Real spark throwing chainsaw

[dhc2013]

hi there, I'm back to the site after awhile away, so if this isnt in the right forum im sorry, every year for my buddies Halloween pro wrestling shows i play Leatherface, complete with real chainsaw, with chain removed of course. in japan there was a wrestler named Leatherface that also used a real chainsaw, if you watch this video link

and

sorry for the language his chainsaw throws real sparks when revved, this is the effect I'm looking for, i just cant figure out how the rigged the saw to shoot sparks, my buddy thinks maybe a friction plate or something along those lines. the sparks are coming from the saw body not the blade, and in the video, there appears to be an extra handle of some sort on the body of the saw that he pulls to put friction on something in the saw causing the sparks, as there's only sparks at certain times and in the second pic with the saw there's a plate attached to where the bar bolts on, also there's a chain on that saw but it seems to be just for looks. I'm looking for any help i can get that leads to the effect being duplicated. preferably a step by step if possible. there looks to be a chain on the saw, but im not sure if that has anything to do with the sparks or not.
i was told supposedly he uses the same mechanism on different saws, as he cant take the saw through the airport when he travels for wrestling
Thanks in advance

 

[Rogviler]

First thought was that they installed a grinding wheel in place of the chain sprocket and then the lever just moves a piece of steel (or some type of metal that throws even more sparks) against it. Just a guess that the sparking medium doesn't last very long, so it would need to be replaced each time.

 

[smithjohnj]

Applying a piece of low carbon steel to a grinding wheel will produce long orange sparks. Using high carbon steel will produce shorter orange sparks, but sparks which split or fork which may produce a fuller shower of sparks.

 

[ID10T]

White sparks are typically from titanium...

I'd say a Ti bar pressed into the grinding wheel as mentioned above.

Could also be a piece of steel and a piece of Ti to get more color.

The Ti sparks are brighter than steel too. (Ti would be my choice if I was building this)

 

[dhc2013]

the mechanism is apparently bolt on in place of the bar cover and is usable on multiple saws. i though of the grinding wheel idea too and i have a saw i can dedicate to this but no way to mount the grinding wheel on the sprocket

 

[dhc2013]

im not worried about spark color just throwing sparks

 

[dhc2013]

theres prolly no way to make the chain brake the lever and pull back on it when i want sparks

 

[smithjohnj]

Since you probably do not want the chain moving anyway, remove the clutch drum and find a grinding wheel which will fit (wheel diameter and arbor hole size) within the housing of your saw. This will maintain the original protective cover for the wheel. A lever action can move the metal of your choice into the wheel. Since this metal will be consumed as you use it you should plan on a way to easily replace the metal or entire lever assembly.

 

[ID10T]

Maybe a u-bolt or other clamp for the consumable piece…

There is another metal that would produce brilliant white sparks but those sparks would set stuff on fire so I’m not going to mention it.

 

[dhc2013]

smithjohnj thanks for the reply. i do not run a chain on my saw. in both of the above videos there IS a chain on the saw so im thinking the friction bar touches the chain and when the chain spins sparks happen. the saw i have the chain sprocket is pressed on and it not the same diameter as the 5/8" hole in the grinding wheel. and its not threaded so i cant use a nut to hold it on. im thinking about heavily spot welding the metal ring in the centre of the grinding disk onto the chain sprocket shaft after i take the sprocket off, or since the saw will be dedicated to this endeavor, maybe having a little piece that gets pressed onto the shaft like the pulley was and sandwich the grinding disk between the that plate and another piece. ​

p.s the sprocket shaft in my saw kinda looks like that one

 

[dhc2013]

and honestly for the 5-10 mins a year this is gonna get used, replacing the consumable plate isnt a big concern until its gone

 

[dhc2013]

pretty sure ill have the sprocket teeth machined off until i can either press or weld the the grinding disk on the clutch cover, that way the saw isnt modified to much and id only need a new clutch cover to make it cut wood again. ill put a big long fat bar on it and everything

 

[dhc2013]

another thing is if i use the origional cover there wont be anywhere for the sparks to come out of as it doesnt leave a gap when installed, hence y in this pic im guessing that block is bolted to the saw where the cover would go. in this last pic the blade looks to not be very tight as its nearly at a 45 degree to the saw lol

 

[dhc2013]

any other suggestions?

 

[dhc2013]

So I've found out from another wrestler that worked with the leatherface wrestler, that all the mechanism is is the wooden block bolted over the chain sprocket where the cover would normally go and that all it is is a piece of rebar in a hole in the wooden block that physically gets pushed against the chainsaw chain and sparks when the saw is revved

 

[Rogviler]

Haha damn... Well I would say you could do it that way or a safe way.