Porter-Cable 743 - Manual (Page 4)

4
SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES AND SYMBOLS FOR CIRCULAR
SAWS
1. 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.
2.
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 “Causes and Operator Prevention of KICKBACK”).
3.
Do not reach underneath the work. The guard cannot protect you from
the blade below the work.
4.
Check 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
accidentally 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.
5.
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.
6.
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.
7.
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.
8.
NEVER hold piece being cut in your hands or across your Ieg. It is
important to support the work properly to minimize body exposure, blade
binding, or loss of control.
9.
Hold tool by insulated gripping surfaces when performing an
operation where the cutting tools 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.
10. When ripping always use a rip fence or straight edge guide. This
improves the accuracy of cut and reduces the chance for blade binding.
11. Always use blades with correct size and shape (diamond vs. round)
arbor holes. Blades that do not match the mounting hardware of the saw will
run eccentrically, causing loss of control.
12. Never use damaged or incorrect blade washers or bolts. The blade
washers and bolt were specially designed for your saw, for optimum
performance and safety of operation.
13. 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 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 the result of tool misuse and/or incorrect operating procedures or
conditions and can be avoided by taking proper precautions as given below:
14. 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 operator, if proper precautions are taken.
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