MTD 24604C - Manual (Page 3)

A
WARNING
t
To reduce the potential for any injury, comply with the following safety instructions. Failure to comply with the
instructions may result in personal injury.
SAFE OPERATION PRACTICES FOR EDGERS
TRAINING
1. Read this owner's manual carefully in its en­
tirety before attempting to assemble or operate
this machine. Be completely familiar with the
controls and the proper use of this machine be­
fore operating it. Keep this manual in a safe place
for future and regular reference and for ordering
replacement parts.
2. Your edger is a precision piece of power equip­
ment, not a plaything. Therefore, exercise extreme
caution at all times.
3. Never allow children to operate a power edger.
Only persons well acquainted with these rules of
safe operation should be allowed to use your
edger.
4. Keep the area of operation clear of all persons,
particularly small children and pets. Stop engine
when they are in the vicinity of your edger. Al­
though the area of operation should be complete­
ly cleared of foreign objects, an object may have
been overlooked and could be accidently thrown
by the edger in any direction and cause serious
personal injury to the operator or any others
allowed in the area.
5. No one should operate this unit while intoxicated
or while taking medication that impairs the senses
or reactions.
PREPARATION
1. Thoroughly inspect the area where the equip­
ment is to be used. Remove all stones, sticks,
wire, bones and other foreign objects which
could be picked up and thrown by the edger in
any direction and cause serious personal injury to
the operator or any others allowed in the area.
2. Do not operate equipment when barefoot or wear­
ing open sandals. Always wear substantial foot­
wear.
3. Checkthefuel before starting the engine. Gasoline
is an extremely flammable fuel. Do not fill the
gasoline tank indoors, while the engine is running,
or while the engine is still hot. Wipe off any
spilled gasoline before starting the engine as it
may cause a fire or explosion.
4. Disengage the blade clutch on units so equipped
before starting the engine.
5. Never attempt to make a wheel adjustment while
the engine is running.
6. Never operate the equipment in wet grass. Always
be sure of your footing. A slip and fall can cause
serious personal injury. Keep a firm hold on the
handle and walk, never run.
OPERATION
1. Never operate this edger unless wearing safety
glasses or some other suitable eye protection at
all times the engine is running.
2. Do not change the engine governor settings or
overspeed the engine.
3. Do not put hands or feet near or under rotating
parts. Keep clear of the discharge opening at all
times as the rotating blade can cause injury.
4. Stop the blade when crossing gravel drives, walks
or roads.
5. After striking a foreign object, stop the engine,
remove the wire from the spark plug, and thor­
oughly inspect the edger for any damage. Repair
the damage before restarting and operating the
edger.
6. If the equipment should start to vibrate abnor­
mally, stop the engine and check immediately
for the cause. Vibration is generally a warning
of trouble.
7. Stop the engine whenever you leave the equip­
ment, before cleaning the guard assembly, and
when making any repairs or inspections.
8. Before cleaning, repairing or inspecting, make
certain the blade and all moving parts have stop­
ped. Disconnect the spark plug wire, and keep
the wire away from the spark plug to prevent
accidental starting.
9. Do not run the engine indoors.
10. Shut the engine off and wait until the blade
comes to a complete stop before unclogging
guard assembly.
11. Never operate edger without proper guards, plates
or other safety protective devices in place.
12. Always operate the edger so that the protective
guard guide is positioned between the walk and
the rotating blade. Never allow the rotating blade
to operate directly against concrete walk or drive.
MAINTENANCE AND STORAGE
1. Check the blade and engine mounting bolts at
frequent intervals for proper tightness.
2. Keep all nuts, bolts, and screws tight to be sure
the equipment is in safe working condition.
3. Never store the equipment with gasoline in the
tank inside of a building where fumes may reach
an open flame or spark. Allow the engine to
cool before storing in any enclosure.
4. To reduce fire hazard, keep the engine free of
grass, leaves, or excessive grease.