Operation - RIDGID R3202 Operator's Manual

OPERATION

WARNING:
Do not allow familiarity with products to make you
careless. Remember that a careless fraction of a
second is sufficient to inflict serious injury.
WARNING:
Always wear eye protection with side shields
marked to comply with ANSI Z87.1. Failure to do
so could result in objects being thrown into your
eyes, resulting in possible serious injury.
APPLICATIONS
You may use this product for the purposes listed below:
 Cutting all types of wood products (lumber, plywood,
paneling, composition board, and hard board)
 Cross cutting/Rip cutting
 Bevel cutting
 Pocket cutting
NOTE: The use of abrasive cut-off wheels is not recom-
mended for this saw.
KICKBACK
See Figures 4 - 7, pages 17 - 18.
Kickback occurs when the blade stalls rapidly and the saw
is driven back towards you. Blade stalling is caused by any
action which pinches the blade in the wood.
WARNING:
Release switch immediately if blade binds or saw
stalls. Kickback could cause you to lose control
of the saw. Loss of control can lead to serious
personal injury.
To guard against kickback, avoid dangerous practices such
as the following:
 Setting blade depth incorrectly.
 Sawing into knots or nails in workpiece.
 Twisting the blade while making a cut.
 Making a cut with a dull, gummed up, or improperly set
blade.
 Supporting the workpiece incorrectly.
 Forcing a cut.
 Cutting warped or wet lumber.
 Operating the tool incorrectly or misusing the tool.
To lessen the chance of kickback, follow these safety
practices:
 Keep the blade at the correct depth setting. Less than a
full tooth of the blade teeth should be visible below the
workpiece.
 Inspect the workpiece for knots or nails before cutting.
Never saw into a knot or nail.
 Make straight cuts. Always use a straight edge guide
when rip cutting. This helps prevent twisting the blade.
 Use clean, sharp, and properly set blades. Never make
cuts with dull blades.
 Support the workpiece properly before beginning a cut.
 Use steady, even pressure when making a cut. Never
force a cut.
 Do not cut warped or wet lumber.
 Hold the saw firmly with both hands and keep your body
in a balanced position so as to resist the forces if kickback
should occur.
WARNING:
When using the saw, always stay alert and exercise
control. Do not remove the saw from the workpiece
while the blade is moving.
SAW BLADES
The best of saw blades will not cut efficiently if they are not
kept clean, sharp, and properly set. Using a dull blade will
place a heavy load on the saw and increase the danger of
kickback. Keep extra blades on hand, so that sharp blades
are always available.
Gum and wood pitch hardened on blades will slow the
saw down. Remove saw blade from the saw and use gum
and pitch remover, hot water, or kerosene to remove these
accumulations. DO NOT USE GASOLINE.
BLADE GUARD SYSTEM
See Figure 8, page 18.
The lower blade guard attached to the circular saw is there
for your protection and safety. Do not alter it for any reason.
If it becomes damaged, do not operate the saw until you
have the guard repaired or replaced. Always leave guard in
operating position when using the saw.
DANGER:
When sawing through work, lower blade guard
does not cover blade on the underside of work.
Since blade is exposed on underside of work, keep
hands and fingers away from cutting area. Any part
of your body coming in contact with moving blade
will result in serious injury.
10 - English