Echo Pole Pruner - Manual (Page 17)

1 7 1 7 1 7 1 7 1 7
BALANCE AND BODY POSITION FOR CUTTING
• When completing an elevated cut, be ready to hold up the pole saw
as it cuts into the clear, so it will not follow through.
• Limit your cutting to the range within which you can control the pole
saw fully. Don’t reach out because you could lose your balance.
• Make limbing and pruning cuts one at a time. Do not try to prune
more than one branch at a time.
• Do not prune near power lines.
PINCHING, BINDING, SPLITTING
Wind bends trees. Gravity bends branches that are not flat on the
ground. A branch weakened by a cut over 1/3 the diameter is like two
branches hinged together. The cut may either close or open wider,
depending on how the branch is lying.
When cutting branches, always make the weakening cut from the
direction (opposite the hinge side) which causes the cut to widen. If
made from the wrong side, the cut will close, binding the guide bar and
pinching the saw chain or blade.
If the branch is under heavy stress, prevent splitting by making a shallow
cut (up to 1/3 diameter) on the hinge side first. But, always finish with
the weakening cut in a direction toward the hinge side.
When the branch is supported on both ends and is to be cut in between,
underbuck (cut upward from the bottom side) for the finishing cut.