Before Starting Saw; Guide Bar And Chain Oil; Starting/Stopping; Tree Felling Techniques - Craftsman 358.341141 Instruction Manual

BEFORE STARTING SAW
_ILWARNING: Be sure to read the
electrical safety information in the
SAFETY RULES section of this manual
before you begin. If you do not under-
stand the electrical safety information
do not attempt to use your unit. Seek
help from someone that does under-
stand the information or call the cus-
tomer assistance help line at
1-800-235-5878.
GUIDE BAR AND CHAIN OIL
The bar and chain require lubrication.
The manually-operated chain oiler pro-
vides lubrication to the chain and guide
bar. Be sure to fill the bar oil tank before
each cutting session. The oiler activator/
bar oil cap must be used regularly and
often enough to maintain a thin film of oil
on the bar and chain while saw is cut-
ting. It is recommended that the oiler
actuator/bar oil cap be operated every
ten (10) seconds and held for approxi-
mately three (3) seconds each time it is
pressed. For maximum guide bar and
chain life, we recommend you use
Craftsman chain saw bar oil. If Crafts-
man bar oil is not available, you may
use a good grade SAE 30 oil until you
are able to obtain Craftsman brand. The
oil output is manually metered during
operation. Use a funnel to fill the tank.
Replace oil cap securely. Check oil lev-
el after every 15 minutes of operation.
STOPPING YOUR SAW
• Release the trigger switch.
• If motor does not stop, disconnect
the extension cord. Discontinue use
of the unit until repaired by a Sears
Service Center.
STARTING YOUR SAW
1. Connect the saw to a power
source using the proper size exten-
sion cord (see SELECT AN EXTEN-
SION CORD).
2. Push in switch lock out button.
3. Squeeze and hold the trigger
switch.
OPERATING TIPS
• Check chain tension before first use
and after 1 minute of operation. See
CHECK CHAIN TENSION in the SER-
VICE AND ADJUSTMENTS section.
• Cut wood only. Do not cut metal,
plastics, masonry, non-wood building
materials, etc.
• Stop the saw if the chain strikes a
foreign object. Inspect the saw and
repair parts as necessary.
• Keep the chain out of dirt and sand.
Even a small amount of dirt will
quickly dull a chain and increase the
possibility of kickback.
• Practice cutting a few small logs us-
ing the following steps. This will help
you get the "feel" of using your saw
before you begin a major sawing op-
eration.
• Squeeze the trigger switch and al-
low unit to reach full speed before
cutting.
• Begin cutting with the saw frame
against the log.
• Keep the motor at full speed the
entire time you are cutting.
• Release trigger switch as soon as
cut is completed, allowing motor to
stop.
• Keep the cord away from the cut-
ting area. Position cord so it will
not be caught on branches and the
like during cutting.
• To avoid losing control when cut is
complete, do not put pressure on
saw at end of cut.
• Stop motor before setting saw down.
TREE FELLING TECHNIQUES
Check for broken or dead branches
which can fall while cutting causing seri-
ous 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 able to see well,
nor during bad weather such as rain,
snow, strong winds, etc. If the tree
makes contact with any utility line, the
utility complany should be notified im-
mediately.
• 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
direction, such as:
• The wind direction and speed.
• The lean of the tree. The lean of a
tree might not be apparent due to
uneven or sloping terrain. Use a
plumb or level to determine the di-
rection of tree lean.
• Weight and branches on one side.
• Surrounding trees and obstacles.