Chain Safety Catch

hydro2 · March 04, 2006, 11:24:51 PM

Are any of you having trouble with the chain catch tearing your drive links up when you throw a chain? I have had this happen twice on my 353. I am thinking about cutting it off. It detroys the chain if the chain is thrown.

beenthere · March 04, 2006, 11:44:42 PM

What is causing the chain to be thrown?
And how do you know it isn't damaged from being 'thrown' and not when it hits the 'catch' ? ???

The very few times I've thrown a chain, it isn't broken but just 'lays' there. I understand the 'catch is if a link breaks and the chain possibly 'whips' causing some 'flesh' injury, that the 'catch' stops from happening.

I thought I understood a bit about it, but now I am wondering if I know anything about it. :

???

hydro2 · March 04, 2006, 11:54:40 PM

Never really thought that it may be damaged when it comes off the bar. Good point. I just blamed it on the catch. Don't really know for sure.

Thanks,
Mark

hydro2 · March 04, 2006, 11:55:39 PM

It has thrown twice and both times when I was hogging in the brush. Well actually my buddy was hogging in the brush today. New chain a good bar, so I blame it on the brush.

Kevin · March 05, 2006, 07:08:37 AM

That's your problem, you need a clearing saw to cut brush.

sawguy21 · March 05, 2006, 11:39:04 AM

I agree with Kevin. The chainsaw is not a hogging tool. It works best with a steady load and hogging will cause the chain to slap on the bar allowing brush to get caught between them. I learned the hard way too.

Tony_T · March 05, 2006, 08:25:53 PM

The chain will get thrown real easy when cutting brush. If you have to cut brush make sure chain tension is barely looser than TOO TIGHT.

SawTroll · March 06, 2006, 10:02:36 AM

I have done the same with my 353, and also have had the chain come off once, breaking a drive tang in the prosess, and scraching the chain catcher. My guess is that the chain was damaged when hitting the catcher - but rather that than having it hit my leg....

As several others have said, chainsaws isn't really the appropriate tool for bruchcutting.

Dale Hatfield · March 06, 2006, 10:26:28 AM

The chain catch is their for you protection. Its made to keep a pitched chain from hitting your arm or leg. It must be their for your protection.
A chain that has been thrown usually has some burred drive links. But its far from junk. You have 2 options when faced with a pitched chain.

1 install fresh one. Deal with burred edges at home.

2 put chain back on lose and run it for a few seconds which will take care of burs. Then tighten chain and go back to cutting.

Dale

musher · March 06, 2006, 01:35:09 PM

I had a chain pop off a week ago, and I eventually got to option one, but only after a lightbulb moment.

At first, I thought the chain was just fine, and tried to get it back on the bar and drive sprocket, but it wouldn't get into the bar groove. First, I thought the bar was bent, so I go and get the dept-gauge tool to clean out the bar groove and make sure it wasn't bent. Then I see that the drive links were burred, so I grab the flat-file and am out there on a stump trying to clean up the chain. That was when the lightbulb moment occurred. DUH! Gee, isn't this one of the reasons I have a spare chain in the toolbox on the ATV?!

Problem solved, and I was able to do a little better on filing out the burrs on the workbench back at home.

Alta · March 07, 2006, 04:47:27 PM

I think the damage to the drive links is caused by the sprocket after the chain is thrown and will no longer rotate but the sprocket is still moving thus eating up a few drive liinks - and yes, cutting brush will do this.

Id be more worried about the bar than the chain when considering re-using the chain berfore cleaning it up - but then its only money. right?

Dale Hatfield · March 07, 2006, 09:02:53 PM

Yes its only money , dont it grow on your trees .
With Teaching 15 college age students how to use and run a saw a few days a week . actually running a logging operation .
If it can be bent broke or busted they can do it.
On a guess id say we get about 6 years out of a bar . That being said thats bar only , will have replaced sprocket tip.
I think thats pretty fair return for the money for a bar.
We do clean saws . Blow out the dust, clean the bar rails, clean air fliters. Turn the bars over.
All of our saws in class are 371 huskys that were bought as soon as that line came out. about 10 years ago.

Dale

timberjack240 · March 07, 2006, 09:05:52 PM

our 288s have that metal chain catch i never tried it but i think if you wrapped some tape around it to cover the metal it might not hurt the chain as bad. i dont think it wood hurt anyhting but i d check first. i only had my chain pop off once and luckily it didnt meess the hole chain up i think it only hit two teeth still enough to ruin yur day

DALE you spraked my interest a little what school do you teach and what kinda degrees and stuff liek that can you get and where is it located

Dale Hatfield · March 07, 2006, 09:20:54 PM

Some of the smaller saws have chain catch made of plastic.

Dale

Hocking College
School of Natural Resources
2 year
Forestry, Timber harvesting /Tree Care.
Wildlife Mgt/ Science, Fish.
Interp.
Heavy Equip .many others
We are a outdoor college. Hands on. Work in the field everyday. Our class room time is usally an hour or 2 then off to the field to do it , Not read about it.

http://www.hocking.edu/