MTD GCS 4100/40, Instruction Manual, Page: 14 / 162

English Operating Instructions – Chain Saw with Combustion Engine
14
This is how to use the chain
saw correctly!
Risk of injury!
Always switch the engine off before
you put the device down!

Look over the working area and
remove any obstructions.

Before starting work, check the
safety of the device (see section
“Before starting up”).

Pick up the device in both hands
as specified.
After use

Stop the engine.

Wait until all moving parts have
come to a complete standstill.

Activate the chain brake.

Place the sheath on the cutting
mechanism.

Leave the device to cool down.

Remove the spark plug terminal.
Danger of kickback!
Kickbacks occur if the upper side or
the tip of the saw rail touch wood or
other solid objects. The device is
thrown back towards the user with
great force, possibly resulting in
extremely serious injuries.
Risk of injury!
Dangerous kickbacks may occur
when working with the chain saw!
Extremely serious to fatal injuries
may be the consequence! Before
starting work with the chain saw,
check that the chain brake is in per
-
fect working order.
Fig. 12
Ensure at all times that the area of
the saw rail shown in the diagram
does not touch wood or other solid
objects.
To minimise the risk of injury in the
event of a kickback, the chain saw
features a chain brake which is
automatically actuated by the
kickback and immediately stops the
chain.
For reasons of safety always check
that the chain brake functions before
using the chain saw.
If the kickbacks are less violent, the
chain brake may not be actuated
automatically.
For this reason it is important that
the chain saw is held firmly with both
hands.
The risk of a kickback can only be
reliably reduced by employing a
cautious and correct working
method!
Basic working technique
Risk of injury!
This section deals with the basic
working technique when handling
the device.
The information given here does
not replace the extensive training
and experience of a specialist.
Avoid doing any work for which you
are not adequately qualified! Impru
-
dent handling of the device can
result in extremely serious to fatal
injuries!
Extra care is required at the end of
a cut, since there is a greater risk of
injury due to swivelling of the chain
saw.
Reduce the risk of kickback, jum
-
ping and slipping of the chain saw
through:
– carefully considered and correct
working
– holding the chain saw firmly and
with both hands
– only sawing at full power
– watching the tip of the saw
carefully
– not sawing with the tip of the saw
– never trying to saw through
several branches at the same time
– using extreme care when inserting
the saw chain into a cut that has
already been started
– paying attention to the location of
the tree trunk and to forces that
could close the cutting gap and
jam the saw chain
– only working with a really sharp
and properly tensioned saw chain
Sawing technique
Pull stroke sawing
Fig. 13
With this technique the underside of
the saw rail saws from top to bottom.
The saw chain pushes the chain saw
forwards and away from the user.
The front edge of the chain saw
forms a support which absorbs the
forces which occur when sawing on
the tree trunk.
In pull stroke sawing the user has
much more control over the chain
saw and can better avoid kickbacks.
Therefore this sawing technique
should be used for preference.
Push stroke sawing
Fig. 14
With this technique the upper side of
the saw rail saws from bottom to top.
The saw chain pushes the chain saw
backwards towards the user.
If the saw rail jams, the chain saw
can be thrown back towards the user
with great force.
If the user does not use his physical
strength to compensate for the force
of the saw chain pushing
backwards, there is a risk that only
the tip of the saw rail will make
contact with the wood and cause a
kickback.
Felling a tree
Risk of injury!
Felling and limbing work may only
be performed by trained persons!
There is a risk of life-threatening
injuries!
Fig. 15
Before starting felling work, ensure
that:
– there are no unauthorised
persons and no animals within the
fall area (A) of the tree.
– there is an obstacle-free escape
route for all those involved. People
withdraw (B) at an angle opposite
the direction of fall.
– the area around the trunk is free of
obstacles (risk of tripping!).
– the next workplace is at least two
and a half tree lengths away.
Before felling the tree, check the
direction in which the tree will fall
and ensure that there are neither
objects nor persons nor animals
within a distance of 2½ tree
lengths.
Fig. 16
A tree is felled in two stages:

Notch the trunk by approx. one
third of its diameter on the side of
the direction of fall (1).

On the opposite side make the
felling cut (2) which must be
slightly higher than the notch
(approx. 3-5 cm).
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