Economics of Power Saw Compared with Hand Saws in Felling of Sal (Shorea robusta)

Felling and cross-cutting in the country is at present being done by hand saws. Power saws are used very sparingly in depatmental logging works and also by some private forest industries. The use of power saw is limited due to many factors such as its non-availability in the country, its know how, availability of cheap labour, etc. In near future it is expected that use of power saw will become essential due to rising labour cost and concentrated fellings envisaged in the plantations of fast growing species for supply of paper and rayon grade pulp, etc. The present study was done with a view to find out the time gain in mechanising the fellings and also to work out the cost figures and compare them with those of hand saws. It has been concluded that power saw is economical compared to hand saws in felling of Sal (Shorea robusta) trees within the diameter range of 20 cm to 60 cm. Working by chain saw costs about 36 to 150% less than raker saw and about 109 to 310% less than peg tooth saw. The difference in cost figures increases with the increase in diameter of the tree.