MTD BCR4 BCK USING THE CUTTING BLADE, WARNING:, WARNING:, WARNING:, WARNING:, WARNING:, WARNING:, Cutting Blade Operating Tips:

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

USING THE CUTTING BLADE

WARNING: Always wear eye, hearing, foot, body protection and the harness 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 occur.

Before operating the unit with the cutting blade, stand in the operating position See Figure 23. Refer to the previous section, Holding the Unit.

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. The blade has maximum cutting power at full throttle and is less likely to bind, stall, or cause blade thrust, which can result in serious personal injury to the operator or others.

•Cut while swinging the upper part of your body from right to left. See Figure 24.

•Always release the throttle trigger and allow the engine to return to idle speed when not cutting.

•When done always unsnap unit from harness before taking off the harness.

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.

OPERATOR’S MANUAL PART NO. 10570

PRINTED IN THE USA

FIGURE 24

WARNING: The blade continues to spin after the engine is turned off. The coasting blade can seriously cut you if you accidentally touch it.

•Swing the unit in the same direction as the blade spins, which increases the cutting action.

•Move forward to the next area to be cut after the return swing and plant feet again.

•The cutting blade is designed with a second cutting edge, which can be used 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.

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. See Figure 24.

•Avoid the material just cut as you make the return swing.

WARNING: Do not clear away cut material with the engine running or blade turning. To avoid serious personal injury, turn off engine. Allow the blade to stop before removing materials wrapped around the blade shaft.

REV .A 7/02