Bamboo Cutting
Bamboo Cutting

Green Grassroots Innovation - Manual Wood Cutting Saw Machine



The green grassroots innovation, "manual wood cutting saw machine" made by Karunkant Nath of Assam, India has the potential of becoming an alternative to the electric saw mills. Karunkant, who could just get a meager primary education till standard 4th, is a carpenter by vocation. However, his ideas were not constrained by his education and poor economic condition and he always used to think about a wood cutting saw machine which could replace his wood sawing manual hand tool as the traditional wood cutting tool was not very productive and efficient. He also wanted his new wood cutting saw machine to be essentially a manually operated machine because any machine dependent on electricity or other fuel would have been quite costly in terms of both initial and operating costs. So, he came up with a manual machine affordable to people even at the bottom of the pyramid.

Features and advantages of the manual wood cutting saw machine

The wood cutting saw machine is made up of wood, steel and RCC. It consists of two wooden flywheels whose circular motion is translated to linear motion of the cutting blade. The machine has clamps fitted using ball bearings which gives it the flexibility for use in cutting logs as well as small wooden blocks needed for furniture.  

  • This cost-effective wood cutting saw machine costs just Rs. 12000 compared to electric saw mill which has the set up cost of about Rs. 100000. Moreover, this machine has no running cost.

  • The machine is half as efficient as an electric sawing machine however it is more than 30 times as productive as the manual sawing done using traditional tools.

  • This innovative machine can also be used for bamboo cutting.

  • The machine is easy to use and is also mobile. So, it can be used to start a cottage business.

  • The machine has a good potential in the rural areas as it doesn't need electricity and can be used by carpenters themselves for increasing their scope of work.

  • The machine is available in both hand and foot operated versions.

 

Support and recognition for the creative saw machine

National Innovation foundation (NIF), a non-profit autonomous body under department of science and technology, government of India has supported Karunkant in refining his green grassroots innovation. NIF has awarded the innovation in its biennial national competition of unaided green grassroots innovations and traditional knowledge. It has also filed a patent application for this innovation and has helped Karunkant financially in commercializing the grassroots innovation. The product technology is now in the ready to market status.

About the Author

Ashish Kumar D is a student at Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. He writes article on green grassroots innovations and related topics.
To know more about the manual wood cutting saw machine and its design specifications, please visit http://www.nif.org.in/wood_cutting_machine

 

Why use Bamboo for a cutting board?

I use plastic. I was taught that wooden cutting boards tend to harbor bacteria. I don't think that much about cutting boards, though, so if bamboo is important to you in a cutting board, I say go for it. Just make sure you wash it with hot, soapy water after each use.

Bamboo Cutting