Safe Operation Practices; General Operation - Craftsman 247.77763 Owner's Manual

This symbol points out Important safety instructions which, if not followed, could endanger the per-
sonal safety and/or property of yourself and others. Read and follow all instructions in this manual before
attempting to operate your chipper-shredder vacuum. Failure to comply with these instructions may result in
personal injury. When you see this symbol--heed its warning,
l'_" Yourchipper-shredder vacuumwas builtto be operated accord ng to the rules fQr safe opera-
DANGER • tion in this manual. As with any type of powerequipment,carelessnessor error on the part of I
• the operatorcan resultin seriousinjury.If you violate any of these rules, you may cause seri- --"-
ous injury to yourself or others. ]
This unitisequipped with an internalcombustion engine and should not be used on or near any unimproved
forest-covered, brush-covered or grass-covered land unless the engine's exhaust system is equipped with a
spark arrester meeting applicable local or state laws (if any). if a spark arrester is used, it should be
maintained in effective working order by the operator.
In the State of California the above is required by law (Section 4442 of the California Public Resources
Code). Other states may have similar taws. Federal laws apply on federal lands. A spark arrester for the
muffler is available through your nearest Sears Authorized Service Center (See the REPAIR PARTS section
of this manual.)
General Operation
Read this owner's guide carefully in its entirety before
attempting to assemble this machine. Read,
understand, and follow all instructions on the machine
and in the manual(s) before operation. Be completely
familiar with the controls and the proper use of the
machine before operating it. Keep this manual in a
safe place for future and regular reference and for
ordering replacement parts.
Your chipper-shredder vacuum is a powerful tool, not a
plaything. Therefore, exercise extreme caution at all
times. Your unit has been designed to perform two
jobs; to chip and vacuum vegetation found in a normal
yard. Do not use it for any other purpose.
Never allow children under 16 to operate the unit.
Children 16 years and older should only operate under
close parental supervision. Only responsible
individuals who are familiar with these rules of safe
operation should be allowed to use your unit.
Keep the area of operation clear of all persons,
particularly small children and pets. Stop the engine
when they are in the vicinityof the unit.
When feeding matedal into this equipment, be
extremely careful that pieces of metal, rocks, bottles,
cans or other foreign objects are not included.
Personal injury or damage to the machine could result.
Always wear safety glasses or safety goggles, dudng
operation and while performing an adjustment or
repair, to protect eyes from foreign objects that may be
thrown from the machine.
Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes and close fitting
slacks and shirt. Shirt and slacks that cover the arms
and legs and steel-toed shoes are recommended. Do
not wear loose fitting clothes or jewelry, and secure
hair above shoulder length. They can be caught in
moving parts. Never operate a unit in bare feet,
sandals or sneakers. Wear gloves when feeding
material in the chipper chute.
Do not operate the unit while under the influence of
alcohol or drugs.
Do not over-reach. Keep proper footing and balance at
all times.
Never place your hands or any part of your body or
clothing near or under rotating parts. Keep clear of the
discharge opening at all times Never insert your
hands or any part of your body or clothing into the
nozzle, chipper chute or discharge opening as the
rotating impeller can cause serious injury.
If it is necessary for any reason to unclog the feed
intake or discharge openings or to inspect or repair any
part of the machine where a moving part can come in
contact with your bodY pr cl_qthing,st_p the machine,
allow it to cool, disconnect the spark plug wire from the
spark plug and move it away from the spark plug
before attempting to unclog, inspect or repair.
Never operate unit without vacuum bag and discharge
chute properly affixed to unit. Large zippered end of
bag must be closed to prevent objects from being
blown out.
Never operate unit without either the inlet nozzle or
optional hose attachment propedy affixed to unit.
These devices shield the operator from accidental
contact with the rotating impeller. Never attempt to
convert the unit from nozzle to hose mode or vice versa
with the engine running.
Never attempt to remove or empty vacuum bag when
engine is running. Shut the engine off and wait for the
impeller to come to a complete stop before removing
the bag. The impeller continues to rotate for a few