8
manual or received adequate instructions for the safe and
proper use of this chain saw.
■
Keep everyone – helpers, bystanders, children, and
animals, a SAFE DISTANCE from the cutting area. During
felling operations, the safe distance should be a least
twice the height of the largest trees in the felling area.
During bucking operations, keep a minimum distance of
4.5 m between workers.
■
Always cut with both feet on solid ground to prevent being
pulled off balance.
■
Do not cut above chest height as a saw held higher is
diffi cult to control against kickback forces.
■
Do not fell trees near electrical wires or buildings. Leave
this operation for professionals.
■
Cut only when visibility and light are adequate for you to
see clearly.
BASIC OPERATING/CUTTING PROCEDURES
Practice cutting a few small logs using the following technique
to get the “feel” of using the saw before you begin a major
sawing operation.
■
Take the proper stance in front of the wood with the saw
idling.
■
Accelerate the engine to full throttle just before entering
the cut by squeezing the throttle trigger.
■
Begin cutting with the saw against the log.
■
Keep the engine at full throttle the entire time you are
cutting.
■
Allow the chain to cut for you; exert only light downward
pressure. Forcing the cut could result in damage to the
bar, chain, or engine.
■
Release the throttle trigger as soon as the cut is completed
allowing the engine to idle. Running the saw at full throttle
without a cutting load can result in unnecessary wear to
the chain, bar, and engine.
■
Do not put pressure on the saw at the end of the cut.
FELLING TREES – HAZARDOUS
CONDITIONS
See Figure 20.
WARNING
Do not fell trees during periods of high wind or heavy
precipitation. Wait until the hazardous weather has
ended.
When felling a tree, it is important that you heed the following
warnings to prevent possible serious injury.
■
Wear eye, hearing, and head protection (A) when
operating this equipment.
OPERATION
KICKBACK PRECAUTIONS
See Figures 15 - 16.
WARNING
KICKBACK occurs when the moving chain contacts
an object at the upper portion of the tip of the guide
bar or when the wood closes in and pinches the
saw chain in the cut. Contact at the upper portion of
the tip of the guide bar can cause the chain to dig
into the object and stop the chain for an instant. The
result is a lightning-fast reverse reaction which kicks
the guide bar up and back toward the operator. If the
saw chain is pinched along the top of the guide bar,
the guide bar can be driven rapidly back toward the
operator. Either of these reactions can cause loss of
saw control, which can result in serious injury.
Do not rely exclusively upon the safety devices built
into the saw. As a chain saw user, you should take
steps to keep your cutting jobs free from accident or
injury. See
General Safety Rules
for more details.
PREPARING FOR CUTTING
PROPER GRIP ON HANDLES
See Figure 17.
WARNING
Never use a left-handed (cross-handed) grip or any
stance that would place your body or arm across the
chain line.
WARNING
DO NOT operate the throttle trigger with your left
hand and hold the front handle with your right hand.
Never allow any part of your body to be in the chain
line while operating a saw.
PROPER CUTTING STANCE
See Figure 18.
■
Balance your weight with both feet on solid ground.
■
Keep left arm with elbow locked in a “straight arm”
position to withstand any kickback force.
■
Keep your body to the left of the chain line.
■
Keep your thumb on underside of handlebar.
WORK AREA PRECAUTIONS
See Figure 19.
■
Cut only wood or materials made from wood; no sheet
metal, no plastics, no masonry, no non-wood building
materials.
■
Never allow children to operate the saw. Allow no person
to use this chain saw who has not read this operator’s
