Poulan 530164806 Chainsaw User Manual


 
4
Avoid Obstructions
Clear The Working Area
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 c ontributes to accidents.
S Never l etthemoving chaincontactany ob-
ject at the tip of the guide bar.
S Keep the working area free from obstruc-
tionssuchas othertrees,branches,rocks,
fences, stumps, etc. Eliminate or avoid
any obstruction that your saw 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 saw chain sharp and properly
tensioned. A loose or dull chain can in-
crease the chance of kickback occurring.
Follow manufacturer’s chain sharpening
andmaintenance 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 tightenedafter tensioning thechain.
S Begin and continue cutting atfull speed. If
the chain is moving at a slower speed,
there is greater chance of kickback occur-
ring.
S Cut one log 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 logs 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 s pecified for
your saw.
MAINTAIN CONTROL
Never r everse
hand positions
Stand to the left
of the saw
Thumb on
underside of
handlebar
Thumb on underside of
handlebar
Elbow locked
S Keepa good,firm gripon thesaw withboth
hands when the engine is running and
don’t letgo. A firm g ripwill helpyoureduce
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 handedor left handed. Keep
your left arm straight with the elbow
locked.
S Position your left handon the fronthandle-
bar so it is in a straight line with your right
hand on the rear handle when making
bucking cuts. Never reverse right and left
hand positions for any type of cutting.
S Standwithyourweightevenly balancedon
both feet.
S Stand slightly to the left side of the saw to
keep your body from being in a direct line
with the cutting chain.
S Do not overreach. You could be drawn or
thrown off balance and lose c ontrol of the
saw.
S Do notcut abov eshoulderheight. 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. A s a
chain saw user, do notrely only on safetyde-
vices. You must follow all safety precau-
tions, 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. A Reduced--Kickback Guide Bar
has beendemonstrated tosignificantly re-
duce the numberand seriousness of kick-
backs when tested in accordance with
safety requirements for gasoline powered
chain saws as set by ANSI B175.1.
Small Radius Tip
Reduced Kickback Symmetrical Guide Bar