Chainsaw w/trigger lock?

Richard · Sep 25, 2001

Was in Home Depot yesterday and saw TWO different brands of chainsaws that had a trigger lock button.

Not the button you depress to be able to gas it...this one is the one you use to LOCK THE THROTTLE ON. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

I couldn't believe it. First...I have never seen one of these on a chainsaw (55 Husky/044 Stihl owner). I just looked at these and had to reaffirm what I was seeing then faded into thoughts of cutting tree/limb with lock on and something happening and haveing to throw saw or react in some defensive way. I just envisioned the saw flying through the air screaming at max rpms and loping my or someone elses head off.

Are these throttle locks common???
Am I alone in my thoughts that it is WAYYYYY unsafe?
I can see one on a drill, though I never use them, but on a chainsaw??

Richard

dmccarty · Sep 25, 2001

YIKES!

A lock to keep the saw going on full throttle sounds like one heck of an easy lawsuit to win....

I can't believe a company would be that dumb to put a lock to keep the throttle open..... Nuts.

When I first read your note for some reason I thought of a kill switch. It might be nice to have a small wrist braclet that went to a plug on the saw. If the plug is pulled the engine stops. What jetskis have is what I'm talking about. I'm not sure if everyone would want something like this and it certainly could be a pain but its and interesting thought. When I'm felling trees I always have at least two ways to run, hopefully more, and I think about which way I'm throwing the saw if things go bad...... So it might be nice to have a kill switch. But I cant' see why anyone would want to full throttle the saw.

Even when I'm cutting up a large log, I don't always run the saw at full throttle. In fact I vary the engine speed depending on what I'm doing. Shudder... The more I think of a full on throttle lock.... Yikes.... /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Are you sure they locked the throttle full on? This just seems so unsafe and dangerous that I really find it hard to believe a company would design a saw with this feature. I'm not doubting what you saw, pun intended, /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif but I'm shocked that a company would do this.....

Later....
Dan McCarty

Knight9 · Sep 25, 2001

My McCullough has a "throttle lock" on it that you lock only when you are starting it. You can NOT turn the lock on and hold on to the handle though as your hand on the throttle trigger immediately releases the lock. This is simply used for starting. Not sure about which brand you were looking at.

Kevin

heehaw · Sep 25, 2001

same here, throttle lock for starting purposes only
heehaw

CVHoss · Sep 25, 2001

Richard,
Like other replies here, I'm thinking that it's the lock for starting only. I've never owned a chain saw that didn't have the lock. Unless they're already warmed up, it's darned near impossible to get the saw started without it. It's much safer to lock the throttle and hold the saw down by the top handle while jerking on the starter rope than to try and hold the saw down by the rear handle and squeeze the throttle at the same time.

Hoss

Richard · Sep 25, 2001

I see. Maybe I'm (yet again /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif) enlightened.

I believe the brand to be Echo?? I just may go by there today to reaffirm.

I KNOW the button locked the throttle as I did it on both of them. I did NOT however, hold it in such a way to see if it kicked off when the hand grasps the handle.

Yeah, I DO think I'll go & double check. My curiosity is aroused & I'll report back. Sure don't want to yell fire if inappropriate. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Richard

TerryinMD · Sep 25, 2001

I have an 1985 model Craftsman 18" bar (made by Poulan) and it has the throttle lock. It is located on the top of the handle. When you depress the lock and squeeze the throttle the lock is engaged. You must use two hands to engage the lock. It can be only used when starting the chainsaw.

Mac624 · Sep 25, 2001

I heard about McCulloch, Echo and Poulan, are You able to work with machines like this? No Profeesional here in Germany would work with this brands.

Knight9 · Sep 26, 2001

The McCullough that I have does just fine for me since I am NOT a "Profeesional". I would think that it would be fairly obvious if I was a logger by trade I would be using a more expensive chain saw.

Kevin

jdkid · Sep 26, 2001

Hi ya's
you do find 2 trigger locks on newer saws 1, to lock1/3-1/2 open for starting as soon as ya give it some gas and remove ya hand it will return to a idle the other 1 is ya can't give it the gas till ya hand is on top too ie ya hand is wraped around the back handle..
catch ya
JD Kid