16
piece.
• 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 the power tool only by the insulated gripping
surfaces when performing an operation where the
cutting tool may contac hidden wiring or its own cord.
Contact with a “live” wire will also make exposed metal
parts of the power 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 of
arbour holes. Blades that do not match the coupling
elements 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 desig-
ned 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 reac-
tion 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 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 jagged 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 ad-
justment 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 bla-
de may cut objects tha 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 acciden-
tally 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 bla-
de 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 suitable detectors to determine if utility lines
are hidden in the work area or call the local utility
company for assistance. The 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
