Poulan 230, 260 manual Operate Your Saw Safely, Maintain Your Saw In Good Working Order, Kickback

ing checked regularly as chain saw noise can damage hearing. Secure hair above shoulder length.

SKeep all parts of your body away from the

chain when the engine is running.

SKeep children, bystanders, and animals a minimum of 30 feet (10 meters) away from the work area. Do not allow other people

or animals to be near the chain saw when starting or operating the chain saw.

S Do not handle or operate a chain saw when you are fatigued, ill, or upset, or if you have taken alcohol, drugs, or medication. You must be in good physical condition and mentally alert. Chain saw work is strenuous. If you have any condition that might be aggravated by strenuous work, check with your doctor before operating a chain saw.

SCarefully plan your sawing operation in ad- vance. Do not start cutting until you have a clear work area, secure footing, and, if you are felling trees, a planned retreat path.

OPERATE YOUR SAW SAFELY

SDo not operate a chain saw with one hand. Serious injury to the operator, helpers, by- standers or any combination of these per- sons may result from one-handed opera- tion. A chain saw is intended for two-handed use.

SOperate the chain saw only in a well-venti-

lated outdoor area.

SDo not operate saw from a ladder or in a tree, unless you are specifically trained to do so.

SMake sure the chain will not make contact with any object while starting the engine.

Never try to start the saw when the guide bar is in a cut.

SDo not put pressure on the saw at the end of the cut. Applying pressure can cause

you to lose control when the cut is com- pleted.

S Stop the engine before setting the saw down.

SDo not operate a chain saw that is dam- aged, improperly adjusted, or not com- pletely and securely assembled. Always replace bar, chain, hand guard, or chain

brake immediately if it becomes damaged, broken or is otherwise removed.

S With the engine stopped, hand carry the chain saw with the muffler away from your body, and the guide bar and chain to the rear, preferably covered with a scabbard.

MAINTAIN YOUR SAW IN GOOD WORKING ORDER

SHave all chain saw service performed by a qualified service dealer with the exception of the items listed in the maintenance sec- tion of this manual. For example, if improp- er tools are used to remove or hold the fly- wheel when servicing the clutch, structural

damage to the flywheel can occur and cause the flywheel to burst.

SMake certain the saw chain stops moving when the throttle trigger is released. For correction, refer to CARBURETOR AD-

JUSTMENTS.

SNever modify your saw in any way.

SKeep the handles dry, clean, and free of oil

or fuel mixture.

SKeep fuel and oil caps, screws, and fas- teners securely tightened.

SUse only Poulan or Poulan Pro accesso- ries and replacement parts as recom- mended.

HANDLE FUEL WITH CAUTION

SDo not smoke while handling fuel or while operating the saw.

SEliminate all sources of sparks or flame in the areas where fuel is mixed or poured. There should be no smoking, open flames, or work that could cause sparks. Allow en- gine to cool before refueling.

S Mix and pour fuel in an outdoor area on bare ground; store fuel in a cool, dry, well ventilated place; and use an approved, marked container for all fuel purposes. Wipe up all fuel spills before starting saw.

SMove at least 10 feet (3 meters) from fuel- ing site before starting engine.

STurn the engine off and let saw cool in a non-combustible area, not on dry leaves,

straw, paper, etc. Slowly remove fuel cap and refuel unit.

SStore the unit and fuel in an area where fuel vapors cannot reach sparks or open flames from water heaters, electric motors or switches, furnaces, etc.

KICKBACK

WARNING: Kickback can occur when the moving chain contacts an object at the upper portion of the tip of the 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 chain to dig into the object, which stops the chain for an instant. The result is a light- ning 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 of these reactions can cause loss of saw control which can result in serious injury. Guard

against kickback.

Rotational Kickback is the rapid upward and backward motion of the chain saw that can occur when the moving saw chain near the upper portion of the tip of the guide bar contacts an object such as a log or a branch. Pinch-Kickback and Pull-Inoccur when the chain is suddenly stopped by being pinched, caught, or by contacting a foreign 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-Inpulls the saw away from the operator. Either reaction can result in loss of control and serious injury.

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