Cutting methods – Poulan 530088740 User Manual
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duced--kickback guide bars and low--kick-
back saw chains reduce the chance and
magnitude of kickback and are recom-
mended. Your saw has a low kickback chain
and bar as original equipment. If the brake
band is worn too thin it may break when the
chain brake is triggered. With a broken brake
band, the chain brake will not stop the chain.
The chain brake should be replaced by an
authorized service dealer if any part is worn
to less than 1/32” thick. Repairs on a chain
brake should be made by an authorized ser-
vice dealer. Take your unit to the place of pur-
chase if purchased from a servicing dealer,
or to the nearest authorized master service
dealer.
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This saw is equipped with a chain brake.
The brake is designed to stop the chain if
kickback occurs.
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The inertia--activated chain brake is
activated if the front hand guard is pushed
forward, either manually (by hand) or
automatically (by sudden movement).
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If the brake is already activated, it is
disengaged by pulling the front hand guard
back toward the front handle as far as
possible.
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When cutting with the saw, the chain brake
must be disengaged.
Disengaged
Engaged
Braking function control
CAUTION:
The chain brake must be
checked several times daily. The engine
must be running when performing this proce-
dure. This is the only instance when the saw
should be placed on the ground with the en-
gine running.
Place the saw on firm ground. Hold the han-
dles with both hands and apply full throttle.
Activate the chain brake by turning your left
wrist against the hand guard without releas-
ing your grip around the front handle. The
chain should stop immediately.
Inertia activating function control
WARNING:
When performing the
following procedure, the engine must be
turned off.
Hold the chain saw approximately 14” (35
cm) above a stump or other wooden surface.
Release your grip on the front handle and
use the weight of the saw to let the top of the
guide bar fall forward and contact the stump.
When the tip of the bar hits the stump, the
brake should activate.
CUTTING METHODS
IMPORTANT POINTS
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Check chain tension before first use and
after 1 minute of operation. See CHAIN
TENSION in the ASSEMBLY section.
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Cut wood only. Do not cut metal, plastics,
masonry, non-wood building materials,
etc.
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Stop the saw if the chain strikes a foreign
object. Inspect the saw and repair or re-
place parts as necessary.
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Keep the chain out of dirt and sand. Even a
small amount of dirt will quickly dull a chain
and thus increase the possibility of kick-
back.
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Practice cutting a few small logs using the
following techniques to get the “feel” of us-
ing your saw before you begin a major
sawing operation.
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Squeeze the throttle trigger and al-
low the engine to reach full speed
before cutting.
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Begin cutting with the saw frame
against the log.
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Keep the engine at full speed the en-
tire time you are cutting.
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Allow the chain to cut for you. Exert
only light downward pressure. If you
force the cut, damage to the bar,
chain, or engine can result.
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Release the throttle trigger as soon
as the cut is completed, allowing the
engine to idle. If you run the saw at
full throttle without a cutting load, un-
necessary wear can occur to the
chain, bar, and engine.
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To avoid losing control when cut is
complete, do not put pressure on
saw at end of cut.
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Stop the engine before setting the saw
down after cutting.
TREE FELLING TECHNIQUES
WARNING:
Check for broken or
dead branches which can fall while cutting
causing serious injury. Do not cut near build-
ings or electrical wires if you do not know the
direction of tree fall, nor cut at night since you
will not be ale to see well, nor during bad
weather such as rain, snow, or strong winds,
etc.
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Carefully plan your sawing operation in ad-
vance.
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Clear the work area. You need a clear area
all around the tree so you can have secure
footing.
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Study the natural conditions that can cause
the tree to fall in a particular direction.
Natural conditions that can cause a tree to
fall in a particular direction include:
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The wind direction and speed.
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The lean of the tree. The lean of a tree
might not be apparent due to uneven or
sloping terrain. Use a plumb or level to de-
termine the direction of tree lean.
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Weight and branches on one side.
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Surrounding trees and obstacles.