Felling Small Trees - Less Than 6" In Diameter; Felling Large Trees - 6" Diameter Or More - Craftsman 358.356081 Operator's Manual

2. FELLING SMALL TREES -- LESS THAN
6" IN DIAMETER
a. Ifyou know the direcUon of fall:
1.) Make a single felling cut on the side away
from the direction of fall.
2.) Cut all the way threugh.
3.) Stop the saw, put it down, and get away
quickly on your planned retreat path.
b. If you are not sure which way the tree will fall,
use the notch method described for felling
large trees.
z_WARNING
DO NOT CUT:
-- near electrical wires or buildings.
-- if you do not know the direction of tree fall.
-- at _ ight since you will not be able to see well.
--during bad weather-- strong wind, snow, rain,
etc.
3. FELLING LARGE TREES'-- 6" DIAMETER
OR MORE
The notch method is used to cut 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 the tree, the tree will tend to fall
into the notch.
NOTE: If the tree has large buttress roots, re-
move before making the notch. Cut into the but-
tresses Wrtically, then horizontally. Figure 22.
a. Make the notchcut. Figure 23.
f.) Cut the bottom of the notch first, through
1/3 of the diameter of the tree.
2.) Complete the notch by making the slant
cut.
3,) Remove the notch of wood.
b. Make the felling cut on the opposite side of the
notch about 2" higher than the bottom of the
notch.
c. Leave enough uncut wood between the felling
Cutand the notch to form a hinge. Figure 24.
NOTE: The hinge helps to keep the tree from
twisting and falling in the wrong direction.
d. Use a wedge if there is any chance that the tree
will not fall in the desired direction.
DIRECTION_ F
- _l_llllll ....
OF ALL LJ
f
Figure 21
N
.i --iZ
Figure 22
Figure23 Figure24
f
_WARNING
Stay on the uphill side of the terrain to avoid the
tree rolling or sliding downhill after it is felled.
1
NOTE: Before the felling cut is complete, drive
wedgestoopen upthecutwhen necessarytocon-
trolthedirecf_onoffall. Use woad or plasticwedges
but never metal, to avoid kickback and chain
damage.
e. Be alert for signs that the tree is ready to fall:
t.) crackingsounds
2.) widening of the felling cut
3.) movement in the upper branches,
f. As the tree starts te fall, stop the saw; put it
down, and get away quickly on your planned
retreat path.
g. Be extremely cautious with partially fallen trees
that may be poorly supported. When a tree
doesn't fall completely, set thQ saw aside and
pull down the tree with a cable winch, block and
tackle or tractor. Do not cutitdown with your saw
to avoid injury.
Check the wind
Don't cut down wind.
DON'T PUT YOURSELF IN THESE POSITIONS
Check the lean
Don't cut on lean side.
Check the balance
Don't cut on weighted side.
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