Craftsman 172.34120 Operator's Manual

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Contents

10SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS cont. ADDITIONAL RULESFOR SAFE OPERATION cont.4. Wear safety glasses and hearing protection. Further protective equipment for head,hands, legs and feet is recommended. Adequate protective clothing will reduce personalinjury by flying debris or accidental contact with the saw chain.5. ALL VISITORS AND BYSTANDERS MUST wear the same safety equipment that theoperator of the tool wears.6. ALWAYS check the tool for damaged parts. Check for misalignment or binding of movingparts, breakage of parts, and any other condition that may affect the tool’s operation. Beforefurther use of the tool, a guard or other part that is damaged should be carefully checked todetermine if it will operate properly and perform its intended function. A guard or other partthat is damaged should be properly repaired or replaced at a qualified service dealer orrepair center service dealer.7. Always keep proper footing and operate the chain saw only when standing on fixed,secure and level surface. Slippery or unstable surfaces such as ladders may cause a lossof balance or control of the chain saw.8. Use extreme caution when cutting brush and saplings. The slender material may catchthe saw chain and be whipped toward you or pull you off balance.9. Follow instructions for lubricating, chain tensioning and changing accessories.Improperly tensioned or lubricated chain may either break or increase the chance for kickback.10. Only use replacement bars and chains specified by the manufacturer.Incorrect replacement bars and chains may cause chain breakage and/or kickback.11. Follow the manufacturer’s sharpening and maintenance instructions for the saw chain.Decreasing the depth gauge height can lead to increased kickback.WARNING: Follow all safety rules to help prevent Kickback which cancause serious personal injury.!1. KICKBACK is the backward, upward or sudden forward motion of the guide bar occurringwhen the saw chain near the upper tip of the guide bar contacts any object such as a log orbranch, or when the wood closes in and pinches chain in the cut. Contacting a foreign objectin the wood can also result in loss of chain saw control.2. ROTATIONAL KICKBACK can occur when the moving chain contacts an object at the uppertip of the guide bar. This contact can cause the chain to dig into the object, which stops thechain for an instant. The result is a lightning fast, reverse reaction which kicks the guide barup and back toward the operator.3. PINCH-KICKBACK can occur when the wood closes in and pinches the moving saw chainin the cut along the top of the guide bar and the saw chain is suddenly stopped. This suddenstopping of the chain results in a reversal of the chain force used to cut wood and causes thesaw to move in the opposite direction of the chain rotation. The saw is driven straight backtoward the operator.AVOID KICKBACK AND PULL-INKickback PathClear TheWork AreaAvoidObstructionsKICKBACK11SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS cont. ADDITIONAL RULESFOR SAFE OPERATION cont.CAUSES AND OPERATOR PREVENTION OF KICKBACK:• Kickback may occur when the nose or tip of the guide bar touches an object,or when the wood closes in and pinches the saw chain in the cut.• Tip contact in some cases may cause a sudden reverse reaction, kicking the guide bar upand back towards the operator.• Pinching the saw chain along the top of the guide bar may push the guide bar rapidlyback towards the operator.• Either of these reactions may cause you to lose control of the saw which could result inserious personal injury.• Do not rely exclusively upon the safety devices built into your saw.• As a chain saw user, you should take several steps to keep your cutting jobs free fromaccident or injury.• Kickback is the result of tool misuse and/or incorrect operating procedures or conditionsand can be avoided by taking proper precautions as given below:- Maintain a firm grip, with thumbs and fingers encircling the chain saw handles, with bothhands on the saw and position your body and arm to allow you to resist kickback forces.Kickback forces can be controlled by the operator, if proper precautions are taken.- Do not let go of the chain saw.- Do not overreach and do not cut above shoulder height.This helps prevent unintended tip contact and enables better control of the chain sawin unexpected situations.4. PULL-IN can occur when the moving chain contacts a foreign object in the wood in the cutalong the bottom of the guide bar and the saw chain is suddenly stopped. This suddenstopping pulls the saw forward and away from the operator and could easily cause theoperator to lose control of the saw.AVOID KICKBACK AND PULL-IN cont.AVOID PINCH-KICKBACK1. Be extremely aware of situations or obstructions that can causematerial to pinch the top of or otherwise stop the chain.2. Do not cut more than one log at a time.3. Do not twist the saw as the bar is withdrawn from an undercut when bucking.AVOID PULL-IN1. Always begin cutting with the saw at full speed and the saw housing against wood.2. Use wedges made of plastic or wood. Never use metal to hold the cut open.WARNING: Follow all safety rules to help prevent Kickbackwhich can cause serious personal injury.!