or motor housing. If both hands are holding the saw, they
cannot be cut by the blade.
Do not reach underneath the workpiece. The guard
cannot protect you from the blade below the workpiece.
Adjust the cutting depth to the thickness of the
workpiece. Less than a full tooth of the blade teeth should
be visible below the workpiece.
Never hold the workpiece being cut in your hands or
across your leg. Secure the workpiece to a stable platform.
It is important to support the work properly to minimize
body exposure, blade binding, or loss of control.
Hold power tool by the insulated gripping surfaces,
when performing an operation where the cutting tool
may run into hidden wiring. Contact with a "live" wire will
make exposed metal parts of the tool "live" and shock the
operator.
When ripping always use a rip fence or straight edge
guide. This improves the accuracy of cut and reduces the
chance of blade binding.
Always use blades with correct size and shape
(diamond versus round) of arbour holes. Blades that
do not match the mounting hardware of the saw will run
eccentrically, causing loss of control.
Never use damaged or incorrect blade washers or
bolt. The blade washers and bolt were specially designed
for your saw, for optimum performance and safety of
operation.
Causes and operator prevention of kickback:
–
Kickback is a sudden reaction to a pinched, bound or
misaligned saw blade, causing an uncontrolled saw to lift
up and out of the workpiece toward the operator.
–
When the blade is pinched or bound tightly by the kerf
closing down, the blade stalls and the motor reaction drives
the unit rapidly back toward the operator.
–
If the blade becomes twisted or misaligned in the cut,
the teeth at the back edge of the blade can dig into the
top surface of the wood causing the blade to climb out
of the kerf and jump back toward the operator. Kickback
is the result of saw misuse and/or incorrect operating
procedures or conditions and can be avoided by taking
proper precautions as given below.
Maintain a firm grip with both hands on the saw and
position your arms to resist kickback forces. Position your
body to either side of the blade, but not in line with the
blade. Kickback could cause the saw to jump backwards,
but kickback forces can be controlled by the operator, if
proper precautions are taken.
When blade is binding, or when interrupting a cut for
any reason, release the trigger and hold the saw motionless
in the material until the blade comes to a complete stop.
Never attempt to remove the saw from the work or pull the
saw backward while the blade is in motion or kickback may
occur. Investigate and take corrective actions to eliminate
the cause of blade binding.
When restarting a saw in the workpiece, centre the
saw blade in the kerf and check that saw teeth are not
engaged into the material. If saw blade is binding, it may
walk up or kickback from the workpiece as the saw is
4
restarted.
Support large panels to minimise the risk of blade pinching
and kickback. Large panels tend to sag under their own weight.
Supports must be placed under the panel on both sides, near
the line of cut and near the edge of the panel.
Do not use dull or damaged blades. Unsharpened
or improperly set blades produce narrow kerf causing
excessive friction, blade binding and kickback.
Blade depth and bevel adjusting locking levers must
be tight and secure before making cut. If blade adjustment
shifts while cutting, it may cause binding and kickback.
Use extra caution when making a "plunge cut" into
existing walls or other blind areas. The protruding blade
may cut objects that can cause kickback.
Check lower guard for proper closing before each
use. Do not operate the saw if lower guard does not move
freely and close instantly. Never clamp or tie the lower
guard into the open position. If saw is accidentally dropped,
lower guard may be bent. Raise the lower guard with the
retracting handle and make sure it moves freely and does
not touch the blade or any other part, in all angles and
depths of cut.
Check the operation of the lower guard spring. If
the guard and the spring are not operating properly, they
must be serviced before use. Lower guard may operate
sluggishly due to damaged parts, gummy deposits, or a
build-up of debris.
Lower guard should be retracted manually only for
special cuts such as "plunge cuts" and "compound cuts".
Raise lower guard by retracting handle and as soon
as blade enters the material, the lower guard must be
released. For all other sawing, the lower guard should
operate automatically.
Always observe that the lower guard is covering
the blade before placing saw down on bench or floor. An
unprotected, coasting blade will cause the saw to walk
backwards, cutting whatever is in its path. Be aware of the
time it takes for the blade to stop after switch is released.
Do not reach into the saw dust ejector with your
hands. They could be injured by rotating parts.
Do not work overhead with the saw. In this manner
you do not have sufficient control over the power tool.
Use appropriate detectors to determine if utility
lines are hidden in the work area or call the local utility
company for assistance. Contact with electric lines can
lead to fire and electric shock. Damaging a gas line can
lead to explosion. Penetrating a water line causes property
damage or may cause an electric shock.
Do not operate the power tool stationary. It is not
designed for operation with a saw table.
Do not use high speed steel (HSS) saw blades. Such
saw blades can easily break.
Do not saw ferrous metals. Red hot chips can ignite
the dust extraction.
When working with the machine, always hold it firmly
with both hands and provide for a secure stance. The
power tool is guided more secure with both hands.
Secure the workpiece. A workpiece clamped with