Limbing And Pruning - Craftsman C944.414460 Instruction Manual

LIMBING AND PRUNING
WARNING: Be alert for and
guard against kickback. Do not allow
the moving chain to contact any other
branches or objects at the nose of the
guide bar when limbing or pruning. Al-
lowing such contact can result in seri-
ous _njury.
_WARNING: Never climb into a
tree to limb or prune. Do not stand on
ladders, platforms, a log, or in any po-
sition which can cause you to lose
your balance or control of the saw.
IMPORTANT POINTS
• Watch out for springpotes.
Springpoles are small size limbs
which can whip toward you, or pull
you off balance. Use extreme cau-
tion when cutting small size limbs.
• Be alert for springback. Watch out for
branches that are bent or under
pressure. Avoid being struck by the
branch or the saw when the tension
in the wood fibers is released.
• Frequently clear branches out of the
way to avoid tripping over them.
LIMBING
• Limb a tree only after it is cut down.
• Leave the larger limbs underneath
the felled tree to support the tree as
you work.
• Start at the base of the felled tree
and work toward the top, cutting
branches and limbs. Remove small
limbs with one cut.
• Keep the tree between you and the
chain.
• Remove larger, supporting branches
with the cutting techniques described
in BUCKING WITHOUT A SUPPORT.
• Always use an overcut to cut small
and freely hanging limbs. Undercut-
ting could cause limbs to fall and
pinch the saw.
PRUNING
_WARNING: Limit pruning to limbs
shoulder height or below. Do not cut if
branches are higher than your shoul-
der. Get a professional to do the job.
• Make your first cut 1/3 of the way
through the bottom of the limb. This
cut will make the limb sag so that it
falls easily on the second cut.
• Next make a second cut an overcut
all the way through the limb,
• Finish the pruning operation by using
an overcut so that the stump of the
limb protrudes 1 to 2 inches from the
trunk of the tree.
Second cut
__ 3rdcut 1 to2 in.
from trunk of tree
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