Gauteng Smallholder March 2017 | Page 23

action taking place with the bottom of the guide bar , results in the saw being pulled towards the branch and the operator now needs to hang on to the saw to prevent it from being pulled in this direction .
However , when the chain moving over the rounded nose of the guide bar encounters the wood as it passes over the top half of the nose the motion is to push ~ rapidly ~ the bar upwards and away from the branch being cut . This is called kickback . If the

MACHINERY

The world ’ s most powerful backpack blower ?

What is said to be the world ' s most powerful backpack blower , Maruyama ' s Tornado BL9000 , delivers an

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astonishing 29,83m of air per minute , at 362 km / h , thanks in part to a specialised tip on its delivery pipe . This makes it ideally suited as part of your grass fire-fighting arsenal as it is powerful enough to blow out even strong fires . The BL9000 is powered by a 79,2cc two stroke engine . The entire unit weighs less than 11 kg , and is mounted on a padded frame with extra wide shoulder straps for operator comfort . The unit is spring-mounted to the frame to reduce vibration . The fuel tank holds 2,1 litres , and the unit incorporates a
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flat base on which the operator can rest his foot to secure the unit while pulling the starter cord . Two controls are planned for the BL9000 . Currently , it is available with a pistol grip control throttle on the blower pipe . Later this year Maruyama plans to release a hip-control throttle . Because it is designed for use in harsh environments the BL9000 is fitted with a twostage air filter system . Carburetion is through a quality Walbro unit and engine noise is kept to 73 decibels through a two-piece aluminium muffler . Maruyama is Japanese manufactured of power equipment . More than 125 years old , the company ' s products , which include brushcutters , trimmers , chainsaws and other items for the landscaping and garden industry are sold and serviced in South Africa through Turfmaster dealers . For more information : Turfmaster , tel 011 730-3400
Maruyama Tornado BL9000

KICKBACK

motion is violent enough , ie if the chain is spinning fast enough , or if the chain should encounter a hard obstruction such as a buried nail , the kickback can be severe , as the tree surgeon in Bermondsey found out to his misfortune .
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