Ryobi RY52907, RY52604 Operation, Applications, Preparation for Cutting, Basic Cutting Procedure

OPERATION

WARNING:

Do not allow familiarity with this product to make you careless. Remember that a careless fraction of a second is sufficient to inflict serious injury.

WARNING:

Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses with side shields, a hard hat, and safety shoes when op- erating power tools. Failure to do so could ­result in objects being thrown into your eyes, resulting in possible serious injury.

WARNING:

Do not use any attachments or accessories not recom- mended by the manufacturer of this product. The use of attachments or accessories not recommended can result in serious personal injury.

WARNING:

To avoid kickback, binding of the saw bar, and possible injury, never cut limbs that the pruner does not reach when supported by the shoulder strap.

APPLICATIONS

You may use this product for the purposes listed below:

nLimbing

nPruning

PREPARATION FOR CUTTING

nWear non-slip gloves for maximum grip and protection.

n Maintain a proper grip on the unit whenever the engine is running. Use your right hand to firmly grip the rear handle while your left hand has a firm grip on the front handle.

n Hold unit firmly with both hands. Always keep your left hand on the front handle and your right hand on the rear handle, so your body is to the left of the chain line. Never use a left-handed (cross-handed) grip, or any stance that places your body or arm across the chain line.

n Never stand directly under the limb you are cutting.

n Always wear shoulder strap for increased safety and to support the pruner.

nBe certain the knob is fully tightened and button is locked into place in positioning hole before operating equipment. Check it periodically for tightness during use to avoid serious injury.

BASIC CUTTING PROCEDURE

See Figures 5 - 6.

Follow the steps below to prevent damage to tree or shrub bark. Do not use a back-and-forth sawing motion.

nAccelerate the engine to full throttle just before entering the cut by squeezing the throttle trigger. Keep the engine at full throttle the entire time you are cutting.

nMake a shallow first cut (1/4 of limb diameter) on the underside of the limb close to the main limb or trunk.

nMake a second cut from the top side of the limb outboard from the first cut.

nMake a final cut close to trunk.

NOTE:  For second and final cuts (from top of limb or branch), hold front cutting guide against the limb being cut. This will help steady the limb and make it easier to cut. Allow chain to cut for you; exert only light downward pressure. If you force the cut, damage to the bar, chain, or engine can result.

nRelease the trigger as soon as the cut is completed, allowing the engine to idle. If you run the pruner at full throttle without a cutting load, unnecessary wear or damage can occur to the chain, bar, and engine.

Failure to follow proper cutting procedures will result in the bar and chain binding and becoming pinched or trapped in the limb. If this should happen:

nStop the engine.

nLoosen the knob on the coupler.

nDepress the button on the shaft; twist and pull the shafts to separate the pruner from the power head.

nIf the limb can be reached from the ground, lift the limb while holding the attachment. This should release the “pinch” and free the pruner.

nIf the pruner is still trapped, call a professional for assistance.

LIMBING AND PRUNING

See Figures 7 - 8.

This unit is designed for trimming small branches and limbs up to 6 in. in diameter. For best results, observe the follow- ing precautions.

nPlan the cut carefully. Be aware of the direction in which the branch will fall.

nBranches may fall in unexpected directions. Do not stand directly under the branch being cut.

nThe most typical cutting application is to position the unit at an angle of 60° or less, depending on the specific situation, as shown. As the angle of the pruner shaft to ground increases, the difficulty of making the first cut (from the underside of limb) increases.

n Remove long branches in several stages.

n Cut lower branches first to allow the top branches more room to fall.

nWork slowly, keeping both hands on the saw with a firm grip. Maintain secure footing and balance.

nKeep the tree between you and the chain while limbing. Cut from side of tree opposite branch you are cutting.

9 — English