FIGURE 24
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.
• 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.
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.
OPERATOR’S MANUAL PART NO. 10570 REV .A
PRINTED IN THE USA 7/02