Craftsman 358.796501 Instruction Manual

Instruction Manual

ICRRFTSMRN'I

3.0 H.P.

ELECTRIC EDGER

Model No.

358.796501

• Safety

• Assembly

• Operation

• Maintenance

• Espahol

®

WARNING:

Read and follow all Safety Rules and Operating
Instructions before first use of this product.

For answers to your questions about this product:

Call 7 am-7 pm, Mon-Sat; Sun, 10 am-7 pm

[] 1-800-235-5878 (.ou=listed are Central'rime)

Sears, Roebuck and Co., Hoffman Estates, IL 60179 U.S.A.

530086984 1_1_1

Warranty Statement
Safety Rules
Assembly
Operation

Maintenance

2
2
5

6
8

Service & Adjustments 8
Storage 9

Troubleshooting Chart 9
Spanish 10

Parts Ordering Back Cover

FULL ONE YEAR WARRANTY ON CRAFTSMAN ELECTRIC EDGER

If this Craftsman Electdc Edger falls to perform properly due to a defect in material or

workmanship within (1) one year from the date of purchase, Sears will replace it free

of charge.
If this edger is used for commercial purposes, this warranty applies for only 90

days from the date of purchase.
If this edger is used for rental purposes, this warranty applies for only 30 days

from the date of purchase.
This warranty does not cover the blade.

WARRANTY SERVICE IS AVAILABLE BY RETURNING THE CRAFTSMAN ELECTRIC
EDGER TO THE NEAREST SEARS STORE OR SERVICE CENTER IN THE UNITED
STATES.

This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights
which vary from state to state.

Sears, Roebuck and Co., D/817 WA, Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

,t_ ____

41SWARNING: When using electric
edgers, basic safety precautions

should always be followed to reduce
the risk of fire, electric shock, and per-

sonai injury. Read all instructions and
safety information throughout this

manual.

DANGER: TH_SPOWERUNITCAN

BE DANGEROUS! This unit can cause
serious injury including amputation or

blindness to the operator and others.

The warnings and safety instructions in
this manual must be followed to provide

reasonable safety and efficiency in using

this unit. The operator is responsible for

following warnings and instructions in
this manual and on unit. Read entire in-

struction manual before assembling and

using this unit! Restrict use of this power

tool to persons who read, understand,
and follow warnings and instructions in

this manual and on the unit. Never al-

low children to operate this unit.

_ SAFETY INFORMATIONON THE UNIT

OPERATOR SAFETY

• Dress properly.Always wear safety
glasses or similar eye protection when

operating,or performingmaintenance
onyour unit. (Safety glasses are avail-
able.) Always wear face or dustmask

ifoperation isdusty.Always wear
heavy,long pants, longsleeves, boots,

and gloves. Do not go barefoot or
wear sandals.

_l_Thrown

1

Boots

• Secure hair above shoulder length.
Secure or remove loose clothing and

jewelry or clothing with loosely hang-

ing ties, straps, tassels, etc. They can
be caught in moving parts.

• Being fully covered also helps protect
you fTom debris and pieces of toxic

plants thrown by the blade.

• Stay alert. Do not operate unit when
you are tired, ill, upset or under influ-
ence of alcohol, drugs, or medication.
Watch what you are doing; use com-

mon sense.

2

• Avoid unintentionalstarting of the unit.
Never carrythe unitwithyour finger on

the switch. Be sure the switch isnot in
the on positionwhen connectingthe

extension cord.

A __..___

a IJANGleR: RISK OF CUT. KEEP

HANDS AND FEET AWAY FROM BLADE

AND CU'I-nNG AREA. Do not attempt to
clear away cut material when the blade is
in motion. Make sure switch is in the off

position and the power source is discon-
nected when removing jammed material

from the cutting blade. Do not grab or hold
unit by the cutting blade.

.%

CAUTION: Blade rotates momentarily
after the switch is released.

ELECTRICAL SAFETY

'_ WARNING: Avoid a dangerous
environment. To reduce the risk of

electrical shock, do not use in rain, in
damp or wet locations, or around
swimming pools, hot tubs, etc. Do not
expose to snow, rain, or water to avoid
the possibility of electrical shock. Do

not handle extension cord or plug with
wet hands.

• Use only a voltage supply as shown

on the nameplate of the unit.

• Avoid dangerous situations. Do not

use in the presence of flammable liq-
uids or gases to avoid creating a fire
or explosion and/or causing damage

to unit.

• To reduce the risk of electrical shock,

this equipment has a polarized plug

(one blade is wider than the other) and

will require the use of a polarized ex-
tension cord. The appliance plug will fit
into a polarized extension cord only
one way. If the plug does not fit fully

into the extension cord, reverse the
plug. If the plug still does not fit, obtain

a correct polarized extension cord. A
polarized extension cord will require

the use of a polarized wall outlet. This

plug will fit into the polarized wall outlet
only one way. If plug does not fit fully

into the wall outlet, reverse the plug. If
it still does not fit, contact a qualified
electrician to install the proper wall out-
let. Do not change the equipment

plug, extension cord receptacle, or ex-

tension cord plug in any way.

