At another forum, someone was asking what this is. It is located in a small town in England, on a property with various fishing/sailing paraphenalia.
What appears to be a sawblade is actually a sort of piston with teeth and there is a flat plate at the bottom of the piston.
The “box” has a door on it.
People seem to think it’s a press of some sort, but I wondered if anyone would know what specific purpose it’s for.
Don’t know. Can’t help but wonder if it’s a folded sail flattener, to make it easier to store the sail in a bag.
That might make sense.
I was actually wondering if was somehow for pressing water out of sails, but your idea is better if such a thing (sail flattener) exists.
it could to press the water out of a sail before hanging it to dry.
Turns out it is a press for smashing down stacks of folded newspapers for baling.
You know, if you use newpaper for sails, and wire for bags, that makes my guess exactly right!