Kickback Causes And Related Warnings; Lower Guard Function - Skil 5865 Original Instructions Manual

f) keep cutting tools sharp and clean. Properly
maintained cutting tools with sharp cutting edges are less
likely to bind and are easier to control.
g) Use the power tool, accessories and tool bits etc.,
in accordance with these instructions, taking into
account the working conditions and the work to be
performed. Use of the power tool for operations
different from those intended could result in a hazardous
situation.
5) SERVICE
a) Have your power tool serviced by a qualified repair
person using only identical replacement parts. This
will ensure that the safety of the power tool is
maintained.
SAFEtY WARNINGS FOR CIRCULAR SAWS
1) CUttING PROCEDURES
a) DANGER : keep hands away from cutting area
and the blade. keep your second hand on auxiliary
handle, or motor housing. If both hands are holding the
saw, they can not be cut by the blade.
b) Do not reach underneath the workpiece. The guard
cannot protect you from the blade below the workpiece.
c) 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.
d) 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.
e) Hold the power tool by insulated gripping surfaces
only, when performing an operation where the
cutting tool may contact hidden wiring or its own
cord. Contact with a "live" wire will also make exposed
metal parts of the power tool "live" and could give the
operator an electric shock.
f) When ripping always use a parallel guide or straight
edge guide. This improves the accuracy of cut and
reduces the chance of blade binding.
g) Always use blades with correct size and shape
(diamond versus round) of arbour holes. Blades that
do not match the mounting hardware of the saw will run
eccentrically, causing loss of control.
h) Never use damaged or incorrect blade washers or
bolt. The blade washers and bolt were specially
designed for your saw, for optimum performance and
safety of operation.

2) kICkBACk CAUSES AND RELAtED 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 towards 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
a) 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.
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
backwards while the blade is in motion or kickback
may occur. Investigate and take corrective actions to
eliminate the cause of blade binding. Avoid cutting nails
or screws.
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. Unsharpened or
improperly set blades produce narrow kerf causing
excessive 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 sawing into existing walls or
other blind areas. The protruding blade may cut objects
that can cause kickback.

3) LOWER GUARD FUNCtION

a) 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
accidentally dropped, lower guard may be bent. Disconnect
the plug, 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.
b) 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.
c) 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.
d) 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.
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