OPERATION
WARNING:
Do not cut trees or branches near buildings, which may result in serious injuries or property damage.
WARNING:
Check the tree for damaged or dead branches that could fall and hit you during felling.
WARNING:
Periodically glance at the top of the tree during the backcut to assure the tree is going to fall in the desired direction.
The chain saw operator should keep on the uphill side of the terrain as the tree is likely to roll or slide downhill after it is felled.
Remove dirt, stones, loose bark, nails, staples, and wire from the tree where felling cuts are to be made.
Notched Undercut. Cut a notch about 1/3 the diameter of the tree, perpendicular to the direc- tion of fall. Make the cuts of the notch so they intersect at a right angle to the line of fall. This notch should be cleaned out to leave a straight line. To keep the weight of the wood off the saw, always make the lower cut of the notch before the upper cut. See Figure 13.
PLANNED LINE OF FALL
WARNING:
If the tree starts to fall in the wrong direction, |
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or if the saw gets caught or hung up during the |
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fall, leave the saw and save yourself! |
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| SAFE |
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| 90° RETREAT |
Felling a tree - When bucking and felling opera- |
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| ZONE |
tions are being performed by two or more per- |
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sons, at the same time, the felling operation | PLANNED PATH OF SAFE RETREAT 135° FROM PLANNED | |||
should be separated from the bucking operation |
| LINE OF FALL |
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by a distance of at least twice the height of the |
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| SAFE |
tree being felled. Trees should not be felled in a |
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| RETREAT | |
manner that would endanger any person, strike | PLANNED | 135° |
| ZONE |
any utility line or cause any property damage. If | 45° |
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LINE OF FALL |
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the tree does make contact with any utility line, the |
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| 90° |
utility company should be notified immediately. |
| 135° | 45° | SAFE |
Before any cuts are started, pick your escape |
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route (or routes in case the intended route is |
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| RETREAT |
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| ZONE | |
blocked); clear the immediate area around the |
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| Fig. 12 | |
tree and make sure there are no obstructions |
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in your planned path of retreat. Clear path of |
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safe retreat approximately 135° from planned |
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line of fall. The retreat path should extend back |
| HINGE |
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and diagonally to the rear of the expected line |
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| 2 in. OR 1/10 DIA |
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of fall. See Figure 12. |
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Before felling is started, consider the force and |
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| NOTCH - |
direction of the wind, the lean and balance of |
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| APPROX. 1/3 |
the tree, and the location of large limbs. These |
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| DIAMETER OF |
things influence the direction in which the tree |
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| TRUNK |
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will fall. Do not try to fell a tree along a line dif- | BACK CUT |
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ferent from its natural line of fall. |
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| Fig. 13 | |
2 in. |
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15 - English