Chain Brakes

[Lumberjack]

Without going sh*t face crazy, or screaming,"Troll!!", I have a question.

On my 200, I find that the CB's handle gets in the way, and trips the CB all the time, for no reason.

I want to know if I could cut back the handle, and still have the CB act normally in a kickback situation (automatically).


Carl

 

[MasterBlaster]

No, there won't be enough weight in the handle to make the inertia thing work.

I have mine whittled down to practically nothing, but I still can engage it when I want.

It would be nice if Sthil could narrow up that handle, I might leave it alone then.

WARNING. Altering your chain brake is an illegal outlaw move not recomended for inexperienced operators.

No one operates my hot saw but me!

 

[Base]

on my old husky 335 i had a similar problem with the chain brake coming on for no reason, in the end i dismantled to chain brake system springs etc, cleaned it all up there was a fair amount of crud in there,and it was a little better, not so tempremental, but in all honesty still a pain in the butt, in comparison with my new sthil top handled

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I like being able to enguage the break with a twst of my wrist. I'd rather have to change body positon once and a while then not have the thing there.

 

[D]

Squirrel,
I don't really think he was insulting our intelligence. I think he was just trying to help. Basically, he is right. I have been involved with some OSHA cases recently and if you do anything to them, you open yourself up to a lot of liability. Most of you don't have to worry about OSHA, but in big cities they seem to be all over. They just hired 7 more for Denver. Husky does not deserve to be chewed out by you, he just saying, "hey, you might have some tricks to make your cb not lock up at certain times etc, but you may want to rethink that." Squirrel when people start their post saying, I don't want to sound like a preacher, but." It is not a open session to ????? the guy out. You sound like me at times where, I am not trying to be a jerk, but I end up sounding like one.

 

[TREETX]

Dude, safety equipment is not a problem, and yes they do put them there for a reason. Kinda like we wear helmets for a reason. And use ropes...

Spaz less, think more.

Mine has never been a problem. What gives with the rest of you

Do you think I want to walk around with a little stub where my hand used to be?

No, but if you are an advocate of removing/disabling a CB, I start to think that you walk around with a little stub where your brain used to be.

 

[TREETX]

Originally posted by Lumberjack
I want to know if I could cut back the handle

That is called removing part of the chainbrake



All because it locks when hanging?? Better solution, get in the habit of giving it a quick, gentle bump to turn it off.

So who needs to reread the thread??

Thanks

 

[D]

Actually any adjustments or modifications are considered disabling. If they are not performing how the manufactures originally installed them that is altering. For example there is a spring on a nail gun that is basically a saftey. If you remove it, it will shoot nails just like a gun. Slight modification, but they will fine you big.

 

[NeTree]

Strange to hear about all these chain brake troubles. The only time mine get fussy is in the winter when wearing thick heavy gloves. 'Course, having paws the size of a freaking bear doesn't help much...

 

[Dennis]

I know all about the "disabling" of chainbrakes. In the mid 90's Husky had a problem of the weights falling out of the chainbrake on the 394...one fell out and a person got cut...major lawsuit....a week later myself, and the Service Tech were replacing 2000 chainbrake weights to a newer style with screw...apparently, in a court of law, the weight (or lack thereof) does constitute disabling the brake.

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

As well it should, for the inertia part of stopping chain; not with your hand ; but by the sharp movement of a strong kickback and the weights reluctance to move that fast on the end of the leverage of the handle.

So if saw kicks back violently; as a fail safe system, the inertia brake system backs up the manual system of pushing by knuckles with lead(?) weights. The design is so positive that Stihl claims it stops the chain in splinters of fractions of a second.

Not even the new throttle lock QS is quoted that quick!

Husky had Brake problems with 335 when new too; very fine balance between such high functions of brake tuning and system failing; they take years and computers to do it!

Ooooorrrrrrrr something like that!
:alien:

 

[Lumberjack]

Just to respond:

I don't want to disable the CB, but to modify it like a muffler, makeing it work better for me.

I want it to still engage when there is a kickback situation, but I don't want the big handle there in the way. I have never had a chainsaw kickback and set off the CB (and for all the anals, I have ran a saw a decent amount, and the saws were in great shape). The first saw that I ran didn't have one because it was an older model, but I would like to keep it functioning on all my saws JIC.

In response to:
That is called removing part of the chainbrake

All because it locks when hanging?? Better solution, get in the habit of giving it a quick, gentle bump to turn it off.

No, that aint the only reson, it just plain gets in the way, and I don't like it during some positions while running.

This whole tread was started to see if you could remove part of the handle, and still have the inertia CB.

I don't have to worry about OSHA or anyone else for that matter.

So any ideas? I am thinking that the answer is no because the inertia comes from the big handle, across the lever.

PS I run saftey chain on my climbing saws b/c it seems to stay sharp longer.




Carl

 

[TREETX]

Originally posted by Lumberjack

This whole tread was started to see if you could remove part of the handle, and still have the inertia CB.

I am going to be "alarmist" here and say that Dennis kindly answered that question.

If it is in your way, it is in your way. But the inertia part was answered. I would just offer that you work each cut in your head before approaching it. Just understand its spatial limits and work with them.

Y'all make me sick sometimes. I thought we could discuss stuff here, not just toss out politically correct slogans.

I don't think anyone was making an attempt at PC unless facts and common sense is PC. This is not part of a liberal conspiracy no matter what Rush told you about chain brakes.

Spaz less, think more......jeez

Maybe you only need the inertia brake to save you in 1 out of every 100,000 times you use a saw. If so, I will keep mine since I plan on using my saw 500,000+ times. Safety is a numbers game, I want them stacked in my favor...

Maybe the question you should ask is "How is it that there are so many professional chainsaw users that do not have a problem with their CB? What am I doing different?"

.02

 

[NeTree]

I don't know about you guys, but more room between the chain brake and the front handle would sure makes things a little nicer, like when the wind chill is -40 and you're wearing two pairs of gloves just to keep warm.

 

[D]

When I was a servicing dealer, I wouldn't let a saw go out without the chainbrake in perfect working order. Way to much liability. The last one to touch it is responsible for the saw.

 

[D]

Quite correct, I have a hard time staying on topic.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Don't nobody look!!!

 

[Froggy]

Reply

I think that we all are professionals here. Or at least I'd hope so. All of us run a chainsaw whether it's in a tree or on the ground. So we should all know how to handle a chain saw and discuss different techniques we use with or saw. Whether you choose to use the techniques on this site is up to you. If someone goes out and trys to climb a tree not knowing what their doing and gets hurt. Do we blame every trained climber for their stupidity. Same here if someone shares their techniques on chainsaws that dosen't mean everyone should try it. By no means should there be a limit to what is discusses here. Personally I really enjoy hearing what everone else does in this business. Thanks and keep climbing hard and hit the ground with some pep in your step!@! BB:angel:

 

[MasterBlaster]

And some stride in yur glide!

 

[Hemlock]

Not being judgemental or anything as everyone that I worked with when safety stuff first came out used to cut it off, tape it down, or drill holes in it. MB, I'm just curious, does that little stub on your saw really work or is it "just fer looks"?