Craftsman 358.351900 Operator's Manual page 11

OPERATING TIPS
• Check chain t ension before first u se
and after 1 minute ofoperation, and
each t ime before you start the chain
saw. See CHAIN TENSION inthe
MAINTENANCE section.
• Cut w ood o nly. Donot c ut m etal, plas-
tics, masonry, non-wood building ma-
terials, etc.
• Stop t he saw ifthe chain s trikes a
foreign object. Inspect thesaw and
repair orreplace parts a snecessary.
Ifthe chain j umps off t he guide b ar,
inspect the chain f ordamaged drive
links b efore reinstalling. Burrs o n
drive l inks, which p revent them from
entering the groove ofthe guide b ar,
can beremoved with aflat f ile.
• Keep t he chain o ut o fdirt a nd sand.
Even a small amount ofdirt w ill d ull a
chain, increase the possibility ofkick-
back, and require chain s harpening or
replacement.
• Practice cutting afew small logs us-
ing the following techniques toget
the "feel" ofusing y our s aw before
you begin a major sawing operation.
• Squeeze the throttle trigger and allow
the engine toreach full s peed before
cutting.
• Begin c utting w ith thesaw frame
against the log.
• Keep t heengine atfull s peed t he
entire t ime you are cutting.
• Allow the chain t ocut f oryou. Exert
onlylight d ownward pressure. If
youforce thecut, d amage tothe
bar, chain, orengine can result.
• Release the throttle trigger assoon
asthecutis completed, allowing
the engine toidle. I fyou r un the saw
atfull t hrottle without acutting load,
unnecessary wear can occur tothe
chain, bar, a ndengine. Tomaxi-
mize operating efficiency, do not
run the engine for longer than 30
seconds at a time at full throttle,
• To avoid losing control when cut is
complete, do not put pressure on
saw at end of cut.
• Stop the engine before setting the
saw down after cutting.
TREE FELLING TECHNIQUES
_IkWARNING: Check for broken or
dead branches which can fall while cut-
ting causing serious injury. Do not cut
near buildings 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. If
the tree makes contact with any utility
line, the utility company should be noti-
fied immediately.
• Carefully plan your sawing operation
in advance.
• Clear the work area. You need a clear
area all around the tree so you can
have secure footing.
• The chain saw operator should keep
on the uphill side of the terrain as the
tree is likely to roll or slide downhill
after it is felled.
• Study the natural conditions that can
cause the tree to fall in a particular di-
rection.
Natural conditions that can cause a tree
to fall in a particular direction include:
• The wind direction and speed.
• The lean ofthe tree. The lean of a
tree might not be apparent due to un-
even or sloping terrain. Use a plumb
or level to determine the direction of
tree lean.
• Weight and branches on one side.
• Surrounding trees and obstacles.
Look for decay and rot. If the trunk is
rotted, it can snap and fall toward the
operator. Check for broken or dead
branches which can fall on you while
cutting. Make sure there is enough
room for the tree to fall. Maintain a dis-
tance of 2-1/2tree lengths from the near-
est person or other objects. Engine
noise can drown out a warning call.
Remove dirt, stones, loose bark, nails,
staples, and wire from the tree where
cuts are to be made.
Plan a clear retreat path to the rear
and diagonal to the line of fall.
/ Plan a clear retreat path
I' (,. ,_--_- Direction of Fall
45" /,,.
"_/,e¢
FELLING LARGE TREES
(6 inches (15 cm) in diameter or larger)
The notch method is used to fell large
trees. A notch is cut on the side of the
tree in the desired direction of fall. After
a felling cut is made on the opposite
side of tree, the tree will tend to fall into
the notch.
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