PRUNING
Pruning is trimming limbs from a live tree.
•
Work slowly, keeping both hands on the
chainsaw with a firm grip. Always make
sure your footing is secure and your weight
is distributed evenly on both feet.
•
Do not cut from a ladder. This is extremely
dangerous. Leave this operation for
professionals.
•
Do not cut above chest height as a saw
held higher is difficult to control against
kickback.
•
When pruning trees it is important not to
make the finishing cut next to the main
limb or trunk until you have cut off the
limb further out to reduce the weight. This
prevents stripping the bark from the main
member.
•
Underbuck the branch 1/3 through for your
first cut.
•
Your second cut should overbuck to drop
the branch off.
•
Now make your finishing cut smoothly and
neatly against the main member so the
bark will grow back to seal the wound.
Load
Second
cut
First Cut
1/3 Diameter
Finishing
Cut
Cut Limbs One At A Time And
Leave Support Limbs
Under Tree Until Log Is Cut
OPERATION
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 handle.
Don't 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.
Stand on uphill side
when cutting
because log may
roll
CUTTING SPRINGPOLES
A springpole is any log, branch, rooted stump,
or sapling which is bent under tension by
other wood so that it springs back if the wood
holding is cut or removed. On a fallen tree, a
rooted stump has a high potential of springing
back to the upright position during the
bucking, cut to separate the log from the
stump. Watch out for springpoles — they are
dangerous.
WARNING:
are above chest height, hire a professional
to perform the pruning. Springpoles are
dangerous and could strike the operator,
causing the operator to lose control of the
chainsaw. This could result in severe or fatal
injury to the operator.
15
Springpole
If the limbs to be pruned
Bucking a log