Unlimited Hotsaw Show Produces Three Casualties

[maggiesboy]

Well folks, it has happened. We were doing a couple of demo cuts for the little town of Silvana, Wa at their community fair. It was yesterday, July 31, 2004. We left the fairgrounds just speachless. We had no idea on what to say.
We installed a new 3/4 chain just for this event. A 3/4 chain from Oregon, givin to us by our chain sponsor.( Thank you Jay for all of your support) My father (V6Bill) had installed the new chain on the nitrous injected AMERICAN MAID V6 Ford saw. When he delivered the saw to me on thursday he reminded me to check on the master link BEFORE we ran the saw. I did. I peened the rivets once again on Friday to be sure.
I arrived at the fairgrounds at 7:00 am on saturday. This gave me enough time to set up and still browse the grounds before the 9:00 am opening ceremonies.
8:30, my lifters arrive.(thanks Jason and Kenny) Jason was told by my father to check that pesky master link (lack of trust?) Jason gives the rivets a few love taps for insurance reasons.
9:15 my kids race to a 1st and third place in the "sack race". I was a proud poppa.
12:30 we got the green light to start the saw up for a warm up period. The omen then occured. The battery had a post melt down due to extended cranking of the starter. After a set of vise grips were found we were back in business.
The saw got started, finally. The chain gets tightened and lubed as usual. The saw is refired and a cut is made. Saw is shut down and "the talk is givin".
The saw is refired and a double cut is made. A third cut is attempted when it happens. Just as the saw touched the log, BAM, the chain breaks. we have told people time and time again to stay back when these things run.
The chain broke, flinging a piece over the tip roller and breaking a second time, sending 6 cutters airborne. they were slowed down by the front tire of my F350. They then exited the tire to only bounce off of the trucks frame, and then make an appearance inside of my trucks OILPAN! Kills one and two are in the book. The third death was not noticed for sometime. When the rest of the chain hurled back towards the saw, it also took out the oilpan of the saw.
Anyone have a rear sump oil pan for a 460 for sale?
Bill Jr

 

[ccicora]

I am glad to hear that nobody was hurt. I for one know what its like to spend the better half of your summer on a couch. I've seen three chain breaks this summer on hotsaws. Two of them happened to the same person with the same saw.

Later,
Chris

 

[wiley_p]

Nonone should be hurt, every Hotsaw event I see makes it quite clear where to stand, often parking a vehicle in the flight path. Chains break and people are out of the way, I have been to many shooting comps and none seems to stand downrange. I am suprised the chain went thru the tire and retained energy.

 

[McC]

Where can chains go? Do they ever fly in back of the saw. We use an old trench box in front of our hotsaws, because we expect that if one did come off the saw it would go out the front. I've never seen one leave a saw, they usually just jam up around the clutch, but I know they can get away from the saw. How about a cutter breaking off and shooting out? Just wondering what can be done to prevent an injury.

 

[maggiesboy]

visuals of the pan damage

here is a photo of my "saw modified" oil pan.

 

[husky394]

Where can chains go? Do they ever fly in back of the saw.

Maybe 20 years ago, I saw one of the early motorcycle saws break a chain. A bit of it flew out behind the saw and nearly killed a women 20' back in the grandstands. It looked as though it went clear through her, blood was everywhere. If you don't have protective barriers for the front and back of the saws, don't run the event. I've seen barriers made of wire screen or plexiglass, but I can't speak to their effectiveness.

 

[caryr]

 

[ehp]

The wire style catchers work for chainsaws but not very good for bike saws or bigger in this case , when Paul broke his chain this spring it went threw the catcher and close to a couple hundred feet out in to the river, a small piece like 3 links went behind him and missed everybody but if it had hit anyone it would not have been good

 

[tony marks]

dang i never thot it was that dangerous.. they been a small voice telling me not to get into that..
u just never know when your times coming.. but listening to them still small voices ,,mite just be worth doing..
not saying u shouldnt get into racing..
just that i shouldnt ..

 

[maggiesboy]

backstops...

we now have a good backstop. a 2 foot by seven foot 3/8 thick piece of T1 steel with 4x4s bolted to it. and it is just over 300 pounds! this is only the second time we have ever lost a chain, this is a good learning experience for all of us. Tires and oil pans are easier and CHEAPER to fix than a human body. Keep this in mind for your shows, practice runs, and your get togethers. I have never heard of a saw show ending up with a death to a person. We all need to do our best to keep it that way! Even if we sacrifice our own trucks in the process. Bill Jr


Here is an update: the master link the three of us peened was found intact, fully. we are sending the chain to oregon to have it evaluated.

 

[Paul Downes]

Jeeeeze, maybe you should think about a safer career, like say logging?