SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
2 Basic cutting technique
General
•Always use full throttle when cutting!
•Reduce the speed to idle after every cut (running the engine for too long at full throttle without any load can lead to serious engine damage).
•Cutting from above = Cutting on the pull stroke.
•Cutting from below = Cutting on the push stroke.
See the section on ”How to avoid kickback” to find out why cutting on the push stroke increases the risk of kickback.
Terms:
Cutting | = | General term for cutting through wood. |
Limbing | = | Cutting limbs off a felled tree. |
Splitting | = | When the object you are cutting breaks off |
|
| before the cut is complete. |
There are five important factors you should consider before making a cut:
1Make sure the bar will not jam in the cut.
2Make sure the log will not split.
3Make sure the chain will not strike the ground or
any other object during or after cutting.
4Is there a risk of kick-
back?
5Do the conditions and surrounding terrain affect your safety when working?
Two factors decide whether the chain will jam or the log will split. The first is how the log is supported and the second is whether it is in tension.
In most cases you can avoid these problems by cutting in two stages; from the top and from the bottom of the log. You need to support the log so that it will not trap the chain or split during cutting.
If the chain jams in the cut:
STOP THE ENGINE! Don’t try to pull the saw free. If you do you may damage the chain when the saw suddenly breaks free. Use a lever to open up the cut and free the bar.
The following instructions describe how to handle most types of situation that you will be faced with when using a chain saw.
Cutting
1The log is lying on the
ground. There is little risk of the chain jamming or the log splitting. However there is a risk that the chain will touch the ground when you finish the cut.
Cut all the way through the log from above. Try not to touch the ground as you finish the cut. Maintain full throttle but be prepared in case the chain snatches.
A If it is possible to turn the log you should stop cutting about 2/3 of the way through.
B Turn the log and finish the cut from the opposite side.
20 – English