CHAIN BRAKE

WARNING: WE DO NOT REP- RESENT AND YOU SHOULD NOT AS- SUME THAT THE CHAIN BRAKE WILL PROTECT YOU IN THE EVENT OF A KICKBACK. Kickback is a lightning fast ac- tion which throws the bar and rotating chain back and up toward the operator. Kickback can be caused by allowing contact of the bar tip in the danger zone with any hard object. Kickback can also be caused by pinching the saw chain along the top of the guide bar. This action may push the guide bar rapidly back toward the operator. Either of these events may cause you to lose control of the saw which could result in serious injury or even death. DO NOT RELY UPON ANY OF THE SAFETY DEVICES BUILT INTO YOUR SAW. YOU SHOULD USE THE SAW PROPERLY AND CAREFULLY TO AVOID KICKBACK. Reduced--kickback guide bars and low--kickback saw chains reduce the chance and magnitude of kickback and are recommended. Your saw has a low kick- back chain and bar as original equipment. If the brake band is worn too thin it may break when the chain brake is triggered. With a broken brake band, the chain brake will not stop the chain. The chain brake should be re- placed by an authorized service dealer if any part is worn to less than 1/32” thick. Repairs on a chain brake should be made by an au- thorized service dealer. Take your unit to the place of purchase if purchased from a ser- vicing dealer, or to the nearest authorized master service dealer.

SThis saw is equipped with a chain brake. The brake is designed to stop the chain if kickback occurs.

S The inertia--activated chain brake is activated if the front hand guard is pushed forward, either manually (by hand) or automatically (by sudden movement).

S If the brake is already activated, it is disengaged by pulling the front hand guard back toward the front handle as far as possible.

SWhen cutting with the saw, the chain brake must be disengaged.

Disengaged

Engaged

Braking function control

CAUTION: The chain brake must be checked several times daily. The engine must be running when performing this proce- dure. This is the only instance when the saw should be placed on the ground with the en- gine running.

Place the saw on firm ground. Hold the han- dles with both hands and apply full throttle. Activate the chain brake by turning your left

wrist against the hand guard without releas- ing your grip around the front handle. The chain should stop immediately.

Inertia activating function control

WARNING: When performing the following procedure, the engine must be turned off.

Hold the chain saw approximately 14” (35 cm) above a stump or other wooden surface. Release your grip on the front handle and use the weight of the saw to let the top of the guide bar fall forward and contact the stump. When the tip of the bar hits the stump, the brake should activate.

IMPORTANT POINTS

SCheck chain tension before first use and after 1 minute of operation. See CHAIN

TENSION in the ASSEMBLY section.

SCut wood only. Do not cut metal, plastics,

masonry, non-wood building materials, etc.

SStop the saw if the chain strikes a foreign object. Inspect the saw and repair or re-

place parts as necessary.

SKeep the chain out of dirt and sand. Even a small amount of dirt will quickly dull a chain and thus increase the possibility of kick-

back.

SPractice cutting a few small logs using the following techniques to get the “feel” of us- ing your saw before you begin a major sawing operation.

S Squeeze the throttle trigger and allow the engine to reach full speed before cutting.

S Begin cutting with the saw frame against the log.

S Keep the engine at full speed the en- tire time you are cutting.

S 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.

S Release the throttle trigger as soon as the cut is completed, allowing the en- gine to idle. If you run the saw at full throttle without a cutting load, unnec- essary wear can occur to the chain, bar, and engine.

S To avoid losing control when cut is

complete, do not put pressure on saw at end of cut.

S Stop the engine before setting the saw down after cutting.

TREE FELLING TECHNIQUES

WARNING: Check for broken or dead branches which can fall while cutting causing serious injury. Do not cut near build- ings or electrical wires if you do not know the direction of tree fall, nor cut at night since you will not be ale to see well, nor during bad weather such as rain, snow, or strong winds, etc.

9

Page 9
Image 9
Poulan 2000-08, 530087723 Chain Brake, Braking function control, Inertia activating function control, Important Points