Maintain Control; Kickback Safety - Craftsman 358.341250 Instruction Manual

suddenly stoppedThissuddenstop-
pingpullsthe sawforwardandaway
fromthe operator a ndcouldeasily
causethe operator t o losecontrol o f
the saw,,
REDUCE THE CHANCE OF
KICKBACK
• Recognize that kickback can happen
With a basic understanding of kick-
back, you can reduce the element of
surprise which contributes to acci-
dents.
. Never let the moving chain contact
any object at the tip of the guide bar.
• Keep working area free from obstruc-
tions such as other trees, branches,
rocks, fences, stumps, etc, Eliminate
or avoid any obstruction that your saw
chain could hit while cutting.
. When cutting a branch, do not let the
guide bar contact another branch or
other objects 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 engine running,, Make sure bar
clamp 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-entering
a cut,,
° Do not attempt cuts starting with the
tip of the bar (plunge cuts),
° Watch for shifting togs or other objects
that could close a cut and pinch or fall
onto chain,
• Use the specified Reduced-Kickback
Guide Bar and Low Kickback Chain,
Avoid Pinch-Kickback:
° Be extremely aware of situations or
obstructions that can cause material
to pinch the top of or otherwise stop
the chain,
o 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withdrawn from an undercut when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 saw 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:
The following precautions should be
followed to minimize kickback,
o A good, firm grip on the saw with both
hands wilt help you maintain control
Don't let go, Grip the rear handle with
your right hand whether you are right
or left handed,
Right \_.4n_Left Hand
• Wrap the fingers of your left hando
ver and around the front handlebar.
and your left thumb under the front
handlebar., Keep your left arm straight
with the elbow locked.
@@
o 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 Stand
slightly to the left side of the saw to
keep your body from being in a direct
line with the cutting chain
° Stand with your weight evenly bal-
anced on both feet..
° Do not overreach. You could be
drawn or thrown off balance and lose
control.
° Do not cut above, shoulder height It is
difficult to maintain control of saw
above shoulder height.
KICKBACK SAFETY FEATURES
WARNING: The following features
are included on your saw to help re-
duce hazard of kickback; however, such
features will not totally eliminate this
danger. Do not rely only on safety de-
vices Follow all safety rules to help
avoid kickback and',other forces which
can result in serious injury.
° Handguard: designed to reduce the
chance of your le_ hand contacting
the chain if your hand slips off the
front handlebar.
° Position of front and rear handlebars:
designed with di_ance between han-
dles and "in-line" with each other,, The
spread and "in-line" position of the
hands provided by this design work