Inspect those chains

Cut4fun

Redneck Chainsaw Repair
Joined
Nov 27, 2007
Messages
2,635
While doing a guys chains yesterday I come across this. I went ahead and removed it and mended back.

DSCF0668.JPG
 
Yow.

I've seen the tie-strap broken on one side, but not the other, being run in production. Sometimes, unless you look, you don't see.
 
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This one was different for me too and caught me off guard when checking them. So saved it and took pic.
 
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Have you ever seen a chain break and fly off the bar...downrange?

Yep.

Also back when racing they would put barriers up to hopefully catch flying chains and pieces.
 
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Shows what I was talking about to try and protect people from flying pieces.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dC5Sh0TXYts" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Shit, yes.
But that was back in the days when chains weren't as good as today.
Limbing spruce for pulp beat the hell out of them, they'd strech and stretch and stretch and eventually come apart.
 
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I had to check as I thought it was a windsor chain. But it was a A1 carlton.
 
I ask because I have seen one chain come off completely and leave the saw. I told this story below recently to a very experienced logger and he thought it sounded kind of "Hollywood"...said he had not seen a chain do what I described. And he logged for lots of years.

bow saw from Randall (2) RESZD 2.jpg


When I first started using a chain saw in the late 60's we had a Homelite Bow saw. I was using it to cut a small tree that was laying on the ground and the chain must have hit a rock..at least that is what I have always assumed.

The chain broke and flew off down the hill, through the woods with a whispering sound...I always think of that as the sound of death.

No one taught me but I made up this rule on my own...

I do not ever let anyone stand in front of my saw while I am cutting.

Folks that are watching a log being cut always seem to want to stand in front of the saw. A broken chain will kill them...or only maim them if they are lucky.

Make 'em watch you from an angle.
 
Huh, new thing to be careful of. I've had a number of them break over a lot of years, worst I ever experienced was a good slap on the leg.

Thanks for the heads up.
 
I've seen chains come apart a number of times. It's what lead me to spinning my own. Others incompetence.

I've had a chain fly right off the end of a 200 while in the bucket that was never found. In a tight residential job. Scary as shit.
 
Also well within my experience, both as an operator and seeing it with my fellows....it's a risky biz we operate it, no doubt.
 
I was never concerned on a short bar but on a long bar I am .I did see one break at the Paul Bunyan show on a souped up 084 Stihl .Nicked the lady running the saw and punched a hole in the oil tank.
 
I've had it happen twice. Both times on a 200t.

Both times the chain catcher did its job. The first time the chain slipped right round and immediately acted my right hand on the little finger knuckle. Stung like fook but only a small knick in the skin.

The second time the chain must have caught right near the break. That chain flicked around under the head unit and hit my arm. It impacted about 4 inches from my elbow and proceeded to rip the complete sleeve out of my favourite rain jacket.

Lucky both times. If I had been in a vest the second time I reckon a trip to AandE would have been in order.
 
I've seen chains come apart a number of times. It's what lead me to spinning my own. Others incompetence.
We're getting into that now -- bulk skip chain. Our local saw shop has given us at least 1/2 dozen Carlton chains have have come apart over the last year, very clearly points to incompetence in the GM of the shop, who does the chains. Needless to say, we're also looking for a better saw shop in the greater KC area!
 
Get a breaker and spinner and buy stihl chain by the 100' roll. You won't regret it. 25'(1/4 roll at a time) is fine for the micro picco or whatever the hell the climbing chain is.
 
Seen a good few break. Often the cause is poorly made chains when the rivets are under or over spun. Like others do, I make nearly all my own chains now.
 
Spinning chain is easy to do right, and easier to do wrong. Need someone competent and invested in safety over production. 2 more minutes per chain, maybe on the outside, to be sure it perfect, for the months it will be used in the field.

I broke a 192T Stihl Chain that had been beat on during storm work. I came in for a fast top-cut. When I hit the branch at WOT, the chain zinged off.

I was trained not to stand in front of a saw and not to work over it, as much as possible. Too many people want to use it like their ______, straight out in front of them, instead of across the body.
 
:lol:

I used to be amazed at how many people would move right into line with a saw chain to watch. I'd always stop and motion to move to the side. Usually you'd see the light bulb come on. Always seemed odd to me how casual some people are about chainsaws. The tiniest bit of awareness of body position in relation to the sharp chain spinning incredibly fast goes along ways towards safety. The easiest way to not get cut is to not be where the chain is or could rapidly move to if something goes wrong, like a kickback or a trip or stumble.
 
Trip or stumble. THROW IT!

My worker's comp went up about $1500 in premiums, IF I don't increase employee hours over the next three years, over cleaning and gluing a small facial gash. A new MS 661 doesn't cost that much.
 
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