Chainsaws: A History Download Free (EPUB, PDF)

                
              
Chainsaws: A History Download Free (EPUB, PDF)
Winner of the 2007 Award for Best Non-Fiction Book from Arts HamiltonWinner of US Magazine Independent Publisher's IPPY Award for Best Western Canadian Regional Title"It rips, and cuts, it makes a horrible racket--a chainsaw is a frightening thing. I write not to glorify its terrible power but to acknowledge its place in the most sweeping revolution that technology has wrought in the 20th century--the revolution of individual empowerment."So begins author David Lee in this first-ever book on the worldwide history of the chainsaw, an invention that transformed the forest industry and eventually became the indispensable companion of every red-blooded country dweller. Chainsaws, it turns out, have a curious history and since the 19th century they have taken on many forms. From 600-pound steam-powered behemoths to gas chainsaws mounted on wheeled carriages to diesel chainsaws and electric chainsaws with portable generators, this book musters a curious collection of contraptions and inventors the like of which we haven't seen since Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines. Carefully tracing the evolutionary threads of countless short-lived pioneer devices, author Lee, working together with a worldwide network of chainsaw buffs, traces the roaring, woodchip-and-oil-sprayed progress of what is now a lightweight modern machine that holds a place of honour in the world's woodsheds.Chainsaws is a handsome gift book full of wonderful old and new photos along with priceless chainsaw ephemera that will warm the heart of anyone who's ever held a power tool. From Andreas Stihl's Black Forest experiments to Vancouver's booming WWII chainsaw industry, to the postwar race to develop one-man saws, the rise and fall of Canada's proud Pioneer brand, and the late entry into the field of the centuries-old arms manufacturer Husqvarna,it examines why the chainsaw is no good for massacres (in Texas or elsewhere), and why it is unlikely to replaced by any new high-tech inventions such as lasers.
Hardcover: 216 pages
Publisher: Harbour Pub.; 1st edition (December 1, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1550173804
ISBN-13: 978-1550173802
Product Dimensions:  10.2 x 0.7 x 11.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review:  4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #485,180 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)   #90 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Home Improvement & Design > How-to & Home Improvements > Power Tools   #176 in Books > Engineering & Transportation > Engineering > Reference > Patents & Inventions   #537 in Books > Engineering & Transportation > Engineering > Reference > History
As someone who has used chainsaws for more than 30 years, this book has a place in my library. It is illustrated with pictures of old saws made pre-war and more importantly, post-war. I did not anticipate the reaction I got from visitors not normally inclined to read books in my household; they were ecstatic that such a book was in print and one actually swore he would "hang to that McCulloch 10-10 a bit longer." (The McCulloch 10-10 is a saw made in the 1960s and was in production for over 20 years; McCulloch and Homelite, sadly, no longer produce professional saws worthy of the name.) Today antique saws are becoming collectibles and this book helps; it is also a trip down memory lane for the old-timers.
CHAINSAWS: A HISTORY rips into a little-known set of facts about the invention which changed and created the forest industry and became essential for country dwellers. If you think CHAINSAWS; A HISTORY will be a dry read, think again: both college-level collections specializing in agricultural history and studies as well as general-interest libraries, particularly in rural areas, will find it a most lively coverage holding lovely full-page color photos, discussions of models, specs and innovations, and more.Diane C. DonovanCalifornia Bookwatch
Chainsaw is an enjoyable, informative book. I always wondered what happened to a number of old chainsaw companies. The book explains it's a lot like the auto industry as it matured. Great pictures. Easy reading.If you like mostly old chainsaws or machines in general this book is fun to read. I was suprised the chainsaw took a lot of time and R and D to become what it is today.
I am a Certified Arborist and climber. As such, I use chainsaws almost every day when I'm up in the trees or on the ground. I enjoyed this book and found the histories of the many manufacturers fascinating, the photos of old and rarely seen chainsaws great. My one problem with the book concerns how each manufacturer's history is presented: Each company is given a separate chapter and so each time you get up to the present time with one company and turn the page, you're back in the early 1900's with the next company. I think a more integrated approach would work far better when it comes to understanding how the industry developed, although I'm sure the author would have new headaches organizing his book along those lines. It would make for a much better read, I think, if we could read about what was going on with each company during a specific, say, decade, and see what was going on with their competitors at the same time. The timeline in the back of the book helps, towards that end, but the book needs to use the timeline in its organizational approach, as I see it. Still, this book is a great one for chainsaw enthusiasts and I salute the author for a job well done!
Everything you ever wanted to know about the history and development of chainsaws and the chainsaw industry. I have recieved lots of comments from guests who happen upon this book. This is much more than a bathroom book, and qualifies for coffeetable status, with glossy pictures and succinct text.
A great book or gift for a chainsaw enthusiast! There are people who use tools and people who love tools. This book will not teach anyone how to use a saw or fix a saw, but provides a unique perspective on the engineering and development of a classic power tool, and is a real treat for a 'tool hound' or someone who uses a modern chainsaw on a regular basis.This is not a textbook, but slightly more informative that the typical 'coffee table book'. Beautifully illustrated with photographs of original and restored saws, primarily from a couple of remarkable private collections, along with some historical photos. It follows chronologically from early design efforts and unweildy contraptions, to more modern and powerful saws, and the lightweight marvels in use today.
If you like large color pictures of old chainsaws this book is for you. Amazing pictures of old old saws mostly in color some b/w of original use. The history of each company is presented in brief but very informative form. Was a little disappointed in that it was more for the large two man saw and early one man saw more for logging. Not alot on home owner saws. Although there was some. Best was the color pictures and the company history. Would recommend! !!!!!
What do you get for the dad who has everything but is irrationally obsessed with chainsaws? Well I got him this book and it was perfect. It is organized by brand, which is helpful for enthusiasts who tend to collect a certain type of chainsaw. Anyway, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Chainsaws: A History Axes & Chainsaws: Use and Maintenance / A Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin A-13 Alexander: The Great Leader and Hero of Macedonia and Ancient Greece (European History, Ancient History, Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece, Egyptian History, Roman Empire, Roman History) History: History of Money: Financial History: From Barter to "Bitcoin" - An Overview of Our: Economic History, Monetary System, & Currency Crisis (Digital ... Federal Reserve, Currency Crisis Book 1) The Official SAT Subject Tests in U.S. & World History Study Guide (Official Sat Subject Tests in U.S. History and World History) History on Film/Film on History (History: Concepts,Theories and Practice) Using Oral History in Community History Projects (Practices in Oral History) The History of Project Management (Lessons from History) The Aesthetics of Power: Essays in the Critical History of Art (Cambridge Studies in New Art History and Criticism) Lift Every Voice: The History of African American Music (The African American History Series) Colorado Excursions with History, Hikes and Hops (History & Guide) Tudors: The History of England From Henry VIII to Elizabeth I: History of England, Book 2 History of Trucks (Dover History Coloring Book) Brick History: A Brick History of the World in LEGO® World History Biographies: Leonardo da Vinci: The Genius Who Defined the Renaissance (National Geographic World History Biographies) World History Biographies: Mozart: The Boy Who Changed the World with His Music (National Geographic World History Biographies) A History of US: The First Americans: Prehistory-1600 A History of US Book One Ancient Peoples of Africa: From Egypt to the Great Zimbabwe Empire - History for Kids - Children's Ancient History Books World History Biographies: Gandhi: The Young Protester Who Founded a Nation (National Geographic World History Biographies) The Middle Ages: An Illustrated History (Oxford Illustrated History) 