9
S
The inertia activated chain brake is acti-
vated if the front hand guard is pushed for-
ward, either manually or by centrifugal
force.
S
If the brake is already activated, it is disen-
gaged by pulling the front hand guard back
toward the front handle as far as possible.
S
When cutting with the saw, the chain brake
must be disengaged.
Disengaged
Engaged
Braking function control
CAUTION:
The chain brake must be
checked several times daily. The engine
must be running when performing this proce-
dure. This is the only instance when the saw
should be placed on the ground with the en-
gine running.
Place the saw on firm ground. Grip the rear
handle with your right hand and the front han-
dle with your left hand. Apply full throttle by
fully depressing the throttle trigger. Activate
the chain brake by turning your left wrist
against the hand guard without releasing
your grip around the front handle. The chain
should stop immediately.
Inertia activating function control
WARNING
:
When performing the fol-
lowing procedure, the engine must be turned
off.
Grip the rear handle with your right hand and
the front handle with your left hand. Hold the
chain saw approximately 14” (35 cm) above
a stump or other wooden surface. Release
your grip on the front handle and use the
weight of the saw to let the top of the guide
bar fall forward and contact the stump.
When the tip of the bar hits the stump, the
brake should activate.
CUTTING METHODS
IMPORTANT POINTS
S
Check chain tension before first use and af-
ter 1 minute of operation. See CHAIN TEN-
SION in the ASSEMBLY section.
S
Cut wood only. Do not cut metal, plastics,
masonry, non-wood building materials, etc.
S
Stop the saw if the chain strikes a foreign
object. Inspect the saw and repair parts as
necessary.
S
Keep the chain out of dirt and sand. Even a
small amount of dirt will quickly dull a chain
and increase the possibility of kickback.
S
Practice cutting a few small logs using the
following techniques to get the “feel” of us-
ing your saw before you begin a major
sawing operation.
S
Squeeze the throttle trigger and allow the
engine to reach full speed before cutting.
S
Begin cutting with the saw frame
against the log.
S
Keep the engine at full speed the entire
time you are cutting.
S
Allow the chain to cut for you. Exert only
light downward pressure.
S
Release the throttle trigger as soon as
the cut is completed, allowing the en-
gine to idle. If you run the saw at full
throttle without a cutting load, unneces-
sary wear can occur.
S
To avoid losing control when cut is com-
plete, do not put pressure on saw at end
of cut.
S
Stop the engine before setting the saw down.
TREE FELLING TECHNIQUES
WARNING
:
Do not cut near buildings
or electrical wires if you do not know the di-
rection of tree fall, at night since you will not
be able to see well, or during bad weather
such as rain, snow, or strong winds. as fall is
unpredictable.
Carefully plan your sawing operation in ad-
vance. You need a clear area all around the
tree so you can have secure footing. Check
for broken or dead branches which can fall
on you causing serious injury.
Natural conditions that can cause a tree to
fall in a particular direction include:
S
The wind direction and speed.
S
The lean of the tree. The lean of a tree
might not be apparent due to uneven or
sloping terrain. Use a plumb or level to de-
termine the direction of tree lean.
S
Weight and branches on one side.
S
Surrounding trees and obstacles.
Look for decay and rot. If the trunk is rotted,
it can snap and fall toward the operator.
Make sure there is enough room for the tree to
fall. Maintain a distance of
2-1/2
tree lengths
from the nearest person or other objects. En-
gine noise can drown out a warning call.
Remove dirt, stones, loose bark, nails, staples,
and wire from the tree where cuts are to be
made.
Direction of Fall
45
_
Plan a clear retreat path
FELLING LARGE TREES
(15 cm in diameter or larger)
The notch method is used to fell large trees.
A notch is cut on the side of the tree in the de-
sired direction of fall. After a felling cut is
made on the opposite side of tree, the tree
will tend to fall into the notch.
