Craftsman 358.351210 Operator's Manual page 4

• Keep w ork a rea f ree from obstruc-
tions s uch asother trees, branches,
rocks, fences, stumps, etc. E liminate
oravoid a ny obstruction that y our
saw chain c ould h it w hile cutting.
• Keep s aw chain s harp a nd properly
tensioned. Aloose o rdull c hain c an
increase the chance ofkickback.
Follow m anufacturer's chain s harp-
ening a nd maintenance instructions.
Check tension atregular intewals,
but n ever with engine running. Make
sure bar c lamp nuts are securely
tightened.
• Begin a nd continue cutting atfull
speed. Ifthe chain i smoving ata
slower speed, there isgreater
chance ofkickback occurring.
• Use extreme caution when r e-enter-
ing acut.
• Donot a ttempt cuts s tarting with the
tipofthe bar(plunge cuts).
• Watch forshifting logs orother forces
that c ould c lose a cutand pinch o r
fall i nto chain.
• Use the specified Reduced-Kickback
Guide B ar a nd Low Kickback Chain.
Avoid Pinch-Kickback:
• Be extremely aware of situations or
obstructions that can cause material
to pinch the top of or otherwise stop
the chain.
• Do not cut more than one log at a
time.
• Do not twist the saw as the bar is
withdrawn from an undercut when
bucking.
Avoid Pull-In:
• Always begin cutting with the engine
at full speed and the saw housing
against wood.
• Use wedges made of plastic or
wood. Never use metal to hold the
cut open.
MAINTAIN CONTROL
Stand to the left of the saw
Thumb on
underside el I I
handleba/_
t.
4
_ Elbow
locked
Never reverse hand positions
• A good, firm grip on the saw with
both hands will help you maintain
control. Don't let go. Grip the rear
handle with your right hand whether
you are right or left handed. Wrap the
fingers of your left hand over and
around the front handlebar, and your
left thumb under the front handlebar.
Keep your left arm straight with the
elbow locked.
• When making bucking cuts, position
your left hand on the front handlebar
so it is in a straight line with your
right hand on the rear handle. Stand
slightly to the left side of the saw to
keep your body from being in a direct
line with the cutting chain.
• Stand with your weight evenly bal-
anced on both feet.
• Do not overreach. You could be
drawn or thrown off balance and lose
control.
• Do not cut above shoulder height. It
is difficult to maintain control of saw
above shoulder height.
KICKBACK SAFETY FEATURES
_IL WARNING: The following fea-
tures are included on your saw to help
reduce hazard of kickback; however,
such features will not totally eliminate
this danger. Do not rely only on safety
devices. Follow all safety rules to help
avoid kickback and other forces which
can result in serious injury.
• Hand Guard: designed to reduce the
chance of your left hand contacting
the chain if your hand slips offthe
front handlebar.
• Position of front and rear handlebars,
designed with distance between
handles and "in-line" with each other.
The spread and "in-line" position of
the hands provided by this design
work together to give balance and
resistance in controlling the pivot of
the saw back toward the operator if
kickback occurs.
• Reduced-Kickback Guide Bar, de-
signed with a small radius tip which
reduces the size of the kickback
danger zone on the bar tip. This type
bar has been demonstrated to signif-
icantly reduce the number and seri-
ousness of kickbacks when tested in
accordance with ANS! B175.1.
It _ "_ Small Radius Tip
Large Radius Tip