Flextool PORTATROWEL FPT30 User manual

1300 353 986
flextool.com.au
Parchem Construction Supplies Pty Ltd
1956 Dandenong Rd, Clayton VIC 3168
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
PORTATROWEL™
FPT30
WARNING
To reduce the risk of injury, all operators and maintenance personnel must read and understand
these instructions before operating, changing accessories, or performing maintenance on this power
equipment. All possible situations cannot be covered in these instructions. However care must be
exercised by everyone using, maintaining or working near this equipment.

FLEXTOOL OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS PORTATROWEL
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1300 353 986 flextool.com.au
CONTENT
Introduction 2
Applications 2
Functions and controls 2
Hazards and risks 2
Operation 3
Care and preventive maintenance 4
Cleaning and storage 4
Spare parts and service 5
INTRODUCTION
General Safety Instructions for the Operation of
Power Equipment
The goal of Flextool is to produce power equipment that helps
the operator work safely and eciently. The most important
safety device for this or any tool is the operator. Care and good
judgement are the best protection against injury. All possible
hazards cannot be covered in this manual, but we have tried to
highlight some of the important items. Operators should look
for and obey Caution, Warning and Danger labels placed on the
equipment. Operators should read and follow safety instructions
packed with each product to learn how each machine works.
Even if you have previously used similar equipment carefully
check out each machine before you use it, get the "feel" for it
and know its capabilities, limitations, potential hazards, how it
operates, and how it stops.
APPLICATIONS
The PortaTrowel can be used for trowelling concrete from initial
oating and breaking in of the concrete right through to nishing
operations with is blade tilt / pitch capabilities and combination
trowel blades.
The PortaTrowel can be used across a wide range of applications
that include:
Residential foundations
Tilt and precast panels
Driveways and footpaths
FUNCTION AND CONTROLS
PORTATROWEL
The PortaTrowel reproduces the action of hand trowelling while
giving a higher quality dense nish with greater wear resistance.
The angle or pitch of the blades is adjustable during operation
from a oating position, with the blades completely at, to a
nishing position with the blades tilted. The following gure shows
the location of the controls and main operating functions for the
PortaTrowel.
1. Guard Ring – NEVER put hands or feet inside the guard ring
while the engine is running, Never operate the PortaTrowel
with a damaged guard ring or with the guard ring removed.
2. Blade Pitch Control – Turn the hand knob clockwise to
increase blade pitch, and counter-clockwise to decrease blade
pitch.
3. Engine – Honda GX35 (1.5hp) petrol engine.
4. ON / OFF Switch – On / o switch located on the handle for
easy access
5. Handle – The PortaTrowel handle is made up of multiple
1800mm clip together handles joined together to achieve the
required external reach of the PortaTrowel subject to each
specic job – The maximum number of 1800mm handles that
can be joined together is three – Extending the length beyond
three handles will result in reduced control of the unit.
6. Throttle Control Lever – Controls the speed of engine. Push
the lever downwards to increase engine speed, upwards to
decrease engine speed.
7. Gearbox – Transfers power from engine to the spider
assembly for blade rotation. Ensure concrete is not allowed to
build up on the gearbox and that the gearbox is cleaned after
each use. Build-up of concrete may cause the gearbox to
overheat
8. Spider Plate & Trowel Arm – Provides blade rotation and
pitch. Always clean and lubricate the spider plate and blades
arms after each use, spider plates and blades arms that are
not cleaned and maintained will result in uneven blade wear
and machine wobble that may impact the nal nish of the
concrete surface
9. Combination blades – Allows for both oating and nishing of
the concrete. Gloves should always be worn when replacing
or handling blades as worn blades will have a sharp edge.
HAZARDS AND RISKS
NEVER allow any person to operate equipment without
adequate instruction.
ENSURE all operators read, understand and follow the
operating instructions.
SERIOUS INJURY may result from improper or careless use of
this machine
MECHANICAL HAZARDS
1
2
3
4
5
7
6
8
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DO NOT operate the machine unless all protective guards &
covers are in place.
KEEP hands and feet clear of rotating and moving parts as
they will cause injury if contacted.
DO NOT leave the equipment in operation while it is
unattended.
