Craftsman CONTRACTOR 351.21833 - Manual (Page 3)

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• Know your tool. Learn the tool’s operation, application and
specific limitations.
• Handle workpiece correctly. Press firmly against table.
Protect hands from possible injury.
• Turn machine off if it jams. Blade jams when it digs too
deeply into workpiece. (Motor force keeps it stuck in the
work.)
• Feed work into the blade only as recommended in
“Operation.”
WARNING: For your own safety, do not operate your saw until it
is completely assembled and installed according to instructions.
STABILITY OF SAW
If there is any tendency for the saw to tip over or move during
certain cutting operations, such as cutting extremely heavy
panels or long heavy boards, the saw should be bolted down.
If you attach any kind of extensions over 24
″ wide to either
end of the saw, make sure you either bolt the saw to the floor,
as appropriate, or support the outer end of the extension from
the bench or floor, as appropriate.
LOCATION
The saw should be positioned so neither the operator nor a
casual observer is forced to stand in line with the saw blade.
KICKBACKS
A kickback occurs during a rip-type operation when a part or
all of workpiece is thrown back violently toward operator.
Keep your face and body to one side of the saw blade, out of
line with a possible kickback.
Kickbacks and possible injury from them can usually be avoid-
ed by:
• Maintaining rip fence parallel to saw blade.
• Keeping saw blade sharp. Replace or sharpen anti-kick-
back pawls when points become dull.
• Keeping saw blade guard, spreader, and anti-kickback
pawls in place and operating properly. The spreader must
be in alignment with the saw blade and the pawls must
stop a kickback once it has started. Check their action
before ripping.
• Not ripping work that is twisted or warped or does not
have a straight edge to guide along the rip fence.
• Not releasing work until you have pushed it all the way
past the saw blade.
• Using a push stick for ripping widths less than 6 inches.
• Not confining the cutoff piece when ripping or crosscutting.
PROTECTION: EYES, HANDS, FACE, BODY, EARS
• If any part of your saw is missing, malfunctioning , or has
been damaged or broken (such as the motor switch, elec-
tronic controls, other operating control, a safety device or
power cord), cease operating immediately until the partic-
ular part is properly repaired or replaced.
• Wear safety goggles that comply with United States ANSI
Z87.1 and a face shield or dust mask if operation is dusty.
Wear ear plugs or muffs during extended periods of oper-
ation.
• Small loose pieces of wood or other objects that contact
the rear of the revolving blade can be thrown back at the
operator at excessive speed. This can usually be avoided
by keeping the guard and spreader in place for all thru-
sawing operations (sawing entirely thru work) and by
removing all loose pieces from the table with a long stick
of wood immediately after they are cut off.
• Use extra caution when the guard assembly is removed for
resawing, dadoing, or rabbeting—replace guard as soon
as that operation is completed.
• Never turn the saw ON before clearing the table of all
tools, wood scraps, etc., except the workpiece and related
feed or support devices for the operation planned.
• Never place your face or body in line with the cutting tool.
• Never place your fingers or hands in path of saw blade or
other cutting tool.
• For rip or rip-type cuts, the following end of a workpiece to
which a push stick or push board is applied must be
square (perpendicular to the fence) in order that feed
pressure applied to the workpiece by the push stick or
block does not cause the workpiece to come away from
the fence, and possibly cause a kickback.
• During rip and rip-type cuts, workpiece must be held down
on table and against fence with a push stick, push block,
or featherboards, as applicable (see Figures 1a and 1b,
page 4).
The push stick and push block examples shown below are use-
ful for keeping hands and fingers away from saw blade during
ripping, rabbeting and dadoing. Apply downward pressure and
push workpiece through the cut and past the blades. Several
other configurations may be suitable for safe operation.
Featherboards are used to keep the work in contact with the rip
fence or table during the cutting operation. Use of featherboards
can help to prevent kickbacks and binding. Featherboards
should be used for all “non thru-sawing” operations.
• Never reach in back of the cutting tool with either hand to
hold down or support the workpiece, remove wood scraps,
or for any other reason. Avoid awkward operations and
hand positions where a sudden slip could cause fingers or
hand to move into a saw blade or other cutting tool.
• Do not perform layout, assembly, or setup work on the
table while the cutting tool is rotating.
• Do not perform any operation freehand—always use either
rip fence or miter gauge to position and guide the work.
• Never use the rip fence when cross-cutting or the miter gauge
when ripping. Do not use rip fence as a length stop. Never
hold onto or touch free-end of workpiece or a free-piece that
is cut off, while power is ON and/or saw blade is rotating.
• Shut the saw OFF and disconnect power source when
removing the table insert, changing the cutting tool,
removing or replacing the blade guard, or making adjust-
ments.
• Provide adequate support to the rear and sides of the saw
table for wide or long workpieces.
• Plastic and composition materials (like hardboard) may be
cut on your saw. However, since these are usually quite
hard and slippery, the anti-kickback pawls may not stop a
kickback. Therefore, be especially attentive to following
proper setup and cutting procedures for ripping. Do not
stand, or permit anyone else to stand, in line with a poten-
tial kickback.
• If you stall or jam the saw blade in the workpiece, turn saw
OFF and remove the workpiece from the saw blade.
Check to see if the saw blade is parallel to the miter
gauge grooves and if the spreader is in proper alignment
with the saw blade. If ripping at the time, check to see if
the rip fence is parallel with the saw blade. Readjust as
required.
• Do not remove small pieces of cutoff material that may
become trapped inside the blade guard while the saw is
running. This could endanger your hands or cause kick-
back. Turn saw OFF and wait until blade stops.