Ed's tip-o-the day

My special trick is not turning the saw on. My cs400 has a separate on/off switch, and more than once I pulled the hell out the cord before realizing I didn't turn it on, but not before a mild panic wondering how I broke my saw :^D
 
My special trick is not turning the saw on. My cs400 has a separate on/off switch, and more than once I pulled the hell out the cord before realizing I didn't turn it on, but not before a mild panic wondering how I broke my saw :^D
That’s something that was ingrained in me during the green training years. When I turn off a saw, I flip the switch back to run as soon as it shuts off. Every time, unless I’m about to get whipped around on a spar or there’s a legit “ oh shit moment” . Aside from my trainer and his brother, I’ve seen nobody else do this.
Ergo every time I grab a saw that someone else recently used, I pull it once or twice, grumble a little foul language, and move the switch.

It’s really not important, but it seemed important to Jim and Don and I tried to not let those guys down and now it’s a habit.
 
I don't often make that mistake with my chainsaws...but as often as not, I'll forget to move the switch to on when I go to start my Honda powered air compressor.

Always feel stupid, too :).
 
Unfortunately, they seem to occur with somewhat more frequency these days. I'll be 67 in a couple of months. Hell, that sounds pretty damn old.

A quick look in the mirror does nothing to dispel that impression.
:D
 
I was running an Echo 590 one time and bumped the off switch with my leg or something. I thought it ran out of gas at first, then though it broke because it wouldn't fire back up, and this one had no label telling which way was on or off. I finally flipped the switch and it started.
 
Like Jonny I was taught to always turn the switch back on after shutting it off. I'm reminded of it everytime someone uses my saw or I use someone else's saw. My newest 261 flips back automatically. I think my newer 201 does the same. Haven't ran it since I got my electric.
 
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Like Jonny I was taught to always turn rhe switch back on afrer shutting it off. I'm reminded of it everytime someone uses my saw or I use someone else's saw. My newest 261 flips back automatically. I think my newer 201 does the same. Haven't ran it since I got my electric.
It’s extremely comforting to know this isn’t some whacky Buffalo thing among a fringe group of nutzo hockey players.
 
My cs400 has a separate on/off switch,
I was running an Echo 590 one time
It's not just you with that line of echos! I'm in the "always turn the switch back on after it dies" camp and let me tell you, I have more problems with my cs-590 than any other saw. It's the labeling, I never know which way is off. Like you guys can't afford a ON sticker to go along with that OFF sticker Echo factory...

Echo: This is the off switch
User: OK but which direction is on and which direction is off?
Echo: Yes

I've gotten so frustrated with them I've considered ripping the switch out and replacing it with a push button.
 
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The 590 is easy. Up =on kinda light switch intuitive. The pole saw on the other hand. I always have to double check. But it too is up for on. Just not much movement to make it so.
Those friggen honda motor switches get me every time. Opposite the pull start so you dont see it.
 
I do it on all my equipment. You know you're getting tired or impatient when you flick the switch back to ON just a little too soon and just before it stops the engine spins right back up. Haste makes waste. The latching kill on a BR600 solves that, but an accidental momentary bump also kills it necessitating taking it off and back on for a restart.
 
A blower and a weedwacker have a kill switch on the handle and no labeling, so easy to flip while moving it around unused. I never know how it should be. Pretty annoying on a hard to start engine.
I like the switch spring-mounted on the new Sthill chainsaws, but that's even more confusing with the other ones.
Then add the gas shut off on some engines...
Last case, my splitter doesn't have a kill switch. Pretty disturbing too. It took me a little time to figure how to stop it: put it on iddle, retract fully the ram and that stalls the engine. Not very mechanical friendly, but it's better than flooding it with the choke (at least if I want start it again).
 
Kill switch on the blower is broken, i haven't stopped to fix it yet so i just choke it to kill it. I don't think it's any worse on an engine, there's nothing happening that will hurt it. Starving it might actually be worse, but it's so minimal in sure it doesn't matter. Kinda serves as a test, to see if whoever picked it up is smart enough to use it lol
 
I had a problem with Harley one night. I was at my friends repair shop. He works from 8 to 6 then goes back around 9 and works for another couple hours. (workaholic much?) I went to leave and got the green neutral light to come on, hit the starter and it lurched. Not in neutral!! Ok get it in N and now it won't start.
WTF. Took quite a while to realize I had bumped the kill switch when it lurched. The labels are so worn on the switches not sure you can even read them. I had never used the kill switch. Guess I should rock it every time to make sure the green light isn't lying..
 
I have to laugh at myself some times .Recently trying to fire up one of the Partner p-100's I jerked on the rope for ten minutes before I realized I had the kill switch in wrong position .Keep in mind this old Swede is 99 cc high compression with no decomp .I'm pretty strong but not half the man I was in the avatar picture .When it finally dawned on me ,set the throttle lock and it fired on two but with a crankcase full of fuel it blew smoke for about 5 minutes .
 
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