Craftsman 358.350820 Instruction Manual page 10

Braking function control
CAUTION: The chain brake must be
checked several times daily. The en-
gine must be running when performing
this procedure. This is the only
instance when the saw should be
placed on the ground with the engine
running.
Place the saw on firm ground. Grip the
rear handle with your right hand and
the front handle with your left hand.
Apply full throttle by fully depressing
the throttle trigger. Activate the chain
brake by turning your left wrist against
the hand guard without releasing your
grip around the front handle. The chain
should stop immediately.
Inertia activating function control
_WARNING: When performing
the following procedure, the engine
must be turned off.
Grip the rear handle with your right hand
and the front handle with your left hand.
Hold the chain saw approximately 14
inches (35 cm) above a stump or other
wooden surface. Release your grip on
the front handle and use the weight of
the saw to let the top of the guide bar
fall forward and contact the stump.
When the tip of the bar hits the stump,
the brake should activate.
OPERATING TIPS
• Check chain tension before first use
and after 1 minute of operation. See
CHAIN TENSION in the MAINTENANCE
section.
• Cut wood only. Do not cut metal, plas-
tics, masonry, non-wood building ma-
terials, etc.
• Stop the saw if the chain strikes a
foreign object. Inspect the saw and
repair or replace parts as necessary.
• Keep the chain out of dirt and sand.
Even a small amount of dirt will quickly
dull a chain and thus increase the
possibility of kickback.
• Practice cutting a few small logs us-
ing the following techniques to get
the "feel" of using your saw before
you begin a major sawing operation=
• Squeeze the throttle trigger and allow
the engine to reach full speed before
cutting.
• Begin cutting with the saw frame
against the log.
• Keep the engine at full speed the
entire time you are cutting.
• Allow the chain to cut for you. Exert
only light downward pressure. If
you force the cut, damage to the
bar, chain, or engine can result.
• Release the throttle trigger as soon
as the cut is completed, allowing
the engine to idle. Ifyou run the saw
at full throttle without a cutting load,
unnecessary wear can occur to the
chain, bar, and engine. It is recom-
mended that the engine not be
operated for longer than 30 sec-
onds at full throttle.
• To avoid losing control when cut is
complete, do not put pressure on
saw at end of cut.
• Stop the engine before setting the
saw down after cutting.
TREE FELLING TECHNIQUES
_&WARNING: Check for broken or
dead branches which can fall while cut-
ting 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 ale 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 noti-
fied 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 chain saw 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 di-
rection.
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 un-
even 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=
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