DENNIS PORTABLE CIRCULAR SAW – c. 1944

Made by Bill and Harry Dennis at 38 Hardy Road Maylands W.A. The saw on display is powered by a single cylinder, 2-stroke engine with some versions having a 2-cylinder engine driving via “V” belts to a 48” circular blade. The complete saw and engine were made in-house using their own foundry.

While the circular saw had advantages over the drag saw due the versatilely to rotate the head from a vertical to horizontal position, they were considered most dangerous and acquired the nickname “Widow Maker”.

HISTORY: The brothers’ father, Henry, built and patented their first power saw in 1941 while working for Bill Schulstad but the patent was taken over by Schulstad Power Saws, so when the brothers returned from WW2 and started their own power saw business, they had to change the drive system from a shaft to a “V” belt. Eventually they sold 3,000 of their saws throughout Australia as well as New Zealand and New Guinea.  While the advent of chain saws spelt the end of the saw business, the brothers still continued from their boatshed/factory, repairing Cray boats from their 6 slipways.