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WALT Industrial Tool Co., 701 East Joppa Road, Baltimore, MD 21286
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Printed in U.S.A. (JUN00-CD-1) Form No. 384299-01
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS OR ANY D
US TOLL FREE AT 1-800-4-DEWALT (1-800-433-9258).
General Safety Instructions
WARNING! Read and understand all instructions. Failure to follow all instructions listed
below, may result in electric shock, fire and/or serious personal injury.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
WORK AREA
• Keep your work area clean and well lit. Cluttered benches and dark areas invite acci-
dents.
• Do not operate power tools in explosive atmospheres, such as in the presence of
flammable liquids, gases, or dust. Power tools create sparks which may ignite the dust
or fumes.
• Keep bystanders, children, and visitors away while operating a power tool.
Distractions can cause you to lose control.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY
• Grounded tools must be plugged into an outlet properly installed and grounded in
accordance with all codes and ordinances. Never remove the grounding prong or
modify the plug in any way. Do not use any adaptor plugs. Check with a qualified
electician if you are in doubt as to whether the outlet is properly grounded. If the tools
should electrically malfunction or break down, grounding provides a low resistance path to
carry electricity away from the user. Applicable only to Class I (grounded) tools
• Double insulated tools are equipped with a polarized plug (one blade is wider than
the other.) This plug will fit in a polarized outlet only one way. If the plug does not fit
fully in the outlet, reverse the plug. If it still does not fit, contact a qualified electrician
to install a polarized outlet. Do not change the plug in any way. Double insulation
eliminates the need for the three wire grounded power cord and grounded power supply
system. Applicable only to Class II (double insulated) tools.
• Avoid body contact with grounded surfaces such as pipes, radiators, ranges and
refrigerators. There is an increased risk of electric shock if your body is grounded.
• Don't expose power tools to rain or wet conditions. Water entering a power tool will
increase the risk of electric shock.
• Do not abuse the cord. Never use the cord to carry the tools or pull the plug from an
outlet. Keep cord away from heat, oil, sharp edges or moving parts. Replace dam-
aged cords immediately. Damaged cords increase the risk of electric shock.
• When operating a power tool outside, use an outdoor extension cord marked "W-A"
or "W." These cords are rated for outdoor use and reduce the risk of electric shock.
Recommended Minimum Wire Size for Extension Cords
Total Length of Cord
25 ft.
50 ft.
75 ft.
100 ft.
7.6 m
15.2 m
22.9 m
30.5 m
Wire Size
18 AWG
18 AWG
16 AWG 16 AWG 14 AWG 14 AWG 12 AWG
PERSONAL SAFETY
• Stay alert, watch what you are doing and use common sense when operating a power
tool. Do not use tool while tired or under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or medica-
tion. A moment of inattention while operating power tools may result in serious personal
injury,
• Dress properly. Do not wear loose clothing or jewelry. Contain long hair. Keep your
hair, clothing , and gloves away from moving parts. Loose clothes, jewelry, or long hair
can be caught in moving parts.
• Avoid accidental starting. Be sure switch is off before plugging in. Carrying tools with
DW303
Copyright © 1998
WALT TOOL, CALL
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125 ft.
150 ft.
175 ft.
38.1 m
45.7 m
53.3 m
your finger on the switch or plugging in tools that have the switch on invites accidents.
• Remove adjusting keys or wrenches before turning the tool on. A wrench or a key that
is left attached to a rotating part of the tool may result in personal injury.
• Do not overreach. Keep proper footing and balance at all times. Proper footing and bal-
ance enables better control of the tool in unexpected situations.
• Use safety equipment. Always wear eye protection. Dust mask, non-skid safety shoes,
hard hat, or hearing protection must be used for appropriate conditions.
TOOL USE AND CARE
• Use clamps or other practical way to secure and support the workpiece to a stable
platform. Holding the work by hand or against your body is unstable and may lead to loss
of control.
• Do not force tool. Use the correct tool for your application. The correct tool will do the
job better and safer at the rate for which it is designed.
• Do not use tool if switch does not turn it on or off. Any tool that cannot be controlled
with the switch is dangerous and must be repaired.
• Disconnect the plug from the power source before making any adjustments, chang-
ing accessories, or storing the tool. Such preventative safety measures reduce the risk
of starting the tool accidentally.
• Store idle tools out of reach of children and other untrained persons. Tools are dan-
gerous in the hands of untrained users.
• Maintain tools with care. Keep cutting tools sharp and clean. Properly maintained tools,
with sharp cutting edges are less likely to bind and are easier to control.
• Check for misalignment or binding of moving parts, breakage of parts, and any other
condition that may affect the tools operation. If damaged, have the tool serviced
before using. Many accidents are caused by poorly maintained tools.
