Craftsman 35182 Operation Manual - Page 10

CHAIBNRAKE _EWARNING: Ifthe brake band is worn too thin it may break when the chain brake is triggered. With a broken brake band, the chain brake will not stop the chain. The chain brake must be replaced if any part is worn to less than 0.020" (0.5 mm) thick. Repairs on a chain brake should be made by your Sears Service Center. Take your unit to the place of purchase or to the nearest Sears Service Center. • This saw is equipped with a chain brake. The brake is designed to stop the chain if kickback occurs. • The inertia-activated chain brake is activated if the front hand guard is pushed forward, either manually (by hand) or automatically (by sudden movement). • If the brake is already activated, it is disengaged by pulling the front hand guard back toward the front handle as far as possible. • When cutting with the saw, the chain brake must be disengaged. Disengaged Engaged ., :::: Braking function control CAUTION: The chain brake must be checked several times daily. The engine must be running when performing this procedure. This is the only instance when the saw should be placed on the ground with the engine running. Place the saw on firm ground. Grip the rear handle with your right hand and the front handle with your left hand. Apply full throttle by fully depressing the throttle trigger. Activate the chain brake by turning your left wrist against the hand guard without releasing your grip around the front handle. The chain should stop immediately. Inertia activating function control ,_WARNING: When performing the following procedure, the engine must be turned off. Grip the rear handle with your right hand and the front handle with your left hand. Hold the chain saw approximately 14 inches (35 cm) above a stump or other wooden surface. Release your grip on the front handle and use the weight of the saw to let the tip of the guide bar fall forward and contact the stump. When the tip of the bar hits the stump, the brake should activate. OPERATING TIPS • Check chain tension before first use, after 1 minute of operation, and each time before you start the chain saw. See CHAIN TENSION in the MAINTENANCE section. • Cut wood only. Do not cut metal, plastics, masonry, non-wood building materials, etc. • Stop the saw if the chain strikes a foreign object. Inspect the saw and repair or replace parts as necessary. If the chain jumps off the guide bar, inspect the chain for damaged drive links before reinstalling. Burrs on drive links, which prevent them from entering the groove of the guide bar, can be removed with a flat file. • Keep the chain out of dirt and sand. Even a small amount of dirt will dull a chain, increase the possibility of kickback, and require chain sharpening or replacement. • Practice cutting a few small logs using the following techniques to get the "feel" of using your saw before you begin a major sawing operation. • Squeeze the throttle trigger and al- low the engine to reach full speed before cutting. • Begin cutting with the saw frame against the log. • Keep the engine at full speed the entire time you are cutting. • Allow the chain to cut for you. Exert only light downward pressure. If you force the cut, damage to the bar, chain, or engine can result. • Release the throttle trigger as soon as the cut is completed, allowing the engine to idle. If you run the saw at full throttle without a cutting load, unnecessary wear can occur to the chain, bar, and engine. To maximize operating efficiency, do not run the engine for longer than 30 seconds at a time at full throttle, • To avoid losing control when cut is complete, do not put pressure on saw at end of cut. • Stop the engine before setting the saw down after cutting. 10