Stihl TS 440 Instruction Manual page 9

2 Safety Precautions and Working Techniques
Do not stand in line with the abrasive wheel.
Ensure sufficient freedom of movement, espe‐
cially in construction trenches there must be suf‐
ficient space for the user and for the part being
cut to fall.
Do not lean too far forwards and never bend over
the abrasive wheel when the guard has been
pulled back.
Do not work above shoulder height.
The cut-off machine may only be used for cut‐
ting. It must not be used as a lever or shovel.
Do not press down on the cut-off machine
Always decide the cutting direction before posi‐
tioning the cut-off machine. After that, do not
change the cutting direction. Never push or hit
with the device into the cutting gap – do not let
the concrete cutter fall into the cutting depth –
risk of breakage!
Diamond abrasive cutting wheels: If cutting per‐
formance begins to deteriorate, check the sharp‐
ness of the diamond abrasive wheel, resharpen
as needed. To do this, briefly cut through abra‐
sive material, e. g., sandstone, aerated concrete
or asphalt.
At the end of the cut, the cut-off machine is no
longer supported by the abrasive wheel in the
cut. The user has to absorb the weight force –
risk of loss of control!
When cutting steel: glowing metal
particles may cause fires!
Keep water and sludge away from alive electrical
cables – risk of electric shock!
Drag the abrasive wheel into the workpiece – do
not push it into the material. Do not correct
severing cuts with the cut-off machine. Do not re-
cut – remove left webs or breaking edges (for
example, with a hammer).
0458-520-8321-B
When applying diamond abrasive wheels, take a
wet cut – for example, use the STIHL water con‐
nector.
Du to the reduced maximum spindle speed,
STIHL developed a special composite resin
abrasive cutting wheel for cutting steel with this
machine. This abrasive cutting wheel is suitable
for dry cutting only. If a composite resin abrasive
cutting wheel of this type becomes wet, its cut‐
ting performance is reduced and it becomes dull.
If a composite resin abrasive cutting wheel of this
type becomes wet while working (e.g., due to
puddles or water in pipes), do not increase the
cutting pressure, but continue working with the
same pressure – risk of breakage! Use up such
composite resin abrasive cutting wheels immedi‐
ately.
Traditional composite resin abrasive cutting
wheels developed for cut-off machines with high
circumferential speed have an inferior cutting
performance and are unsuitable.
2.13 Vibrations
Prolonged use of the power tool may result in
vibration-induced circulation problems in the
hands (whitefinger disease).
No general recommendation can be given for the
length of usage because it depends on several
factors.
The period of usage is prolonged by:
– Hand protection (wearing warm gloves)
– Work breaks
The period of usage is shortened by:
– Any personal tendency to suffer from poor cir‐
culation (symptoms: frequently cold fingers,
tingling sensations).
– Low outside temperatures.
– The force with which the handles are held (a
tight grip restricts circulation).
Continual and regular users should monitor
closely the condition of their hands and fingers. If
any of the above symptoms appear (e.g. tingling
sensation in fingers), seek medical advice.
2.14 Maintenance and repairs
The machine must be serviced regularly. Do not
attempt any maintenance or repair work not
described in the Instruction Manual. All other
work should be carried out by a servicing dealer.
STIHL recommends that maintenance and repair
work be carried out only by authorized STIHL
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