Poulan Pro 220 LE Instruction Manual page 4

• Pinch-Kickback can occur when the the
wood c loses inand pinches the moving
saw chain inthe cut a long the top ofthe
guide bar a nd t he saw chain issuddenly
stopped. This sudden stopping ofthe
chain r esults ina reversal ofthe chain
force u sed t ocut w ood a nd causes the
saw to move in the o pposite direction of t he
chain rotation. The s aw isdriven straight
back toward the operator.
• Pull4n can occur when the moving chain
contacts aforeign object inthe wood inthe
cut along the b ottom of t he g uide bar and t he
saw chain issuddenly stopped. This sudden
stopping pulls the saw forward and away
from t he o perator and c ould easily cause the
operator tolose control of t he saw.
Avoid
Pinch-Kickback:
• Be extremely aware of situations or ob-
structions that can cause material to pinch
the top of or otherwise stop the chain.
• Do not cut more than one log at a time.
• Do not twist the saw as the bar is with-
drawn from an undercut when bucking.
Avoid Pull-In:
• Always begin cutting with the engh_e at full
speed and the saw housing against wood.
• Use wedges made of ptastic or wood.
Never use metal to hold the cut open.
Kickback Path
• Beginandcontinuecuttingatfultspeed. If
the chain is moving at a slower speed,
there is greater chance of kickback occur-
ring.
• Cut one log at a time.
• Use extreme caution when re-entering a
previous cut.
• Do not attempt cuts starting with the tip of
the bar (plunge cuts).
• Watch for shifting logs or other forces that
could close a cut and pinch or fall into
chain.
• Use the Reduced-Kickback Guide Bar
and Low-Kickback Chain specified for
your saw.
MAINTAIN CONTROL
Stand to the left
of the sa_
Never reverse _
hand positions
Thumb on
underside of
handlebar
X
I
t
Elbow locked
REDUCE THE CHANCE OF
KICKBACK
• Recognize that kickback can happen.
With a basic understanding of kickback,
you can reduce the element of surprise
which contributes to accidents.
• Never let the moving chain contact any ob-
ject at the tip of the guide bar.
• Keep the 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 you are cutting. When cutting a
branch, do not let the guide bar contact
branch or other objects around it.
• Keep your saw chain sharp and properly
tensioned. A loose or dull chain can in-
crease the chance of kickback occurring.
Follow manufacturer's chain sharpening
and maintenance instructions. Check ten-
sion at regular intervals with the engine
stopped, never with the engine running.
Make sure the chain brake nuts are se-
curely tightened after tensioning the chain.
Thumb on underside of
handlebar
• Keep a good, firm grip on the saw with both
hands when the engine is running and
don't let go. A firm grip will help you reduce
kickback and maintain control of the saw.
Keep the fingers of your left hand encir-
cling and your left thumb under the front
handlebar. Keep your right hand com-
pletely around the rear handle whether
your are right handed or teft handed. Keep
your left arm straight with the elbow
locked.
• Position your left hand on the front handle-
bar so it is in a straight line with your right
hand on the rear handle when making
bucking cuts. Never reverse right and left
hand positions for any type of cutting.
• Stand with your weight evenly balanced on
both feet.
• Stand slightly to the left side of the saw to
keep your body from being in a direct line
with the cutting chain.
• Do not overreach. You could be drawn or
thrown off balance and lose control of the
SaW.
• Do not cut above shoulder height, it is diffi-
cult to maintain control of saw above
shoulder height.