Know Your Unit; Operating Instructions; Assembly Instructions; Starting And Stopping Instructions - Cub Cadet CS59L Operator's Manual

KNOW YOUR UNIT

APPLICATIONS
This unit may be used for the purposes listed below:
• Basic limbing, felling and woodcutting
• Removing buttress roots
NO TOOLS REQUIRED!
Scabbard
Chain Tensioning Bolt
Low Kickback
Saw Chain
Bar Lube
Reservoir Cap
Rear
Handle
Bar Cover

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

This unit comes completely assembled. The saw chain may be loose on the guide bar; refer to Adjusting the Chain Tension in the
Maintenance and Repair Instructions section.
UNPACKING
• Carefully remove the product and any accessories from the box.
• Inspect the product carefully to make sure no breakage or damage occurred during shipping.
• Do not discard the packing material until you have carefully inspected and satisfactorily operated the product.
• If any parts are damaged or missing, please call 1-877-282-8684 (U.S.) or 1-800-668-1238 (Canada) for assistance.
ADDING BAR AND CHAIN LUBRICANT
Only use bar and chain oil that is formulated to perform over a wide range of temperatures with no diluting required in the bar lube
reservoir. Do not use motor oil or any other petroleum-based oil.
NOTE: This chain saw comes from the factory with the bar lube reservoir empty. Use the bottle of bar and chain oil that is included with the unit.
WARNING:
Make sure the bar lube reservoir is always filled. Failure to fill the bar lube reservoir will cause irreparable
damage to the unit.
1. Remove the bar lube reservoir cap (Fig. 4).
2. Carefully pour the bar and chain oil into the bar lube reservoir.
3. Replace the bar lube reservoir cap and tighten securely.
4. Wipe off excess oil.
5. The unit is ready for use.
NOTE: Because bar lube reservoirs are designed to keep oil slowly flowing onto
the chain, be sure to check the oil level after every 15 minutes of operation
and refill the bar lube reservoir as needed. Refill the bar lube reservoir when
the quick view oil indicator is below the MIN. line.
NOTE: Do not use dirty, used or otherwise contaminated oils. Damage may
occur to the guide bar or chain.
IMPORTANT! Please dispose of oil properly. Consult your local waste authority
for information regarding available disposal options.
INSTALLING AND REMOVING THE BATTERY
Follow these instructions in order to avoid injury and to reduce the risk of electric
shock or fire:
• Verify that the switch lock is in the locked or OFF position before installing or
removing the battery. Refer to Starting and Stopping Instructions.
• Verify that the battery is removed and the switch lock is in the locked or OFF
position before inspecting, adjusting or performing maintenance on any part of
the unit.
Installing the Battery
1. Align the tongue of the battery with the handle cavity (Fig. 5).
2. Grasp the chain saw firmly.
3. Push the battery into the handle cavity until the latch locks into place.
4. Do not use force when inserting the battery. It should slide into position and "click."
Removing the Battery
1. Press the latch button on the battery down and hold (Fig. 5).
2. Grasp the chain saw firmly and pull the battery out of the handle cavity.
NOTE: The battery fits into the handle cavity snugly in order to prevent
accidental dislodging. It may require a strong pull to remove it.
CAUTION:
When the battery is not installed in the unit, keep it away from paper clips, coins, keys, nails, screws or
other metal objects that could make a connection from one terminal to another. Shorting the battery terminals together
may cause sparks, burns or a fire.
IMPORTANT! The battery is equipped with an internal circuit breaker that will automatically shut off power to the unit if the battery is
overloaded during heavy use. Once cooled, the battery will reset itself. Follow these steps if an overload occurs:
1. Release the switch trigger and then restart the unit. Refer to Starting and Stopping Instructions.
2. The battery may need to be removed for approximately 1 minute, allowed to cool and then reinstalled.

