5
Personal protective equipment
Good quality personal protective equipment as used
by professionals helps to reduce the risk of injury to the
operator. Wear the following items when operating a
chainsaw:
● Safety helmet
● Hearing protection
● Eye and face protection
● Gloves
● Leg protection (chaps)
● Chainsaw safety boots
● Chainsaw jackets for upper body protection
INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING THE PROPER TECH-
NIQUES FOR BASIC FELLING, LIMBING, AND CROSS-
CUTTING
Understanding the forces within the wood
When you understand the directional pressures and
stresses inside the wood, you can reduce the “pinches”
or at least expect them during your cutting. Tension in the
wood means the bers are being pulled apart and if you
cut in this area, the “kerf” or cut tends to open as the saw
goes through. If a log is being supported on a saw horse
and the end is hanging unsupported over the end then
tension is created on the upper surface due to the weight
of the overhanging log stretching the bers. Likewise, the
underside of the log is compressed and the bers are being
pushed together. If a cut is made in this area, the kerf will
have the tendency to close up during the cut. This would
pinch the blade.
Felling a tree
See page 17 - 18.
When bucking and felling operations are being performed
by two or more persons at the same time, the felling
operations 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 company should be notied immediately.
Stand on the uphill side of the terrain as the tree is likely to
roll or slide downhill after it is felled.
Plan and clear an escape path before cuts are starting
cuts. The escape path should extend back and diagonally
to the rear of the expected line of fall.
Before starting to fell a tree, consider the natural lean of the
tree, the location of larger branches and the wind direction
to judge which way the tree will fall.
Remove dirt, stones, loose bark, nails, staples, and wire
from the tree.
Do not attempt to fell trees that are rotten or have been
damaged by wind, re, lightning, etc. This is extremely
dangerous and should only be completed by professional
tree surgeons.
1. Notching undercut
See page 17 - 18.
Make the notch 1/3 the diameter of the tree,
perpendicular to the direction of falls. Make the lower
horizontal notching cut first to avoid pinching either the
saw chain or the guide bar when the second notch is
being made.
2. Felling back cut
See page 17 - 18.
Make the felling back cut at least 50 mm (2 in.) higher
than the horizontal notching cut. Keep the felling back
cut parallel to the horizontal notching cut. Make the
felling back cut so enough wood is left to act as a hinge.
The hinge wood keeps the tree from twisting and falling
in the wrong direction. Do not cut through the hinge.
As the felling gets close to the hinge, the tree should
begin to fall. If there is any chance that the tree may
not fall in desired direction or it may rock back and
bind the saw chain, stop cutting before the felling back
cut is complete, and use wedges of wood, plastic or
aluminium to open the cut and drop the tree along the
desired line of fall.
When the tree begins to fall, remove the chainsaw from
the cut, stop the motor, put the chainsaw down, then
use the retreat path planned. Be alert for overhead
limbs falling, and watch your footing.
Removing buttress roots
See page 18.
A buttress root is a large root extending from the trunk of
the tree above the ground. Remove large buttress roots
prior to felling. Make the horizontal cut into the buttress rst,
followed by the vertical cut. Remove the resulting loose
section from the work area. Follow the correct tree felling
procedure after you have removed the large buttress roots.
Bucking a log
See page 19.
Bucking is the process of cutting a log into lengths. Make
sure that your footing is rm and your weight is evenly
distributed on both feet. When possible, the log should
be raised and supported by the use of limbs, logs, or
chocks. Follow the directions for easy cutting. When the
log is supported along its entire length, it is cut from the
top (overbuck).
When the log is supported on one end, cut 1/3 the diameter
from the underside (underbuck). Make the nished cut by
overbucking to meet the rst cut.
When the log is supported on both ends, cut 1/3 the
diameter from the top (overbuck). Make the nished cut by
underbucking the lower 2/3 to meet the rst cut.
When bucking on a slope, always stand on the uphill side
of the log. When “cutting through”, to maintain complete
control 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.
Limbing a tree
See page 20.
Limbing is the process of removing the branches from
a fallen tree. When limbing, leave larger lower limbs to
support the log off the ground. Remove the small limbs in
To Next Page
Loading...