ENSURE that the motor operation switch is in the OFF position
and the spark plug ignition lead is disconnected before
removing the guards or making adjustments.
DO NOT increase the governed no-load motor speed above
7000RPM. any increase may result in personal injury and
damage to the machine.
 Take care not to come in contact with the muer when the
engine is hot, since it may result in severe burns.
 When starting the trowel do not exceed ¼ throttle setting. A
higher setting could engage the centrifugal clutch causing the
blades to immediately start turning prior to the operator having
full control / grip of the handle.
 Be careful with the trowel around pipes sticking out of the oor
or other obstacles. Should the trowel blades catch on these,
serious damage to the machine or harm to the operator may
result.
ENSURE that repairs to machinery are carried out by
QUALIFIED & LICENCED personnel.
FIRE & EXPLOSION HAZARDS
 PETROL is extremely ammable and explosive under certain
conditions.
ENSURE that petrol is only stored in an approved storage
container.
 DO NOT refuel the motor while it is in operation or hot.
DO NOT refuel the motor in the vicinity of sparks, a naked
ame or a person smoking.
 DO NOT over ll the fuel tank and avoid spilling petrol when
refuelling. Spilled petrol or petrol vapour may ignite. If spillage
occurs, ensure that the area is dry before starting the motor.
Motor vibrations can cause an improperly tightened fuel cap
to loosen or come o and can result in fuel spills. In order to
reduce risk of fuel spillage and re, ensure fuel tank caps are
suciently tightened
NEVER attempt to refuel a petrol engine until it has been
stopped & completely removed from the operator.
CHEMICAL HAZARDS
 DO NOT operate or refuel a petrol motor in a conned space
without adequate ventilation.
 CARBON MONOXIDE exhaust gases from internal combustion
motor driven units can cause death in conned spaces.
NOISE HAZARDS
EXCESSIVE NOISE can lead to temporary or permanent loss
of hearing.
WEAR an approved hearing protection device to limit noise
exposure as required by Occupational Health and Safety
regulations. Noise levels in excess of 85dB(A) may be produced
by engines and concrete vibrators.
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
ALWAYS wear protective clothing and footwear to prevent the
skin coming into contact with wet concrete.
PROTECTIVE FOOTWARE should be worn to reduce injuries
from penetration through the sole, contact with cutting
objects, slipping and contact with wet concrete.
 EYE PROTECTION must also be worn to prevent eye injuries.
ADDITIONAL HAZARDS
 Slip/Trip/Fall is a major cause of serious injury or death.
Exercise caution and ensure that the perimeter of elevated
formwork or platforms is protected.
Exercise care when working in the vicinity of unprotected holes
or excavations
OPERATION
BEFORE OPERATION
The following items should be checked on a daily basis before
operating the trowel.
Engine oil level
 Blade condition and pitch control operation
Stop Switch operation
CONNECTING THE HANDLES
Only Flextool 1.8m Clip Together Handles can be used with the
PortaTrowel (Telescopic handles do not t)
1. Turn the locking knob to
loosen the control block
clamp from the PortaTrowel
handle connection adaptor,
slide the control block
upwards and remove from
the handle.
2. With the control block removed
from the PortaTrowel slide the
orange painted end of the clip
together handle through the
control block. Slide the control
block so that is sitting approx half
way along the handle (900mm
from either end) – Tighten the
control block into this position
with the locking knob.
3. With the control block now
locked halfway along the
handle push the silver end
of the handle with the push
button locking pin into the
PortaTrowel handle and
secure into position.

FLEXTOOL OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS PORTATROWEL
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STARTING THE ENGINE
1. Move the Throttle Control Lever to “MIN” position.
2. Move the Stop Switch to “ON” position.
3. Place the Choke Lever in the “CLOSED” position.
4. When starting cold or after prolonged use without prior
operation press the fuel prime bulb three times.
5. Grasp the start grip and slowly pull the rope towards you.
When hard resistance is felt, pull the starter grip briskly and
smoothly to start the engine.
6. If the engine starts, return the Choke Lever to “OPEN”
position; If the engine is not started, repeat step 5
7. Run the engine for a few minutes to make sure the machine is
in normal working condition.
8. To start trowelling, push the Throttle Control Lever towards
“MAX” position.
