Poulan 545117551 - Manual (Page 5)

5
S Pinch-Kickback can occur when the wood
closes in and pinches the moving chain in
the cut along the top of the guide bar and the
chain is suddenly stopped. This sudden
stopping of the chain results in a reversal of
the chain force used to cut wood and
causes the pruner to move in the opposite
direction of the chain rotation. The pruner is
driven straight back toward the operator.
S Pull-In can occur when the moving chain
contacts a foreign object in the wood in the cut
along the bottom of the guide bar and the
chain is suddenly stopped. This sudden stop-
ping pulls the pruner forward and away from
the operator and could easily cause the oper-
ator to lose control of the pruner.
REDUCE THE CHANCE OF
KICKBACK
S Recognize that kickback can happen. With
a basic understanding of kickback, you can
reduce the element of surprise which con-
tributes to accidents.
S Never let the moving chain contact any ob-
ject at the tip of the guide bar.
S Keep the working area free from obstructions
such as other trees, branches, rocks, stumps,
etc. Eliminate or avoid any obstruction that
your chain could hit while you are cutting.
When cutting a branch, do not let the guide
bar contact branch or other objects around it.
S Keep your chain sharp and properly ten-
sioned. A loose or dull chain can increase
the chance of kickback occurring. Follow
manufacturer’s chain sharpening and
maintenance instructions. Check tension
at regular intervals, but never with the motor
running. Make sure the bar clamp nut is se-
curely tightened after tensioning the chain.
S Begin and continue cutting at full speed. If
the chain is moving at a slower speed, there
is greater chance of kickback occurring.
S Cut one branch at a time.
S Use extreme caution when re-entering a
previous cut.
S Do not attempt cuts starting with the tip of
the bar (plunge cuts).
S Watch for shifting of wood or other forces that
could close a cut and pinch or fall into chain.
S Use the Reduced--Kickback Guide Bar and
Low--Kickback Chain specified for your unit.
MAINTAIN CONTROL
S Keep a good, firm grip on the pruner with
both hands when the unit is running and
don’t let go. A firm grip will help you reduce
kickback and maintain control. Keep the fin-
gers of your left hand encircling and your
left thumb under the assist handle. Keep
your right hand completely around the trig-
ger handle whether your are right handed or
left handed.
S Stand with your weight evenly balanced on
both feet.
S Stand slightly to the left side of the pruner to
keep your body from being in a direct line
with the cutting chain.
KICKBACK SAFETY FEATURES
WARNING:
The following features
are included on your pruner to help reduce the
hazard of kickback; however, such features
will not totally eliminate this danger. As a
pruner user, do not rely only on safety de-
vices. You must follow all safety precautions,
instructions, and maintenance in this manual
to help avoid kickback and other forces which
can result in serious injury.
S
Reduced--Kickback Guide Bar, designed with
a small radius tip which reduces the size of
the kickback danger zone on the bar tip.
Small Radius Tip
Reduced Kickback Symmetrical Guide Bar
Symmetrical Guide Bar
Large Radius Tip
S Low--Kickback Chain, designed with a con-
toured depth gauge and guard link which
deflect kickback force and allow wood to
gradually ride into the cutter. A low kickback
chain has met kickback performance require-
ments when tested on the representative
sample of the chain saws specified in ANSI
B175.1.
Low--- Kickback
Chain
Not a Low--- Kickback Chain
Can Obstruct Material
Contoured Depth Gauge
Elongated Guard Link
Deflects
kickback force
and allows wood
to gradually ride
into cutter
LINE TRIMMER SAFETY
DANGER: Never use blades with line
trimmer attachment. Never use flailing de-
vices with any attachment. This attachment
(when used with supplied line trimmer attach-
ment) is designed for line trimmer use only.
Use of any other accessories with line trim-
mer attachment will increase the risk of injury.