This is the PM Woodboss D, built by Power Machinery Ltd. in Vancouver, British Columbia. We had a chance to see it at a local agricultural show in New Zealand.
Introduced in 1949, it came from the time when manufacturers were beginning to produce gas chainsaws that one logger could operate alone, although “portable” had a rather different meaning back then.
The Woodboss D weighed approximately 36 pounds with a 20-inch bar and chain. That is more than twice the weight of a modern 90cc professional saw, yet PM officially classified it as a one-man machine.
Power Machinery entered the chainsaw market in 1947 and reportedly sold almost 18,000 saws by 1950, more than half of which were Woodboss models. It was therefore an important early Canadian chainsaw, even though surviving examples are now relatively uncommon
An Interesting Late-Production Example
The serial plate on this saw reads D17 164. The known Woodboss D serial range runs from approximately 8,500 to 18,000, making this a late example.
That serial number also suggests it originally had the later Wico FW2146 magneto and Tillotson MD-44A float-type carburetor. Earlier machines used a Wico FWS-18 magneto and Tillotson AJ-13B carburetor.
The unusually long bar is fitted with a helper handle at the nose. Although the Woodboss D is catalogued as a one-man saw, this arrangement allowed a second operator to help guide the bar during large cuts. It reflects the transition between traditional two-man chainsaws and genuinely manageable one-man machines.
Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | PM, Power Machinery Ltd. |
| Manufacturing location | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Model | Woodboss D |
| Year introduced | 1949 |
| Year discontinued | Unknown |
| Known serial-number range | Approximately 8,500 to 18,000 |
| Pictured serial number | D17 164 |
| Engine type | Single-cylinder, air-cooled two-stroke |
| Displacement | 90 cc / 5.5 cu. in. |
| Cylinder bore | 50.8 mm / 2 in. |
| Piston stroke | 44.4 mm / 1.75 in. |
| Cylinder construction | Cast nickel-grey iron |
| Intake system | Reed valve |
| Advertised power | 3.0 kW / 4 hp |
| Maximum engine speed | 3,800 rpm |
| Weight | 16.3 kg / 36 lb with 50.8 cm / 20 in. bar and chain |
| Operator configuration | Catalogued as a one-man saw; long bars could be fitted with a second-person helper handle |
| Handle system | Rigid; clutch activated through the front-handle mechanism |
| Anti-vibration system | None |
| Chain brake | None |
| Clutch | Manually operated dry-plate clutch |
| Drive system | Roller-chain reduction drive |
| Construction | Sand-cast magnesium crankcase and body |
| Carburetor | Tillotson MD-44A float-type carburetor expected on serial D17 164; used from serial 13,903 onward |
| Magneto | Wico FW2146 expected on serial D17 164; used from serial 15,000 onward |
| Air filter | Brass screen |
| Starter | Automatic rewind starter with steel cable |
| Chain oiler | Manual oil pump |
| Fuel-tank capacity | 1 Imperial quart / 40 Imperial fl. oz. / approximately 1.14 L |
| Original fuel mixture | 8:1 gasoline-to-oil; one pint of SAE 40 or 50 oil per gallon of gasoline |
| Metric fuel mixture | Approximately 125 ml oil per liter of gasoline |
| Recommended gasoline | Regular grade |
| Breaker-point gap | 0.45–0.50 mm / .018–.020 in. |
| Spark plug | Champion J-8, PM part number 10252 |
| Spark-plug gap | 0.63 mm / .025 in. |
| Crankshaft bearings | Ball bearings |
| Chain pitch | 14.3 mm / 9/16 in. |
| Original chain | PM No. 3 Standard |
| Factory bar range | 35.5–91.5 cm / 14–36 in. |
| Original color | Red wrinkle-finish enamel |
What Made the Woodboss Unusual?
Instead of a modern centrifugal clutch, the Woodboss used a manually controlled dry-plate clutch operated through the front handle mechanism. It also had a manual chain oiler and a reduction drive between the engine and chain.
Its massive 9/16-inch-pitch chain is another reminder of its age. Modern saws generally use .325, 3/8 or .404-inch chain. The engine only turned at around 3,800 rpm, so the Woodboss relied on displacement, reduction gearing and low-speed pulling power rather than modern high chain speed.
The Woodboss name is also much older than many people realize. Power Machinery was using it more than 30 years before STIHL began using its familiar WOOD BOSS branding in the 1980s.
User Comments
Detailed working reviews are scarce because most surviving Woodboss Ds are now collector pieces. The most common observation is that they are extremely heavy.
One collector acquired two Woodboss Ds in addition to the one he already owned and said he hoped to get two of the three running. Other owners have posted looking for Woodboss D parts and advice on setting up its unusual manual clutch.
That sums up the Woodboss today: heavy, slow-turning and impractical by modern standards, but mechanically fascinating and an important survivor from the golden age of Canadian chainsaw manufacturing.
If you own a PM Woodboss or remember using one, let us know about it in the comments below.
POWER CHAIN SAW
SERIAL NO.
D17 164PM
WOODBOSSYOU MUST USE
One pint of S.A.E. 40 or 50
Lubricating oil per gallon
of gasoline. A high grade
oil will increase the
life of your WOODBOSSPOWER MACHINERY LIMITED
VANCOUVER CANADA
One pint of oil per gallon of gasoline equals an extremely oil-rich 8:1 gasoline-to-oil ratio, or approximately 125 ml of oil per liter of gasoline. This was the original period recommendation using SAE 40 or 50 lubricating oil.
Next, check out the PM 19 and 19-A Chainsaws.
