300 Power Drive
Machine and Work Area Set-Up
WARNING
To prevent serious injury, proper set-up of the
machine and work area is required. The following
procedures should be followed to set-up the machine:
1. Locate a work area that has the following:
• Adequate lighting.
• No flammable liquids, vapors or dust that may ignite.
• Grounded electrical outlet.
• Clear path to the electrical outlet that does not
contain any sources of heat or oil, sharp edges or
moving parts that may damage electrical cord.
• Dry place for machine and operator. Do not use
the machine while standing in water.
• Level ground.
2. Clean up the work area prior to setting up any equip-
ment. Always wipe up any oil that may have splashed
or dripped from the machine or oiler to prevent slips
and falls.
3. Set up the Power Drive on a flat, level surface.
• For a Power Drive mounted on a 1206 Stand,
open legs of stand and push down on the tray.
Legs should be stiff and stand should not wobble.
NOTE! To increase or decrease leg stiffness, refer to
instructions on "Mounting On 1206 Stand".
4. If the workpiece extends more than four (4) feet
beyond the Power Drive, use one or more pipe stands
to prevent tipping and the oscillation of the pipe.
5. If the workpiece extends beyond the Power Drive, set-
up guards or barricades to create a minimum of
three (3) feet of clearance around the Power Drive
and workpiece. This "safety zone" prevents others
from accidentally contacting the machine or workpiece
and either causing the equipment to tip or becoming
entangled in the rotating parts.
6. If necessary, fill the 418 Oiler with RIDGID Thread
Cutting Oil. Position the oiler under the front of the
Power Drive (Figure 3).
7. Make sure FOR/OFF/REV switch is in the OFF posi-
tion.
8. Position the foot switch so that the operator can
safely control the machine, tools and workpiece. As
shown in Figure 8, it should allow the operator to
do the following:
• Stand facing the directional switch.
• Use the foot switch with his left foot.
• Have convenient access to the directional switch,
tools and chucks without reaching across the
machine.
Machine is designed for one person operation.
9. Plug the Power Drive into the electrical outlet making
sure to position the power cord along the clear path
selected earlier. If the power cord does not reach
the outlet, use an extension cord in good condition.
To avoid electrical shock and electrical fires, never use
an extension cord that is damaged or does not meet the
following requirements:
• The cord has a three-prong plug similar to shown
in Electrical Safety section.
• The cord is rated as "W" or "W-A" if being used
outdoors.
• The cord has sufficient wire thickness (14 AWG
below 25'/12 AWG 25' - 50'). If the wire thickness is
too small, the cord may overheat, melting the cord's
insulation or causing nearby objects to ignite.
WARNING
all electrical connections dry and off the ground. Do
not touch plug with wet hands.
10. Check the Power Drive to insure it is operating properly.
• Flip the directional switch to FOR (Forward). Press
and release the foot switch. Check that the Power
Drive rotates in a counterclockwise direction as you
are facing the front chuck. Have the Power Drive
serviced if it rotates in the wrong direction or if the
foot switch does not control its stopping or starting.
• Depress and hold the foot switch. Inspect the mov-
ing parts for misalignment, binding, odd noises or
any other unusual conditions that may affect the safe
and normal operation of the machine. If such con-
ditions are present, have the power drive serviced.
• Flip the directional switch to REV (Reverse). Press
and release the foot switch. Check that the Power
Drive rotates in a clockwise direction as you are fac-
ing the chuck.
• Release the foot switch and flip the directional
switch to OFF.
Ridge Tool Company
WARNING
To reduce risk of electrical shock, keep
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