"Timpuri Noi"
"Which strategies, if any, can the West learn from post-communist countries?"
Saw Blade Vehicles are the most fascinating
discovery we made in Romania. These astonishing
self-made multi-functional vehicles are
used for cutting firewood and lumber on
the spot. We encountered them in sub-urban
and rural areas where they are quite frequent
and much in use.
Spontaneously we decided to propagate and
possibly import this surprisingly new category
of vehicles of the Widia-Class*.
These imports will surely enrich the West
with the invigorating spirit and power
of Romanian free enterprise.
Widia-Class vehicles are usually run by
a team of 2–3 workers. Their wood
cutting capacity amounts to 1ccm per 10
to 15 min. For bigger jobs often two Saw
Blade Runners are used, one for rough cutting
and one for more accurate lumber finishing.
Usually private households order the wood
and lumber cutting services by mobile phone.
Mouth-to-mouth propaganda is their most
reliable advertising method.
One team covers an area of up to 200km
from its home base. An average job lasts
approximately 10 – 14 days.
Chopping 1m3 of firewood costs 150.000
lei (=15 new lei ≈ 3.75 €)
During their jobs the team stays in privately
rented rooms.
Saw Blade Runner 'Timpuri Noi' was built by a former worker of the Special Steels company in Targoviste 60 km north of Bucharest. He was laid off in the early 90's and claims to have built more than 100 Widia-Class vehicles since.
Saw Blade Runner 'Tempuri Noi' is run by a TN-1 stationary diesel engine, evaporator cooled, four stroke, one cylinder, fuel injection. The power is transmitted by a flywheel running a transmission belt, which in its turn drives either the wheel shaft or the saw.
→→ For
all further technical information see our
download of the Widia-Class sale’s
brochure.
(1.2MB
download, you will need Adobe's free Reader
software)
The engine was produced by a company named
'Timpuri Noi' (New Times), and is in all
probability a remake of a German engine
widely used until the late 50ies for running
threshing machines before combine harvesters
came into use. 'Timpuri Noi' has a history
of 142 years of engine manufacturing. Two
years ago it was privatized and bought
for 1,1 mln euro by its employees, becoming
the company's shareholders. Since then
40% of the work force was laid off. The
company does not have a web page.
'Timpuri Noi' is a major donor of antique
engines to the Technical Museum in Iasi.
More images:
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* Widia, stands for “Hart wie Diamant” (As hard as diamond) and it is the name of a world leading saw blade manufacturing company. www.widia.com . The name became a synonim for tungsten carbide, the hard material used for the cutting edge of various tools.
