LAWN AERATOR
Four gangs of tempered steel “knives.” These knives cut into the soil beneath your lawn to let water and nutrients penetrate easily, and to encourage deep drought-resistant root growth.WARNING • DANGERIMPROPER USE OR CARE OF THESE ATTACHMENTS OR FAILURE TO WEAR PROPER PROTECTION CAN RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY.READ AND UNDERSTAND THE RULES FOR SAFE OPERATION AND ALL INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS MANUAL.WEAR HEARING AND EYE PROTECTION.Warnings – dosRead and understand the owner’s manual. Pay particular attention to all sections regarding safety.
- Always keep a firm grip on both handles while the attachment is moving and/or the engine is running. BE AWARE!! The tines may coast after the throttle trigger is released. make sure tines have come to a complete stop and the engine is off before letting go of the tiller.
- Always maintain a firm footing and good balance, do not overreach while operating the tiller. Before you start to use the tiller check the work area for obstacles that might cause you to lose your footing, balance, or control of the machine.
- Always keep the area clear of children, pets, and bystanders.
- Always stay alert. Watch what you are doing and use common sense.Do not operate the unit when fatigued.
- Always dress properly. Do not wear loose clothing or jewelry, they might get caught in moving parts. Use sturdy gloves. Gloves reduce the transmission of vibration to your hands. Prolonged exposure to vibration can cause numbness and other ailments. Wear non-skid footwear to ensure secure and proper footing.
- Always wear ear and eye protection. Eye protection must meet applicable CE standards. To avoid hearing damage we recommend hearing protection be worn whenever using the equipment.
- Always keep a safe distance between two or more people when working together.
- Always inspect your attachment before each use and ensure that all handles, guards, and fasteners are secure, operating, and in place.
- Always maintain and examine your tiller and attachments with care.Follow maintenance instructions given in the tiller manual.
- Always store attachments in a sheltered area (a dry place) not accessible to children. The tiller, as well as fuel, should not be stored in a house.
Warnings – don’tsDon’t use tiller with one hand, keep both hands on handles with fingers and thumbs encircling the handles, while attachment is moving, and the engine is running.Don’t overreach. Keep a good footing at all times.Don’t attempt to clear attachment while it is moving. Never try to remove jammed material before switching the engine off and making sure the attachment has stopped completely.Don’t allow children or incapable people to operate the tiller.Don’t operate while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.Don’t attempt to repair the attachment. Have repairs made by a qualified dealer or repairman. See that only original Mantis parts are used.WARNING • DANGERHANDLE FUEL WITH CARE, IT IS HIGHLY FLAMMABLE. FUELING A HOT ENGINE OR NEAR AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN CAUSE A FIRE AND RESULT IN SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE.Engine fuel warnings – do’sAlways use fresh petrol in the fuel mixture. Stale petrol can cause leakage.Always pull the starter cord slowly until resistance is felt. Then pull the cord rapidly to avoid kickback and prevent arm or hand injury.Always operate the engine with a spark arrestor installed and operating properly.Engine/fuel warnings – don’tsDon’t fuel, refuel or check fuel while smoking or near an open flame or another ignition source. Stop the engine and be sure it is cool before refueling.Don’t leave the engine running while the tiller is unattended. Stop engine before putting the tiller down or while transporting from one place to another.Don’t refuel, start or run this tiller indoors or in an improperly ventilated area.Don’t run the engine when the electrical system causes a spark outside the cylinder.During periodical checks of the spark plug, keep plug a safe distance from cylinder to avid burning of evaporated fuel from the cylinder.Don’t check for spark with spark plug or plug wire removed. use an approved tester.Don’t crank engine with spark plug removed, except when preparing to store tiller for the off-season.Don’t run the engine when the odor of petrol is present or other explosive conditions exist.Don’t operate the unit if petrol is spilled. Clean up spill completely before starting the engine.Don’t operate your tiller if there is an accumulation of debris around the exhaust and cooling fins.Don’t touch hot exhaust, cylinders, or cooling fins as contact may cause serious burns.
All attachments mount on the tine shafts and are held in place with retaining pins. Attachment maintenance is very simple. Just clean with your garden hose. When dry, spray with a light pressurized oil like WD40.Note: In the instructions that follow, assume that you are standing behind the Tiller as you would in tilling or cultivating.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS AND PARTS LISTS
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HOW TO MOUNT
Mount the aerator tines so the angled face of the blade impacts the earth.This position gives you aeration 2 to 5 cm deep.If you mount the tines so the straight face impacts the earth, you’ll work deeper. Roughly 6 to 9 cm deep. This is all right, but when learning how to use the aerator blades, it is best to work shallow, not deep, which is why we suggest first use the angle face setting.You will notice that if you let the machine run forward it will tear out dime-sized patches of lawn and soil. While this does give you some aeration, you get the best results by walking backward and pulling the machine as you go.
OPERATING SUGGESTIONS
Before doing your lawn, a brief review of Basic Lawn Management is in order.You aerate to give your grassroots a chance to breathe… You also aerate to allow irrigation to seep below the soil’s hard crust so your roots get proper hydration… Many people aerate without reseeding or fertilizing… This is perfectly acceptable with a good healthy lawn; however, reseeding and fertilizing after aerating does give you healthy new growth which is essential to the maintenance of a good lawn.Regardless of the method you use… Please be aware that aerating with any machine will make your lawn somewhat unsightly for about 10 days… The improvements that you’ll realize in terms of lawn vigor and color make regular aeration more than worth it. Remember, however, that aeration is a radical procedure and your lawn will look unattractive for a few days… Most of the unsightly aspects of aeration can be eliminated immediately by raking off your loose surface earth and irrigating immediately after raking.The aerator cuts 4 hairline slits roughly 2 1/2 inches (6 cm) apart and 1 1/2 inches (3.75 cm) deep. You will get some loose earth between the slits. If your lawn needs radical restoration, aerate north to south and then aerate east to west, giving you a checkerboard pattern of slits. Leave the earth where it is until you’ve sown fresh grass seeds and fertilizer along the slits, then rake off the loose earth and you’ll get fresh bands of healthy green grass which is 3 to 5 weeks will spread over your entire lawn, giving you a rich carpet of healthy green growth.We recommend that you aerate three times a year, early spring, mid-summer, and early fall only… aeration should always follow a thorough program of dethatching. Used this way, you will have a lawn that will turn your neighbors green with envy.
ATTACHMENT LIMITED SERVICE & WARRANTY POLICY
The Mantis Tiller and its attachments are guaranteed against defects in material and workmanship for a period of TWO YEARS FROM DATE OF PURCHASE. All tines for the tiller are guaranteed for five years against breakage. Any Mantis products or parts found to be defective within the warranty period are to be returned to our factory listed below.Transportation charges on parts and units submitted for replacement under this warranty must be borne by the purchaser.THIS WARRANTY shall not be effective if the product has been the subject of misuse, negligence, or accident or if the product has been repaired or altered outside of our factory in any respect which affects its condition or operation.Mantis shall not be liable for any special indirect or consequential damages arising from defective equipment. Any implied warranty, including merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, shall not extend beyond the written warranty period.Tines GuaranteeOur tines not only work better than the rest; they’re also guaranteed for five years against breakage. If any tine ever breaks in normal use, send the broken tine back to us and we’ll send you a replacement tine FREE!
P/N 400718 7/07© 2007 Mantis
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