Ryobi P5452BTL Operation Manual - Page 17

OPERATION PROPER CUTTING STANCE WORK AREA PRECAUTIONS See Figure 12. WARNING:  Cut only wood or materials made from wood, no sheet metal, no plastics, no masonry, no non-wood building materials. Always use the proper cutting stance described in this section. Never kneel when using the chain saw. Kneeling could result in loss of stability and control of the saw resulting in serious personal injury.  Never allow children to operate the saw. Allow no person to use this chain saw who has not read this Operator's Manual or received adequate instructions for the safe and proper use of this chain saw.  Weight should be balanced with both feet on solid ground.  Keep left arm with elbow locked in a "straight arm" position to withstand any kickback force.  Your body should always be to the left of the chain line.  Keep everyone - helpers, bystanders, children, and animals - a safe distance from the cutting area. During felling operations, the safe distance should be a least twice the height of the largest trees in the felling area. During bucking operations, keep a minimum distance of 15 feet between workers.  Thumb should be on underside of handlebar. BASIC CUTTING PROCEDURE Practice cutting a few small logs using the following technique to get the "feel" of using the saw before you begin a major sawing operation.  Support log on a saw horse or cradle.  Always cut with both feet on solid ground to prevent being pulled off balance.  Do not cut above chest height, as a saw held higher is difficult to control against kickback forces.  Do not fell trees near electrical wires or buildings. Leave this operation for professionals.  Take the proper stance in front of the wood with the saw off.  Squeeze the switch trigger and let the chain accelerate to full speed before entering the cut.  Begin cutting with the saw against the log.  Cut only when visibility and light are adequate for you to see clearly. LIMBING See Figure 13.  Keep the unit running the entire time you are cutting, maintain a steady speed.  Allow the chain to cut for you; exert only light downward pressure. If you force the cut, damage to the bar, chain, or unit can result.  Release the switch trigger as soon as the cut is completed, allowing the chain to stop. If you run the saw without a cutting load, unnecessary wear can occur to the chain, bar, and unit.  Do not put pressure on the saw at the end of cut. WARNING: Never climb into a tree to limb or prune. Do not stand on ladders, platforms, a log, or in any position which can cause you to lose your balance or control of the saw, which could result in death or other serious personal injury. Limbing is removing branches from a fallen tree.  Work slowly, keeping both hands on the chain saw with a firm grip. Always make sure your footing is secure and your weight is distributed evenly on both feet.  Leave the larger support limbs under the tree to keep the tree off the ground while cutting.  Limbs should be cut one at a time. Remove the cut limbs from the work area often to help keep the work area clean and safe. 17 - English