Craftsman 138.98946 Operator's Manual page 18

WARNING: Never climb into a tree to limb
or prune. Do not stand on ladders, plat-
forms, a log, or in any position which can
cause you to lose your balance or control of
the saw.
LIMBING
See figure 21.
Limbing is removing branches from a fallen tree.
[] Work slowly, keeping both hands on the
chain saw with a firm grip. Always make sure
your footing is secure and your weight is
distributed evenly on both feet.
[] Leave the larger support limbs under the tree
to keep the tree off the ground while cutting.
[] Limbs should be cut one at a time. Remove
the cut limbs from the work area often to help
keep the work area clean and safe.
[] Branches under tension should be cut from
the bottom up to avoid binding the chain saw.
[] Keep the tree between you and the chain saw
while limbing. Cut from the side of the tree
opposite the branch you are cutting.
PRUNING
See figure 22.
Pruning is trimming limbs from a live tree.
[] Work slowly, keeping both hands on the
chain saw 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 shoulder 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.
WARNING: If the limbs to be pruned are
above shoulder height, hire a professional
to perform the pruning.
18 - English