Cutting Techniques - Makita EA6100P Operator's And Safety Manual

Pushback:
Pushback occurs when the chain on the top of the bar is
suddenly stopped when it is pinched, caught or encounters
a foreign object in the wood.
The reaction of the chain drives the saw straight back
toward the operator causing loss of saw control. Push-
back fre-quently occurs when the top of the bar is used
for cutting (fig. 14).
To avoid pushback
1. Be alert to forces or situations that may cause mate-
rial to pinch the top of the chain.
2. Do not cut more than one log at a time.
3. Do not twist the saw when withdrawing the bar
from a plunge cut or under buck cut (figures 25 to
27 and 33, pages 16 and 18), because the chain
can pinch.
Pull-in:
Pull-in occurs when the chain on the bottom of the bar is
suddenly stopped. The chain on the bottom of the bar stops
when it is pinched, caught or encounters a foreign object
in the wood (see fig. 15). The reaction of the chain pulls
the saw forward, causing the operator to lose control.
Pull-in frequently occurs when the spike bar of the
saw is not held securely against the tree or limb and
when the chain is not rotating at full speed before it
contacts the wood.
WARNING!
Use extreme caution when cutting small size brush
and saplings which may easily catch the chain and
pull you off balance.
14
To avoid pull-in
1. Always start a cut with the chain rotating at full speed
and the spike bar in contact with the wood.
2. Pull-in may also be prevented by using plastic wedges
to open the kerf or cut.

Cutting techniques

Felling
Felling is cutting down a tree.
Before felling a tree, consider carefully all conditions which
may affect the direction of fall, including:
The intended direction of the fall.
The neutral lean of the tree.
Any unusually heavy limb structure.
14
Surrounding trees and obstacles.
The wind direction and speed.
Always observe the general condition of the tree. Look
for decay and rot in the trunk. If it is rotted inside, it
could snap and fall toward the operator while being
cut.
Also look for broken or dead branches which could
vibrate loose and fall on the operator. When felling on a
slope, the operator should stand on the up-hill side.
When felling in the vicinity of roads, railways and
power lines, etc., take extra precautions (see fig. 16).
Inform the police, utility company or railway authority
before beginning to cut.
15
WARNING!
16