10
CUTTING METHODS

IMPORTANT POINTS

SCut wood only. Do not cut metal, plasti cs,
masonry, non-wood building materials,
etc.
SStop the saw if the chain strikes a foreign
object. Inspect t he saw and repair parts as
necessary.
SKeepthe chain out of dirt and sand. Even a
small amount of dirt will quickly dull a chain
and increase the possibility of kickback.
SPractice cutting a f ew small logs using t he
following techniques toget the “feel” ofus-
ing your saw before you begin a major
sawing operation.
SSqueeze the throttle trigger and allow the
engine to reach full speed before c utting.
SBegin cutting with the saw frame against
the log.
SKeep the engine at full speed the entire
time you are cutting.
SAllow the chain to cut for you. Exert only
light downward pressure.
SRelease the throttle trigger as soon as the
cut is completed, allowing the engine to
idle. If you run the saw at full throttle with-
out a cutting load, unneces sary wear can
occur.
STo avoid losing control when cut is com-
plete, do not put pressure on saw at end of
cut.
SStop the engine before setting the saw
down.

TREE FELLING TECHNIQUES

WARNING: Do not cut near build-
ingsor electric al wires if you do not knowthe
direction of tree fall, at night sinc eyou will not
be able to see well, or during bad weather
such as rain, snow, or strong winds. as fall is
unpredictable.
Carefully plan your sawing operation in ad-
vance. You need a clear area all around the
tree so you can have secure footing. Check
for broken or dead branches which canfal l
on you causing serious injury.
Natural conditions that can cause a tree to
fall in a particular direction include:
SThe wind direction and speed.
SThe lean of the tree. The lean of a tree
might not be apparent due to uneven or
sloping terrain. Usea plumb orlevel to de-
termine the direction of tree lean.
SWeight and branches on one side.
SSurrounding trees and obstacles.
Look for decay and rot. If thetrunk is rotted,
it can snap and fall toward the operator.
Make sure there is enough room for the tree
to fall. Maintain a distance of 2-1/2 tree
lengths from the nearest person or other ob-
jects. Engine noisecan drown out a warning
call.
Remove dirt, stones, loose bark, nails, sta-
ples, and wire from the tree wherec uts areto
be made.
Direction of Fall
45_
Plan a clear retreat path

FELLING LARGE TREES

(6 inches in diameter or larger)
The notch method is used to fell large trees.
Anotch is cut on the side of the tree in the de-
sired direction of fall. After a felling cut is
made on the opposite side of tree, the tree
will tend to fall intothe notch.
NOTCH CUT ANDFELLING THE TREE
SMake notch cut by cutting the top of the
notch first. Cut through 1/3 of the diameter
ofthe tree. Next complet e the notch by cut-
ting the bottom of the notch. See illustra-
tion. Once the notch is cut remove the
notch of wood from the tree.
SAfter removing the cutout of wood, make
the felling cut on the opposite side of the
notch. This is done by making a cut about
two inches higher than the center of the
notch. This will leave enough uncut wood
between the felling cut and the notch to
form a hinge. This hinge will help prevent
thetree from falling inthe wrong direction.
Notch
First cut
Second cut
Final cut here. 2 inches abo
v
center of notch.
Opening
of felling
cut
Closing of
notch
Hinge holds tree on stump and helps
control fall