• To reduce risk of electrical shock, use

extension cords specifically marked as
suitable for outdoor appliances having
electrical rating not less than the rating

of unit. Cord must he marked with
suffix =W-A" (in Canada "W"). Make
sure your extension cord is in good

condition. Inspect extension cord be-

fore useand replaceif damaged.DO

not use a damaged cord. Cord insula-

tion must be intact with no cracks or

detedoraUon. Plug connectors must
he undama_]ed. An undersized exten-

sion cord witl cause a drop in line volt-
age resulting in loss of power and

overheating. If in doubt, use the next
heavier gauge. The lower the gauge

number, the heavier the cord (see SE-
LECT AN EXTENSION CORD in the AS-

SEMBLY section).

o Do not use multiple cords.

• Do not attempt to repair unit. Inspect
insulation and connectors on unit and

appliance cord before each use. If
there is any damage, do not use until

damage is repaired by your Sears
Service Center.

• Inspect extension cords before each

use and replace if damaged.

• Don't abuse cord. Never carry unit by

the cord or yank extension cord to dis-

connect unit.

• To reduce the possibility of the exten-

sion cord disconnecting from the unit
dudng operation, tie the power cord on

the unit. Bee SELECT AN EXTENSION
CORD in the ASSEMBLY section. Insert
cord socket on the unit into the exten-

sion cord receptacle.

• DO not use unit if the switch does not
tum the unit on and off properly. Re-

pairs to the switch must be made by
your Sears Service Center.

• Keep extension cord clear of operator,
unit, and obstacles at all times. DO not

expose the cord to heat, oil, water, or

sharp edges.

• To avoid the possibility of electdc
shock, avoid body contact with any

grounded conductor, such as metal
pipes or wire fences.

• Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)
protection should be provided on the

circuit or outlet to be used for this unit.

3

Receptadasareavailablehavingbuilt-
inGFCIprotectionendmaybeused

forthismeasureofsafety.

UNITSAFETY

• Do not attempt to repair unit. Inspect
entire unit and extension cord before

each use. Have damaged parts re-
paired or replaced by your Sears Ser-
vice Center. Make sure all fasteners,

handles, end guards are inplace end
securely fastened. A guard or other
part that is damaged should be prop-
edy repaired or replaced by a Sears

Service Center.

• Replace blades that are bent, warped,
cracked, broken, or damaged in any
other way:

• Before usmg your unit, have your
Sears Service Center repair or replace

parts that are cracked, chipped, bro-
ken, or damaged in any other way.

• Use only Craftsman replacement

blades end acceesories as recom-
mended for this unit. Never use wire,

rope, string, etc. Use of any other
accessory or attachment may increase
the risk of injuryorcause damage to

the unit.

• Keep blade guard in place and in

good working order.

EDGING SAFETY

• Inspectthe area to be edged before

each use. Remove objects (rocks, bro-
ken glass, nails,wire, string, etc.)

which can be thrown by blade or can
wrap around blade shaft.

• Keep children away. Keep others in-

cludingchildren,animals, bystenders
and helpers outside the 100 foot (30

meter) Hazard Zone. Stop the unit im-
mediately ifyou are approached.

azard Zone

• Always keep unit in front ofyour body.
Keep hands end feet away trom cut-

ting area.

• Hold the unit firmly with both hands.

• Do not overreach or use from unstable
support. Keep firm footing and balance

at all times.

• Keep wheels in contact with ground.

• Do not raise the unit above the

ground. The blade can come danger-
ously close to your body.

• Always push unitslowlyover ground.
Stay alertfor uneven sidewalks, holes

in terrain, large roots, etc.

• Do not force the unit;itwill do the job
better and with less likelihoodof a risk

of injury at the rate for which it wes de-

signed. Use the rightappliance. Use
onlyfor jobs explained in thismanual.

MAINTENANCE SAFETY

WARNING: Disconnect unit from

the power source before performing

maintenance or changing blades.
,, Maintain unit with care. Maintain unit

according to recommended proce-
dures. Follow instructions for changing

blades in the SERVICE AND ADJUST-
MENTS section. Keep blade and blade

guard dean to reduce the risk of injury.

• Never start unit with blade guard re-

- moved; blade can fly off or can throw
objects end cause serious injury.

• Have all maintenance end sennce not
explained in this manual performed by

a Sears Service Center.

• Never douse or squirt the unit with wa-
ter or any other liquid. Clean the unit

end labels with a damp sponge. Keep
handles dry, cleen, and free from oil
and grease.

TRANSPORTING & STORAGE

• Transport unit with motor stopped and

the blade away fi'om your body.

• Do not grasp or hold exposed blade.

• Unplug unit before storing; secure unit

when transporting it in a vehicle.

• Store unit so the blade cannot acci-

dentally cause injury. The unit can be

hung by the handle.

• Store unit indoors. Store unit un-
plugged in a high, dry place out of

reach of children.

