Chainsaw w/trigger lock?

[Richard]

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]

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]

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]

same here, throttle lock for starting purposes only
heehaw

 

[CVHoss]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

 

[skent]

My 1966 Mac 10-10 didn't have it. I needed 3 hands to start it.
My 197- Sears had it. Never a problem (or lost digit)
My 1999 Poulin Has it. Never a problem (or lost body parts)

Steve

 

[MJB]

My Mac 10-10 has one. I think it was made in the early '70s. The saw cuts like a demon (when the chain is sharp) but it sure is loud./w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif No missing body parts yet./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I love the smell of diesel in the morning./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[patrickg]

Richard, haven't got back yet to check? I'll bet you a rootbeer float that there are no new chainsaws for sale legally in US that don't have the safety system Knight et al reported. I agree of course if they did it would be a travesty, I just don't believe that would pass consumer safety requirements.

Patrick
(When proclaiming the sky to be falling, credability is enhanced if you have large verified pieces of sky to show)

 

[Richard]

Howdy folks

Just got back from wedding in Cleveland, OH. Left last Thursday.

I went to HD prior to leaving, the trigger lock is in fact what it looks to be, however, it is (upon further inspection and reading manual) for fast idle only.

I held saw and indeed, it did what it looked like it did (trigger lock) but upon deft feeling of throttle, I could see that the throttle was lets say, only halfway engaged, not full. I had read the manual (box open) and saw the reference to it being a fast idle setting. The first time I didn't notice the subtle difference it the throttle setting with the lock -vs- full throttle.

Patrick..you can come on by my way & I'll just get you that rootbeer float! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[patrickg]

Uhhh, pack the float in dry ice and mail it as I can't come for it until after I fix my truck fan problem.

 

[bgott]

You still haven't fixed that fan yet? What's with that?

 

[patrickg]

bgott

Well, gee dad, I promise to get to it right away! I ran out of time and drove a rental car to SOCAL and used a rental truck to move my mom, getting back to Oklahoma within 100 miles of my place in time to attend funeral of favorite aunt. N O W I hope to pursue the clutch fan. As it is not a standard issue Dodge part I don't expect the local Dodge dealer to perform miracles. It seems that the dealer that sold me the truck and fan did not update the computer with the fan install so it isn't covered under waranty. I haven't time to fight that battle from 1500 miles away so I'll take my lumps and do whatever I have to do.

Patrick