STARTING AND STOPPING INSTRUCTIONS

STARTING THE MOTOR
Make sure the chain tension is at the desired setting. Refer to Adjusting the
Chain Tension in the Maintenance and Repair section.
Make sure the bar cover bolt is tight to the bar cover.
Make sure the immediate area is clear of any objects or obstructions that could
come in contact with the guide bar and chain.
To help prevent accidental start-ups, this unit has a switch lock and switch
trigger that must be used together to start the unit.
1. Fit the battery into the handle cavity (Fig. 5). Refer to Installing the Battery.
2. Press and hold the switch lock (Fig. 6). This makes the switch trigger
operational.
3. While holding the switch lock, press and hold the switch trigger.
4. Release the switch lock and continue to squeeze the switch trigger for
continued operation.
STOPPING THE MOTOR
1. Release the switch trigger.
NOTE: It is normal for the chain to coast to a stop once the switch trigger is released.
NOTE: Upon release of the switch trigger, the switch lock will automatically reset to the locked position.
Switch Lock
Quick-View Oil
Indicator
Hex Wrench
Battery
(Sold Separately)
Front
Handle
Front Hand
Guard
Guide Bar
Bar Cover Bolt
Reservoir Cap
Fig. 4
Handle
Cavity
Fig. 5
Switch
Lock
Fig. 6
WARNING:
Do not allow familiarity with this unit to
promote carelessness. Remember that a careless fraction of a
second is enough to inflict serious injury.
WARNING:
If any parts are damaged or missing, do not
operate the unit until the parts are replaced. Failure to heed this
warning could result in serious personal injury.
WARNING:
Always wear appropriate eye and ear
protection when operating this unit. Wear safety goggles, or
safety glasses with side shields, that are marked as meeting
ANSI Z87.1-1989 standards. Failure to do so could result in
serious eye injury caused by thrown objects. If the operation is
Switch
dusty, wear a face mask or dust mask. Use a hardhat or other
Trigger
type of safety helmet.
WARNING: Wear non-slip gloves for maximum grip and
protection. Refer to the Safety Information section for
appropriate safety equipment.
PROPER GRIP ON HANDLES
• Hold the saw firmly with both hands. Always keep the left hand on the front
handle and the right hand on the rear handle so that the operator's body is to
the left of the chain line (Fig. 7). Use these hand placements even if the
operator is left-handed.
• Maintain a proper grip on the saw whenever the motor is running. The fingers
should encircle the handle and the thumb should wrap under the handlebar
(Fig. 8). This grip is least likely to be broken by a kickback or other sudden
reaction of the saw. Any grip in which the thumb and fingers are on the same
side of the handle is dangerous because a slight kick of the saw can cause
loss of control (Fig. 9).
PROPER CUTTING STANCE
WARNING:
Do not operate the switch trigger with the left
hand while holding the front handle with the right hand. Never
allow any part of your body to be in the chain line while
operating a saw (Fig. 10).
• Balance body weight securely, with both feet on solid ground.
• Keep the left arm locked in a "straight arm" position to withstand any
kickback force (Fig. 11).
• Keep all body parts to the left of the chain line (Fig. 11).
• Make sure the proper grip is established on the front handle and rear handle.
BASIC OPERATING/CUTTING PROCEDURES
• This unit has a 10" guide bar and is designed to cut logs or trees with
diameters of 8" or less. Cutting larger trees or logs is not recommended.
• Practice cutting a few small logs using the following technique to get the
"feel" of using the saw before you begin a major sawing operation.
• Take the proper stance in front of the wood or tree to be cut.
• Start the motor and let the chain accelerate to full speed before starting the
cut. Refer to Starting and Stopping Instructions.
• Begin cutting with the saw against the log.
• Keep the unit running the entire time while cutting.
• Allow the chain to do the cutting; exert only light downward pressure. Forcing
the cut could result in damage to the guide bar, chain or motor.
• Release the switch trigger as soon as the cut is completed. Allow the chain to
come to a complete stop. Unnecessary wear may occur to the chain, bar and
unit if the saw is run without a cutting load.
• Do not put pressure on the saw at the end of the cut.
WORK AREA PRECAUTIONS
• Cut only wood or materials made from wood. Do not attempt to cut sheet
metal, plastics, masonry or non-wood building materials.
• Keep everyone – helpers, bystanders, children and animals – 100 feet (30 m)
away from the cutting area. If anyone enters the work area, stop the unit!
During felling operations, the safe distance should be a least twice the height
of the largest trees in the felling area. During bucking operations, keep a
minimum distance of 15 feet (4.6 m) between workers.
