In 1924 Grandfather Page (John Thomas) purchased an American made Vaughan portable drag saw to help with his timber cutting operations. He continued to use it for almost 30 years until going blind in the 1950s. Over the near 30 years from purchase he cut vast amounts of timber with the machine.

On several occasions, while holidaying at “Mayfield”, Bracknell, Tasmania Aunty Joyce Page walked us to Prewer’s bush just outside of Bracknell along the Oaks Road to visit Grandfather while cutting wood. Even though at the time I was only eight or nine years of age, I still have vivid memories of the drag saw at work. Another memory of the time was that of Grandfather looking for his axe near where he was working, his eye sight having become so poor that he could not readily see it.

The machine would be propped up against a log with blocks being cut off ready for splitting. The cross cut type saw was powered by a four horse power water cooled motor. The fuel was a mixture of petrol and oil, about one pint of light auto-oil to each five gallons of petrol. As the machine worked it seemed to be surrounded by a cloud of smoke and steam.

A sales brochure and operating instructions, also a parts manual dated 1st February 1923, located amongst Grandfather’s diaries, give a few details about the machine, operating instructions and capabilities. Its place of manufacture was Portland, Oregon, U.S.A. and was capable of cutting logs of up to eight feet in diameter at a cutting speed of up to 140 strokes per minute.

The brochure also stated that under fine conditions the Vaughan saw has cut 30 cords of wood in 10 hours, and under average conditions 15 and 20 cords. A cord is equivalent to 128 cubic feet. From tests carried out the following cutting speeds were recorded, although the type of timber being cut was not stated –

                                2 foot log, 50 seconds

                                4 foot log, 3½ minutes

                                6 foot log, 7½ minutes

The brochure went on to claim that the saw can cut 10 times as fast as two men by hand, with a particular feature being the saving of time in the changing over the  saw blade – “the only drag saw with the jiffey saw holder. It grips or releases saw instantly. No hole to drill. Just turn a nut and saw is ready. Saves 2 hours a day.”

Two men were needed to carry the saw, although one man could move it along the log.

Grandfather in his 1924 diary records its purchase and start up as detailed in the following entries -

(Tues) 3 JUNE, 1924 - I went to town with Mr T Preece about the motor saw - Green wanted £90-0-0.

(Tues) 1 JULY, 1924 - I went to town with Tom Preece. I paid £43-0-0 down on the motor saw.

(Mon) 14 July, 1924 - Mr. Gardam brought my motor saw, a case of benzine and a tin of oil.

(Wed) 16 JULY, 1924 - Mr Green’s man came to start the motor saw - put two cuts and the thing jibbed and could not get to go.

(Thurs) 17 JULY, 1924 - Mr Bolly could not get the motor saw to go so he took the magneto to town.

(Mon) 21 JULY 1924 - Mr. Bolley, Greens’ man, out to start the motor saw - it didn’t go too well. Will came up to see it start. I paid Mr Bolley the balance of the saw.

(Frid) 25 JULY, 1924 - We all went to Bracknell......I paid Mrs Buckley 9 shillings for carting the motor saw and motor spirits.

(Thurs) 2 OCT, 1924 - I took the magie (magneto) off the motor saw for Will to take to town tomorrow.

(Wed) 15 OCT, 1924 - Will brought the magneto off the motor saw up and we fixed it to the machine and put 5 cuts through a log this afternoon.

When Grandfather could no longer use the machine it was passed to Uncle Viv Richardson, who in turn passed it to his son Stan.

Written by Ivan Badcock on 18/01/03