Echo X52000020 instruction manual Felling Trees

FELLING TREES

Please note that felling a tree is more complicated than often expected. Take time to plan cuts, fall path and escape route before felling the tree. Electric powered units may not be suitable for felling some trees. Consider such factors as tree size and location, circuit breaker capacity, and weather and ground conditions to determine if an electric powered saw is appropriate. Refer to instructions on using an electric saw.

WARNING! Call a professional tree-felling service to handle jobs that are beyond your abilities and knowledge. This includes trees that are precariously located near power lines, homes, buildings, and public roads.

PLANNING THE FALL - Check the tree and the weather for wind speed and direction. The trunk should be sound, not rotted and hollow. Look for branches, which might become free and fall on you during the cutting work. Wear a hard hat. Prepare the working area and clear your escape route. This route should be to the rear, but not straight back. Going more to the side is safer. Decide whether wind conditions plus the natural lean and balance of the tree will enable you to fell the tree in the desired direction. At any risk of a wrong-way fall, consider using a wedge to help start the tree in the right direction. If the trunk is too small in diameter for insertion of a wedge, consider tethering the tree. The tether line must be attached before cutting is begun.

NOTCHING FOR DIRECTIONAL CONTROL - Make two cuts on the side the tree is to fall. Make the bottom cut first, at 90 degrees to the intended line of fall and to a depth of 1/3 the trunk diameter. Then angle the top cut downward at a 45-degree angle to intersect the first cut at the 1/3 trunk diameter depth. Remove the cut piece.

BACK CUTTING AND HINGING - It is important to leave approximately a 2 inch (50 mm) wide strip of wood uncut between the notch and the back cut. This uncut strip acts as a “hinge” to determine the line of fall.

Make the back cut at least 2 inches (51 mm) higher than the intersection of the notch.

Make the back cut parallel to the base of the notch, but don’t cut all the way through to the notch. Leave a “hinge” strip of approximately 2 inches (51mm) so the notch and back cut are of equal thickness.

SURVEY TREES BEFORE FELLING

KEEP BODY AWAY FROM KICKBACK PATH

UNCUT	SIDE VIEW
HINGE
	1ST CUT
	2"
BACK	NOTCH
CUT	DEPTH
	1/3 OF TRUNK
2"	DIAMETER
	2ND CUT

WARNING! DO NOT CUT THROUGH THE HINGE! THE TREE CAN FALL THE WRONG WAY AND CAUSE PROPERTY DAMAGE, SERIOUS OR FATAL INJURY.

USE
WEDGES	NOTCH
IF ROOMF	CUTS
	FIRST
	FALL
BACK CUT
LAST	90°
LEAVE 2" HINGE

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