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Page 20 — English
Branches under tension should be cut from the
bottom up to avoid binding the chain saw.
Keep the tree between you and the chain saw
while limbing. Cut from the side of the tree
opposite the branch you are cutting.
PRUNING
See Figure 24.
Pruning is trimming limbs from a live tree.
Work slowly, keeping both hands on the chain
saw with a firm grip. Always make sure your
footing is secure and your weight is distributed
evenly on both feet.
Do not cut from a ladder, this is extremely dan-
gerous. Leave this operation for professionals.
Do not cut above shoulder height as a saw held
higher is difficult to control against kickback.
When pruning trees it is important not to make
the finishing cut next to the main limb or trunk
until you have cut off the limb further out to
reduce the weight. This prevents stripping the
bark from the main member.
Underbuck the branch 1/3 through for your first
cut.
Your second cut should overbuck to drop the
branch off.
Now make your finishing cut smoothly and
neatly against the main member so the bark will
grow back to seal the wound.
WARNING:
If the limbs to be pruned are above shoulder
height, hire a professional to perform the prun-
ing. Cutting above shoulder height could result
in an accident, causing serious personal injury.
CUTTING SPRINGPOLES
See Figure 25.
A springpole is any log, branch, rooted stump, or
sapling which is bent under tension by other wood
so that it springs back if the wood holding it is cut
or removed. On a fallen tree, a rooted stump has
a high potential of springing back to the upright
position during the bucking cut to separate the log
from the stump. Watch out for springpoles — they
are dangerous.
FINISHING CUT
FIRST CUT
1/3 DIAMETER
SECOND CUT
LOAD
Fig. 23
SPRINGPOLE
Fig. 25
OPERATION
UNDERBUCKING
Fig. 22
Fig. 24
CUT LIMBS ONE AT A TIME AND LEAVE SUPPORT
LIMBS UNDER TREE UNTIL LOG IS CUT
WARNING:
Springpoles are dangerous and could strike the
operator, causing the operator to lose control
of the chain saw. This could result in severe or
fatal injury to the operator.