Homelite EL12 Owner's Manual page 9

OPERATING CHAIN
SAW
Continued
FELLING A TREE (Cutting Down
a Tree)
WARNING:
• Avoid kickback. Kickback can
result in severe injury or death.
See KICKBACK, page 3 to
avoid risk of kickback.
• Do not fell a tree without ample
skill or expert help.
• Keep children, animals, and
bystanders away from area
when felling a tree.
• If two or more persons per-
form bucking and felling op-
erations at the same time, pro-
vide ample distance between
operations. Provide distance
of at least twice the height of
tree being felled.
WARNING: When felling a
tree, be aware of your surround-
ings. Do not endanger any per-
son, strike utility lines, or cause
property damage. If tree strikes
utility lines, contact utility com-
pany at once.
Felling is the process of cutting down a tree.
Make sure your footing is firm. Keep feet
apart. Divide your weight evenly on both
feet. Follow directions below to fell a tree.
Before Felling a Tree
1. Before felling, inspect tree. Make sure
there are no dead limbs or branches that
may fall on you. Study natural lean of
tree, location of larger branches, and
wind direction. This will help you judge
which way tree will fall.
2. Clear work area around tree.
3. Plan and clear a retreat path before fell-
ing. Make retreat path opposite to
planned direction of fall of tree and at
45° angle (see Figure 10).
099732
Retreat
Path
45°
Retreat
Path
Figure 10 - Retreat Path From Tree
4. Remove dirt, stones, loose bark, nails,
staples, and wire from tree where you
will make felling cuts.
5. Stay on uphill side when felling tree.
Tree could roll or slide downhill after
falling.
FELLING PROCEDURE
Felling Notch
A properly placed felling notch will deter-
mine direction tree will fall. Place felling
notch on side of tree in direction you want
tree to fall (see Figure 11). Follow direc-
tions on page 16 to create a felling notch.
1. Make lower notch cut as close to
ground as possible. Hold saw so guide
bar is horizontal. Cut 1/3 the diameter
of tree trunk (see Figure 11). Note: Al-
ways make this horizontal lower notch
cut first. If you make this cut second,
tree can pinch chain or guide bar.
2. Start upper notch cut the same distance
above first cut as first cut is deep.
Example: If lower notch cut is eight
inches deep, start upper notch cut eight
inches above it. Cut downward at 45°
angle. The upper notch cut should meet
end of lower notch cut (see Figure 11).
3. Remove tree trunk wedge created by
notching cuts.
WARNING: Do not cut all the
way through tree. Leave about
two inches of tree diameter un-
cut directly behind felling notch
(see Figure 11). This uncut por-
tion acts as a hinge. The hinge
helps keep tree from twisting and
falling in wrong direction.
9
OWNER'S MANUAL
3rd Cut -
Felling
Direction of Fall
Cut
2"
Tree
Figure 11 - Felling A Tree
Felling Cut
1. Make felling cut two inches higher than
lower notch cut and on opposite side
of tree (see Figure 11). Keep felling cut
parallel to lower notch cut.
2. Cut towards notch.
3. As felling cut nears hinge, tree should
begin to fall. Note: If needed, drive
wedges into felling cut to control di-
rection of fall. If tree settles back and
pinches chain, drive wedges into fell-
ing cut to remove saw. Only use wedges
made of wood, plastic, or aluminum.
Never use wedge made of steel. This
could cause kickback and damage to
chain.
4. When tree begins to fall, quickly
• remove saw from felling cut
• release trigger to turn saw off
• put saw down
• exit area using retreat path
WARNING: Be alert for falling
overhead limbs. Watch your foot-
ing while exiting area.
Direction
of Fall
Hinge
2nd Cut -
Upper
Notch Cut
2"
1st Cut -
Lower
Notch Cut
Continued