A chainsaw is a portable machine used in cutting, felling, pruning, and bucking trees. It is often used to cut ice to make ice sculptures and specially designed chainsaws are used to cut concrete during construction development. It is a portable machine powered by either battery, electricity, or gasoline.
Who invented a Chainsaw?
Samuel J. Bens is stated to be the inventor of the endless chain saw. He designed it in 1903. At first, Ben was only concerned with the phenomenon that how a chainsaw works. However, 16 years later he filed a patent that claimed to be the most compact, durable and efficient chainsaw to cut logs.
Main parts of Chainsaw
A chainsaw has two main parts a small gasoline engine which is usually powered by gasoline or battery and a saw blade which is built into a chain. This chain looks a lot like to that a bicycle chain with 30 or more sharp steel teeth mounted around at intervals.
How do Chainsaw works?
The chainsaw works by converting chemical energy into mechanical energy. A typical chainsaw holds up to 0.5 liters of gas which is a form of chemical energy. Inside that cylindrical engine, the air-fuel is ignited by a spark plug, thus releasing energy and pushing a piston back and forth. This back-and-forth motion of the piston is converted into rotatory motion by a connecting rod and crank.
Usage of chainsaw
Chainsaws are mostly used for cutting woods and in projects like
Cutting the fallen trees into smaller sections to use them as firewood or some other disposal.
To prune large branches from trees.
To cut a variety of materials like plastic, frozen meat, concrete, bones, etc.
However, the usage of chainsaws is also reported for medical purposes. Around the 19th century, the chainsaw was used as a surgical instrument to give narrow cuts without breaking the bones. The chainsaw used for the surgical purpose was smaller in size and flexible to use.
Advantages of Chainsaw
Chainsaws are 5 to 10 times fast and more efficient as compared to ordinary hand saws. Apart from their fast cutting, they are also versatile and simple to use. A chainsaw takes up very little space and is portable to use. It is easy to recharge or refuel and is convenient to start.
Disadvantages of Chainsaw
Safety and maintenance are the two biggest disadvantages of chainsaws. Though adults with proper training can handle it, the danger is inherent when it comes to using a chainsaw. The fatal risk that comes with using a chainsaw is called rebates.
Consider Newton’s third law of motion, rebates happen when the chain hits something but the engine doesn’t turn off. In that case, the entire chainsaw flies back towards your head, resulting in a fatal injury. To avoid this situation, wear a chainsaw helmet with a sun visor and chainsaw uniform made up of nylon fibers.
The other big problem is its maintenance. When you take a look at the maintenance chart provided with a chainsaw, it shows you dozens of inspections and maintenance tasks that you need to perform every week. It is because when you cut the woods, the tiny wood chips fell into the grooves in the chainsaw and you need to clean them after every cutting section.
Chainsaw safety tips
Apart from wearing safety gear, you should also keep in mind some safety tips while using a chainsaw to avoid any injury:
- Avoid standing directly behind the saw.
- Never leave a running saw unattended.
- Never start a chainsaw when it resting against your body.
- Avoid carrying a chainsaw while it is running.
- If you come in contact with a muffler, it will result in serious skin burns. So, avoid it as much as possible.
