DO NOT THROW AWAY IMPORTANT MANUAL

MODEL

C-71-5

TWO-MAN EARTH DRILL

Operator’s Manual

P.O.BOX 290 • San Bernardino, CA. 92402

Phone (909) 478-5700 • Fax (909) 478-5710 • (800) 922-4680

E-mail: [email protected] • www.groundhoginc.com

WARNINGS AND SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

This symbol means DANGER, WARNING or CAUTION. Personal injury and/or property damage may occur unless instructions are followed carefully.

WARNING ~ THIS POWER TOOL CAN BE DANGEROUS!

This tool can cause serious injury to the operators and bystanders. The warning and safety instructions in this manual must be followed to provide reasonable safety and efficiency in using and storing this earth drill. The operators are responsible for following the warnings and instructions in this manual and the earth drill. Read the entire Operator’s Manual before using this earth drill! Restrict the use of this earth drill to persons who read, understand, and follow the warnings and instructions in this manual and on the earth drill. If you have not read and understand the warnings and instructions in this manual and on the earth drill, you are not qualified to operate this earth drill!

This product contains and/or emits chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. This statement is made in compliance to California Proposition 65.

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DANGER

Keep body parts, foreign objects and clothing clear of rotating auger.

Always use part # 1300 auger attachment pin for attaching auger bit to earth drill.

Coming into contact with buried utilities while digging can cause severe injuries or DEATH.

Contact appropriate utility representatives to determine if/where electrical cables, gas lines, water lines, etc. are buried BEFORE operation.

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WARNINGS AND SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS cont’d...

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OPERATOR SAFETY

1. Always wear the proper clothing and protective gear for the job. Eye and ear protection, hard hat, boots, gloves and dust masks are some of the items that may be required.

2. Keep hair, fingers, and all other body parts away from openings and moving parts. Always wear, long pants, boots, and gloves. Do not wear loose clothing, jewelry, short pants, sandals or go barefoot. Secure hair so it is above shoulder length.

3. Do not operate this earth drill indoors. For outdoor use only.

4. Do not operate this tool when you are tired, ill, or under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or medication.

5. Always assume the digging location contains underground utilities or obstructions. Contact appropriate utility company to determine if/ where electrical cables, gas lines, water lines, etc. are buried BEFORE operation.

6. Always use extreme caution while operating this tool. Be sure of your footing and physical capabilities.

TOOL SAFETY

1. Inspect the entire earth drill before each use.

Replace damaged or worn parts.

2. Check for fuel leaks and make sure all fasteners are in place and securely fastened. Repair or replace as needed.

3. Replace auger blades that are severely worn, missing or damaged in any way before using this tool.

4. Use only the # 1300 auger attachment pin and make sure that it is properly attached.

5. Be sure the auger bit stops turning when you release the throttle.

6. Use only accessories or parts as recommended by Ground Hog, Inc.

FUEL SAFETY

1. Refuel outdoors only and where there are no sparks and flames.

2. Store fuel in a container approved for gasoline.

3. Do not smoke or allow smoking near fuel or the earth drill or while using the earth drill.

4. Clean up all fuel spills before starting engine.

5. Move at least 10 feet away from fueling site before starting engine.

6. Stop engine before removing fuel cap.

7. Store the earth drill and fuel in an area where fuel vapors cannot reach sources of combustion like water heaters, electric motors, switches, furnaces, etc.

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DIGGING SAFETY

1. Always assume the digging location contains buried underground utilities or obstructions.

Call 811 to determine if/where electrical cables, gas lines, water lines, etc. are buried BE-

FORE operation.

2. Always be sure that the area you are going to drill in is clear of potential hazards, such as pipes, rocks, wire, boards or any other materials that could possibly entangle itself around the auger bit or cause unstable footing before using the earth drill.

3. Keep others including children, animals, bystanders and helpers outside a 15 foot hazard zone from the earth drill.

4. Hold the earth drill handle bars firmly with both hands.

5. Keep firm footing and balance. Do not overreach.

6. Keep all parts of your body and clothing away from the auger bit and other moving parts.

7. Inspect the digging site. Soil conditions, job specifications and operator experience may dictate that a different earth drill or method be used to do the job.

8. Do not leave holes open or unmarked.

MAINTENANCE SAFETY

1. Maintain this earth drill according to recommended procedures included in this manual.

2. Disconnect the spark plug wire before performing maintenance. See engine manual.

3. Stop engine before removing fuel cap.

4. Use only genuine replacement parts as recommended by Ground Hog or the engine manufacturer.

TRANSPORTATION AND STORING SAFETY

1. Always shut off the fuel valve and engine before transporting or storing.

2. Always allow the engine to cool before transporting or storing.

3. Store earth drill and fuel in an area where fuel vapors cannot reach sources of combustion like, water heaters, electric motors, switches, furnaces, etc.

4. Always secure this earth drill with tie downs or similar restraints when transporting.

5. The earth drill shall be stored in a manner that prevents it from falling, rolling or tipping over.

C-71-5

INTRODUCTION

It is your responsibility as the operator or helper of this piece of equipment to know what specific requirements, precautions and work hazards that may exist on each job. You must read and understand all of the information contained in the operator’s manual and inform any person who might be assisting you.

The two-man earth drill is a unique tool, in that it is one of, if not the only hand held tool that requires the use of two people to operate it. For this reason you must be sure of the capabilities of the person assisting you. You must be sure that both you and your assistant understand the use of the tool and the risks involved.

