OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
USING THE CUTTING BLADE
WARNING: Always wear eye, hearing, foot and body protection to reduce the
risk of injury when operating this unit
WARNING: Do not use the cutting blade for edging or as an edger. Severe personal
injury to yourself or others can result.
Before operating the unit with the cutting blade, stand in the operating position (Fig. 3). Refer to Holding the Trimmer.
Cutting Blade Operating Tips
To establish a rhythmic cutting procedure:
•Plant feet firmly, comfortably apart.
•Bring the engine to full throttle before entering the material to be cut. At full throttle the blade has maximum cutting power and is less likely to bind, stall or cause blade thrust (which can result in serious personal injury to the operator or others.
WARNING: Blade thrust may occur when the spinning blade contacts an object that it
does not immediately cut. Blade thrust can be violent enough to cause the unit and/or operator to be propelled in any direction, and possibly lose control of the unit. Blade thrust can occur without warning if the blade snags, stalls or binds. This is more likely to occur in areas where it is difficult to see the material being cut.
•Cut while swinging the upper part of your body from right to left.
•Always release the throttle trigger and allow the engine to return to idle speed when not cutting.
•When you are finished, always unsnap the unit from the harness before taking off the harness.
•Watch out for hidden obstacles, such as rocks stumps, roots, etc, that could cause the blade to kick back.
•Make sure the “J” Handle, Shield and Shoulder Strap are installed per assembly instructions.
WARNING: The blade continues to spin after the engine is turned off. The coasting
blade can seriously cut you if accidentally touched.
•Swing the unit in the same direction as the blade spins, which increases the cutting action.
•After the return swing, move forward to the next area to be cut and plant your feet again.
•The cutting blade is designed with a second cutting edge. You can use it by removing the blade, turning it upside down, and reinstalling it.
WARNING: Do not sharpen the cutting blade. Sharpening the blade can cause the
blade tip to break off while in use. This can result in severe personal injury to yourself or others. Replace the blade.
WARNING: Always wear gloves when working with blade.
To reduce the chance of material wrapping around the blade, follow these steps:
•Cut at full throttle
•Swing the unit into material to be cut from your right to your left (Fig. 4)
•Avoid the material just cut as you make the return swing
WARNING: Do not clear away any cut material with the engine running or blade
turning. To avoid serious personal injury, turn off the engine. Allow the blade to stop before removing materials wrapped around the blade shaft.
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
5