Do gas chainsaws have a clutch?

[velvetfoot]

It almost seems that way to me because the blade stops pretty quick. I have been using an electric saw a bit lately (old 2 hp Remington) and it seems to take a while to slow down, like maybe it's directly connected to the motor and its inertia. True? Something to watch for when using an electric saw.

 

[Eric Johnson]

Yes, they have to have a clutch because othewise the chain would move all the time, or the saw would stall.

The clutch housing is that steel drum that the sprocket is either attached to (rim sprocket) or built into (star sprocket). As the crank shaft spins, the centrifical force causes the clutch springs to expand, allowing the friction plates to move outward and engage the drum. That's when the chain starts spinning.

You're probably right about the workings of the electric chainsaw, though I've never used one or seen one up close. Seems to me they should have the same type of clutch as a gas saw for safety reasons.

 

[velvetfoot]

As I said, the one I used yesterday was old. The new one I got has a chain brake (deluxe for an electric I believe). I'll see how it works in a while.

 

[slofr8]

Clutch springs might have been broken causing the chain to turn constantly.