3
OPERATING THE
SOD CUTTER
PREPARATION
1.
Police lawn area for obstacles and debris (i.e.
sprinklers, hoses, toys, etc.). Remove all items.
2.
Make sure underground sprinkler heads and other
hidden obstacles are marked to prevent damage.
3.
Mark other areas where sod cutting will be a problem
or too risky (i.e. mud, tree roots, steep hills).
OPERATING
1.
Start the engine.
CAUTION:
To avoid injury, do not
place your feet or other body parts under the blade
while starting the engine.
2.
Select the correct cutting depth desired up to 2 1/2
inches. Loosen the tee handle from the depth gauge
plate, located under the height adjustment bar, (#3 on
illustration) and put it to the correct height setting.
Tighten the tee handle.
3.
Push the wheel drive handle (#5 on illustration) and
the cutter blade handle (#4 on illustration) to the "on"
position toward the engine.
4.
Raise the main handle upward so the front nose of the
sod cutter rests on the ground.
5.
Loosen the 1/2" handle nut (#2 on illustration) and
lower the height adjustment bar to rest on the depth
gauge. Now tighten the 1/2" handle nut securely so it
will not loosen with the vibration of the machine.
6.
Go to the back of the machine and lower the handle
until the cutting blade rests on the ground. You are
now ready to cut sod.
7.
Turn the throttle to the desired operating speed by
twisting the throttle control (#6 on illustration) toward
you. Maximum engine rpm is recommended for
smooth operation.
8.
After cutting a short distance, stop machine by letting
the twist grip throttle control go back to its original
position. Check thickness of cut and adjust if necessary.
9.
At the end of each cutting pass, lift up on the handle
bar to clear the cutting blade from the sod. Retard the
throttle control and turn machine around into the
position for the next cut.
10. When finished cutting sod, reverse steps 6 through 3,
leaving the wheel drive handle on for transportation.
BLADE ANGLE (PITCH)
Under normal operating conditions, the blade angle is slight
(blade bottom is flat). In extremely hard soil or when cutting
with a dull blade, the blade may want to ride out of the ground.
At this time, it may help to angle the blade down. A short trial
run will indicate what blade angle is best. To do this, you will
loosen the pitch adjustment bolt (#7 on illustration) and move
it slightly toward the engine, then retighten bolt and nut.
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
To keep the sod cutter in good operating condition, perform
the following:
•
Keep blade sharp; a sharp blade cuts cleaner, faster and
more uniformly and places less load on the machine.
Sharpen cutting edge on bevel or top side only.
•
Keep drive belt at proper tension and free of oil and
dirt at all times.
•
Check engine oil level and air filter element daily.
•
Check for loose bolts and connections.
•
All grease fittings are pressurized type. Use a good
grade Lithium Base Grease or equivalent. Grease
eccentric arms sparingly every 4 hours of service, all
others daily. Wipe off all grease fittings before and after
each greasing (there are a total of 8 grease fittings).
•
To make sure the chain on the front drive wheels is
tight, you will need to remove the chain guard to
check this. If tightening is required, loosen nuts and
bolts on the 3/4" pillow block bearings and push the
bearings toward the back of the sod cutter until chain
is tight. Make sure both bearings go back evenly to
keep jackshaft running even with the frame. After
doing this, retighten nuts and bolts on the bearing and
replace the chain guard.
•
Engine (refer to Honda owner’s manual).
SAFETY WARNING
DO NOT STORE GASOLINE (FUEL)
UNNECESSARILY OVER LONG PERIODS OF
TIME. TO PREVENT POSSIBLE EXPLOSION,
STORE ONLY IN AN APPROVED "SAFE"
CONTAINER. TO PREVENT EXPLOSION OF
VAPORIZED FUEL, DO NOT STORE MACHINE
WITH FUEL IN TANK OR CARBURETOR IN AN
ENCLOSURE WITH OPEN FLAME.
(EXAMPLE: FURNACE OR WATER HEATER
PILOT LIGHT.)
Summary of Contents for SC-12/5.5
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