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Operators Manual Congratulations on your purchase of the 20 Manual Reel Mower! Our goal is to provide high quality tools at an affordable price. Carefully remove the product and any accessories from their individual boxes. Inspect the product carefully to make sure no breakage or damage occurred during shipping. Do not discard the packing material until you have carefully inspected and satisfactorily operated the product. *WARNING* If any parts are damaged or missing, do not operate this product, until the parts are replaced. Failure to heed this warning could result in personal injury. TABLE OF CONTENTS PART IDENTIFICATION GENERAL SAFETY RULES SPECIFICATIONS INCLUDED IN PACKAGE ASSEMBLY CUTTING HEIGHT ADJUSTMENTS MOWER BLADE CALIBRATION ADJUSTMENTS PREPARATION HOW TO MOW MAINTENANCE AND GENERAL CARE WARRANTY PRODUCT REGISTRATION PAGE 2 PAGE 5 PAGE 5 PAGE 6 PAGE 7 OPERATOR S MANUAL PART IDENTIFICATION Parts List: Upper Handle Handle Attachment Knobs Lower Handle Front Wheels 5. Rear Wheels 6. 7. 8. 10. Blade Guard Rear Roller Height Adjustment Knobs Blade Adjustment Knobs Clippings Bag 5. 10. 5. 6. 8. 7. 2
General Safety Rules Never allow children or people unfamiliar with these instructions to use the mower. Only use the mower in the manner and for the functions described herein. Never operate the mower when you are tired, ill or under the influence of drugs, alcohol or medicine. The operator or user is responsible for accidents or hazards occurring to other people or their property. Use the mower only in daylight or good artificial light. Avoid operating your mower in wet grass, where feasible. Be careful in wet grass. You may lose your footing. On slopes be extra careful of your footing and wear non-slip footwear. Mow across the face of slopes, never up and down. Exercise extreme caution when changing direction on slopes. Walk, never run. Mowing on banks and slopes can be dangerous. Do not mow on banks or steep slopes. Do not walk backwards when mowing, you could trip. Never cut grass by pulling the mower towards you. Never operate the mower with damaged guards or without guards in place. Keep hands and feet away from the blade at all times and especially when the mower is in use. Do not put hands near the blades during operation. INCLUDED IN THE BOX: SPECIFICATION Cutting Width: Clippings Bag Capacity: Cutting Height Range: Weight: 20 25 G 1-3/4 to 3 33 lbs. (1) Reel Mower Body (1) Handle Top with Foam Grip (1) Handle Bottom Bars (2) Side Bars (6) Nuts and Bolts for Handle Assembly (1) Rear Clipping Bag (1) Instruction Manual ASSEMBLY (see Figure 1, 2 & 3) Your Manual Reel Mower comes partly assembled and only the handle requires assembly. Attach the Side bars to the handle bottom bars using the provided knobs, bolts and washers at labeled points D and C. Attach the Handle top with Foam Grip to the Side bars using the provided knobs, bolts and washers at labeled points A and B. To attach the handle to the mower head, simply snap the attachment brackets onto the designated rod on the mower head (see figure 2). Then attach the Velcro wrap to the handle bottom bars to keep the bag open during use. Figure 2 Assemble the collection bag (Figure 3) - Clip the plastic clip over the metal frame and make sure it is assembled firmly. Attach bag strap over lower horizontal bar to secure bag in place. Figure 3 3
CUTTING HEIGHT ADJUSTMENTS (see figure 4) The cutting height of the manual reel mower can be adjusted from 1-3/4 to 3 by moving the height adjustment levers to the required position (See figure 4). To achieve the lowest cutting position, one at a time, pull the adjustment levers located next to the smaller wheels and move it to the highest position. To achieve the highest cutting position, move the adjustment levers, one at a time, to their lowest position. NOTE: The two adjustment levers must be set to the same height positions. Figure 4 MOWER BLADE CALIBRATION ADJUSTMENTS The blades on the manual reel mower are all calibrated prior to leaving the factory and generally do not require adjustments. However, adjustments may be required only if you notice a rough, uneven cut, the mower is difficult to push or the mower simply is not cutting grass. Please note before proceeding that adjusting the blades is a very sensitive procedure and requires great care. A turn of 1/16 is considered a major adjustment. Carefully follow the procedure below. Proper calibration is achieved when the cutting blades are adjusted so that the rotating cutting reel, ever so slightly, comes in even contact along the entire length of the cutting bar, creating a shearing or scissor-like effect. WARNING: The cutting bar and rotating reel blades can be damaged if they are adjusted too close to each other. LOOSENING THE BLADES To loosen the blades, the cutter bar must be moved away from the cutting reel by turning the spring loaded screws equally counterclockwise. Be sure to loosen the spring loaded screws on both sides of the mower the same amount (See Figure 5). TIGHTENING THE BLADES To tighten the blades, the cutter bar must be moved closer to the