Craftsman 358.740160 Operator's Manual page 12

FELLING A TREE
Planning
WARNING: Check for broken or dead
branches which can fall while cutting
causing serious 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, or strong winds, etc. If the
tree makes contact with any utility line,
the utility company should be notified
immediately.
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 chainsaw 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.
Natural conditions that can cause a tree to fall
in a particular direction include:
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
direction of tree lean.
Weight and branches on one side.

Surrounding trees and obstacles.

Look for decay and rot. If the trunk is rotted, it
can snap and fall toward the operator. Check
for broken or dead branches which can fall on
you while cutting.
Make sure there is enough room for the tree to
fall. Maintain a distance of 2-1/2 tree lengths
from the nearest person or other objects.
Engine noise can drown out a warning call.
Remove dirt, stones, loose bark, nails, staples,
and wire from the tree where cuts are to be
made.
Plan a clear retreat path to the rear and
diagonal to the line of fall. Note the danger
zone (1), retreat path (2), and felling direction
(3) in the following diagram.
Retreat path
Using The Notch Method
The notch method is used to fell large trees. A
notch is cut on the side of the tree in the
desired direction of fall. After a felling cut is
made on the opposite side of tree, the tree will
tend to fall into the notch.
NOTE: If the tree has large buttress roots,
remove them before making the notch. If using
saw to remove buttress roots, keep saw chain
from contacting ground to prevent dulling of the
chain.
Make the notch cut by cutting the top of the
notch first. Cut through 1/3 of the diameter of
the tree. Next complete the notch by cutting the
bottom of the notch. Once the notch is cut
remove the notch of wood from the tree.
After removing the wood from the notch, make
the felling cut on the opposite side of the notch.
This is done by making a cut about two inches
(5 cm) higher than the center of the notch. This
will leave enough uncut wood between the
felling cut and the notch to form a hinge. This
hinge will help prevent the tree from falling in
the wrong direction.
NOTE: Before felling cut is complete, use
wedges to open the cut if necessary to
control the direction of fall. To avoid
kickback and chain damage, use wood or
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