Yard Machines MTD1400K User Manual

Operator’s Manual  
Garden Shredder Mulcher  
Model  
MTD1400K  
IMPORTANT: READ SAFETY RULES  
AND INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY  
P/N 6096-200123 © 2006  
PRINTED IN CHINA  
RULES FOR SAFE OPERATION  
The purpose of safety symbols is to attract your atten-  
SYMBOL  
MEANING  
tion to possible dangers. The safety symbols, and their  
explanations, deserve your careful attention and under-  
standing. The safety warnings do not by themselves  
eliminate any danger. The instructions or warnings they  
give are not substitutes for proper accident prevention  
measures.  
Failure to obey a  
safety warning will  
result in serious injury to yourself or to oth-  
ers. Always follow the safety precautions to  
reduce the risk of fire, electric shock and  
personal injury.  
DANGER:  
SYMBOL  
MEANING  
Failure to obey a  
WARNING:  
safety warning can  
Indicates  
danger,  
result in injury to yourself and others.  
Always follow the safety precautions to  
reduce the risk of fire, electric shock and  
personal injury.  
SAFETY ALERT:  
warning or  
caution. Attention is required in order to  
avoid serious personal injury. May be used  
in conjunction with other symbols or pic-  
tographs.  
Failure to obey a  
safety warning may  
result in property damage or personal injury  
to yourself or to others. Always follow the  
safety precautions to reduce the risk of fire,  
electric shock and personal injury.  
NOTE: Advises you of information or instructions vital to  
CAUTION:  
the operation or maintenance of the equipment.  
Read the Operator’s Manual(s) and follow all warnings  
and safety instructions.  
Failure to do so can result in serious injury to the  
operator and/or bystanders.  
FOR QUESTIONS, CALL 1-800-668-1238  
• IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS •  
• Carefully inspect the area before starting the unit.  
Remove all debris and hard or sharp objects such as  
glass, wire, etc.  
READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS  
BEFORE OPERATING  
• Read the instructions carefully. Be familiar with the  
controls and proper use of the unit.  
• Clear the area of children, bystanders, and pets. At a  
minimum, keep all children, bystanders, and pets out-  
side a 50 feet (15m.) radius; there still may be a risk to  
bystanders from thrown objects. Bystanders should be  
encouraged to wear eye protection. If you are  
When using the  
unit, safety rules.  
Please read these instructions before oper-  
ating the unit in order to ensure the safety  
of the operator and any bystanders. Please  
keep these instructions for later use.  
WARNING:  
approached, stop the unit immediately.  
• Do not operate this unit when tired, ill or under the  
influence of alcohol, drugs or medication.  
• Children must not operate the unit. Teens must be  
accompanied and guided by an adult.  
• All guards and safety attachments must be installed  
properly before operating the unit.  
• Inspect the unit before use. Replace damaged parts.  
Make sure all fasteners are in place and secure.  
Replace parts that are cracked, chipped or damaged in  
any way. Do not operate the unit with loose or dam-  
aged parts.  
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RULES FOR SAFE OPERATION  
4. AVOID DANGEROUS ENVIRONMENT - Do not use  
PLEASE READ - SAVE THESE  
appliance in damp or wet locations.  
INSTRUCTIONS  
5. DON’T USE IN RAIN - Water entering a power tool  
When using an electrical gardening tools, basic safety pre-  
cautions should always be followed to reduce the risk of  
fire, electric shock, and personal injury, including the fol-  
lowing.  
will increase the risk of electric shock.  
6. DO NOT ABUSE CORD - Never yank it to discon-  
nect from receptacle. Keep cord away from heat, oil,  
sharp edges or moving parts. Replace damaged  
cords immediately. Damaged cords increase the risk  
of electric shock.  
WARNING  
TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC  
SHOCK, BURNS, FIRE OR PERSONAL  
INJURY:  
7. KEEP CHILDREN AWAY - All visitors should be kept  
at a distance from work area.  
8. DRESS PROPERLY - Do not wear loose clothing or  
jewelry. They can be caught in moving parts. Use of  
rubber gloves and substantial footwear is recom-  
mended when working outdoors. Wear protective hair  
covering to contain long hair.  
1. FOLLOW ALL SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS listed in  
this manual before/during operation of this shredder.  
2. GROUNDING INSTRUCTIONS this tool should be  
grounded while in use to reduce the risk of electric  
shock to the operator. The tool is equipped with a 3-  
conductor cord and 3-prong grounding plug to fit the  
proper grounding receptacle. The green or green and  
yellow wire to live terminal. If your unit is for use on  
less than 150 volts, it has a plug as illustrated in  
sketch A in Figure 1 on page 2. If it is for use on 150  
to 250 volts, it has a plug as illustrated in sketch D,  
Fig.1, Page 2.  