MANOEUVRING THE TROWEL
1. To move the trowel back and forth push the handle outwards
and then drag back toward you in the same way you would
operate a bulloat.
2. To move the trowel from left to right, gently twist the handle
from left to right using a slow and gentle motion, the tilt steer
function operates in the same way as a bulloat transferring
weight from the back to the front of the trowel.
PITCHING THE BLADES
1. To pitch the blades upward, turn the Pitch Control Knob
clockwise;
2. To lay the blades at, turn the knob counter-clockwise.
3. The pitch adjustment feature of the PortaTrowel permits quick
and accurate pitch changes of the trowel blades without
needing the change blade types mid job to suit varying
conditions over the slab surface, this allows the operator to do
the work faster and achieve a better slab nish.
FLOATING OPERATION
It is recommended that during oating, blades be kept in a at
position with the trowel working at ½ to ¾ of the full speed, and
each pass should overlap the previous by half the width of the
trowel. A second trowel pass may be required for the desired
nish. Crossover oating is recommended for this pass with blade
pitch at a slightly higher level and trowel at about ¾ of the full
speed. After the oated slab has set suciently it is ready for the
nishing operation.
CAUTION: Do not let the machine stand in one spot on the soft
concrete. Lift the trowel from the slab when the oating operation
is completed.
FINISHING OPERATION
Subject the desired concrete surface nish, the operator should
adjust the blade pitch based on the hardness or plasticity of the
concrete surface. When the concrete is wet or plastic, begin with
the blades lying at or at a small angle on the surface. When the
concrete has suciently hardened, increase the blade pitch and
keep it at a level corresponding to the concrete hardness and the
desired nish. Check the obtained nish and adjust blade pitch
as necessary. As a rule, the greater the blade pitch, the smoother
the nish. However, excessive blade pitch will cause the blades to
wear rapidly.
To ll a hole or cut down a hump, move the unit back and forth
over the hole or hump. More passes may be needed for the
desired surface nish.
CARE AND PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE
ENSURE repairs and maintenance of the trowelling machine is
performed by qualied personnel.
CAUTION: Make sure the engine is shut down and cool
enough before performing repairs and maintenance.
For preventive maintenance of the engine, please refer to the
Owner’s Manual of the Honda engine.
The following schedule should be followed when performing
regular maintenance of the trowel:
DAILY (8 – 10 HOURS)
Check the oil level in the engine crankcase before each use, rell
as necessary.
Keep the trowel clean and free of concrete residue after each use.
WEEKLY (50 – 60 HOURS)
Check and clean or replace engine air lter as necessary.
Check blades for their condition and adjust or replace if
necessary.
Relubricate trowel arms, thrust collars and pitch mechanism.
MONTHLY (200 – 300 HOURS)
Remove, clean, reinstall and relubricate the trowel arms and
thrust collars.
Check and adjust the trowel arms for alignment
CLEANING AND STORAGE
Keep the unit free from concrete build up.

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Model
Trowel
diameter
(mm)
(in)
Operating
weight
(kg)
Number
of
blades
Speed
range
(RPM)
Blade
pitch
max
(deg)
Engine
make
Engine
model
Max
rated
power
(Hp)
Fuel
type
Shipping
dimensions
(LxWxH)
(mm)
Shipping
weight
(Kg)
Product
code
FPT30 750
30" 20 4 40-70 25 Honda GX35 1.5Hp Petrol 775 x 775 x 480 25 FT201898- UNIT
FLEXTOOL®PORTATROWEL™
Rotor diameter Suits machine model
No. blades
per rotor
Size
(mm)
Shipping dimensions
(LxWxH) (mm)
Weight
(kg)
Blades
per pack Product code
30" PortaTrowel FPT30 4 150 x 265 150 x 265 x 20 1.9kg 4 FT201533-UNIT
FLEXTOOL®PORTATROWEL™REPLACEMENT BLADES FOUR PACK
Product code Description Maximum number of handles
FT401806-UNIT Flextool Clip Together Handle 180 mm Max 3 handles to be used at one time. Additional handles will
result in reduced control of the PortaTrowel
FLEXTOOL®CLIP TOGETHER HANDLE
Note: Only Clip Together handles can be used with the PortaTrowel FPT30 (Telescopic Handle does not fit)