Poulan 260 Chainsaw User Manual


 
4
A v oid Pinch--Kickback:
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Be extremely aware of situations or ob-
structions that can cause material topinch
the top of or otherwise stop the chain.
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Do not cut more than one l og at a time.
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Do not twist the saw as the bar is with-
drawn from an undercut when bucking.
Avoid Pull--In:
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Always begin cutting with the engine atfull
speed andthe saw housing against wood.
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Use wedges made of plastic or wood.
Never use metal to hold the c ut open.
Kickback Path
Avoid Obstructions
Clear The Working Area
REDUCE THE CHANCE OF
KICKBACK
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Recognize that kickback can happen.
With a basic understanding of kickback,
you can reduce the element of surprise
which contributes to accidents.
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Never let themoving chain contact anyob-
ject at the t ip of the guide bar.
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Keep the working area free from obstruc-
tionssuchasothertrees,branches, rocks,
fences, stumps, etc. Eliminate or avoid
any obstruction that your saw chain could
hit while you are cutting through a particu-
lar log or branch.
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Keep your saw chain sharp and properly
tensioned. A loose or dull chain can in-
crease the chance of kickback occurring.
Follow manufacturer’s chain sharpening
and maintenance instructions. Check ten-
sion at regular intervals with the engine
stopped, never with the engine running.
Make sure the chain brake nuts are se-
curely tightened after tensioning thechain.
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Begin and continue cutting at full speed. If
the chain is moving at a slower speed,
there is greater chance of kickback occur-
ring.
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Cut one log at a time.
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Use extreme caution when re-entering a
previous cut.
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Do not attempt cuts starting with the t ip of
the bar (plunge cuts).
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Watch for shifting logs or other f orces that
could close a cut and pinch or fall i nto
chain.
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Use the Reduced--Kickback Guide Bar
and Low--Kickback Chain specified for
your saw.
MAINTAIN CONTROL
Never reverse
hand positions
Stand to the left of
the saw
Thumb on unders ide of
handlebar
Elbow locked
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Keep agood, firm griponthesawwithboth
hands when the engine is running and
don’t let go. A firmgrip willhelp youreduce
kickback and maintain control of the saw.
Keep the fingers of your left hand encir-
cling and your left thumb under the front
handlebar. Keep your right hand com-
pletely around the rear handle whether
your areright handed orleft handed. Keep
your left arm straight with the elbow
locked.
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Position your left hand on the front handle-
bar so it is in a straight line with your right
hand on the rear handle when making
bucking cuts. Never rev erse right and left
hand positions for any type of c utting.
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Stand withyourweight evenly balanced on
both feet.
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Stand slightly to the left side of the saw to
keep your body from being in a direct line
with the cutting chain.
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Do not overreach. Yo u could be d rawn or
thrown off balance and lose control o f the
saw.
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Donot cut above shoulder height. It isdiffi-
cult to maintain control of saw above
shoulder height.
KICKBACK SAFETY FEATURES
WARNING:
The following features
are included on your saw to help reduce the
hazard of kickback; however, such features
will not totally eliminate this danger. As a
chain saw user,do not relyonly onsafety de-
vices. You must follow all safety precau-
tions, i nstructions, and maintenance in this
manual to help avoid kickback and other
forces which can result in serious injury.
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Reduced--Kickback Guide Bar, designed
with a small radius tip which reduces the
size of the kickback danger zone on the
bar tip. A Reduced--Kickback Guide Bar