5
SDo not put pressure on the pruner at the end
of the cut. Applying pressure can causeyou
to lose control when the cut is completed.
SDo not run the unit at high speed when not
pruning.
SIf you strike or become entangled with a for-
eign object, stop the engine immediately and
check for damage. Have any d amage re-
pairedby an authoriz eds ervice dealer before
attemptingfurther operations.
SDonot op erate a pruner that is damaged, im-
properly adjusted, or not complet ely and se-
curely assembled. Always replace bar and
chain immediately if it becomes damaged,
broken or is otherwise removed.
SAlways stop the unit when work is delay ed or
when walking from one cutting location to
another. Stopthe enginebefore settingthe
unit down.
SUse only in daylight or good artificial light.
SUse only for jobs explained in this manual.
KICKBACK
WARNING: Avoid k ickback which
can result in serious injury. Kickbackis the
backward, upward or sudden forward motion
of the guide bar occurring when the chain
near the upper tip of the guide bar contacts
any object such as a log or branc h, or when
the wood closes in and pinches the chain in
the cut. Contacting a foreign object in the
wood can also result in loss of control.
SRotational Kickback can occur when the
moving chain contacts an object at the upper
tip of the guide bar. This contact 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.
SPinch-Kickbackcan oc cur when the wood
closes in and pinches the moving chain in
thecut along the top of the guide bar and the
chain is suddenly stopped. This sudden
stoppingof the c hain results in a rev ersal of
the chain force used to cut wood and
causes the pruner to move in the opposite
directionof the chain rotation. The pruner is
driven straight back toward the operator.
SPull-In can occur when the moving chain
contacts a foreign object in the w ood in the cut
along the bottom of the guide bar and the
chainis suddenly stopped. This sudden s top-
ping pulls the pruner forward and away from
theoperat or andc ould easily cause the oper-
ator to lose control of the pruner.
REDUCE THE CHANCE OF
KICKBACK
SRecognizethat k ickback can happen. With
abasic understanding of kickback , you can
reduce the element of surprise which con-
tributes to accidents.
SNeverlet the moving c hain contact any ob-
ject at the tip of the guide bar.
SKeep the working area free from obstruc-
tionss uchas other trees, branc hes,roc ks,
stumps, etc. Eliminate or avoid any
obstruction that your chain could hit while
youare cutt ing. When c utting a branch, do
notlet the guide bar contact branch or other
objects around it.
SKeep your chain sharp and properly ten-
sioned. Aloose or dull chain can increase
the chance of kickback occurring. Follow
manufacturer’s chain sharpening and
maintenance instructions. Check tension
atregular intervals with the engine stopped,
never with the engine running. Makesure
thebar clamp nut is securely tightened after
tensioning the chain.
SBegin and continue cutting at full speed. If
thechain is moving at a slower speed, there
is greater chance of kickback occurring.
SCut one branch at a time.
SUse extreme caution when re-entering a
previous cut.
SDo not attempt cuts starting with the tip of
the bar (plunge cuts).
SWatchfor shift ing ofw ood orothe r forces that
could close a cut and pinch or fall into chain.
SUse the Reduced--Kickback Guide Bar and
Low--Kickback Chain specified for your unit .
MAINTAIN CONTROL
SKeepa good, firm gr ip on the pruner with both
hands when the engine is running and don’t
let go. Afirm gripwill help you reduce k ick-
back and maintain control. Keep the fingers of
your left hand encircling and your left thumb
underthe as sist handle. K eep your right hand
completely around thet hrottle handle whether
your are right handed or left handed.
SStandwith your weight ev enly balanced on
both feet.
SStandslightly to the lef t side of the pruner to
keep your body from being in a direct line
with the cutting chain.
KICKBACK SAFETY FEATURES
The following features are included on y our
pruner to help reduce the hazard of kickback ;
however, such features will not totall y eliminate
this danger. Asa pruner user, do not rely only
on safety devices. You must follow all safet y
precautions, instructions, and maintenanc e in
this manual to help avoid kickbac k and other
forces which can result in ser ious injury.
SReduced--Kickback Guide Bar, designed
with a small radius tip which reduces the
sizeof the k ickback danger zone on t he bar
tip.