Like a violin case for musicians of the woods, the Chain Locker™ was built with a purpose. One of the first things you learn as a cutter is how to change chains on your saw. Dull chains is just part of life. And the more you cut, the more chains you’ll use over the years. But where do you store chains when not in use, and how do you take extras and stay organized on a job site?
Those were the very questions asked by Scott and Kellee Miller over the years while working in the woods of Northern Kentucky. And their answer was the Chain Locker, a novel universal chainsaw chain storage case.
Built to Work
Kentucky owned and made in the U.S.A., the Chain Locker is an easy-to-carry polypropylene case with 1/8” diameter stainless steel pins in hinges and latches much like you’d see on a case built to carry actual saws. Available in two sizes, the universal designs contain tabs which secure and organize multiple chainsaw chains while preventing tangles. Husband-wife team Scott and Kellee Miller invented the box after years managing their own property and harvesting trees for firewood. The hassle of keeping different sized chains, and those dull and sharp separated, gave rise to the idea of a storage case which could secure them for transport, organization and storage.
The Chain Locker Original comes in orange, black, and gray and start at $38 with multipacks also available. The 1.5-pound unit measures 27.75” in length, 4.2” in wide, and 2” height. The original Chain Locker is designed to carry chains fitting bar sizes between 6” and 20” and can fit an average of 8 chains, depending on type and size.
Big cutters can also check out the Chain Locker Pro Series, designed to accommodate any chain with a .404 pitch or smaller. With the dual wrap design, even a 60” chain is no challenge for the Pro Series. Depending on the size of the chains, the Pro Series can hold as few as 6 chains or as many as 20. The Pro Series is priced at $65 per unit and is available in Safety Orange, High-Visibility Yellow. The 3-pound unit measures 32.75” in length, by 7” wide and 2.2” height.
The Chain Locker and Chain Locker Pro Series can be found at many chainsaw store front dealers nationwide.
The Return on Investment Is Real: Save Time, Save Money
The Chain Locker product lineup’s popularity has grown markedly since its birth in December 2021. Whether used by professional arborists, lawn care professionals, fire departments, farmers, or those with wood furnaces, the value of the case is in the efficiency it brings.
One of the great values to the Chain Locker is the time saved by knowing exactly where your replacement chains are located exactly when you need them. You will also not waste time straightening chains out. Chain Locker also saves money by providing a consistent storage place so chains aren’t lost or left behind on the jobsite or in the back of a work truck to rust.
Given that chainsaw chains can cost anywhere from $20 to $100 to replace, the return on investment is real when it comes to proper storage and care of chainsaw chains. No professional musician would carry their violin around strings bare to the world, and neither should those who cut their cords out of wood.
