Tabitha Babbitt was born in 1779 in Hardwick, Massachusetts.
Tabitha grew up in a Shaker community, which meant she had the same education
and opportunities a boy would have. As an adult, Tabitha and her husband owned
a sawmill, and she was very involved and interested in the day-to-day work
there. In Tabitha’s day, sawing wood was a two-person push-and-pull job.
Tabitha realized wood was only being cut during the forward stroke, which meant
half the required energy was wasted. She created a notched tin disk and
attached it to her spinning wheel. Her new “circular saw” cut continuously,
with no wasted motion. Many of Tabitha’s inventions – including circular saw,
the accelerated spinning wheel head, the window frame and sash and even false
teeth – are still in use today. But, because her Shaker beliefs prevented her
from filing for patents, she seldom receives credit.
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