Porter-Cable 7549 Instruction Manual page 14

Fig. 10
First, measure the area to be cut out and mark it clearly with a pencil chalk
or scriber. Choose a convenient starting point and hold the bayonet saw
over the point and inside the line of waste. Tip the machine forward until the
front edge of the base rests firmly on the surface of the material with the tip
of the blade clear of the work surface, as shown in Fig. 10. Turn motor "on"
and slowly lower the back of the machine until the base is fully seated on the
surface of the work. Now, guide the cutting along the inside of the marked
area. If sharp corners are desired cut right up to the corner of the marked
edge. Stop and back up just a bit, start the turn and cut along the side. Do
the same at each corner until you end up where you started. Then, go back
and cut into each corner from the opposite direction. The base of the
machine is wide enough so you will have a solid guiding surface on either
side of the cut.
USING THE SAW
First, secure the material in a bench vise or with clamps to the work table.
This is especially important when sawing small pieces or thin material. As
the work progresses in scroll or curved cut-out pieces, the material can be
readjusted to accommodate the movement of the saw. If the work is large
enough it can be held by hand across saw horses. The saw cuts freely with
only light forward feed pressure on the tool. Forcing the saw will not make it
cut faster.
To start the cut, secure the work, mark the line of cut clearly, place the
forward edge of the saw base firmly on the edge of the material, start the
motor and move the blade into the work.
DO NOT FORCE, LET THE SAW DO THE WORK. Move the machine forward
only rapidly enough to keep the blade cutting.
You will find that the open throat and clear forward edge of the saw base
make it easy to follow the line and cut closely to the pattern. You need not
cut oversize for hand finishing or sanding on most materials. The
smoothness of cut will often make further sanding unnecessary.
14