9. USE SAFETY GLASSES - Always use face or dust  
mask if operation is dusty.  
10. STAY ALERT, WATCH WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND  
USE COMMON SENSE WHEN OPERATING A  
POWER TOOL. Do not use tools while tired or under  
the influence of drugs, alcohol, or medication. A  
moment of inattention while operating power tools  
may result in serious personal injury.  
An adapter, sketches B and C, is available for  
connecting plugs as illustrated in sketch A to 2-prong  
receptacles. The green-colored rigid ear, lug, or the  
like, must be connected to permanent ground, such  
as a properly grounded outlet box. No adapter is  
available for the plug illustrated in sketch D.  
11. AVOID UNINTENTIONAL STARTING. Do not move  
plugged-in appliance with finger on switch. Be sure  
switch is off when plugging in.  
12. DO NOT OVERREACH. Keep proper footing and bal-  
ance at all times. Proper footing and balance enables  
better control of the tool in unexpected conditions.  
3. EXTENSION CORD - Use only with an extension  
cord intended for outdoor use. Match wire gauge to  
the cord length. See table below. A 2-wire cord with-  
out a ground connection may be used since this  
appliance is double insulated. If in doubt of proper  
wire size, use the next heavier gauge. Please note  
that the smaller the gauge number, the heavier the  
cord.  
13. NO ACCESSORIES OR ATTACHMENTS ARE  
NECESSARY FOR THE OPERATION OF THIS  
GARDENING TOOL. The use of any accessories or  
attachments for this gardening tool is not recom-  
mended. Such use of any attachment or accessory  
may increase the risk of injury to the user.  
14. USE RIGHT APPLIANCE. Do not use appliance for  
any job except that for which it is intended.  
15. GROUND FAULT CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER(GFCI)  
PROTECTION SHOULD BE PROVIDED ON THE  
CIRCUIT(S) OR OUTLET(S) TO BE USED FOR  
THE GARDENING APPLIANCE. Receptacles are  
available having built-in GFCI protection and may be  
used for this measure of safety.  
METAL SCREW  
COVER OF  
GROUNDED  
GROUNDING  
DUTLET BOX  
(A)  
ADAPTER  
PIN  
(B)  
(D)  
16. WARNING! DTo reduce the risk of electric shock,  
use only with an extension cord intended for out-  
door use, such as an extension cord of cord type  
SW-A, SOW-A, STW-A, STOW-A, SJW-A, SJOW-A,  
SJTW-A, SJTOW-A.  
GROUNDIN  
G MEANS  
(C)  
GROUNDIN  
G PIN  
Extension cords of the type specified above are  
available at local hardware stores.Extension cord-  
Make sure your extension cord is in good condition.  
When using an extension cord, be sure to use one  
Fig. 1  
3
RULES FOR SAFE OPERATION  
heavy enough to carry the current your product will  
other condition that may affect its operation. A  
guard or other part that is damaged should be prop-  
erly repaired or replaced by an authorized service  
center unless indicated elsewhere in this manual.  
draw. An undersized extension cord will cause a drop  
in line voltage resulting in loss of power and overheat-  
ing. Table 1 shows the correct size to use depending  
on cord length and nameplate ampere rating. If in  
doubt, use the next heavier gage. Number, the heav-  
ier the cord. To reduce the risk of disconnection of  
appliance cord from the extension cord during oper-  
ating: Make a knot as shown in Fig. 2;  
SHREDDER SAFETY RULES:  
1. Extreme caution should be taken to ensure shredda-  
ble material does not contain metal. Rocks, bottles.  
Cans or other foreign objects.  
2. Do not allow hands or any other part of the body, or  
clothing to enter inside the feeding chambers or dis-  
charge chute, while machine is operating.  
Volts  
120V  
Total length of cord in feet  
100  
150  
25  
50  
Ampere Rating  
More than Not more than  
3. Wear gloves while operating the machine.  
4. Before starting the machine, ensure that all screws  
and other fasteners are properly secured.  
18  
18  
16  
14  
16  
16  
16  
12  
16  
14  
14  
16  
14  
14  
0-6  
6-10  
10-12  
12-16  
5. Machine should be operated on firm level surfaces  
only.  
Not recommended  
TABLE 1  
6. Before starting the machine, check that the cutting  
chamber is empty.  
METHOD OF SECURING EXTENSION CORD  
APPLIANCE CORD  
7. Motor should be kept clean of debris and other  
accumulations.  
CORD SET  
8. Keep all guards and deflections in good working  
condition.  
9. Stand clear of discharge chute at all times.  
10. Do not over reach and keep face and body back form  
the feed opening.  
11. Never pull the machine by the power cord and keep  
cord away form water or sharp edges.  
