WORKING TECHNIQUES
22 – English
saw chain and be thrown towards you. Even if this
does not need to be a danger, you may be surprised
and lose control of the saw. Never saw stacked logs or
branches without first separating them. Only saw one
log or one piece at a time. Remove the cut pieces to
keep your working area safe.
(52)
4
Never use the chain saw above shoulder height
and avoid cutting with the tip of the bar. Never use
the chain saw one-handed!
(45)
5
In order to keep control of your saw, always maintain
a firm foothold. Never work on a ladder, in a tree or on
any other insecure support.
(46)
6
Always use a fast cutting speed, i.e. full throttle.
7
Take great care when you cut with the top edge of the
bar, i.e. when cutting from the underside of the object.
This is known as cutting with a pushing chain. The
chain tries to push the chain saw back towards the
user. If the saw chain is jamming, the saw may be
pushed back at you.
(47)
8
Unless the user resists this pushing force there is a
risk that the chain saw will move so far backwards that
only the kickback zone of the bar is in contact with the
tree, which can lead to a kickback.
(48)
Cutting with the bottom edge of the bar, i.e. from the
top of the object downwards, is known as cutting with
a pulling chain. In this case the chain saw pulls itself
towards the tree and the front edge of the chain saw
body rests naturally on the trunk when cutting. Cutting
with a pulling chain gives the operator better control
over the chain saw and the position of the kickback
zone.
(49)
9
Follow the instructions on sharpening and maintaining
your bar and chain. When you replace the bar and
chain use only combinations that are recommended
by us. See instructions under the headings Cutting
equipment and Technical data.
Basic cutting technique
General
•
Always use full throttle when cutting!
•
Let go of the power trigger after every cut (running the
motor for too long at full power without any load, i.e.
without any resistance from the chain during cutting,
can lead to serious damage to the motor).
•
Cutting from above = Cutting with a pulling chain.
•
Cutting from below = Cutting with pushing chain.
Cutting with a pushing chain increases the risk of
kickback. See instructions under the heading How to
avoid kickback.
Terms
Cutting = General term for cutting through wood.
Limbing = Cutting branches off a felled tree.
Splitting = When the object you are cutting breaks off
before the cut is complete.
There are five important factors you should consider
before making a cut:
There are a number of important factors you should
consider before making a cut:
1
Make sure the cutting equipment will not jam in the
cut.
(50)
2
Make sure the object you are cutting will not split.
(50)
3
Make sure the chain will not strike the ground or any
other object during or after cutting.
(51)
4
Is there a risk of kickback?
(4)
5
Do the conditions and surrounding terrain affect how
safely you can stand and move about?
6
When cutting on a slope, always stand on the uphill
side of the log. To maintain complete control of the
chain saw when cutting through the log, release the
cutting pressure near the end of the cut without
relaxing your grip on the chain saw handles. Do not let
the saw chain contact the ground. After completing
the cut, wait for the saw chain to stop before you move
the chain saw. Always stop the motor before moving
from tree to tree.
Two factors decide whether the chain will jam or the object
that you are cutting will split: the first is how the object is
supported before and after cutting, and the second is
whether it is in tension.
In most cases you can avoid these problems by cutting in
two stages; from the top and from the bottom. You need to
support the object so that it will not trap the chain or split
during cutting.
The following instructions describe how to handle the
common situations you are likely to encounter when using
a chain saw.
Cutting/bucking
If you have a pile of logs, each log you attempt to cut
should be removed from the pile, placed on a saw horse
or runners and cut individually.
!
WARNING! Never use a chain saw by
holding it with one hand. A chain saw is
not safely controlled with one hand.
Always have a secure, firm grip around
the handles with both hands.
!
WARNING! If the chain jams in the cut:
stop the engine! Don’t try to pull the
chain saw free. If you do you may be
injured by the chain when the chain saw
suddenly breaks free. Use a lever to
open up the cut and free the chain saw.
!
WARNING! Never attempt to cut logs
while they are in a pile or when a couple
of logs are lying together. Such
procedures drastically increase the risk
of kickback which can result in a serious
or fatal injury.
