Craftsman 358.350982 Operator's Manual page 6

REDUCE THE CHANCE OF
KICKBACK
• Recognize that kickback can hap-
pen. With a basic understanding of
kickback, you can reduce the ele-
ment of surprise which contributes to
accidents.
• Never let the moving chain contact
any object at the tip of the guide bar.
• Keep the working area free from ob-
structions such as other trees,
branches, rocks, fences, stumps,
etc. Eliminate or avoid any
obstruction that your saw chain could
hit while you are cutting.
• When cutting a branch, do not let the
guide bar contact branch or other ob-
jects around it.
• Keep saw chain sharp and properly
tensioned. A loose or dull chain can
increase the chance of kickback. Fol-
low manufacturer's chain sharpening
and maintenance instructions. Check
tension at regular intervals, but never
with the engine running. Make sure
the bar nuts are securely tightened.
• Begin and continue cutting at full
speed. If the chain is moving at a
slower speed, there is greater
chance of kickback occurring.
• Use extreme caution when re-enter-
ing a previous cut.
• Do not attempt cuts starting with the
tip of the bar (plunge cuts).
• Watch for shifting logs or other forces
that could close a cut and pinch or
fall into chain.
• Use the Reduced--Kickback Guide
Bar and Low--Kickback Chain speci-
fied for your saw.
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withdrawn from an undercut when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
of handlebar
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.
• Position your left hand on the front
handlebar so it is in a straight line
with your right hand on the rear
handle when making bucking cuts.
Never reverse right and left hand
positions for any type of cutting.
• Stand with your weight evenly bal-
anced on both feet.
• Do not overreach. You could be
drawn or thrown off balance and lose
control of the saw.
• Do not cut above shoulder height. It
is difficult to maintain control of saw
above shoulder height.
KICKBACK SAFETY FEATURES
WARNING:
tures are included on your saw to help
reduce the 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.
• Front Hand Guard, designed to reduce
the chance of your left hand contact-
ing the chain if your hand slips off the
front handlebar.
• Position of front and rear handlebars,
designed with distance between han-
dles 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 resis-
tance in controlling the pivot of the
saw back toward the operator if kick-
back occurs.
• Reduced--Kickback Guide Bar,
designed with a small radius tip which
6
Elbow
locked
The following fea-