DOUBLE INSULATION
CONSTRUCTION

This unit is double insulated to help pro-
tect against eleckic shock. Double insu-

lation construction consists of two sepa-

rate "layers" of electrical insulation
instead of grounding. Tools and ap-

pliances built with a double insulation
system are not intended to be grounded.
No grounding means is provided on this

unit, nor should a means of grounding
be added to this unit. As a result, the ex-

tension cord used with your unit can be
plugged into any standard 120 volt elec-
trical outlet. Safety precautions must be
observed when operetJng any electrical

tool. The double insulation system only

provides added protection against injury
resulting from an internal electricaJ insu-

lation failure.

4

• ILWARNING: All electdcal repairs

to this unit, including housing, switch,

motor, etc., must be diagnosed and re-
paired by qualified service personnel.

Replacement parts for a double insu-
lated appliance must be identical to the
parts they replace. A double insulated
appliance is marked with the words

DOUBLE INSULATION or DOUBLE INSU-

LATED.The symbolrS"l(square within a

square) may also be marked on the
appliance. Failure to have the unit re-

paired by Sears service personnel can
cause the double insulation construc-

tion to become ineffective and result in

sedous injury.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

CARTON CONTENTS
Check carton contents against the fol-

lowing list.

Model 358.796501

Edger

'Screws

• Locknuts

• Extra Blade

Examine parts for damage. Do not use
damaged parts.

NOTE: If you need assistance or find
that parts are missing or damaged, call

1-800-235-5878.

ASSEMBLY

='% __ _

_WARNING: If received as-
sembled, repeat all steps to ensure

your unit is properly assembled and all
fasteners are secure.

This instruction manual has been de-
veloped to help you assemble the unit

and to provide its safe operation. It is
important that you read the entire man-

ual to become familiar with the unit be-

fore you begin assembly.

Read your instruction manual.

Tools you will need:

• Phillips screwdriver

TUBE ASSEMBLY

1. Insert tube into motor housing as
shown. Align the screw holes.

2. Insert Iocknuts into the pockets in
the motor housing.

3. Insert screws through aligned holes.

4. Thread screws into Iocknuts; tighten
securely.

Screws

Locknuts

'F

o

EXTENSION CORD
Use only a 120 A.C. voltage supply as

shown on nameplate of the unit to
power your edger.

The extension cord used to reach the
power source must be:

• Specifically marked as suitable for
outdoor use. The cord must be

marked with the suffix "W-A".

• Heavy enoughto carrycurrentfrom
the power source thefull lengthof the

extensioncordto the unit.Otherwise,
lossof power and overheatingcan oc-

cur causing damage to unit. Refer to
chart for minimumwire gauge recom-

mendations.The cord must be
marked with the properwire gauge.

(Appropriate extensioncords are avail-
able at Sears.) Do not use mul_ple
cords.

• In good condition. Cord insulation
must be intact with no cracks or

deterioration. Plug connectors must
be undamaged.

MINIMUM WIRE GAUGE

RECOMMENDATIONS

VOLTS 25FT. 50FT. 100FT 150FT.

120 16 16 14 12

A.W.G.* A.W.G.* A.W.G.* A.W.G.*

*AmericanW-=reGauge

Secure extension cord to unit:

• "13ethe power plug on the unit to the

extension cord as shown.

• Insert plug into cord socket.

Power Plug on Extension

Unit_ Cord

5

KNOW YOUR EDGER
READ THIS INSTRUCTION MANUAL AND SAFETY RULES BEFORE OPERATING YOUR

UNIT. Compare the illustrations to your unit to familiarize yourself with the location
of the various controls and adjustments. Save this manual for future reference.

Depth

Adjustment
Knob

Pivot Locking Lever

Blade Guard

Blade

TRIGGER SWITCH
The TRIGGER SWITCH is used to acti-

vate the motor.

PIVOT LOCKING LEVER

The PIVOT LOCKING LEVER is engaged
to reposition the cutting angle.

BLADE

The BLADE is designed to cut grass.

BLADE GUARD

The BLADE GUARD provides protection
from the spinning blade.

DEPTH ADJUSTMENT KNOB

The DEPTH ADJUSTMENT KNOB allows

yOu to adjust blade to the desired depth.

OPERATING POSITION
Your unit has two operating positions,

one for edging, one for beveling.
To set operating position:

1. Move pivot locking lever toward
handle and hold.

2. Pivot motor to desired position.

3. Release pivot locking lever, making

sure motor locks into position.

EDGING METHODS
_' WARNING: The operator or oth-

ers must not try to clear away cut ma-
terial with the motor running or the
blade turning to avoid serious injury.

WARNING: Stop motor and blade

and disconnect unit from power source
before removing materials wrapped

around blade shaft to avoid injury.

• Allow the motor to reach full speed be-

fore entedng the matedal to be cut.
The blade has maximum cutting

power at full speed and is less likely to
bind or stall.

• If blade does not tum when switch is

activated, make sure it is not stuck or
bound by debds.

(_ Blade rotates mo-

mentarily after the
switch is released.

Stop rotating
blade by contact

with cut material.

6

J