Caution
Never operate the machine at transport speed or
in reverse with the blade engaged or serious bod-
ily injury or machine damage could occur.
TIPS FOR BEST BED SHAPING RESULTS
Blade Life: Conditions will vary, but blade life will
be about 10 hours of operation. Wear will be
noticeable on the notches of the blade. The
sharper and deeper the notches, the better the
cut. Blade speed and soil conditions affect wear.
Replace the blade when worn. Do not attempt to
sharpen or recut notches. This may result in
operator injury.
Soil Conditions: Bed shaping will require the
least amount of time, power and blade wear when
the soil is damp. Pre-wetting the soil may be an
option. The sod will cut cleaner and the remaining
sod strip will stay intact for easier cleanup if
damp.
Pre-Marking: Pre-mark the area to be shaped with
marking paint or lime to ensure a consistent
straight or curved edge. Never use solid objects
or string as markers as these items may be
thrown by the blade or wrap around the blade
shaft.
Multiple Passes and Cutting Width: When estab-
lishing a new bed or redesigning an existing bed,
it is recommended that multiple passes be made.
To facilitate removal of sod strips, the passes
should be less than 3" (7.6 cm) in width.
Speed: A slow walking pace is good for safe oper-
ation and accuracy, while maintaining efficiency.
Buried Hazards: be constantly aware of the pos-
sibility of buried hazards. Check with property
owners about possible hazards before using the
BedShaper
®
. A little time spent investigating an
area may prevent costly mistakes.
Cutting New Beds: First, mark area to show the
new bed outline. Then make first cut approxi-
mately 1" (2.5 cm) inside the outer border.
Operate unit in counter clockwise direction,
widening radius 3" (7.6 cm) in each rotation until
desired bed size is achieved.
Clogging: If clogging occurs, disengage the
blade engagement lever. Stop engine, make sure
that all moving parts have come to a stop.
Disconnect spark plug wire. Raise blade arm lift
lever. Remove the two bolts which hold the
hinged blade shield in place. Swing shield into
servicing position.
Danger
If unclogging is required, use a dowel or other
such object to unclog the blade and shield.
When finished unclogging, swing shield back
into place and fasten securely with bolts. Check
blade nut to insure it is tight.
Danger
Never attempt to operate machine without blade
shield securely fastened.
Caution
Hot Blade: allow blade to cool before servicing.
Blade may be hot enough to cause burns.
6
Little Wonder
®
