Starting Husky's, 350 & others

[woodturner]

The manual, for my Husky 350, says when starting, to engage the chain brake. Doesn't give a reason why, & I don't know, maybe safety. Another Husky 350 owner, recently told me, when he took his 350 to a Husky service center that the mechanic emphatically told him when he is starting his saw to be sure "NOT TO Engage The Chain Brake"!

1) So, anybody care to shed some light on this subject?

2) How many of you Husky owners apply the chain brake when starting, & how many do not?

Thanks for any replies,

W.C.

 

[Crofter]

My maanuals say engage brake before startin, but I do't like smoking the clutch until I can get it down off high idle. If I was starting saw in close quarters I would use it.

Frank

 

[jokers]

It`s a matter of how quick your reflexes are. Yes starting the saw with the brake engaged does put some wear on the clutch, but it`s minimal if you are quick. Conversely, if your reactions aren`t quick, wouldn`t you be safer with the brake on when the saw is on hi idle, being held by only one of your hands?

Russ

 

[Bobcat]

woodturner: that chain brake is a MAJOR safety feature. Better use it, or put the saw away before you hurt yourself. Bob

 

[Doug01]

I have a copy of Sensible Wood cutting you (or anyone else) can have if you want it. It's very basic. It does demo the bore cut though.

Doug

 

[WRW]

When starting a secured saw (saw on the ground), or when doing a warm start (so long as the throttle lock is not engaged) I don't see any need for using the chain brake.

 

[woodturner]

I have a copy of Sensible Woodcutting, & learned a lot from it, but thanks for the offer.

My old saw's manual don't mention using the chain brake when starting. Matter of fact, it says be sure it's not engaged, that's why I wondered about this.

 

[glens]

How old is your old saw?  It's probably now mentioned for some reason pertaining to regulations and/or liability matters.

Glen

 

[woodturner]

At least 20 years old.

 

[formersawrep]

Use the brake. It is a very simple safety safety feature. I have never burnt out a clutch by doing this, but even assume worst case..... I can replace a clutch - arms, legs, eyes, etc are much more difficult to replace or repair.

 

[Lawn Masters]

I generally dont use the chainbrake on my saws, mainly because my saws are mostly PRE chainbrake era saws, or the brake is missing for one reason or other. My jonsered the brake is missing because it would engage at the drop of a feather, and I cant work with that at all, my powermanc 310 has one that works I just dont use it much, my homelite330 has no chainbrake because it never did and wasnt made with one on it, its not the 330SL model which was chainbrake equipped. My next saw may be a Jonsered 920 which I'm hoping will have a chainbrake that works on it.

 

[woodturner]

What could happen not useing?

As I said my old saw I start with the brake. I usually place it on the ground if the saw is cold to start. If it's warmed up, I don't always put it on the griund to start.


The manual said the engine needs to return to idle speed as soon as possible.
I haven't had any safety issues starting the old saw, and it's brake isn't required to be engaged, so I can't see what the difference would be with the new saw?
Give me a possible scenario of what could go wrong if the brake isn't used in starting?

 

[woodturner]

Ahhhh Crap. The first sentence of my last post, should read, "As I said, my old saw I start WITHOUT the brake on". I didn't preview, sorry bout that.

 

[Crofter]

I guess the theory is you dont have both hands on the saw to control any potential kickback if the bar tip comes in contact or something comes in contact with it. If you are yo yo starting you could quite conceivablly hit your leg or feet and the brake being on would be nice then. With a longish bar on a saw and me being short I would use the chain brake for yo yo starting as the tip comes pretty close to the ground. How many that use a saw for a living can say they ALWAYS ground the saw and use the chain brake every time they start it?

Frank

 

[ricksvar]

I think Rocky climbs down out of the tree and starts his saw safely on the ground.Is that right Rocky?

That's with the chainbrake engaged,of course.

Rick

 

[Crofter]

I'd use the chain brake more if it werent for the fact that after it is activated you have to take your hand off the top handle to get slack enough to reset it. Seems like a lot of fumbling around and maybe even risking dropping the saw. I think something here needs reworking so it will be user friendly enough that more people use it more often. I like having it there for actual kickback reduction but dont take advantage of the anti rotation aspect because of the difficulty in releasing the brake.

Frank

 

[WRW]

"The manual said the engine needs to return to idle speed as soon as possible."

woodturner,
That was my point. On a warm engine start, you shouldn't have to return to idle speed, you should be there. Try your warm starts without locking the throttle, then you should have no safety issue with the rotating chain. If you pull the starter cord twice and it doesn't start...go back to your cold start proceedure.

 

[Weatherby]

Re: What could happen not useing?

Originally posted by woodturner

Give me a possible scenario of what could go wrong if the brake isn't used in starting?

Well, what were to happen if you lost your balance and fell on the bar after you started it? Not too pretty of a picture.

 

[woodturner]

Re: Re: What could happen not useing?

Originally posted by Weatherby
Well, what were to happen if you lost your balance and fell on the bar after you started it? Not too pretty of a picture.

Yeh, that would be like a chainsaw massacre, huh, if the chain were turning. But, the chain shouldn't be turning.

 

[sedanman]

If you just started the saw on high idle the chain would be turning.