Use And Care Manual

Owner’s Manual for Chipper/Shredder 13
Operation
• Stop engine before leaving operator zone or mov-
ing unit.
• Always operate unit from the appropriate operator
zone.
• Feed one item at a time if material is 1 in (2.54 cm)
or larger in diameter.
• Bundle items that are less than 1 in (2.54 cm) in
diameter to provide support.
• Verify all material in hopper is processed before
shutting off engine.
• Trim off side twigs before chipping.
• Rotate branches while feeding into unit to improve
performance and reduce chance of a tail.
• Green wood processes easier than dry wood, and
soft wood processes easier than hard wood.
• Never use hands or feet to move a pile of pro-
cessed material. Shut off the engine, then use a
spade, rake, or long handle tool.
• Do not overfill discharge bag, if equipped. Overfill-
ing prevents unit from discharging correctly and
can cause material kickback.
Using the Chipper Chute
The chipper chute is designed to chip thicker materials
that are not suitable for the shredder hopper. The revolv-
ing chipper knife cuts branches fed into the chute into
chips. The chipper can chip twigs and branches ranging
in size from 0.5–3 in (1.27–7.62 cm) in diameter.
NOTE: Cut materials into manageable lengths before
feeding them into the chipper chute.
• The chipper is not self-feeding. Hold onto and
slowly feed material into the chipper chute. Do not
force material or allow material to be pulled too
quickly into the chipper.
• Larger diameter hardwood or extremely hard knots
may not process as well as other materials.
• Discard larger diameter or harder branch stubs
before they become too short to control their feed
rate.
• Overloading the chipper chute will cause the
engine speed to decrease. If the engine bogs
down, stop feeding material into the chipper chute
and wait until the engine returns to full speed
before continuing.
• If the machine does not chip well, the chipper knife
may need sharpening or may need to be replaced.
• Never allow processed material to build up within
3 in (76.2 mm) of the discharge opening. Move the
unit or pile as needed. Failure to do so could result
in unnecessary jamming of the machine.
Shredder Hopper
The shredder hopper can process hard wood branches
up to 0.5 in (1.27 cm) in diameter and softer organic
material up to 2.375 in (6 cm) in diameter. Most organic
materials can be shredded. Material must be pushed
past the hopper guard flap, using a branch if necessary.
• When shredding new material, initially feed only
limited quantities of the material into the shredder
hopper. If the material is processing without diffi-
culty, increase the amount and length of material.
• Do not overload the machine by feeding too much
material into the hopper at one time. Stop feeding
material immediately if engine speed changes. Do
not resume feeding the machine until engine has
returned to full speed.
• Several small branches can be fed into the shred-
der hopper at once providing their combined diam-
eter is less than 0.5 in (1.27 cm).
• Cut larger branches into sections smaller than 3 ft
(91 cm) before feeding them into the machine.
• Allow green/wet materials to dry before processing
or alternate processing and discharging green/wet
materials with dry materials to avoid clogging.
• If wet materials begin to clog the unit, see Clean-
ing Clogged Shredder.
(000549)
WARNING
Equipment damage. Shut down unit immediately if
material is jammed. Failure to do so could result in
engine or equipment damage.
(000520)
CAUTION
Equipment damage. Verify hopper, chipper chute,
and discharge chute are clear of debris before
starting. Failure to do so could result in property or
equipment damage.
(000519)
WARNING
Personal injury. Do not lean over unit while operating. Feed
materials straight down into the hopper with arms parallel to
the ground and several inches above the opening. Failure
to do so could result in death or serious injury.