Poulan 530088788 Tree Felling Techniques, Felling Large Trees, Notch CUT and Felling the Tree

SStop the saw if the chain strikes a foreign object. Inspect the saw and repair parts as

necessary.

SKeep 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 us- ing the following techniques to get the “feel” of using your saw before you begin a major sawing operation.

S Squeeze the throttle trigger and al- low 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 en- tire 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 engine to idle. If you run the saw at full throttle without a cutting load, un- necessary wear can occur.

S To avoid losing control when cut is complete, do not put pressure on

saw at end of cut.

S Stop the engine before setting the saw down.

TREE FELLING TECHNIQUES

WARNING: Check for broken or dead branches which can fall while cutting causing serious injury. Do not cut near build- ings or electrical wires if you do not know the direction 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, etc.

SCarefully plan your sawing operation in ad- vance.

SClear the work area. You need a clear area all around the tree so you can have secure

footing.

S Study the natural conditions that can cause the tree to fall in a particular direc- tion.

Natural conditions that can cause a tree to fall in a particular direction include:

SThe 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.

SWeight 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 2-1/2tree lengths from the nearest person or other objects. En- gine noise can drown out a warning call.

Remove dirt, stones, loose bark, nails, sta- ples, and wire from the tree where cuts are to be made.

Plan a clear retreat path

Direction of Fall

45_

FELLING LARGE TREES

(6 inches 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.

NOTE: If the tree has large buttress roots, remove them before making the notch.

NOTCH CUT AND FELLING THE TREE

S Make notch cut by cutting the top of the notch first. Cut through 1/3 of the diameter of the tree. Next complete the notch by cut- ting the bottom of the notch. See illustra- tion. Once the notch is cut remove the notch of wood from the tree.

SAfter removing the cutout of wood, make the felling cut on the opposite side of the notch. This is done by making a cut about two inches higher than the center of the notch. This will leave enough uncut wood between the felling cut and the notch to form a hinge. This hinge will help prevent the tree from falling in the wrong direction.

Final cut here 2 inches above center of notch.

First cut

Notch

Second cut

Hinge holds tree on stump and helps control fall

Opening of felling cut

Closing of notch

NOTE: Before felling cut is complete, use wedges to open the cut when necessary to control the direction of fall. To avoid kickback

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