Festool TS 55 EBQ - Manual (Page 15)

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specially designed for your saw, for optimum
performance and safety of operation.
i) Wear suitable protection such as
ear protection, safety goggles, a
dust mask for work which gener-
ates dust, and protective gloves
when working with raw materials
and when changing tools.
2) Kickback causes and relates warnings
- 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 result of saw misuse and/or incor-
rect operating procedures or conditions and can
be avoided by taking proper precautions as given
below.
a) Maintain a fi rm 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 opera-
tor, if proper precautions are taken.
b) 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 cor-
rective actions to eliminate the cause of blade
binding.
c) 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.
d) 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.
e) Do not use dull or damaged blades. Unsharp-
ened or improperly set blades produces narrow
kerf causing expressive friction, blade binding
and kickback.
f) Blade depth and bevel adjusting locking levers
must be tight and secure before making cut.
If blade adjustment shifts while cutting, it may
cause binding and kickback.
g) Use extra caution when making a "plunge cut"
into existing walls or other blind areas. The
protruding blade may cut objects that can cause
kickback.
3) Guard function
a) Check guard for proper closing before each
use. Do not operate the saw if guard does not
move freely and enclose the blade instantly.
Never clamp or tie the guard so that the blade
is exposed. If saw is accidentally dropped, guard
may be bent. Check to make sure that guard
moves freely and does not touch the blade or
any other part, in all angles and depths of cut.
b) Check the operation and condition of the guard
return spring. If the guard and the spring are
not operation properly, they must be serviced
before use. Guard may operate sluggishly due to
damaged parts, gummy deposits, or a build-up
of debris.
c) Assure that the base plate of the saw will not
shift while performing the "plunge cut" when
the blade bevel setting is not at 90°. Blade
shifting sideways will cause binding and likely
kick back.
d) Always observe that the guard is covering the
blade before placing saw down on bench or
fl oor. 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.
4) Riving knife function
a) Use the appropriate saw blade for the riving
knife. For the riving knife to work, it must be
thicker than the body of the blade but thinner
than the tooth set of the blade.
b) Adjust the riving knife as described in this in-
struction manual. Incorrect spacing, positioning
and alignment can make the riving knife inef-
fective in preventing kickback.
c) Always use the riving knife, even when "plunge
cutting". The riving knife is being pressed up-
wards during plunge cutting and springs back
automatically into the kerf after plunge cutting
when you move the saw forward.
d) For the riving knife to work, it must be engaged