Echo Bear Cat 70385 - Manual (Page 36)

Page 30 Bear Cat Chipper Shredder Operator’s Manual
The Bear Cat chipper chips a variety of materials into a more readily decomposing or handled
condition. The following guidelines can help you get started.
• Run unit at full operating speed before starting to chip material.
• Select limbs that are up to 3 inches in diameter. Trim side branches that cannot be bent
enough to feed into the chipper chute. Hold small diameter branches together in a bundle and
feed in simultaneously.
• Feed brush from the side of the chipper chute, rather than from the front. Then, step aside to
avoid being hit by the brush moving into the chipper.
• Do not lean over the chipper chute to push objects into the cutting device. Use a push stick or
brush paddle.
• Never use shovels or forks to feed brush. They can be chipped, are expensive to replace, and
cause extensive damage. In addition, metal pieces can come back to injure or kill.
• Never feed brush into the chipper chute with your feet.
• Place limb, butt end first, into the chipper chute until it contacts the chipper blades. The actual
feed rate of the limb into the chipper will depend on the type of material fed and sharpness of the
cutting blades.
• Stop the material feeding and allow the engine to recover if the engine slows to where it may
stall.
• Remove the branch and rotate it before reinserting it into the chute if the chipper jams.
• Alternately insert and retract the limb or insert continuously at a rate that will not kill the engine.
• Chipping dead, dry material will create heat and dull the chipping blades quickly.
• Alternate greener material with dry material to lubricate the chipping blades for longer life and
better performance.
• The chipping blades will become dull and will require periodic sharpening. Refer to Service and
Maintenance, "Sharpening Chipper Blades."
CHIPPING GUIDE
1. Place materials to be shredded (grass, leaves, garden refuse, sticks and branches less then
3/4 inch diameter and 24 inches long, etc.) into the hopper. Feed material evenly into the
shredder so that the engine does not lug down or the shredder become plugged. Attempting to
use the clutch to clear a plugged rotor will cause belt damage. Refer to the section, Clearing
Plugged Rotor, for instructions. Branches or items that plug or cause the machine to stall
should be fed in more evenly or put through the chipper chute.
SHREDDING GUIDE
Exclude pieces of
metal, rocks,
bottles, cans, and
other foreign ob-
jects when feed-
ing chipable mate-
rial into the ma-
chine.
Please read and
follow all safety
instructions in this
manual. Failure
to operate the
chipper in accor-
dance with the
safety instructions
MAY RESULT IN
PERSONAL IN-
JURY!
NOTE
IMPORTANT
Do not leave machine unattended, or attempt any inspection or service unless
the engine is stopped and the key removed from key switch.
WARNING
Operation