Craftsman 358.351080 Avoid Reactive Pinch Forces, General Operation Tips, To Avoid PINCH-KICKBACK

OPERATION

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GENERAL OPERATION TIPS

•cut wood only. Do not cut metal; plastics;masonry;non- wood building materials;etc.

•Stop the saw if the chain strikes a foreignobject.Inspect the saw and repair or replace parts as necessary.

•Keep the chain out of dirt and sand. Evena sma!lamount of dirt will quickly dull a chain and thus increasethe pos- sibilityof kickback.

To getthe =feel"of usingyour saw beforeyou begin a major sawing operation, practice cutting a few small Jogsusing the following technique:

•Accelerate engine to fullthrottle by squeezingthe throttle trigger before entering cut.

•Never cut with engine at partial speeds.

•Begin cuttingwith the saw chassisagainst the log.

•Keep engine at full throttleduring cuttingprocedure.

•Allow the chain to cut for you;exert only light downward pressure. If you force the cut, damage to the bar, chain, or engine can result.

•Release the throttle trigger as soon as the cut is com- pleted, allowing the engine to idle. If you run the unit at full throttle without cutting,unnecessary wear can occur to the chain, bar, and engine.

•To avoid losingcontrolwhen completing the cut, do not put pressure on the saw duringthe end of the cut.

•Stop engine before setting unitdown after operation.

OPERATION SAFETY

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WARNING:

IF SAW BECOMES PINCHED OR HUNG IN A LOG, DO Nor TRY TO FORCE IT OUT.YOU

CAN LOSE CONTROL OF THE SAW RESULTING IN INJURY AND/OR DAMAGE TO THE SAW. STOP THE SAW, DRIVE A WEDGE OF PLASTIC OR WOOD INTO THE

CUT UNTIL THE SAW CAN BE REMOVED EASILY. RESTARTTHE SAW AND CAREFUL- LY REENTER THE CUT. TO AVOID KICK-

BACK AND CHAIN DAMAGE, DO NOT USE A METAL WEDGE. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO

RESTART YOUR SAW WHEN IT IS PINCHED OR HUNG IN A LOG.

KICKBACK CAN OCCUR WHEN THE MOV- ING CHAIN CONTACTS AN OBJECT AT THE UPPER PORTION OFTHETIP OFTHE 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 CHAINTO DIG INTOTHE 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 OFTHESE RE.ACTIONS CAN CAUSE LOSS OF SAW CONTROL WHICH CAN RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY.

AVOID REACTIVE PINCH FORCES

Pinch*Kickbackand Pull-in occur when the chain is sud- denly stopped by being pinched, caught, or by contacting

aforeign object in the wood. This sudden stopping of the chain results in a reversal of the chain force used to cut wood and causes the saw to move in the opposite direction of the chain rotation. Pinch-Kickback drives the saw straight back toward the operator: Pull-In pulls the saw away from the operator.Eitherreaction can resultin loss of controland possiblyserious injury,

TO AVOID PINCH-KICKBACK:

•Be extremely aware of situationsor obstructionsthat can cause material to pinch the top of or otherwise stop the chain.

•Do not cut more than one log at a time.

•Do not twist the saw as the bar is withdrawn from an under-cut when bucking.

TO AVOID PULL-IN:

,,Always begin cuffing with the engine at full throttle and

the saw housing against wood.

•Use wedges made,of plasticor wood, (never of metal) to hold the cut o_pen.

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