Craftsman C459.62103-2 Operator's Manual page 14

CLEARING THE TINES
WARNING
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.
• To reduce tangling, set the depth regulator deep enough to get
maximum "chopping" action as the tines chop the material against
the ground. Also, 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
WARNING
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 CRT (counter-rotating tine) tiller. As the wheels pull
forward, the tines rotate backward. 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
On later passes, the wheels may tend to spin in the soft dirt. Help
them along by lifting up slightly on the handlebar (one hand, palm
up, works most easily).
• Avoid the temptation to push down on the handlebars in an
attempt to force the tiller to dig deeper. Doing so takes the weight
off the powered wheels, causing them to lose traction. Without the
wheels to hold the tiller back, the tines will attempt to propel the
tiller backward, towards the operator.
OPERATION
• When cultivating (breaking up the surface soil around the plants
to destroy weeds, See Figure 15), adjust the tines to dig only 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.
Choosing the Correct Wheel & Tine Speeds
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.
14
Figure 15