Poulan PPB4014 Owner Manual - Page 13

OPERATION PROPER PROCEDURE FOR TREE FELLING • Felling a tree - When bucking and felling operations are being performed by two or more persons at the same time, the felling operation should be separated from the bucking operation by a distance of at least twice the height of the tree being felled. Trees should not be felled in a manner that would endanger any person, strike any utility line or cause any property damage. If the tree does make contact with any utility line, the utility company should be notified immediately. • Operator should keep on the uphill side of terrain as the tree is likely to roll or slide after it is felled. • Pick your escape route (or routes in case the intended route is blocked). Clear the immediate area around the tree and make sure there are no obstructions in your planned path of retreat. Clear the path of safe retreat approximately 135° from the planned line of fall. • Consider the force and direction of the wind, the lean and balance of the tree, and the location of large limbs. These things influence the direction in which the tree will fall. Do not try to fell a tree along a line different from its natural line of fall. • Remove dirt, stones, loose bark, nails, staples, and wire from the tree where felling cuts are to be made. • Notched Undercut. Cut a notch about 1/3 the diameter of the trunk on the side of the tree. Make the notch cuts so they intersect at a right angle to the line of fall. This notch should be cleaned out to leave a straight line. To keep the weight of the wood off the saw, always make the lower cut of the notch before the upper cut. • Felling Backcut. As the felling cut gets close to the hinge, the tree should begin to fall. If there is any chance the tree may not fall in the desired direction or it may rock back and bind the saw chain, stop cutting before the felling cut is complete and use wedges of wood, plastic or aluminum to open the cut and drop the tree along its desired line of fall. Make the backcut level and horizontal, and at a minimum of 2 in. (5 cm) above the horizontal cut of the notch. • On large diameter trees, stop the back cut before it is deep enough for the tree to either fall or settle back on the stump. Then insert soft wooden or plastic wedges into the cut so they do. • As tree starts to fall, stop the chainsaw and put it down immediately. Retreat along the cleared path, but watch the action in case something falls your way. Planned Line of fall Back cut Path of safe retreat HINGE 2 in. (5 cm) OR 1/10 DIA Back cut 2" (5cm) Notch-Approx. 1/3 Diameter of trunk Hinge Wedge NOTE: Never cut through to the notch. Always leave a band of wood between the notch and back cut (approximately 2 in. (5 cm) or 1/10 the diameter of the tree). This is called "hinge" or "hingewood." It controls the fall of the tree and prevents slipping or twisting or shoot back of the tree off the stump. BUCKING Bucking is the term used for cutting a fallen tree to the desired log length. • Always make sure your footing is secure and your weight is distributed evenly on both feet. • Cut only one log at a time. • Support small logs on a saw horse or another log while bucking. • Keep a clear cutting area. Make sure that no objects can contact the guide bar nose and chain during cutting as this can cause kickback. Refer to Kickback earlier in this manual. • When bucking on a slope, always stand on the uphill side of the log. To maintain complete control of the chainsaw when cutting through the log, release the cutting pressure near the end of the cut without relaxing your grip on the chainsaw handles. Do not let the chain contact the ground. After completing the cut, wait for the saw chain to stop before you move the chainsaw. Always stop the motor before moving from tree to tree. 13