Echo BRUSHCUTTER manual

GRASS/WEED TRIMMER BRUSHCUTTER and CLEARING SA W Read and understand these instructions. Failure to do so will increase risk of injury . 99922202600 06/98 For your nearest ECHO Dealer, call 1-800-432-ECHO (3246) X7522270400 SAFETY MANUAL[...]

2 GRAPHIC W ARNINGS Circle and slash symbol means whatever is shown is prohibited. Eye Loss from Thrown Objects RISKS Injury to Bystanders Injury Blade Contact from Kick Out (Blade Thrust) Eye Loss from Ricochet Using Wrong Equipment Specifications, descriptions and illustrative material in this literature are as accurate as known at the time of pu[...]

3 W ARNING DANGER Read the operator’s manual carefully. Be familiar with the con- trols and the proper use of the unit. Know how to shut the unit off, and how to unhook a harnessed unit quickly. CONTENTS GRAPHIC WARNINGS ............................................................................................................... ...............[...]

4 • A bladed unit can kickout, causing serious injury to helpers, bystanders or animals. Keep people and animals at least 15- meters (approximately 50 feet) away. Use proper procedures to keep control of the unit. • The blade can push, pull or kickout, causing the operator to lose his balance or lose control of the unit. • Keep blades clear o[...]

5 ANSI Z87.1 - The established standard for eye protection devices, set forth by the American National Standards Institutes (ANSI). BARRIER - A device, such as a bar handle, U-handle or harness, which restrains the unit’s cutting attachment from moving rearward and making inadvertent contact with the operator’s legs. BLADE RETAINER - A mechanis[...]

6 GLOSSAR Y (CONTINUED) STRESS CRACK - Structural damage resulting from misfiling of blade teeth, pinching in a cut or using the blade as a lever. TIP SPEED - The speed of the cutting line or blade (in mph or fpm) at the perimeter of the cutting circle. THROWN OBJECT - A projectile propelled from flexible cutting line or a blade capable of causing [...]

7 SHOULDER ROTARY MOWERS CONVERTIBLE FOR METAL BLADE USE COUNTER- CLOCKWISE HEAD ROTATION STRAIGHT SHAFT MODELS SRM SERIES GRASS/WEED/BRUSH CUTTERS STOP SWITCH THROTTLE LEVER D-HANDLE ON SOME MODELS IS SUITABLE FOR NYLON LINE TRIMMING, BUT MUST BE REPLACED WITH A U-HANDLE IF METAL BLADES ARE TO BE USED DEBRIS SHIELD U-HANDLE REQUIRED FOR USE WITH M[...]

8 EYE AND FACE PROTECTION At the minimum, the operator must wear eye approved protection, not only against objects thrown by the unit, but also because eye infections can be caused by airborne dust, seeds and pollen. ECHO safety goggles are stamped Z87 as being in compliance with ANSI Standard Z87.1 for eye protection devices. Prescription glasses [...]

9 COMBINA TIONS OF CUTTING HEADS, SHIELDS, HANDLES, ETC… PLASTIC DEBRIS SHIELD FOR CURVED SHAFT UNITS CUT-OFF KNIFE ON RIGHT SIDE PLASTIC DEBRIS SHIELD WHEN PROVIDED FOR STRAIGHT SHAFT UNITS CUT-OFF KNIFE ON LEFT SIDE DEBRIS SHIELDS FOR NYLON LINE HEADS BASIC COMPONENTS AVAILABLE FOR METAL BLADE USE REVIEW THE OPERATOR’S MANUAL FOR PROPER PROCE[...]

10 RULES FOR SAFE OPERA TION TRAINING W ARNING DANGER All model trimmers and brushcutters can throw small gravel, stone, glass, metal or plastic objects as well as the material being cut. Read these “Rules for Safe Operation” with care. Follow instructions in this safety manual and in your operator’s manual. Read the operator’s manual caref[...]

11 Do not allow anyone to enter the operating DANGER ZONE with you. The danger zone is an area 15 meters in radius (about 16 paces) or 50 feet. Insist that persons in the RISK ZONE beyond the danger zone wear eye protection from thrown objects. If the unit must be used where there are unprotected people, operate at a low throttle speed to reduce th[...]

12 SEE THE OPERATOR’S MANUAL FOR PROPER HANDLE INSTALLATION. Use a shoulder harness when provided or when recommended in this manual. Adjust both harness and the harness clamp on the unit so the unit hangs with the cutting head a few inches above ground level. The cutting head and debris shield should be level in all directions. Harness the unit [...]

13 You should be in good mental and physical health. Do not operate if you are under the influence of alcohol or any medication or substance which could affect your vision, dexterity or judgment. Inspect the area before using the unit. Remove objects which the unit could throw or become entangled with. Remember where there are obstructions to be av[...]

