Craftsman 172.79957 operating instructions Maintenance, MAINTENANCE cont

MAINTENANCE

!WARNING: Your hedge trimmer should NEVER be connected to the power source when you are assembling parts, making adjustments, oiling blades, cleaning or when it is not in use. Disconnecting the trimmer will prevent accidental starting, which could cause serious personal injury,

Periodic maintenance allows for long life and trouble-free operation. A cleaning and maintenance schedule should be maintained. As a common preventive maintenance practice, follow these recommended steps:

1.When work has been completed, always clean and oil the cutting blades, and clean the tool to allow smooth functioning of the tool over time. Also keep the air vents free of obstructions.

2.Clean the tool with a small brush. Wipe off any moisture with a soft cloth.

3.Keep the motor air openings free from oil, grease, leaves, stems or woodchips, and store tool in a dry place.

SHARPENING AND REMOVING NICKS FROM THE BLADES (Fig. 9)

MAINTENANCE cont.

SHARPENING AND REMOVING NICKS FROM THE BLADES cont. (Fig. 9)

4.Remove the hedge trimmer from the vise, connect to power, restart trimmer to expose any other part of the cutting blade you need to file, stop trimmer, and disconnect trimmer from the power supply.

5.Repeat the above process of filing and moving the blade teeth until you have removed the nick and sharpened the tooth.

!WARNING: Do not at any time let brake fluids, gasoline, petroleum-based products, penetrating oils, etc., come in contact with plastic parts. Chemicals can damage, weaken or destroy plastic which may result in serious

personal injury.

LUBRICATING THE BLADE (Fig. 10)

! WARNING: To avoid injury, ALWAYS turn off and disconnect the trimmer

from the power outlet BEFORE installing parts, cleaning the trimmer or making

any adjustments.

The cutting blades are made from high quality, hardened

steel and with normal usage, they will not require re-sharpening. However, if you accidentally hit a wire fence, stone or brick wall or some other hard objects, you may put a nick in the blade.

There is no need to remove the nick as long as it does not interfere with the movement of the blade’s dual action.

To remove nicks or sharpen the blades, follow these recommended steps:

1.Allow the hedge trimmer to come to a stop with the upper cutting blades and lower blades positioned as shown

in Fig. 9. This will allow clearance for the file between the upper cutting teeth and the lower teeth.

2.Disconnect the trimmer from the power supply.

!WARNING: To avoid injury, ALWAYS turn off and disconnect the trimmer from the power outlet BEFORE installing parts, cleaning the trimmer or making any adjustments.

3.Clamp the blade support cutting bar assembly in a vise and make sure you support the weight of the motor housing and rear handle on a flat surface. File the exposed cutting surface of the damaged blade tooth with an 8-inch fine round file, having a 1/4 or 7/32-inch diameter. Be sure to retain the tooth’s original angle when filing to sharpen or

to remove nicks.

Fig. 9

Upper

Cutting

Blade

Lower

Cutting

Blade

Blade

Support

Cutting

Bar

For efficient operation and longer blade life, always clean and lubricate the hedge trimmer blade before and after each use. Before lubricating, be sure the unit is turned OFF and unplugged from the power supply. Apply a premium light machine oil along the edge of the top strap (see Fig. 10).

Fig. 10

Oil along edge of Blade Support Bar

!CAUTION: Some spray-on lubricants contain solvents and will cause some types of grease to break down. To prevent damage to the unit, only use a quality machine oil.

!CAUTION: ALWAYS make sure you support the weight of the hedge trimmer by setting it down on a flat, dry surface when you are clamping the blade assembly in a vise.

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