cutting reel by turning the spring loaded screws equally clockwise. Be sure to tighten the spring loaded screws on both sides of the mower the same amount (See Figure 5). Figure 5 CHECKING THE ADJUSTMENTS Turn the mower upside down. Insert a piece of paper between the cutter bar and the reel blades. Carefully turn the reel blades by hand. All blades should slice the paper evenly along the entire length of the cutter bar while the reel turns smoothly. If the mower has an intermittent cut, adjustment should be made to the appropriate sides of the blade to attain proper cutting action. PREPARATION While using the manual reel mower always wear substantial footwear and long trousers. Make sure the lawn is clear of sticks, stones, wire and debris; that could be thrown by the blades. Before using the mower and after any impact, check for signs of wear or damage and repair as necessary. Sharpen worn or damaged blades. 4
HOW TO MOW WALK AT A GOOD, STEADY PACE - With a manual reel mower, the rotation of the wheels turns the blade reel. The mower will tend to bind up and skid if it is moving at too slow a pace. The faster the wheels are traveling, the faster the blade reel turns. Therefore, moving at a comfortably quick walking pace will achieve the best results. OVERLAPPING ROWS - When mowing a lawn, slightly overlap the row that has already been mowed. This will make the force required to move the mower easier because less grass is being mowed at one time. Overlapping rows will also ensure a neat cut by removing grass that has been missed on the previous row. DON T LET THE GRASS GET TOO TALL - Hand lawn mowers are harder to push when the grass gets too tall, therefore it is recommended to mow on a weekly basis. MANUAL REEL MOWERS DO NOT MOW TALL WEEDS - The hand lawn mower will tend to roll over tall weeds without cutting them. This includes tall weeds that are more than six inches, and things like dandelions. If your lawn to be mowed has a significant weed infestation, a powered mower may be required. Hand lawn mowers are designed to cut lawns in fair condition. THE METAL GUARD PROTECTS YOUR GARDEN -The metal guard not only protects your hand and feet, but also the garden. The manual reel mower can be pushed right up to flowers and shrubs without damaging them. This feature means the manual reel mower can cut the edges of the lawn where garden plants exist minimizing any potential damage. SHARPENING THE BLADE - Before taking the time and effort to sharpen the blades, make sure that it needs sharpening. Most of all issues can be solved by ensuring the blades are properly adjusted (ADJUSTMENTS section). Prop up the manual reel mower so that the blade reel can be rotated by turning the wheels. Check the blades for nicks and burrs. If any damage is found, it usually can be removed by holding a file flat against the blade and pushing away from the edge. Examine the cutting bar. It should just meet the blades along their entire length. (To make sure the cutting bar is aligned correctly, grasp a wheel and turn it forward; you should hear a whispery sound as the blades pass the cutting bar.) If the bar is out of alignment, adjust using the adjustment knobs on the ends of the bar(adjustments section) 5. Using your fingers or a soft paintbrush, cover the blades with a thin, even coat of automotive valve grinding compound available at automotive stores. 6. Grasp a wheel and turn it slowly backward so the grinding compound is squeezed between the blades and the cutting bar, thereby sharpening both cutting edges as they pass each other. Be sure that each blade touches the bar as the wheel is rotated. 7. Make about a dozen turns, applying more grinding compound when necessary. 8. Examine the blade edges. If they look sharp, wash off all the valve compound with soapy water and rinse thoroughly. Test for sharpness. Insert a sheet of newspaper between the blades and the cutting bar, and rotate the reel forward. When the blades cut the paper as easily and as cleanly as a sharp pair of scissors would, the task is complete. NOTE: After each use,clean the mower and keep it dry. Wipe all the metal parts with a thin film of WD-40 or mineral oil on a rag. WARNING: Sharpen blades only by hand. The heat generated by a power grinder or an electric drill with a grinding wheel attached can destroy the temper of the metal. Wear thick leather gloves when handling the blade reel and cutter bar and make slow, precise movements to avoid cutting or jamming your fingers. MAINTENANCE AND GENERAL CARE To extend the life of the mower, store the mower during inclement weather. Minimum care is required to ensure smooth operation of your mower. To avoid damage to the mower or cutting blades, keep the area to be mowed free from any debris. For best results, regularly apply oil or lubricant to the mowers cutting reel, bearings or other moving parts. Keep all nuts, bolts and screws tight to be sure the mower is in a safe working condition. Replace worn or damaged parts for safety. Be careful during adjustments of the hand lawn mower to prevent entrapment of the fingers between moving blade and fixed parts of the machine. 5