Craftsman 340 Series Operator's Manual page 13

Clearing the Tines
Before clearing the tines by hand, stop the engine, allow all moving parts
to stop and disconnect the spark plug wire. Failure to follow this warning
could result in personal injury.
The tines have a self-clearing action which eliminates most of the tangling of
debris. However, occasionally dry grass, stringy stalks or tough vines may become
tangled. Follow these procedures to help avoid tangling and to clear the tines, if
necessary.
• Try to till under crop residues or cover crops while they are green, moist and tender.
• While tilling, try swaying the handlebars from side to side (about 6" to 12").
This "fishtailing" action often clears the tines of debris.
Tilling Tips & Techniques
Before tilling, contact your telephone or utilities company and inquire if
underground equipment or lines are used on your property. Do not till near
buried electric cables, telephone lines, pipes or hoses.
Tilling Depth
• This is a FRT (forward-rotating tine) tiller. When the forward tine
engagement lever is pressed against the handle the tines rotate forward.
This creates an "uppercut" tine action which digs deeply, uprooting soil and
weeds. Don't overload the engine, but dig as deeply as possible on each pass.
• When cultivating (breaking up the surface soil around the plants to destroy
weeds, See Figure 17), try to have the tines only dig 1" to 2" deep. Using the
shallow tilling depth helps prevent injury to the plants whose roots often
grow close to the surface. If needed, lift up on the handlebars slightly to
prevent the tines from digging too deeply. (Cultivating on a regular basis not
only eliminates weeds, it also loosens and aerates the soil for better moisture
absorption and faster plant growth.) Watering the garden area a few days
prior to tilling will make tilling easier, as will letting the newly worked soil
set for a day or two before making a final, deep tilling pass.
OPERATION
WARNING
WARNING
Figure 17
Choosing the Correct Tine Speed
With experience, you will find the tilling depth and tilling speed combination that
is best for your garden. Set the engine throttle lever at a speed to give the engine
adequate power and yet allow it to operate at the slowest possible speed until you
have achieved the maximum tilling depth you desire. Faster engine speeds may
be desirable when making final passes through the seedbed or when cultivating.
Selection of the correct engine speed, in relation to the tilling depth, will ensure a
sufficient power level to do the job without causing the engine to labor.
Suggested Tilling Patterns
• When preparing a seedbed, go over the same path twice in the first row,
then overlap one-half the tiller width on the rest of the passes. See Figure 18.
• When finished in one direction, make a second pass at a right angle, See
Figure 19. Overlap each pass for the best results (in very hard ground, it may
take three or four passes to thoroughly pulverize the soil).
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Figure 18
Figure 19