the risks associated with rotational kickback.
Use only the replacement guide bars and low
kickback chains specified by the manufac-
turer for the saw.
With a basic understanding of kickback, you
can reduce or eliminate the element of surprise.
Sudden surprise contributes to accidents.
Do not overreach. Keep proper footing and
balance at all times.
Do not cut above shoulder height or overreach
when cutting. Don't let nose of Guide Bar con-
tact log, branch, ground or other obstruction.
Keep the SAFE-T-TIP
guard properly mounted on the guide bar to
prevent rotational kickback.
Follow the sharpening and maintenance instruc-
tions for the saw chain.
Push and Pull - This reaction force is always
opposite to the direction the chain is moving
where wood contact is made. Thus, the operator
must be ready to control the PULL when cutting
on the bottom edge of the bar, and PUSH when
cutting along the top edge. See Figure 3.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHAIN SAW
SAFETY DEVICES
See Figure 4.
SAFE-T-TIP
ANTI-KICKBACK NOSE
®
GUARD
The SAFE-T-TIP
prevents rotational kickback
®
from happening, because it covers the tip of the
bar where kickback is generated. Never attempt
any kind of cutting where the SAFE-T-TIP
have to be removed from the bar tip.
LOW KICKBACK SAW CHAIN
The rakers (depth gauges) ahead of each cutter
can minimize the force of a kickback reaction by
preventing the cutters from digging in too deeply at
the kickback zone. Only use replacement chain that
is equivalent to original chain or has been certified
as low kickback chain per ANSI B175.1.
Low kickback/skip tooth saw chain is a chain that
has met the kickback performance requirements
of ANSI B175.1 - 1991 (American National Stan-
dard for Power Tools - Gasoline-Powered Chain
GENERAL SAFETY RULES
anti-kickback nose
®
would
®
Page 6 — English
PULL
PUSH
Saws-Safety Requirements) when tested on the
representative sample of chain saws below 3.8
c.i.d. specified in ANSI B175.1 - 1991.
As saw chains are sharpened during their useful
life, they lose some of the low kickback qualities
and extra caution should be used.
GUIDE BARS
Generally, guide bars with small radius tips have
somewhat lower kickback potentials.
When making a replacement, be sure to order
one of the Homelite bars listed for the saw in this
operator's manual. The proper size SAFE-T-TIP
nose guard comes installed on the bar. Use only
guide bars that have a provision for mounting the
SAFE-T-TIP
.
®
Fig. 3
SAFE-T-TIP
®
Fig. 4
®