Chainsaw Chain Brake band.. Breaking

[Liam@Broc]

@Wonky Given the age of the saws it would seem unlikely that they'd be worn in that way. I have attached some photos of the breakage point, it is a clean break and in this image the band has bent in the opposite direction of where it was going. Breakage point is the same on all saws. 

 

@Stephen Blair I agree, safety is of course paramount, however, I also agree with the point earlier about putting unnecessary wear on the band and running the risk of it failing when it's needed most. As well, I feel I use the brake often and don't seem to wear through them. Whacking the break on is definitely what's taught. Do you find that you wear through bands after a month of use? We definitely have lots of crap getting in there though there's no way to avoid that on some jobs, more regular cleaning perhaps. 

[Stubby]

7 minutes ago, Stephen Blair said:

You simply need to keep spare chain breaks and springs , problem solved!

  Chain break is there for a reason, every step I take and when saw is finished cutting, I WHACK  on the chain break and I drum it into every worker who has come under my employment if they don’t do it.

  It needs to be second nature, so when the day comes you slip, fall, trip while cutting, you will save yourself a possible trip to the hospital or morge!

  My instructor back in 1995 installed this into us and that was for basic start up and full revs chain break test which I still do to this day on every first start up and also on snedding in every step we took the break had to be on unless the saw was on the opposite side of the trunk.

  When I moved into tree surgery and garden tree work we would all work in close proximity with saws, targets and chippers I carried this on.

From a maintenance point of view, if there is crap around the clutch drum on stihls you will break bands.

  I say to new lads, if the break doesn’t work, neither do you.  

  

Its actually a chain brake . It " breaks " when you " WHACK it on at every step . We are different .

[Liam@Broc]

There has to be a balance to be met between whacking it on from full rev to not using it enough or safely. I admit that the drum in the previous picks is filthy!

[The avantgardener]

5 minutes ago, Liam@Broc said:

There has to be a balance to be met between whacking it on from full rev to not using it enough or safely. I admit that the drum in the previous picks is filthy!

And they aren’t from a 550mk2.

[Liam@Broc]

@The avantgardener correct and well spotted, this one saw is mainly used for crosscutting logs, it's 135. It was taken up after the others broke. So this would rule out a manufacturing fault I'd think.

[Stephen Blair]

12 minutes ago, Stubby said:

Its actually a chain brake . It " breaks " when you " WHACK it on at every step . We are different .

Yes thankfully we are different!

Chain break has never broke on me full revs, it’s a band around a drum, it would always break at just near the lower attachment point at the weakest point.

  I’ve also never had a band break in due to use I believe,  it was always lack of maintenance going by the volume of crud from neglect!

  Now I live in a drier climate I can go a month without a strip down compressor clean, when I lived on the west coast it was done almost daily by the new guy at the end of every wet day, which was often.

  

[adw]

Can i see a picture of the broken end, for some unknown reason there were some bands with a slot where it wraps around the knee link, i thought this was taken away to increase the strength of the band

Whacking the brake on! no.

[s o c]

1 hour ago, Liam@Broc said:

Hi Guys, 

 

Thanks for the input, much appreciated.

 

I think we are all thinking the same thing.. operator error. The least experienced of our crew was definitely doing this and it was addressed, I was surprised to see it from the others. I guess I'll need to keep a closer eye on their technique. Possibly a lot of the break coming on mid cut with kick back given the state of these trees.

 

@Steve Bullman They are Husqvarna 550xp II, I have the 550xp and there has never been an issue with the brake. 

If they are getting kick-backs often they aren’t using their saws safely .

 They might have picked up a few dangerous habits, maybe cutting with bar tip or pushing chain and it’s showing up now that they are in hairy timber.

[Liam@Broc]

@Stephen Blair Ye.. I think a daily clean over here on the west is a good shout. 

 

@adw Ye, the one I took a picture of is an older but not old 135. It has that split design as you say. The new 550XP IIs have a solid band and have broken at the same place. 

 

@s o c I wouldn't say often or severe. Though the new saws are sensitive it seems to not take too much to bring it on, that mixed with complicated multi stem (knotty) stumps. After having done FISA checks only on Friday I didn't record any kick back. I would say the break can come a bit harshly though.  

[Stephen Blair]

Liam it’s easy to say now I used to do them daily, most of the time after a days getting soaked to the baws, a wet arse drive home the saws got chucked into the container, we’d get changed, hang everything up , turn on the heater and dehumidifier and get home as quick as possible for a shower and deal with the manky saws in the morning!?

  Also in domestic tree work a tool box is only a garden length away, working in the woods it’s carry the minimum so I understand getting pissed off at rookie mistakes or heavy handed Ness .

I’ve worked in the rain once this year and that was just a morning!

  I don’t miss West Coast!!