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
3
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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