8
Blade brake
The Hedge Trimmer is fitted with a motor brake which will almost instantaneously
stop the cutting blade as soon as either switch is released.
When the unit is switched off and the motor brake operates there may be some
sparking (or flashing) occurring in the area of the upper motor ventilation slots. This
is normal and does not indicate any problem.
Working position
Maintain proper footing and balance and do not overreach. Wear safety goggles,
non-slip footwear and rubber gloves when trimming. Hold the tool firmly in both
hands and turn the tool ON. Always hold the trimmer with one hand on the body
handle and one hand on the front handle. Never hold the tool by the blade guard.
Trimming new growth
Use a wide sweeping motion, feeding the blade teeth through the twigs is most
effective. A slight downward tilt of the blade, in the direction of motion gives the
best cut. Do not use the Trimmer for cutting stems greater than 16mm. Use the
Trimmer only for cutting normal shrubbery found around houses and buildings.
Level hedges
To obtain exceptionally level hedges a piece of string can be stretched along the
length of the hedge as a guide.
Side-trimming hedges
Hold the Trimmer and begin at the bottom, sweep up (in this way the debris will
fall away and not build up around the blades).
Shaping
The hedge should be trimmed to achieve a trapezoidal form, that is, it should
widen toward the bottom at both sides. This improves the penetration of light to
the lower extremities. A general guideline is approximately a 10cm slant for each 1
metre of hedge height.
Cutting sequence
First cut both sides, starting at the bottom and work to the top: this prevents
cuttings from falling into the area where you are still working.
Trimming the top
Where the branches have grown extremely long, cut back the hedge in several
stages. The shorter the cuttings the better suited for composting.
General information
When older hedges are to be cut back a substantial amount, use pruning shears or
some other device to trim thicker branches (that is greater than 16mm diameter) to
the desired length before starting work with the Hedge Trimmer.
To shape precisely, run a taught line between the extreme edges of the hedge and
then trim along the length of the line.
Ensure the blades do not come into contact with any object made of hard material
that could damage the blades, such as fencing wire or metallic plant supports.
OPERATION (cont.)