Noel Frew with his 1947-1954 Blue Streak chainsaw, one of a
collection of 60 he owns. Photo by David Bruce.
Noel Frew gets a buzz out of chainsaws - and Australian
Fords and old tractors.
But it is half a dozen of the Waimate man's collection of
about 60 chainsaws that form part of a display at the Waimate
Museum called What's in Blokes' Sheds.
It is part of a series celebrating the "Year of the Bloke".
Waimate men were asked to supply a hobby item from their
sheds.
Mr Frew's collection of chainsaws started by accident, as did
his ownership of 20 Fairlanes and Falcons.
About 20 years ago, he bought a new chainsaw to cut up
firewood. He owned it for two weeks before it was stolen
while he went on holiday. To replace it, he bought an old
chainsaw. When that broke down, he bought another, and a
collection grew.
Some have been bought from vintage machinery swap meets and
sales. However, he is now starting to slow down when it comes
to chainsaws, trying not to double up and becoming more
selective.
His collection has chainsaws from when they first became
available after World War 2. Some more unusual brands include
Titan, Jubo and Teles-Smith.
Along with chainsaws, he also has a penchant for Ford Falcons
and Fairlanes, and his collection started in a similar way.
His collection of tractors started from a part-time job as a
contractor, baling hay on lifestyle blocks.
The Waimate Museum's "Bloke" series started earlier this year
with a fishing and hunting exhibition. .
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