Material Processing, Shutting Down, Shredding

MATERIAL PROCESSING

General

Most materials to be processed can be handled more efficiently by observing the following chipper/shredder operating tips:

Shredding

1.Don’t overload the shredder hopper by dumping large volumes of material into the hopper opening.

2.Alternate wet and dry material to prevent the dis- charge chute from becoming plugged.

3.Never use any object to force material into the shred- der chamber. It could get caught in the shredding hammers and damage the unit, reducing shredder hammer effectiveness.

Chipping

1.Prune tree limbs and large branches to limit size to the maximum diameter allowed. Pruning tree limbs and branches close to the main portion of the limb or branch will make feeding into the chipper cone easi- er, and will help you maintain control as the material is drawn into the chipper block.

2.Large, hard, or dried-out tree limbs that tend to resist chipping can be processed by rotating them manually as you alternately insert and retract them in the chip- per cone.

3.If the material to be chipped is extremely hard and kicks back forcefully, or cannot be easily controlled while it is being fed into the unit, remove the material immediately and set it aside. You may need to sharpen the chipper blades to process the material. Consult the mainte- nance and service section of this manual for sharpen- ing instructions, or take your unit to an authorized ser- vice center for prompt, reliable service.

4.If normal chipping operation begins to require additional feeding force to process material, the chipper knives may be in need of routine sharpening. See the mainte- nance and service section of this manual for sharpen- ing instructions, or take your unit to an authorized ser- vice center for prompt, reliable service.

5.Always try to maintain adequate control of the tree limbs and branches being fed into the chipper cone to prevent them from whipping around and causing injury to you or damage to the cone. Larger limbs and branches may have a tendency to kick back toward the operator, so always be alert as you feed materials into the cone.

6.Cut any left-over material into 1" pieces and process them through the shredder hopper.

Operation

SHUTTING DOWN

DANGER

Engine and surrounding parts become extremely hot during normal use, and will cause serious burn injuries if touched before the engine has cooled.

Allow engine to cool completely before touching these hot surfaces.

When you’re done using the chipper/ shredder, following these simple but worthwhile steps will help you shut down the unit properly so that your next use will be trou- ble-free.

1.When you have completed processing the materials to be chipped or shredded, shut the engine off and allow the rotor to come to a complete stop before pro- ceeding.

2.Remove the spark plug wire from the spark plug to prevent the possibility of inadvertent starting.

3.Inspect the following areas for any remaining materi- als that may have built up or become caught during the final chipping and shredding operations:

• SHREDDER HOPPER

Visually inspect inside of shredder hopper, and remove any material remaining inside.

• CHIPPER CONE

Visually inspect chipper cone to ensure that there are no pieces of tree limbs, branches, or any other debris remaining inside. Remove and discard this debris.

• DISCHARGE CHUTE

Lift the discharge deflector, and inspect the chute for clogs or other build up, and remove as required. This area is most likely to require clean out if wet or green organic materials have been shredded.

• ENGINE RECOIL STARTER AREA

This area of the engine is also the intake for the motor’s air cooling fans. Remove any build-up of grass or shredded material that may have accu- mulated around the intake openings. Use care to prevent build-up from being pushed into the intake area during cleaning.