Reduce The Chance Of Kickback; Maintain Control - Poulan Pro P3314 Instruction Manual

• Pinch-Kickback can occur when the the
wood c loses inand pinches the moving
saw chain i nthe 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 is suddenly 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
hand positions
Thumbon
underside of
handlebar
X
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 bar nuts are securely tight-
ened 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. Afirm grip will help you reduce kick-
back and maintain control ofthe saw. Keep
the fingers of your left hand encircling and
your left thumb under the front handlebar.
Keep your right hand completely around the
rear handle whether your are right handed or
left 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 belance and lose control of the
saw.
• Do not cut above shoulder height, it is diffi-
cult to maintain control of saw above
shoulder height.