Stihl MSA 161 T Instruction Manual page 26

English
A
The notch (A) determines the direction of fall. Make the
notch perpendicular to the desired line of fall. Be aware of
conditions such as wind, tree lean, the slope of the terrain
and other factors that could alter the direction of fall.
For a conventional notch:
► First, cut down at a 45 degree angle to a depth of
approximately 1/5 to 1/4 of the trunk diameter.
► Then make a horizontal cut that meets the bottom of the
first cut.
► Remove the resulting 45 degree piece.
7.4.2 Back Cut
24
A
B
C
A
► Begin the back cut (C) on the same level as the bottom of
the notch (A).
► Cut horizontally toward the notch.
► Leave approximately 1/10 of the tree's diameter uncut (B).
This is the hinge.
► Do not cut through the hinge – you could lose control of the
direction of fall.
When removing sections of a tree:
► Make sure all bystanders are clear of the area before
starting work.
► Maintain adequate distance from the nearest structure to
prevent property damage from falling material.
► Take extra precautions in the vicinity of roads, railways
and power lines. Inform the police, utility company or
railway authority before beginning to cut.
WARNING
￭ Never cut through the hinge when making your back cut.
The hinge helps control the fall of the tree. Cutting through
the hinge will eliminate your ability to control the fall and
may result in serious or fatal personal injury or property
damage.
￭ In order to reduce the risk of personal injury, never
position yourself directly behind the trunk when it is about
to fall, since part of the trunk may split and come back
toward the operator (barber-chairing), or the tree may
jump back off the stump.
7 Basic Working Technique
A B C
0458-791-8221-C