14 Never operate the tool without good visibility and light. Lay the unit down on a clear area and set the controls for starting. While cranking the unit, use one hand to pull the starter handle and the other hand to stabilize the unit. To be sure the cutting line or blade cannot contact the ground or any obstruction, rest the unit on the debris sh[...]

15 W ARNING DANGER Use only ECHO cutting attachments on your unit. Do not mount a metal blade on any unit of the GT series. Do not mount an ordinary circular saw blade, lawnmower blade, edge/ trimmer blade, or grinding type cut off wheel on your ECHO Weed/Grass Trimmer or Weed/Brush Cutter. • Always use both hands on the handles. Do not operate o[...]

16 W ARNING DANGER One of the intended purposes of the debris shield is to reduce the risk of the operator’s legs from being struck by thrown objects. The debris shield, however, should NOT be relied upon to provide protection for the eyes from thrown objects. Always wear approved eye protection goggles. The debris shield is also intended to assi[...]

17 The proper debris shield must be in place on the unit when nylon cutting line is used. a ) Units with Echomatic TM semi-automatic line head must have a debris shield with cut-off knife. b) Units with manual feed line head or blade head require a debris shield. Consult your operator’s manual for the proper debris shield. W ARNING DANGER The cut[...]

18 The basic cutting actions pictured are: Trimming, scything, scalp- ing and lawn edging. These actions are as follows TRIMMING: This is feeding the trimmer carefully into the material you wish to cut. Tilt the head slightly to direct debris away from you. If cutting up to a barrier such as a fence, wall or tree, approach from an angle where any d[...]

19 W ARNING DANGER Always check that there is a safe distance between the cutting device and your feet. Be sure to keep the cutting device away from your body during operation. DEBRIS TRIMMING KNIFE SIDE RAISED ANGLE TO GROUND ANGLE TO WALL SCYTHING SCALPING EDGING STRAIGHT SHAFT UNITS NOTE When scalping under the trees, do not cut into the soil wh[...]

20 Always wear proper eye protection against thrown objects. Objects can bounce up at you from the ground under the debris shield, or ricochet off any nearby hard surface. Do not trim at high blade or line speeds near roadways when there is traffic, or in places where there are pedestrians. If you must trim where people are in the zone of risk (see[...]

21 CUTTING WITH BLADES W ARNING DANGER • Do not install a metal blade on GT series trimmer models, or any model which lacks a hole for the blade-securing cotter pin on the cutting head shaft. • When using an SRM model with metal blades, replace the trimmer debris shield with the metal blade debris shield. (See operator’s manual.) A brace is u[...]

22 W ARNING DANGER Be sure you understand the reaction forces of push and pull, and kickout (also called blade thrust), described in this manual, and how these forces may affect your balance in the operation of a bladed unit. REACTION FORCES PUSH. The operator feels the unit push toward him when he tries to saw with the blade on the side where the [...]

23 NOTE Do not use a weed blade to cut brush or trees which exceed a diameter of 1/2 to 3/4 inches. Scything can be done in both directions, or just in one way which results in the debris being thrown away from you. That is using the side of the blade that it is rotating away from you. Tilt down the blade slightly on this same side. You will be hit[...]

24 If a tether line is used to insure that a tree falls away from the blade, the line holder must wear proper eye protection and attire, and be no closer to the tool that 15 meters (50 feet). Be very careful when recutting cleared areas. If the blade can not cut clear through a short stump, it may tear it off and hurl it back at high speeds. ECHO A[...]

25 ECHO FLEXIBLE WEED/GRASS BLADE FOR SRM UNITS ONL Y This three-bladed device, with a 10-inch radius, is made of flexible plastic on a rigid hub. Use in place of a nylon line head on ECHO SRM series units only. Not for heavy weeds or brush. W ARNING DANGER A blade made of materials such as plastic or rubber can be equally as dangerous as a metal b[...]

26 ECHO BRUSH BLADES FOR SRM UNITS ONL Y ECHO BLADES There are three types of ECHO Blades: knife, brush and clearing blades. The ECHO products catalog lists the blade sizes available. These blades must be in sharp condition for both safety and good results. Have dull blades sharpened professionally or have them replaced. Follow the instructions on [...]

27 Guard against kicking . Obstructions in or on the soil can cause the tines to kick forward or upward. The tines can also kick back toward the operator if allowed to contact obstructions above them. a ) Wear non-slip gloves and use the proper grip on the handles to keep control of the unit. b) Avoid contact with obstructions at or below ground le[...]

ECHO INCORPORATED 400 OAKWOOD ROAD LAKE ZURICH, IL 60047 www.echo-usa.com PRINTED IN U.S.A[...]