Forestry Memories

McConnel Sawbench first model

McConnel Sawbench first model

Date Added: 28 April 2017 Contributor: Norman Davidson Year of Photo: 1948 Picture No: 3671

The photographs are with the kind permission of Andrew Geldart, Marketing Co-ordinator of McConnel through the good offices of Leslie Phillip, Perth, who got in touch with the company.

It must be assumed that this is the F W McConnel stand at the British Industries Fair at London in 1948 showing the sales team explaining the various points of the mobile sawbench to a potential customer. Note the small differences in the tow bar construction as shown in the previous image No 3670

The saw was manufactured by F W McConnel of 30 Norfolk Street, London and its overall weight was less than 9 cwts.

‘Powered by a 8 hp petrol and vapourising oil fuelled, horizontally opposed twin cylinder engine, the saw will function efficiently in a very great range of temperatures. The saw is of 30 ins diameter, has 8 ton cutting capacity in an 8 hour day, on three gallons of vapourising oil. The engine is governed to give the correct saw speeds. Operator fatigue is lessened by the wood being carried on spring compensated swinging table 5ft 6ins long , 1 ft 4ins wide and 3ft 1ins from the ground.’

It will be noticed that this saw is designed for cross cutting only, is lightly guarded and that there is no table for enabling ripping or pointing of posts. These must have been added later.

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Groups: Forestry Areas, Groups of people, Sawmills, pulp mills, chipboard mills

3 Comments

This was definitely the Rolls Royce in portable saw benches, the Jap twin cylinder engine had loads of fight and ran relentless all day, a well liked and well worked machine. Comment left on 30 April 2017 at 18:25 by Leslie Phillip
Could that be a former world war two radio communications van behind the three men.? Comment left on 27 June 2017 at 14:29 by
The engine on this saw bench is actually a Petters pu8 twin cylinder. Comment left on 26 February 2018 at 22:17 by Leslie Phillip
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