• Use only accessories that are recommended by the manufacturer for your model.
Accessories that may be suitable for one tool, may become hazardous when used on anoth-
er tool.
SERVICE
• Tool service must be performed only by qualified repair personnel. Service or mainte-
nance performed by unqualified personnel could result in a risk of injury.
• When servicing a tool, use only identical replacement parts. Follow instructions in
the Maintenance section of this manual. Use of unauthorized parts or failure to follow
Maintenance Instructions may create a risk of electric shock or injury.
Additional Specific Safety Rules
• Hold tool by insulated gripping surfaces when performing an operation where the
cutting tool may contact hidden wiring or its own cord. Contact with a "live" wire will
make exposed metal parts of the tool "live" and shock the operator.
WARNING: Some dust created by power sanding, sawing, grinding, drilling, and other con-
struction activities contains chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproduc-
tive harm. Some examples of these chemicals are:
• lead from lead-based paints,
• crystalline silica from bricks and cement and other masonry products, and
• arsenic and chromium from chemically-treated lumber (CCA).
Your risk from these exposures varies, depending on how often you do this type of work. To
reduce your exposure to these chemicals: work in a well ventilated area, and work with
approved safety equipment, such as those dust masks that are specially designed to filter out
microscopic particles.
• The label on your tool may include the following symbols.
V............................volts
A............................amperes
Hz..........................hertz
W ..........................watts
min ........................minutes
..........................alternating current
......................direct current
n o ..........................no load speed
.......................... Class II Construction
.../min....................revolutions or reciprocation per minute
..........................earthing terminal
..........................safety alert symbol
Switch (Variable Speed) (Fig. 1)
The variable speed trigger switch will give you added versatility. The further the trigger is depressed
the higher the speed of the saw. To turn the tool "OFF" release the trigger.
CAUTION: Use of very slow speed is recommended only for beginning a cut. Prolonged use at
very slow speed may damage your saw
Blade Clamping (Fig. 2)
CA
UTION: TURN OFF AND UNPLUG SAW.
To install blade into saw:
1. Loosen set screw.
2. Insert blade shank from the front between the reciprocating shaft and the blade clamp.
Locate hole in blade over pin on reciprocating shaft.
3. Tighten set screw. If the blade should break off and the shank does not come out of the clamp,
be sure the set screw is loose and eject the shank with a nail or pointed object.
CA
UTION: THE BLADE GUARD IS THERE FOR YOUR SAFETY. DO NOT REMOVE IT.
Flush-To Cutting (Fig. 3)
The compact design of the saw motor housing and spindle housing permits extremely close cutting to
floors, corners and other difficult areas.
CAUTION: When sawing into walls, floors or wherever "live" electrical wires may be encountered,
DO NOT TOUCH ANY FRONT METAL PARTS OF THE TOOL! Hold the tool only by the plastic han-
dle and housing to prevent electric shock if you saw into a "live" wire.
CAUTION: Always wear eye protection while operating this power tool.
Wood Cutting (Fig. 4)
Before cutting any type of wood, be sure it is firmly anchored or clamped to prevent slipping. Place
blade lightly against work to be cut, switch on saw motor and allow it to obtain maximum speed before
applying pressure. Always hold saw firmly with both hands while cutting. Whenever possible, the saw
shoe must be held firmly against the material being cut. This will prevent the saw from jumping or
vibrating and minimize blade breakage.
Metal Cutting (Fig. 5)
This unit has different metal cutting capacities depending upon type of blade used and the metal to
be cut. Use a finer blade for ferrous metals and a coarse blade for non-ferrous materials. In thin gauge
sheet metals it is best to clamp wood to both sides of sheet. This will insure a clean cut without excess
vibration or tearing of metal. Always remember not to force cutting blade as this reduces blade life and
causes costly blade breakage.
NOTE: It is generally recommended that when cutting metals you should spread a thin film of oil or
other coolant along the line ahead of the saw cut for easier operation and longer blade life.
Pocket Cutting (Fig. 6) (Wood Only)
The initial step in pocket cutting is to measure the surface area to be cut and mark clearly with a pen-
cil, chalk or scriber. Insert pocket cutting blade in blade clamp and tighten blade clamp securely. Next,
tip the saw backward until the back edge of the shoe is resting on the work surface. Now switch motor
on, always permitting blade to attain maximum speed. Grip handle steadily and begin a slow, delib-
erate upward swing with the handle of the saw. Blade will begin to feed into material. Always be sure
blade is completely through material before continuing with pocket cut.
NOTE: In areas where blade visibilty is limited, use the edge of the saw shoe as a guide. Lines for
any given cut should be extended beyond edge of cut to be made.