Tony Evans has a museum-worthy collection of chainsaws, which boasts a couple of hundred.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Some of the chainsaws date back almost 100 years, he reckoned.
He said the collection was sustained by his chainsaw carving; but it all began when he attended a swap meet.
“When I was a kid I used to go out carting firewood with my brother… at a swap meet, a saw reminded me of him and I brought it.
“I collected a few and ... I couldn’t stop. I got fascinated, and then I got onto the internet thing and emailing people in America and it’s just a bug that got into me.”
His collection comes from far and wide: Latvia, England, Germany.
It holds a 1937 Dolmar made in Germany, a 2-man saw worth between $2000-$3000: “They’ve become collectables.”
Chainsaws from France from the early 1940s, Parosa from Italy, Danarm from England, a Terrill from America – of which only 300 were made.
“After the war, there were a few chainsaw companies that kicked off in America in engineering shops who were working for the war, they had nothing to do so there were a few odd brands that came out then,” he said.
As for chainsaws, “They’ve been around since 1925.
“A fellow by the name of Wolf made a pneumatic saw and then Stihl made an electric saw, and in 1926 Dolmar made the first petrol saw.”
He’s also travelled NSW with vintage machinery clubs and is active on forums in both Europe and Canada.
For the past eight to 10 years, Mr Evans has also been chainsaw carving.
“I try to keep it as bush furniture,” he said.
Over the years, he has worked to discover the various types of timber and its best uses.
He has also progressed to carving objects, axes, animals, guns and various other items.
“I get my music going and have a couple of beers at times going till 10.30 at night.
“That doesn’t happen often,” he added.