Operation - Craftsman 138.37097 Operator's Manual

WARNING!
type of product to make you careless. Remember that
a careless fraction of a second is sufficient to inflict
serious injury.
WARNING!
safety glasses with side shields when operating this
product. Failure to do so could result in objects being
thrown into your eyes, resulting in possible serious
injury.
WARNING!
accessories not recommended by the manufacturer of
this product. The use of attachments or accessories
not recommended can result in serious personal
injury.
APPLICATIONS
You may use this product for the purpose listed
below:
■ Mowing your lawn
STARTING/STOPPING THE MOWER
See Figure 8.
■Attach the outlet end of an extension cord to the
plug on the rear of the mower.
NOTE: Use only an approved outdoor extension cord
as described previously in this manual.
■ Press and hold the start button. Pull the bail switch
towards the handle and release the button to release
the mower.
■ To stop the mower, release the bail switch.
NOTE: A high-pitched noise and sparking may occur
as the electric motor decelerates. This is normal.
MOWING TIPS
See Figure 9 - 10.
■ Make sure the lawn is clear of stones, sticks, wires,
and other objects that could damage the lawn mower
blades or motor. Such objects could be accidentally
thrown by the mower in any direction and cause
serious personal injury to the operator and others.
■ To reduce the likelihood of disconnecting the lawn
mower from the extension cord, be sure to use the
cord retainer provided.
■ Do not mow in circles. Start from the point closest to
the outlet and travel back and forth across the lawn,
moving away from the outlet so the cord remains
behind the mower in the cut portion of the lawn.

OPERATION

Do not allow familiarity with this
Always wear safety goggles or
Do not use any attachments or
■ Do not allow the extension cord to wrap around
trees, shrubs, or other obstacles. When picking up
the extension cord, wind the cord in a series of equal
loops to prevent it from tangling.
■ For a healthy lawn, always cut off one-third or less
of the total length of the grass.
■ When cutting heavy grass, reduce walking speed
to allow for more effective cutting and a proper
discharge of the clippings.
■ Do not cut wet grass. It will stick to the underside
of the deck and prevent proper mulching of grass
clippings.
■ New or thick grass may require a narrower cut.
■ Clean the underside of the mower deck after each
use to remove grass clippings, leaves, dirt, and any
other accumulated debris.
SLOPE OPERATION
See Slope Gauge on page vi.
■ Slopes are a major factor related to slip and fall
accidents that can result in severe injury. Operation
on slopes requires extra caution. If you feel uneasy
on a slope, do not mow it. For your safety, do not
attempt to mow slopes greater than 15 degrees.
■ Mow across the face of slopes, not up and down.
Exercise extreme caution when changing direction on
slopes.
■ Watch for holes, ruts, rocks, hidden objects, or
bumps which can cause you to slip or trip. Tall grass
can hide obstacles. Remove all objects such as
rocks, tree limbs, etc., which could be tripped over or
thrown by the blade.
■ Always be sure of your footing. A slip and fall can
cause serious personal injury. If you feel you are
losing your balance, release the switch control lever
immediately.
■ D o n o t m o w n e a r d r o p - o f f s , d i t c h e s , o r
embankments; you could lose your footing or balance.
10 — English