OPERATION
STORAGE continued...
The miter gauge storage area is shown in (A) Fig.22. The blade guard storage area
is shown in (B) Fig.22.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS BEFORE OPERATION
The operation of power tools involves a certain amount of hazard for the operator.
Before attempting regular work we recommend you get the feel of operations using
scrap lumber to check settings. Read entire instructions before you start to cut
workpiece. Always pay attention to safety precautions to avoid personal injury.
OPERATION
Plain sawing includes ripping and crosscutting, plus a few other standard operations
of a fundamental nature. The methods on this page feature safety. As with all power
tools there is a certain amount of hazard involved with the operation and use of the tool. Using the tool with the respect and caution demanded
as far as safety precautions are concerned will considerably lessen the possibility of personal injury. However, if normal safety precautions are
overlooked or completely ignored, personal injury to the operator can develop. It is good practice to make trial cuts using scrap material when
setting up your saw for operation. It is critically important to use the correct blade for each cutting operation.
CROSSCUTTING
Crosscutting requires the use of the miter gauge to position and guide the work. Place the work against the miter gauge and advance both the
miter gauge and work toward the saw blade. The miter gauge may be used in either table T-slot, however, most operators prefer the left groove
for average work. When bevel cutting (blade tilted), use the right side table T-slot so that it doesn’t interfere with the tilted saw blade. The blade
guard must be used. The guard has a riving knife to prevent the saw kerf from closing.
Start the cut slowly and hold the work firmly against the miter gauge and the table. One of the rules in running a saw is that you never hang onto
or touch a free piece of work. Hold the supported piece, not the free piece that is cut off. The feed in crosscutting continues until the work is cut
in two, then the miter gauge and work are pulled back to the starting point. Before pulling the work back it is good practice to give the work a little
sideways shift to move the work slightly away from the saw blade.
Never pick up any short length of free work from the table while the saw is running. A smart operator never touches a cut-off piece unless it is at
least a foot long. Never use the rip fence as a cut-off gauge when crosscutting.
RIPPING
Ripping is the operation of making a lengthwise cut through a board, the rip fence is used to position and guide the work. One edge of the work
rides against the rip fence while the flat side of the board rest on the table. Since the work is pushed along the fence, it must have a straight edge
and make solid contact with the table. The blade guard must be used. The guard has a riving knife to prevent the saw kerf from closing.
Start the motor and advance the work holding it down and against the fence. Never, stand in the line of the saw cut when ripping. Hold the work
with both hands and push it along the fence and into the saw blade. The work can then be fed through the saw blade with one or two hands.
When this is done the work will either stay on the table, tilt up slightly and be caught by the rear end of the guard or slide off the table to the floor.
Alternately, the feed can continue to the end of the table, after which the work is lifted and brought back along the outside edge of the fence. The
waste stock remains on the table and is not touched with the hands until the saw is stopped unless it is a large piece allowing safe removal.
FIGURE 22
