Craftsman 917.271110 - Manual (Page 17)

• When mowing large areas, start by turn­
ing to the right so that clippings will dis­
charge away from shrubs, fences, drive­
ways, etc. After one or two rounds, mow
in the opposite direction making left
hand turns untii finished. ,
• If grass is extremely tall, it should be
mowed twice to reduce load and possi­
ble fire hazard from dried clippings.
. Make first cut relatively high; the second
to the desired height.
• Do not mow grass when it is wet. Wet
grass will plug mower and leave unde­
sirable clumps. Allow grass to dry
before mowing.
• Always operate engine at full throttle
when mowing to assure better mowing
performance and proper discharge of
material. Regulate ground speed by se­
lecting a low enough gear to give the
mower the best cutting performance as
well as the quality of cut desired.
• When operating attachments, select a
ground speed that will suit the terrain
and give best performance of the at­
tachment being used.
MULCHING MOWING TIPS
IMPORTANT: For best performance, keep
mower housing free of built-up grass and
trash. Clean after each use.
• The special mulching blade will recut
the grass clippings many times and
reduce them in size so that as they fall
onto the lawn they will disperse into the
grass and not be noticed. Also, the
mulched grass will biodegrade quickly
to provide nutrients for the lawn. Always
mulch with your highest engine (blade)
speed as this wiii provide the best recut­
ting action of the blades.
Avoid cutting your lawn when it is wet.
Wet grass tends to form clumps and
interferes with the mulching action. The
best time to mow your iawn is the early
Max 1/3
afternoon. At this time the grass has
dried and the newly cut area will not be
exposed to the direct sun.
For best results, adjust the mower cut­
ting height so that the mower cuts off
only the top one-third of the grass
blades. For extremely heavy mulching,
reduce your width of cut on each pass
and mow slowly.
Certain types of grass and grass condi­
tions may require that an area be
mulched a second time to completely
hide the clippings. When doing a sec­
ond cut, mow across or perpendicular to
the first cut path.
Change your cutting pattern from week
to week. Mow north to south one week
then change to east to west the next
week. This will help prevent matting and
graining of the iawn.
17