used the real saw for the sound mixing. It was not some magic custom secret saw. Actually it's no secret at all, it's just most fans did not know about saws in general. Yes there was a piece of black electrical tape over the Poulan logo on the right side. i also feel the saw work was the best in this film. No closeups of non running saws while we hear the motor going or see no chain on it etc. I assume most of the time a chain which had the teeth cut/filed of was used. If this saw hit someone or somthine it could still cut just like a fake knife might accidentily stab but it would not be as serious as the real thing. In some scenes like the door scene the real chain and setup was there just like when you cut a tree down. I would imagine the end shots of the saw dance are either no chain or the safety version. Also as far as the realistic/snuff feel this movie holds for some I think a smaller practical saw like most households or farms have fit the bill best. The sequel had to go crazie with a large bar and tons of gore to give those critics what they accused the original of being about.

Part II well it is a Husqvarna with a 36"bar but I couldn't teel you wich model yet, I'm still looking. Look for a Poulan on Grandmas lap at the end (not the same as part 1) Denis Hoppers big grey saw? Not sure yet either although I remember logos on some of the little ones. I will check this out further. I do not think there were any fake saws used. They all apear to be the real deal.

Part 3 Black saw and saws in back of truck not sure but I will get busy looking. The chrome saw was a 36" bar and was built by a props guy I do not know if there is a real saw underneath or if it is just plastic and tin.

The "Return" is a McCulloch model but I am not sure which specific one. The bar is around 30-34". It appears only one live saw was used throughout this film.

The remake saw is a Husky and almost certainly a new 359 with a 28" bar. These saws and any that looked remotely the same were not available back in 73 so there is another point for the flub/trivia nitpickers. There were live versions, rubber versions, and fake ones that blew out prop smoke. In some scenes (slaughterhouse and old house with bars on windows) the way Andrew handles the saw with one hand tells us that it is really a light plastic or rubber prop and not a real saw. Andrew incorrectly states they used a bicyle chain on the saw. Bike chains will not go on a saw bar. Also this saw did not weight 35 pounds like Andrew said unless they hollowed it out and filled it with lead for him. The most the real version would have weighed in is around 17-20lbs. Some of the prop saws were obviously lighter so unless the smoke emitting fake was the real lunker it is just a little exaggeration. Also check out the reversed negative in the locker search scene when he starts the saw. The image is reversed showing us a backwards saw held in the wrong hand. I also noticed sometimes the bar looked a little shorter like a 24" in some quick shots. These would likely be the rubber props saws. One of the ones auctioned by New Line was rubber and had a much shorter bar than the saw featured in most of the film. BTW does anyone have a pic of the saw from that auction?

 

[MasterBlaster]

Dam. That's a lotta movie/chainsaw trivia, eh?

 

[Lawn Masters]

Originally posted by hk33ka1
There's all sorts of critters in farmer Vincent's Fritters. Yeah I saw that one. Dualling saws I just can't remember if they were Husky's or Stihl's. Rory Calhoun with a pig's head over his is copied in the new video game Manhunt.

Iv'e heard before that the saw in the 1973 film was a McCulloch model but several have said it's a Poulan 306.

The model in Part 2 (bubba's) looks like a Husky without a chain brake but I have heard that it is a Stihl. Not sure about Deniis Hoppers.

Part three features a black saw and the custom chrome model built by the prop department.

Part 4 (Return/Next Gen) features a yellow and black (McCulloch) model.

2003 Remake features a red/orange model with dirt and duct tape on it. It seams to remind me of Jonsereds I have seen in shops years ago.

To be more accurate, the saw used by Leatherface in TCM2 was what I believe to be a husky 61 model. Lefty, I believe had a Dolmar saw, perhaps a modified 113 Silver edition with really crappy tuning. Lefty also had a Mac 130 and a Homelite tophandle saw.

If anyone watched the 2nd movie closely, when Lefty walks out of the saw dealer theres a sign that says Jobu on the wall.

TCM 3 they used what I think was a poulan in the beginning, then a homelite like a C5 then the Stihl, probably a custom 038Mag

TCM 4 it was a Mac 10-10.

TCM 5 the new one, took place in 1978, not 2003 when it was made.
I think its a saw like a Jred 801, or 90
Maybe a Husky 61Rancher.

 

[BigSawMan]

My friends thought that I was gonna do a Texas Chainsaw Massacre sequel with the 385. Silly people, its just a firewood saw......

Just to refresh your memories:

LOL

Ive been talking to my Dad and my bro about putting a 24" on it, but they both say that the 36" "balences" the saw out and "protects" you from kickback, as it supposedly would be to hard for the saw to lift up that bar like that.

Closeup of nose/chain

 

[sedanman]

BSM, There's a big loop of chain rotating at 45-50 mph, this stores a lot of energy, more than enough to rotate the saw toward the operator, severly injuring him/her. The long bar/big loop has more leverage over the powerhead than the operator. A 24" bar has less leverage over the powerhead than the long one.

 

[BigSawMan]

So the bars weight/ length does no help to tone down the results of kickback eh'? It just makes it even worse....

Thanks - Neil

 

[sedanman]

There is something to be said for total mass. A body at rest will stay at rest unless acted uppon by an outside force. The heavier saw would have more mass to resist the external force. The powerhead can only make the chain go so fast as measured in feet per second or miles per hour. The length of the bar has almost no effect on chain speed. (a little bit of drag slows the longer chain, but you might not be able to notice) The chain is travelling the smae speed on a 16" bar as on a 36" bar. The longer bar puts the 'moment' or point of force (kickback zone) further away from the center of the saw giving it great leverage over the saw. This is like using a longer wrench to break a stubborn bolt loose.

 

[BigSawMan]

So I guess they're both wrong then. Thanks for the info, I knew most of it, I just didnt apply it correctly I guess.

Neil

 

[Lawn Masters]

Update,
the saw used in TCM 5 IS a Husky, duct taped and dirty, but still a current model husky, looks like a 365 model, although I think there IS a slight chance that it may just be a 372 judging by the top cover on the saw.
I'm unsure what model it is. theres not a good enough image of the saw still to see the model # on it and be sure.

Someone wanna email the producer and ask?

I think the chrome saw in TCM 3 was a Stihl 038 with chrome plating on it, at least thats the nearest saw I can figure.