Limbing; Pruning; Cutting Springpoles - Homelite UT43123 Operator's Manual

LIMBING

See Figure 23.
Limbing is removing branches from a fallen tree.
 Work slowly, keeping both hands on the chain
saw with a firm grip. Always make sure your
footing is secure and your weight is distributed
evenly on both feet.
 Leave the larger support limbs under the tree
to keep the tree off the ground while cutting.
 Limbs should be cut one at a time. Remove the
cut limbs from the work area often to help keep
the work area clean and safe.
 Branches under tension should be cut from the
bottom up to avoid binding the chain saw.
 Keep the tree between you and the chain saw
while limbing. Cut from the side of the tree
opposite the branch you are cutting.

PRUNING

See Figure 24.
Pruning is trimming limbs from a live tree.
 Work slowly, keeping both hands on the chain
saw with a firm grip. Always make sure your
footing is secure and your weight is distributed
evenly on both feet.
 Do not cut from a ladder, this is extremely dan-
gerous. Leave this operation for professionals.
 Do not cut above shoulder height as a saw held
higher is difficult to control against kickback.
 When pruning trees it is important not to make
the finishing cut next to the main limb or trunk
until you have cut off the limb further out to
reduce the weight. This prevents stripping the
bark from the main member.
 Underbuck the branch 1/3 through for your first
cut.
 Your second cut should overbuck to drop the
branch off.
 Now make your finishing cut smoothly and
neatly against the main member so the bark will
grow back to seal the wound.
WARNING:
If the limbs to be pruned are above shoulder
height, hire a professional to perform the prun-
ing. Cutting above shoulder height could result
in an accident, causing serious personal injury.
OPERATION
LOAD
FIRST CUT
1/3 DIAMETER
FINISHING CUT
CUT LIMBS ONE AT A TIME AND LEAVE SUPPORT
LIMBS UNDER TREE UNTIL LOG IS CUT

CUTTING SPRINGPOLES

See Figure 25.
A springpole is any log, branch, rooted stump, or
sapling which is bent under tension by other wood
so that it springs back if the wood holding it is cut
or removed. On a fallen tree, a rooted stump has
a high potential of springing back to the upright
position during the bucking cut to separate the log
from the stump. Watch out for springpoles — they
are dangerous.
WARNING:
Springpoles are dangerous and could strike the
operator, causing the operator to lose control
of the chain saw. This could result in severe or
fatal injury to the operator.
Page 24 — English
SECOND CUT
SPRINGPOLE
Fig. 23
Fig. 24
Fig. 25