Craftsman C944.514560 - Manual (Page 14)

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stop for an instant and then sud-
denly move or “thrust” away from
the object that was hit. The “thrust-
ing” reaction can be violent
enough to cause the operator to
be propelled in any direction and
lose control of the unit. The uncon-
trolled unit can cause serious in-
jury if the blade contacts the op-
erator or others.
S WHEN BLADE THRUST OC-
CURS -- Blade Thrust can occur
without warning if the blade snags,
stalls, or binds. This is more likely
to occur in areas where it is diffi-
cult to see the material being cut.
By using the unit properly, the oc-
currence of blade thrust will be re-
duced and the operator will be
less likely to lose control.
S Cut only grass, weeds, and woody
brush up to 1/2 inch (1 cm) in di-
ameter with the weed blade. Do not
let the blade contact material it can-
not cut such as stumps, rocks,
fences, metal, etc., or clusters of
hard, woody brush having a diame-
ter greater than 1/2 inch (1 cm).
S Keep the blade sharp. A dull blade
is more likely to snag and thrust.
S Cut only at full throttle. The blade
will have maximum cutting power
and is less likely to bind or stall.
S “Feed” the blade deliberately and
not too rapidly. The blade can
thrust away if it is fed too rapidly.
S Cut only from your left to your
right. Cutting on right side of the
shield will throw debris away from
the operator.
S Use the shoulder strap and keep a
firm grip on the unit with both
hands. A properly adjusted shoul-
der strap will support the weight of
the unit, freeing your arms and
hands to control and guide the
cutting motion.
S Keep feet comfortably spread
apart and braced for a possible
sudden, rapid thrust of unit. Do not
overreach. Keep firm footing and
balance.
S Keep blade below waist level; it will
be easier to maintain control of unit.
S Do not raise the engine above
your waist as the blade can come
dangerously close to your body.
S Do not swing unit with such force
that you are in danger of losing your
balance.
Bring the engine to cutting speed be-
fore entering the material to be cut.If
the blade does not turn when you
squeeze the throttle trigger, make sure
shaft is fully inserted into the engine.
Always release the throttle trigger and
allow engine to return to idle speed
when not cutting. The blade should
not turn while the engine is running at
idle. If the blade turns at idle, do not
use your unit. Refer to the
CARBURE-
TOR ADJUSTMENT section or contact
your Sears Service Centre.
S Maintain good firm footing while
using the unit. Do this by planting
feet firmly in a comfortable apart
position.
S Cut while swinging the upper part
of your body from left to right.
S As you move forward to the next
area to cut, be sure to maintain
your balance and footing.
Cut using the 2
o’clock to 4 o’clock
position of the
blade
2 o’clock
4 o’clock
RECOMMENDED CUTTING POSITION
WARNING: The operator or oth-
ers must not try to clear away cut mate-
rial with the engine running or the blade
turning to avoid serious injury. Stop en-
gine and blade before removing materi-
als wrapped around blade or shaft.