3. BLADE TWISTING (MIS-
ALIGNMENT IN CUT)
A. Pushing harder to cut
through a knot, a nail, or
a hard grain area can
cause the blade to
twist.
B. Trying to turn the saw in
the cut (trying to get
back on the marked
line) can cause blade
twist.
C. Extended reach or operating saw with poor body control (out
of balance), can result in twisting the blade.
D. Changing hand grip or body position while cutting can result
in blade twist.
E. Backing unit up to clear blade can lead to twist if not done
carefully.
4. MATERIALS THAT REQUIRE EXTRA ATTENTION
A. Wet lumber
B. Green lumber (material freshly cut or not kiln dried)
C. Pressure treated lumber (material treated with preservatives
or anti-rot chemicals)
5. USE OF DULL OR DIRTY BLADES
Dull blades cause increased loading of the saw. To
compensate, an operator will usually push harder which further
loads the unit and promotes twisting of the blade in the kerf.
Worn blades may also have insufficient body clearance which
increases the chance of binding and increased loading.
6. LIFTING THE SAW WHEN MAKING BEVEL CUTS
Bevel cuts require special operator attention to proper cutting
techniques – especially guidance of the saw. Both blade angle
to the shoe and greater blade surface in the material increase
the chance for binding and misalignment (twist) to occur.
7. RESTARTING A CUT WITH THE BLADE TEETH JAMMED
AGAINST THE MATERIAL
The saw should be brought up to full operating speed before
starting a cut or restarting a cut after the unit has been stopped
with the blade in the kerf. Failure to do so can cause stalling
and kickback.
Any other conditions which could result in pinching, binding, twisting,
or misalignment of the blade could cause kickback. Refer to the
sections on “Adjustments And Set-Up” and “Operation” for
procedures and techniques that will minimize the occurrence of
kickback.
Blades
A dull blade will cause slow, inefficient cutting, overload on the saw
motor, excessive splintering and increase the possibility of kickback.
It is a good practice to keep extra blades on hand so that sharp
blades are available while the dull ones are being sharpened (See
“SAWS-SHARPENING” in the Yellow Pages). In fact, many lower
priced blades can be replaced with new ones at very little cost over
the sharpening price.
Hardened gum on the blade will slow down the cutting. This gum
can best be removed with trichlorethylene, kerosene, turpentine or
oven cleaner.
DeWalt manufactures a complete line of 7-1/4” (180mm) diameter
saw blades and they are available from your authorized service
center.
VISUALLY EXAMINE CARBIDE BLADES BEFORE USE.
REPLACE IF DAMAGED.
Accessories
Recommended accessories for use with your tool are available at
extra cost from your local service center. A complete listing of service
centers is included with your tool.
9
English
FIG. 20
384102/DW359-220 5/2/02 3:15 PM Page 9
