What was the first year that chain brakes were required by law in USA ?

[preventec47]

This would help me classify antique saws into a before or after based
on whether they have chain brakes or not.

 

[Eccentric]

I think the changeover in the US was volluntary. Certain saws, such as the Homelite SXL-AO were sold until 1994 or so without chainbrakes. Canada 'required' them LONG before that. IIRC, CB equipped saws hit the US market around 1971 or so...

 

[w8ye]

I have a Poulan 3500 with a made in 1997 Type III tag on it. I bought it more or less new from TSC in 1999.
I'm a personal use firewood cutter and consider myself to have used this saw a considerable amount but as you can see it is sporting the original bar and chain. But I have two other bars and many chains for it. I replaced the fuel filter once and recently rebuilt the carburetor. It has a rim type drive sprocket and adjustable oiler. 60cc Gilardoni cylinder 20" X 3/8" bar

There is no chain brake nor any provisions for one on this saw.

 

[Ambull]

Wow, I had no idea that Poulan held out so long. I bought a Husky 41 back in 1995, and I think at that time all the Husky's had CB's on them. In the 80's all the saws my dad was running did not have CB's. All Craftsman's and homeowner Mac's.

 

[preventec47]

Thanks for clearing that up, I thought the chain brakes were govt mandated
much like the safety controls in push lawnmowers etc.
Scott

 

[KD57]

Thanks for clearing that up, I thought the chain brakes were govt mandated
much like the safety controls in push lawnmowers etc.
Scott

You can pretty much trace all problems, safety junk, etc., to the Lawyers, OSHA and the EPA.

 

[wyk]

You can pretty much trace all problems, safety junk, etc., to the Lawyers, OSHA and the EPA.

You can trace safety measures to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration? *GASP*

 

[Joe46]

You can pretty much trace all problems, safety junk, etc., to the Lawyers, OSHA and the EPA.

Actually it started with the idiots who got hurt in the first place due to lack of common sense. "All I did was stick my hand under the mower to clear the grass out" Why didn't they tell me to turn it off?:bang:

 

[JDNicol]

You can pretty much trace all problems, safety junk, etc., to the Lawyers, OSHA and the EPA.

There is nothing wrong with chain brakes. IMO a very good idea.

 

[w8ye]

Some work better than others

 

[Chris J.]

Some interesting reading:


Title 29 of the Code of Federal
Regulations

Cut & paste from the above /\:
1910.266(e)(1)(ii)(E)
Chain brakes and nose shielding devices, to assure that they are in place and function properly;

More detailed info:
1910.266(e)(2)(i)
Each chain saw placed into initial service after the effective date of this section shall be equipped with a chain brake and shall otherwise meet the requirements of the ANSI B175.1-1991 "Safety Requirements for Gasoline-Powered Chain Saws", which is incorporated by reference as specified in Sec. 1910.6. Each chain saw placed into service before the effective date of this section shall be equipped with a protective device that minimizes chain-saw kickback. No chain-saw kickback device shall be removed or otherwise disabled.

 

[Chris J.]

Perhaps February 09, 1995

Logging eTool: Chain Saw - Parts of a Chain Saw

 

[nmurph]

There is nothing wrong with chain breaks. IMO a very good idea.

Yep, I like breaks in my saws; it gives me something to do on the weekends.

 

[sachsmo]

Brakes are a good idea for sure, but there is still the "you can't fix stupid" thing.

 

[JRepairsK70e]

when the chain BREAKS the chain BRAKE wont prevent you from a nasty bight lol jk useage and spellin is a reel delite hear

 

[slowp]

I do recall there being a chain BRAKE on a Mac that I was using in 1981. It was not a very new saw. But I do not know if the brakes were required.

 

[Boskaerm]

Why does some of you not like the chainbrake? I think it's great, although it can't prevent stupidity!

I don't think it has made my cutting any harder, or difficult!

 

[cat-face timber]

Whenever my Dad bought or traded for a saw the first thing he did was remove the chain brake.

 

[strad]

I now have my father's saw, which to my memory has been in our family for 30-some years. It is a Pro-Mac 10-10 automatic, and it has a chain brake. We have had it since it was new. I do not know if the brake was an option or not, but I do know that it's always been on this saw.

 

[Kydan]

Love these old threads, my old Poulan 295 bought in 1996 has no chain brake, made in the U.S.A and still running.