Zenoah GZ381 Manuel D'utilisation page 28

Be extremely cautious and avoid
contacting the log, other limbs or objects
with the nose of the guide bar. Be
extremely cautious of limbs under
tension. They can spring back toward
you and cause loss of control resulting in
serious injury.
4. Keep the trunk between you and the chainsaw as
you move along the trunk.
To use the cutting technique
1. If you have a pile of logs, remove each log you
attempt to cut from the pile and place it on a saw
horse or runners. Cut every log individually. (Fig. 61)
WARNING: Never attempt to cut logs
while they are in a pile or when a couple
of logs are lying together. Such
procedures drastically increase the risk
of kickback which can result in a serious
or fatal injury.
2. Remove the cut pieces from the cutting area.
WARNING: If you leave cutting pieces in
the cutting area, you increase the risk for
inadvertently getting a kickback, as well
as increasing the risk of losing your
balance while working.
3. If you cut the log on the ground there is a small risk
that the saw chain will jam or that the object will split.
However, there is a risk that the saw chain will touch
the ground when you finish the cut. (Fig. 62)
a) Cut all the way through the log from above. Avoid
letting the saw chain touch the ground as you
finish the cut. Maintain full throttle but be
prepared for what might happen. (Fig. 63)
b) If it is possible, stop cutting about 2/3 of the way
through the log, turn the log and finish the cut
from the opposite side. (Fig. 64)
4. If the log is supported at one end there is a high risk
that it will split. (Fig. 65)
a) Start by cutting from below (about 1/3 of the way
through).
b) Finish by cutting from above so that the two cuts
meet. (Fig. 66)
5. If the log is supported at both ends there is a high
risk that the saw chain will jam. (Fig. 67)
a) Start by cutting from above (about 1/3 of the way
through).
b) Finish by cutting from below so that the two cuts
meet. (Fig. 68)
The tree felling technique
WARNING: It takes a lot of experience to fell
a tree. Inexperienced users of chainsaws
28
should not fell trees. Do not attempt any task
that you feel unsure of!
Safe distance
The safe distance between a tree that is to be felled and
anyone else working nearby is at least 2 1/2 tree
lengths.
(Fig. 69)
Make sure that no one else is in this "risk zone" before
or during felling.
Felling direction
The goal is to fell the tree in a position where you can
limb and cut the log easily. It must fall in a location
where you are stable on your feet and can move about
safely.
Once you have decided which way you want the tree to
fall you must judge which way the tree would fall
naturally. Several factors affect this:
• Lean of the tree
• Bend
• Wind direction
• Arrangement of branches
• Weight of snow
• Obstacles within the reach of the tree: for example,
other trees, power lines, roads and buildings.
• Look for signs of damage and rot in the stem, this
makes it more probably that the tree will break and
start to fall before you expect it to.
You may find you are forced to let the tree fall in its
natural direction because it is impossible or dangerous
to try to make it fall in the direction you first intended.
Another very important factor, which does not affect the
felling direction but does affect your safety, is to make
sure the tree has no damaged or dead branches that
might break off and hit you during felling.
The main point to avoid is letting the tree fall onto
another tree. It is very dangerous to remove a trapped
tree and there is high accident risk. See instructions
To free a badly fallen tree on page
under the heading
29
(Fig. 70)
WARNING: During critical felling operations,
hearing protectors should be lifted
immediately when sawing is completed so
that sounds and warning signals can be
heard.
To clear the trunk and prepare for your
retreat
1. Delimb the stem up to shoulder height. Work from
the top down and make sure that the tree is between
you and the chainsaw. (Fig. 71)
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