Kickback Warning; Maintain Control - Weed Eater 545212850 Instruction Manual

S Use the right tool, cut wood only. Don't use
pruner for purpose not intended; for example,
don't use pruner for cutting plastic, masonry,
non-wood building materials, etc.
S If you strike or become entangled with a for-
eign object, stop the unit immediately and
check for damage. Have any damage re-
paired by your authorized service dealer.
before attempting further operations.
S Do not operate a pruner that is damaged, im-
properly adjusted, or not completely and se-
curely assembled. Always replace bar and
chain immediately if it becomes damaged,
broken or is otherwise removed.
S Always stop the unit when work is delayed
or when walking from one cutting location to
another. Stop the motor and make sure
chain has stopped moving before setting
the unit down.
S Inspect cords periodically and if damaged,
have repaired by an authorized service
dealer.
S Use only in daylight or good artificial light.
KICKBACK
WARNING:
Avoid kickback which
can result in serious injury. Kickback is 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 branch, 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.
S Rotational Kickback can occur when the
moving chain contacts an object at the up-
per 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
lightning fast, reverse reaction which kicks
the guide bar up and back toward the oper-
ator.
S Pinch-Kickback can occur when the wood
closes in and pinches the moving chain in
the cut along the top of the guide bar and the
chain is suddenly stopped. This sudden
stopping of the chain results in a reversal of
the chain force used to cut wood and
causes the pruner to move in the opposite
direction of the chain rotation. The pruner is
driven straight back toward the operator.
S Pull-In can occur when the moving chain
contacts a foreign object in the wood in the
cut along the bottom of the guide bar and
the chain is suddenly stopped. This sudden
stopping pulls the pruner forward and away
from the operator and could easily cause
the operator to lose control of the pruner.
REDUCE THE CHANCE OF
KICKBACK
S Recognize that kickback can happen. With
a basic understanding of kickback, you can
reduce the element of surprise which con-
tributes to accidents.
S Never let the moving chain contact any ob-
ject at the tip of the guide bar.
S Keep the working area free from obstruc-
tions such as other trees, branches, rocks,
stumps, etc. Eliminate or avoid any
obstruction that your chain could hit while
you are cutting. When cutting a branch, do
not let the guide bar contact branch or other
objects around it.
S Keep your chain sharp and properly ten-
sioned. A loose or dull chain can increase
the chance of kickback occurring. Follow
manufacturer's chain sharpening and
maintenance instructions. Check tension at
regular intervals, but never with the motor
running. Make sure the bar clamp nut is se-
curely tightened after tensioning the chain.
S Begin and continue cutting at full speed. If
the chain is moving at a slower speed, there
is greater chance of kickback occurring.
S Cut one branch at a time.
S Use extreme caution when re-entering a pre-
vious cut.
S Do not attempt cuts starting with the tip of the
bar (plunge cuts).
S Watch for shifting of wood or other forces
that could close a cut and pinch or fall into
chain.
S Use the Reduced- -Kickback Guide Bar and
Low- -Kickback Chain specified for your
unit.

MAINTAIN CONTROL

S Keep a good, firm grip on the pruner with both
hands when the unit is running and don't let
go. A firm grip will help you reduce kickback
and maintain control. Keep the fingers of your
left hand encircling and your left thumb under
the assist handle. Keep your right hand com-
pletely around the trigger handle whether your
are right handed or left handed.
S Stand with your weight evenly balanced on
both feet.
S Stand slightly to the left side of the pruner to
keep your body from being in a direct line
with the cutting chain.
KICKBACK SAFETY FEATURES
WARNING:
The following features
are included on your pruner to help reduce the
hazard of kickback; however, such features
will not totally eliminate this danger. As a prun-
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