NOTE: This machine is designed to drill holes in soil. It is not intended for any other purpose.

The rotation of the auger or drill bit on any type of earth drill will cause a counter rotation of the handle bars while drilling a hole. The force exerted on the operator will vary according to the type of soil, the diameter of the auger and the condition of the machine.

The force exerted on the operators will vary according to the type of soil, the diameter of the auger and the condition of the machine. In the event that the auger bit should encounter an object that stops the rotation suddenly, the digging force will be transmitted directly to the operators. For this reason, the operators must have secure footing and control of the machine and be mentally and physically prepared to react to this force.

Because the C-71-5 is a hand operated, portable type machine, it is limited in what it is capable of doing. The job site, soil conditions, job specifications and operator experience may dictate that a different tool or method be used to do the job.

NOTE: It is not recommended that engines of higherhorse power be installed on this machine. Consult the factory before making any modifications.

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KEY POINTS OF THE C-71-5

Stop Switch

Handle Bar

ThrottleLever

Gearbox

Output shaft

Belt Guard

Auger Attachment Pin

Auger Bit

C-71-5

DANGER

Determine that the earth drill is in its original, factory configuration and has not been modified or damaged and is not missing parts in any way. If there are any questions about possible modifications made to the earth drill, do not use until the modifications have been corrected using only genuine replacement parts as recommended by Ground Hog or the engine manufacturer.

STOPPING THE C-71-5

1. There are two remote stop switches on the earth drill, one for each operator. Either operator can turn the earth drill off at any time by switching the stop switch to the “

OFF “ position.

2. There is a third stop switch on the engine. Refer to the engine manual for its location on your particular earth drill.

DANGER

Keep bystanders clear when starting and using the earth drill.

Never connect or disconnect the auger while the engine is running.

Do not operate this earth drill indoors. For outdoor use only.

STARTING THE C-71-5

1. Move all stop switches to the “ON” position.

2. Start the engine following the procedures outlined in the engine manual supplied with the earth drill.

3. Before attaching the auger, always start the earthdrill at the job site and allow it to warm up. While the machine is running, check the controls to be sure that

STARTING WITH AUGER ATTACHED

1. After the engine has been allowed to warm up, and everything is operating as it should, shut the motor off and attach the auger using the auger attachment pin

(part #1300).

2. Following the procedures outlined in the engine manual supplied with the machine, start the engine. If the engine does not start after 3 pulls of the starter rope, disconnect the auger from the machine and determine the cause. When the machine is in operating condition again, follow the procedures listed above before proceeding to the next step.

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OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

WARNING

Hitting a buried object, such as a rock, could cause a sudden side thrust against the operator. Injury could occur if the operator is not prepared to deal with this condition.

The higher the handle bars are above the hips the less control the operators will have. If an object is encountered while the auger is turning, the handle bars could be jerked from the operators causing injury and cause damage to the machine.

DRILLING

1. Move in close enough to the machine to allow the left handle bar grip to rest firmly against your left side. Be sure the throttle is in the operators right hand and the other operator is directly opposite of you.

2. Slowly depress the throttle lever. Use caution here as the auger will start to turn and dig at this point.

NOTE: The more that you depress the throttle lever, the faster the auger will turn.

3. Allow the auger to dig at its own speed, keeping the auger straight in the hole. Increase or decrease the auger speed until you find a digging speed that you are comfortable with.

4. While the auger is penetrating the soil, allow the left handle bar grip to slide down left hip and upper leg. This position will allow the operators to maintain better control of the machine than if operated with arms extended.

NOTE: Digging speed and controllability are directly related to the overall condition of the machine, the type of soil and the ability of the operators.

5. Do not attempt to drill the hole in one pass, you could bury the auger. Drill to a depth of approximately one foot and lift the auger to spin the dirt off. Do not lift the auger completely out of the hole. Repeat this procedure until you have reached the required depth.

6. Turn off the machine and lift the rest of the dirt out for a clean hole.

WARNING

Do not move the earth drill if auger is rotating.

Be sure the engine is off or at an idle before moving the earth drill.

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OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS cont’d...

WARNING

Never connect or disconnect the auger or auger extensions while the engine is running.

DRILLING WITH EXTENSIONS

It is not recommended to dig with extensions longer than three feet long.

1. Following the directions listed under “DRILLING”, dig to the full depth of the auger without using an extension.

2. Stop the engine. Remove the auger from the earth drill and connect the extension shaft to the auger using the auger attachment pins (part #1300).

3. Put the auger and extension into the hole and reconnect the earth drill.

NOTE: Do not add extension without first cleaning out the hole. Failure to do so may result in a buried auger.

4. Following the instructions outlined in “DRILLING”, drill to the desired depth, adding extensions as needed.

WARNING

The earth drill shall be stored in a manner that prevents it from falling, rolling or tipping over.

WHEN NOT IN USE

• Do not lay power unit on side with auger bit attached.

• Detach auger bit when not in use.

• Store the earth drill and fuel in an area where fuel vapors cannot reach sources of combustion like water heaters, electric motors, switches, furnaces, etc.

• Always shut off the fuel valve and engine before storing or transporting.

• Always shut off all stop switches when not in use.

• Keep children, bystanders and animals clear of earth drill at all times.

• Secure the earth drill in a manner that will not allow it fall, tip over or roll.

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