(A) TIE CORD AS SHOWN  
(B) CONNECT PLUG AND  
RECEPTACLE  
Fig. 2  
12. Disconnect the power cord when the machine is not  
in use.  
17. DO NOT FORCE TOOL. The correct tools will do the  
job better and safer at the rate for which it is  
designed.  
13. If machine should become clogged, switch off the  
motor, disconnect the power cord, make sure all mov-  
ing parts are completely stopped before cleaning  
clogged debris.  
18. DISCONNECT THE PLUG FROM THE POWER  
SOURCE BEFORE MAKING ANY ADJUSTMENT,  
CHANGING ACCESSORIES, OR STORING THE  
TOOL. Such preventive safety measures reduce the  
risk of starting the tool accidentally.  
14. Ensure the power cord is always in good condition. A  
cord with broken insulation is extremely dangerous  
and can result in fire, electric shock or serious per-  
sonal injury.  
19. STORE IDLE TOOLS INDOORS. When not in use,  
tools should be stored indoors in dry, and high or  
locked-up place, out of reach of children.  
15. The operation of any tools can result in foreign objects  
being thrown into your eyes, which can result in  
severe eye damage Before operating power tool,  
always wear safety goggles or safety glasses with side  
shields and a full face shield when needed. We rec-  
ommend wide Vision Safety Mask for use over eye-  
glasses or standard safety glasses with side shields.  
20. MAINTAIN TOOLS WITH CARE. Keep cutting tools  
sharp and clean for best performance and to reduce  
the risk of injury. Follow instructions for lubricating  
and changing accessories. Inspect tool cord periodi-  
cally, and if damaged, have it repaired by an author-  
ized service facility. Keep handling surface dry,  
clean, and free from oil and grease.  
21. CHECK DAMAGED PARTS. Before further use of  
the tool, a guard or other part that is damaged  
should be carefully checked to determine that it will  
operate properly and perform its intended function.  
check for alignment of moving parts, binding of  
moving parts, breakage of parts, mounting, and any  
4
RULES FOR SAFE OPERATION  
EXPLANATION OF NOTE, WARNING, and  
WARRANTY SYMBOL  
1. A NOTE is used to convey additional information, or  
highlight a particular explanation, or to expand a step  
instruction.  
2. A WARNING identifies a procedure which, if not  
undertaken or if improperly done, can result in a seri-  
ous personal injury or damage to the unit and/or  
both.  
3.  
(WARRANTY SYMBOL) serves notice that  
unless instructions or procedures are followed, any  
damage will void the warranty and repairs will be at  
owner’s expense. Service other than user mainte-  
nance should be performed by a Yard Machines  
Authorized Service Center. Damage or conditions  
caused by improper maintenance practices which  
render this product inoperable will void the manufac-  
turer’s warranty.  
4. FOR WARRANTY OR SERVICE contact the nearest  
Yard Machines Authorized Service Center by calling  
800# on back cover.  
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS  
5
RULES FOR SAFE OPERATION  
SAFETY AND INTERNATIONAL SYMBOLS  
This operator's manual describes safety and international symbols and pictographs that may appear on this product.  
Read the operator's manual for complete safety, assembly, operating and maintenance and repair information.  
SYMBOL  
MEANING  
SYMBOL  
MEANING  
• WARNING - WEAR GLOVES TO  
PROTECT YOUR HANDS  
• SAFETY ALERT SYMBOL  
Indicates danger, warning, or caution.  
May be used in conjunction with  
other symbols or pictographs.  
• WARNING - WEAR SAFETY BOOTS  
TO PROTECT AGAINST ELECTRIC  
SHOCK  
• WARNING - READ OPERATOR'S  
MANUAL  
Read the Operator’s Manual(s) and  
follow all warnings and safety  
instructions. Failure to do so can  
result in serious injury to the operator  
and/or bystanders.  
• WEAR HEAD, EYE AND HEARING  
PROTECTION  
• WARNING - DO NOT ESPOSE TO  
RAIN  
WARNING: Thrown objects and loud  
noise can cause severe eye injury  
and hearing loss. Wear eye protec-  
tion meeting ANSI Z87.1-1989 stan-  
dards and ear protection when oper-  
ating this unit. Falling objects can  
cause severe head injury. Wear head  
protection when operating this unit.  
Use a full face shield when needed.  
6
RULES FOR SAFE OPERATION  
KNOW YOUR UNIT  
TOP HOPPER  
TOP HOPPER  
SAFETY SCREWS  
ON/OFF SWITCH  
OVERLOAD  
PROTECTION  
SWITCH  
TOP HOPPER  
KNOB  
DISCHARGE CHUTE  
WHEEL(L)  
WHEEL(R)  
LEG(R)  
LEG(L)  
WHEEL COVERS  
7