Desa EL-8: 107624-01 Felling a Tree Cutting Down a Tree, Before Felling a Tree, Felling Cut

OPERATING CHAIN SAW

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7.Guide saw using light pressure. Do not force saw. The motor will overload and can burn out. It will do the job better and safer at the rate for which it was intended.

8.Remove saw from a cut with saw running at full speed. Stop saw by releasing trigger. Make sure chain has stopped before setting saw down.

9.Practice until you can maintain a steady, even cutting rate.

FELLING A TREE (Cutting Down a Tree)

WARNING:

¥Avoid kickback. Kickback can result in severe injury or death. See Kickback, page 3, to avoid risk of kickback.

¥Do not fell a tree without ample skill or expert help.

¥Keep children, animals, and bystand- ers away from area when felling a tree.

¥If two or more persons perform buck- ing and felling operations at the same time, provide ample distance between operations. Provide distance of at least twice the height of tree being felled.

WARNING: When felling a tree, be awareofyoursurroundings.Donotendan- ger any person, strike utility lines, or cause propertydamage.Iftreestrikesutilitylines, contact utility company at once.

Felling is the process of cutting down a tree. Make sure your footing is Þrm. Keep feet apart. Divide your weight evenly on both feet. Follow directions below to fell a tree.

Before Felling a Tree

1.Before felling, inspect tree. Make sure there are no dead limbs or branches that may fall on you. Study natural lean of tree, location of larger branches, and wind direction. This will help you judge which way tree will fall.

2.Clear work area around tree.

3.Plan and clear a retreat path before felling. Make

retreat path opposite to planned direction of fall of tree and at 45° angle (see Figure 12).

4.Remove dirt, stones, loose bark, nails, staples, and wire from tree where you will make felling cuts.

5.Stay on uphill side when felling tree. Tree could roll or slide downhill after falling.

Felling Procedure

A) Felling Notch

A properly placed felling notch will determine di- rection tree will fall. Place felling notch on side of tree in direction you want tree to fall (see Figure 13). Follow directions below to create a felling notch.

1.Make lower notch cut as close to ground as pos- sible. Hold saw so guide bar is horizontal. Cut 1/3 the diameter of tree trunk (see Figure 13). Note: Always make this horizontal lower notch cut Þrst. If you make this cut second, tree can pinch chain or guide bar.

2.Start upper notch cut the same distance above Þrst cut as Þrst cut is deep.

Example: If lower notch cut is eight inches deep,

start upper notch cut eight inches above it. Cut downward at 45° angle. The upper notch cut should meet end of lower notch cut (see Figure 13).

3.Remove tree trunk wedge created by notching cuts.

B) Felling Cut

1.Make felling cut two inches higher than lower notch cut and on opposite side of tree (see Figure 13). Keep felling cut parallel to lower notch cut.

2.Cut towards notch.

WARNING: Do not cut all the way through tree. Leave about two inches of tree diameter uncut directly behind fell- ing notch (see Figure 13). This uncut portion acts as a hinge. The hinge helps keep tree from twisting and falling in wrong direction.

3.As felling cut nears hinge, tree should begin to fall. Note: If needed, drive wedges into felling cut to control direction of fall. If tree settles back and pinches chain, drive wedges into felling cut to re- move saw. Only use wedges made of wood, plas- tic, or aluminum. Never use wedge made of steel. This could cause kickback and damage to chain.

4.When tree begins to fall, quickly

¥remove saw from felling cut

¥release trigger to turn saw off

¥put saw down

¥exit area using retreat path

WARNING: Be alert for falling over- head limbs. Watch your footing while exiting area.

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