🔗 Share this article Can You Crack It? That Overlooked Netherlands Creation That Forged the Modern World There are numerous contenders for the designation as “planet’s greatest innovation.” The circular axle. The printing press. The combustion motor. According to a new book, however, that honor should go to the mechanised sawmill conceived through Dutchman Corneliszoon van Uitgeest in 1593. “Prior to automated sawing, constructing a modest trading ship necessitated around ten lumberjacks laboring for three months,” notes Jaime Dávila. “With wind-powered lumber mills, the same amount of cut lumber might be produced within a week.” Owing to their speedy automated saw, that turned timber to planks using almost no human effort, the Dutch were able to construct vessels more quickly compared to any other nation, which sparked a century of Dutch naval, economic and artistic supremacy in the continent and the globe. The Original True Manufacturing Device Corneliszoon’s lumber mill, argues the writer, was “mankind’s initial true industrial apparatus.” A wind turbine rotated a gear. One component converted its circular movement to up-and-down motion to power the cutting blade. Another component transformed the rotary motion into a lateral motion feeding the timber toward the cutter. A ratchet system moved the wood ahead a measured step each stroke. “Each element was simple on its own. Corneliszoon’s genius lay in how to combine these parts in order that they acted in a perfectly controlled sequence, cutting on every descending motion while advancing with each return stroke. This constituted a remarkably clever use of fundamental components.” Which leads us to today’s puzzle. The task is for you to reimagine a key the basic concepts behind Corneliszoon’s invention. Circular to Vertical Design a machine that turns circular movement to up-and-down motion. Your available these items exclusively: A spinning wheel. Two pins. Two rods. A “sleeve”, which is a cylinder or housing into which a single the rods will fit perfectly. (Consider that it is possible to mount components on a stand, so that the parts don’t fall down.) I’ll be back later today UK featuring the answer. Meanwhile, NO SPOILERS. Rather, please suggest (less celebrated) candidates for the planet’s greatest invention.