• Do not cut above chest height as a saw held higher is difficult to control
against kickback forces.
• Only operate the unit when visibility and light are adequate to see clearly.
FELLING
WARNING: Do not fell trees during periods of precipitation
or high wind.
Felling is the term for cutting down a tree. When felling a tree, it is important to
heed the following warnings to reduce the risk of serious injury:
• Do not cut down trees having an extreme lean or large trees with rotten limbs,
Quick View
loose bark or hollow trunks. Have these trees pushed or dragged down with
Oil Indicator
heavy equipment, then cut them up.
• Do not cut trees near electrical wires or buildings. Leave this operation for
professionals.
Bar Lube
• Check the tree for damaged or dead branches that could fall and cause
serious personal injury.
• Periodically glance at the top of the tree during the back cut to see if the tree
is going to fall in the desired direction.
• If the tree starts to fall in the wrong direction, or the saw gets caught or hung
up during the fall, leave the saw and evacuate the area immediately!
• When bucking and felling operations are being performed by two or more
persons, at the same time, the felling operation should be separated from the
bucking operation by a distance of at least twice the height of the tree being
felled. Trees should not be felled in a manner that would endanger any person,
strike any utility line or cause any property damage. If the tree does make
contact with any utility line, the utility company should be notified immediately.
• The operator should keep on the uphill side of terrain, as the tree is likely to
Tongue
roll or slide after it is felled.
• Pick your escape route (or routes in case the intended route is blocked). Clear
the immediate area around the tree and make sure there are no obstructions
Latch
in your planned path of retreat. Clear the path of safe retreat approximately
Button
135° from the planned line of fall (Fig. 12).
• Consider the force and direction of the wind, the lean and balance of the tree
and the location of large limbs. These things influence the direction in which
the tree will fall. Do not try to fell a tree along a line different from its natural
line of fall.
• Remove dirt, stones, loose bark, nails, staples and wire from the tree where
felling cuts are to be made.
Small trees, up to 6-7 inches (15-18 cm) in diameter, are usually felled in a single
cut. Larger trees require a process consisting of two main cutting operations: a
notched undercut followed by a felling back cut.
1. Notched Undercut. This cut determines the direction that the tree will fall. It
should be made on the side of the tree facing the felling direction. Cut a
notch about 1/3 the diameter of the trunk in the side of the tree. Make the
notch cuts so they intersect at a right angle to the line of fall. This notch
should be cleaned out to leave a straight line. To keep the weight of the
wood off the saw, always make the lower cut of the notch before the upper
cut. (Fig. 13)
2. Felling Back Cut. This cut fells the tree. Make the back cut level and
horizontal, and at a minimum of 2 inches (5 cm) above the horizontal cut of
the notch (Fig. 13). When the felling cut gets close to the hinge, the tree
should begin to fall (Fig. 14). If there is any chance the tree may not fall in the
desired direction or if it may rock back and bind the saw chain, stop cutting
before the felling cut is complete and use wedges of wood or plastic to open
the cut and drop the tree along its desired line of fall (Fig. 15).
NOTE: On large diameter trees, stop the back cut before it is deep enough for
the tree to either fall or settle back on the stump. Then insert soft wooden or
plastic wedges into the cut so that they do not touch the chain. Drive wedges
in, little by little, to help jack the tree over.
WARNING:
Never cut through to the notch. Always leave a
band of wood between the notch and back cut (approximately 2
inches (5 cm) or 1/10 the diameter of the tree). This is called
"hinge" or "hingewood." It controls the fall of the tree and
prevents slipping, twisting or shootback of the tree off the stump.
Switch
Trigger
3. As the tree starts to fall, remove the chain saw from the cut, stop the motor
and put down the unit immediately. Retreat along the cleared path, but watch
the action in case something falls along the retreat path.

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

Proper
Grip
Improper
Grip
Improper
Stance
Chain Line
Chain
Line
Planned
Line of Fall
135˚ From
Planned
Line of Fall
1/10 Diameter
Back Cut
2" (5 cm)
Back Cut
Wedge
Proper Hand
Grip Position
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Straight
Left Arm
Fig. 11
90°
Path of
Safe Retreat
Fig. 12
Hinge
2" (5 cm) or
Notch - Approx.
1/3 Diameter
of Trunk
Fig. 13
Hinge
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
3