What is this? A gang saw?

[Wade Lippman]

http://www.auctionzip.com/Full-Image/415047/fi24.cgi

The auction listing refers to a 50hp gang saw, and I am kinda guessing this must be it, but what is a gang saw?

It is about as big as my workshop, so I am just curious.

[Bill Wyko]

Looks like it'll turn a forest into saw dust.:eek:

[Joe Chritz]

It takes a wide board and turns it into a bunch of narrow boards. That is a really big one.

Wonder what kind of manufacturing place had been using it?

Joe

[David Epperson]

As a draftsman in a former life I drew up the drawings for a dual arbor gang saw that would turn out more than a dozen 2x12s at 100 ft per minute from a solid canted out tree trunk. Had (2) 350hp motors. One each for the upper and lower spindles. That thing is just a baby. LOL.

[Michael Ward]

Jeez....Looks like a Monster to Me!!

[jason lambert]

My guss is a sawdust maker. With the rising cost of saw dust this machine is a goldmine ;)

[Tom Walz]

You can see the row of rusty saw blades under the black hood. These are used to cut window blind slats and similar. They use absolutely clear lumber so yield is a huge factor. This is the major market for saw with a kerf of 0.030” and similar.

They use similar in saw mills.

tom

[David Epperson]

They use similar in saw mills.

tom
That's where the ones "we" (the folks I worked for at the time) made were used. The thing about "thin" (for diameter) kerf blades is that they require some "close to the cut" guidance. A major part of the assembly (on the BIG gang saws) was the support arms between the blades that held the water/air cooled/lubricated babbit "pucks" against the blades next to the workpiece. But we were using 28" diameter sawblades (If I recall correctly). One arbor above the wood and one below, cutting just over 1/2 way thru from each side.