Saw Jammed In The Cut; Personal Protective Equipment; Safety Helmet; Understanding The Forces Within The Wood - AEG Powertools ACS18BS6 Original Instructions Manual

the to do so could result in possible serious personal injury.
use
Do not stop the saw in the middle of a cutting operation. Keep the
saw running until it is already removed from the cut.
nce
Push and pull
uge
The reaction force is always opposite to the direction the chain is
moving. Thus, the operator must be ready to control the tendency
for the product to pull away (forward motion) when cutting on the
hen bottom edge of the bar and the push backwards (towards the
operator) when cutting along the top edge.
ted

Saw jammed in the cut

Stop the chainsaw and make it safe. Do not try to force the chain
duct
and bar out of the cut as this is likely to break the chain, which may
ator
swing back and strike the operator. This situation normally occurs
nual
because the wood is incorrectly supported which forces the cut to
close under compression, thereby pinching the blade. If adjusting
ea,
the support does not release the bar and chain, use wooden
ee.
wedges or a lever to open the cut and release the saw. Never try
ar a
to start the chainsaw when the guide bar is already in a cut or kerf.

Personal protective equipment

m in
Good quality personal protective equipment, as used by
professionals, will help reduce the risk of injury to the operator. The
e a
following items should be used when operating the product:
les.
ont
■

Safety helmet

■ Hearing protection
not
■ Eye and face protection
■ Gloves
any
■ Leg protection (chaps)
for
■ Chainsaw safety boots
■ Chainsaw jackets for upper body protection
and
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INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING THE PROPER TECHNIQUES
FOR BASIC FELLING, LIMBING, AND CROSS-CUTTING
met,
the

Understanding the forces within the wood

When you understand the directional pressures and stresses inside
ould
the wood you can reduce the "pinches" or at least expect them
nds
during your cutting. Tension in the wood means the fibers are being
pulled apart and if you cut in this area, the "kerf" or cut will tend to
mple
open as the saw goes through. If a log is being supported on a saw
not
horse and the end is hanging unsupported over the end, tension is
created on the upper surface due to the weight of the overhanging
rts, log stretching the fibers. Likewise, the underside of the log will be
ery in compression and the fibers are being pushed together. If a cut is
e: made in this area, the kerf will have the tendency to close up during
the cut. This would pinch the blade.
Felling a tree
See figures 1 - 8.
ct
When bucking and felling operations are being performed by two
as
or more persons at the same time, the felling operations should be
ple,
separated from the bucking operation by a distance of at least twice
uts,
the height of the tree being felled. Trees should not be felled in a
d in
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 company should be notified immediately.
you
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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.
the
An escape path should be planned and cleared as necessary
ugh
before cuts are started. The escape path should extend back and
diagonally to the rear of the expected line of fall.
y to
Before felling starts, consider the natural lean of the tree, the
ure
location of larger branches, and the wind direction to judge which
way the tree will fall.
Remove dirt, stones, loose bark, nails, staples, and wire from the
tree.
Do not attempt to fell trees which are rotten or have been damaged
by wind, fire, lightning, etc. This is extremely dangerous and should
only be completed by professional tree surgeons.
1. Notching undercut
See figures 1 - 6.
Make the notch 1/3 the diameter of the tree, perpendicular to
the direction of the fall. Make the lower horizontal notching cut
first. This will help to avoid pinching either the saw chain or the
guide bar when the second notch is being made.
2. Felling-back cut
See figures 1 - 6.
Make the felling-back cut at least 50 mm/2 in. higher than the
horizontal notching cut. Keep the felling-back cut parallel to the
horizontal notching cut. Make the felling back cut so enough
wood is left to act as a hinge. The hinge wood keeps the tree
from twisting and falling in the wrong direction. Do not cut
through the hinge.
As the felling gets close to the hinge, the tree should begin to
fall. If there is any chance that the tree may not fall in the desired
direction or it may rock back and bind the saw chain, stop
cutting before the felling-back cut is complete and use wedges
of wood, plastic or aluminium to open the cut and drop the tree
along the desired line of fall.
When the tree begins to fall remove the chainsaw from the cut,
stop the motor, put the chainsaw down, anf use the retreat path
planned. Be alert for falling overhead limbs and watch your
footing.
Removing buttress roots
See figures 7 - 8.
A buttress root is a large root extending from the trunk of the tree
above the ground. Remove large buttress roots prior to felling.
Make the horizontal cut into the buttress first, followed by the
vertical cut. Remove the resulting loose section from the work area.
Follow the correct tree felling procedure after you have removed the
large buttress roots.
Bucking a log
See figures 9 - 11.
Bucking is cutting a log into lengths. It is important to make sure
your footing is firm and your weight is evenly distributed on both
feet. When possible, the log should be raised and supported by the
use of limbs, logs or chocks. Follow the simple directions for easy
cutting. When the log is supported along its entire length, it is cut
from the top (overbuck).
When the log is supported on one end, cut 1/3 the diameter from the
underside (underbuck). Then make the finished cut by overbucking
to meet the first cut.
When the log is supported on both ends, cut 1/3 the diameter from
the top (overbuck). Then make the finished cut by underbucking the
lower 2/3 to meet the first cut.
When bucking on a slope always stand on the uphill side of the
log. To maintain control when "cutting through", release the cutting
pressure near the end of the cut without relaxing your grip on the
chainsaw handles. Don't let the chain contact the ground. After
completing the cut, wait for the saw chain to stop before you move
the chainsaw. Always stop the motor before moving from tree to
tree.
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