4
SERVICE
Tool service must be performed only by qualified
repair personnel.
Service or maintenance performed by
unqualified personnel may result in a risk of injury.
GENERAL SAFETY RULES
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
shock or injury.
SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES
DANGER! Keep hands away from cutting area and
blade. Keep your second hand on auxiliary handle or
motor housing.
If both hands are holding the saw, they
cannot be cut by the blade.
Keep your body positioned to either side of the saw
blade, but not in line with the saw blade.
KICKBACK
could cause the saw to jump backwards. (see KICK-
BACK)
Do not reach underneath the work.
The guard cannot
protect you from the blade below the work.
Check the lower guard for proper closing before
each use. Do not operate 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 ac-
cidentally 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 and condition 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 buildup of debris.
Lower guard should be retracted manually only for
special cuts such as “Pocket Cuts” and “Compound
Cuts.” Raise lower guard by Retracting Handle. As
soon as blade enters the material, 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 re-
leased.
NEVER hold piece being cut in your hands or across
your leg.
It is important to support the work properly to
minimize body exposure, blade binding, or loss of con-
trol.
Hold tool by insulated gripping surfaces when per-
forming an operation where the cutting tool may
contact hidden wiring.
Contact with a “live” wire will also
make exposed metal parts of the tool “live” and shock
the operator.
When ripping always use a rip fence for a straight edge
guide.
This improves the accuracy of cut and reduces
the chance of blade binding.
Always use blades with correct size and shape (dia-
mond vs. round) arbor 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
bolts.
The blade washers and bolt were specially de-
signed for the saw, for optimum performance and safety
of operation.
CAUSES AND OPERATOR PREVENTION OF
KICKBACK:
Kickback is a sudden reaction to a pinched, bound, or mis-
aligned 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 clos-
ing 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 a result of tool misuse and/or incorrect operat-
ing procedures or conditions and can be avoided by taking
proper precautions as given below:
Maintain a firm grip on the saw and position your body
and arm in a way that allows you to resist KICKBACK
forces.
KICKBACK forces can be controlled by the opera-
tor, 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, center the
saw blade in the kerf and check that 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 restarted.
