The W.W. Giles Lightning Saw Machine - April 30, 1879

(Cincinnati, Ohio) Giles, W.W. advertisement letter for the “Lightning Saw Horse” which Giles advertised in the “American Agriculturist”. During the second half of the 19th century there were numerous attempts to mechanize the sawing of logs through a faster cutting machine. Many such inventions were based on changing the rotary motion of a hand crank or belt pulley into the reciprocating action of a cross-cut saw. This plan led to the gas engine powered drag saws of the 20th century. However, a more interesting group of inventions were those that depended on a moving lever or a combination of levers and foot pedals or even a treadle to power the saw. Many of these machines were lighter than the rotary power machines and were made to fold up to carry through the woods. They could be converted on the spot to saw horizontally to fell a tree or to saw vertically to cut the stem into lumber length logs or short rounds for firewood. Such saws were marketed primarily to farmers who had to cut a firewood supply each year in addition to filling their need for fence posts and lumber. Among these inventions was that of William Giles, of Cincinnati who in 1879 advertised his patented saw in the “American Agriculturist” His “Lightning Saw Horse” was claimed to saw off a 2 foot log in 2 minutes. The farmer in the below advertisement riding the “Lightning Saw Machine” is expounding to the potential customer “I can actually saw more logs with this SAW MACHINE, then four men can with the latest improved cross-cut saws; and it does not almost break my back either, nor make me get on my knees in the snow and mud. I’ve been there. You lumber men all understand me. $100 would not buy this Machine, if I could not get another. It is pleasant to work with this SAW MACHINE. NO SUCH THING AS HAVING TO STOP TO REST.” (American Artifacts – issue 52, Sept/Oct 2000) Vg cond.