English---21
115391326 Rev. 3 1/31/11
WORKING TECHNIQUES
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:
1. Make sure the cutting equipment will not
jam in the cut.
2. Make sure the object you are cutting will
not split.
3. Make sure the chain will not strike the
ground or any other object during or af-
ter cutting.
4. Is there a risk of kickback?
5. Do the conditions and surrounding ter-
rain affect how safely you can stand and
move about?
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 prob-
lems 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 like-
ly to encounter when using a chain saw.
Limbing
When limbing thick branches you should
use the same approach as for cutting.
Cut difficult branches piece by piece.
Cutting
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.
Remove the cut pieces from the cutting
area. By leaving them in the cutting area,
you increase the risk for inadvertently get-
ting a kickback, as well as increasing the
risk of losing your balance while working.
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.
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! (33)
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
. (34)
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.
8. Unless the user resists this pushing force
there is a risk that the chain saw will
move so far backwards that only the kick-
back zone of the bar is in contact with the
tree, which can lead to a kickback.
(35)
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 to-
wards 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.
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
S
Always use full throttle when cutting!
S
Reduce the speed to idle after every cut
(running the engine for too long at full
throttle without any load, i.e. without any
resistance from the chain during cutting,
can lead to serious engine damage).
S
Cutting from above = Cutting with a pulling
chain.
S
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.
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 se-
cure, firm grip around the handles
with both hands.
IMPORTANT! 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 drasti-
cally increase the risk of kickback
which can result in a serious or
fatal injury.
