8 - English
CHAIN SAW SAFETY WARNINGS
The following precautions should be followed
to minimize kickback:
• Always grip the saw firmly with both hands.
Hold the saw firmly with both hands when
the unit is running. Place your right hand on
the rear handle and your left hand on the
front handle with your thumbs and fingers
encircling the chain saw handles. A firm grip
together with a stiff left arm will help you
maintain control of the saw if kickback occurs.
• Make sure that the area in which you are cut-
ting is free from obstructions. Do not let the
nose of the guide bar contact a log, branch,
fence, or any other obstruction that could be
hit while you are operating the saw.
• Always cut with the unit running at full speed.
Fully squeeze the throttle trigger and maintain
a steady cutting speed.
• Use replacement parts such as low kick-
back chain, chain brakes and special guide
bars that reduce the risks associated with
rotational kickback. Use only the replacement
guide bars and low kickback chains specified
by the manufacturer for the saw.
With a basic understanding of kickback, you
can reduce or eliminate the element of surprise.
Sudden surprise contributes to accidents.
Do not overreach. Keep proper footing and bal-
ance at all times.
Do not cut above chest height or overreach
when cutting. Do not let the nose of the guide
bar contact a log, branch, ground, or any other
obstruction while you are operating the unit.
Follow the sharpening and maintenance
instructions for the saw chain.
Push and Pull – This reaction force is always
opposite to the direction the chain is moving
where wood contact is made. Thus, the operator
must be ready to control the PULL when cutting
on the bottom edge of the bar, and PUSH when
cutting along the top edge. See Figure 3.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHAIN SAW
SAFETY DEVICES
LOW KICKBACK SAW CHAIN
The rakers (depth gauges) ahead of each cutter
can minimize the force of a kickback reaction by
preventing the cutters from digging in too deeply
at the kickback zone. Only use replacement chain
that is equivalent to original chain or has been
certified as low kickback chain per ANSI B175.1.
Low kickback saw chain is chain that has met
the kickback performance requirements of ANSI
B175.1 (American National Standard for Power
Tools – Gasoline-Powered Chain Saws-Safety
Requirements) when tested on the representative
sample of chain saws below 3.8 c.i.d. specified in
ANSI B175.1.
As saw chains are sharpened during their useful
life, they lose some of the low kickback qualities
and extra caution should be used.
GUIDE BARS
Generally, guide bars with small radius tips have
somewhat lower kickback potentials.
When making a replacement, be sure to order
one of the bars listed for the saw in this operator’s
manual.
Save these instructions. Refer to them frequently
and use them to instruct others who may use
this product. If you loan someone this product,
loan them these instructions also.
