Leonardo da Vinci designed a hydraulic saw intended to cut tree trunks into boards.
The mechanism used water power to drive the cutting action. Water flowing through a system of wheels and linkages could provide repeated motion, allowing a saw to work with less direct human labor. The design belongs to Leonardo’s broader investigations of mills, pumps, gears, and machines that converted natural forces into useful work.
Calling it a hydraulic saw identifies its power source and distinguishes it from later industrial saw types. Leonardo did not invent every form of saw, and his drawing should not be treated as the modern circular or band saw. The important innovation was the integration of water power with a mechanical cutting system.
Many of Leonardo’s mechanical projects survive only as drawings. They reveal careful observation of motion and force, but surviving sketches do not always establish that a complete working machine was built.