RIDGID R3401 Operator's Manual page 12

OPERATION
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.
WARNING:
To avoid possible serious injury, never use saw
when guard is not operating correctly. Check the
guard for correct operation before each use. The
guard is operating correctly when it moves freely,
and instantly returns to the closed position. If you
drop the saw, check the lower blade guard and
bumper for damage at all depth settings before
reuse.
WARNING:
Never tie the lower blade guard in a raised posi-
tion. Leaving the blade exposed could lead to
serious injury.
If at any time the lower blade guard does not snap closed,
unplug the saw from the power supply. Exercise the lower
guard by moving it rapidly back and forth from the full open
position to the closed position several times. Normally this
will restore the guard to its normal operating condition. If
it does not correct a slow or sluggish closing lower guard,
do not use the saw. Take it to an authorized factory service
center for repair.
STARTING/STOPPING THE SAW
See Figure 10, page 18.
To start the saw: Depress the switch trigger.
Always let the blade reach full speed, then guide the saw
into the workpiece.
WARNING:
The blade coming in contact with the workpiece
before it reaches full speed could cause the saw
to "kickback" towards you resulting in serious
injury.
To stop the saw: Release the switch trigger.
After you release the switch trigger, allow the blade to come
to a complete stop. Do not remove the saw from the
workpiece while the blade is moving.
OPERATING THE SAW
See Figures 11 - 13, page 18.
It is important to understand the correct method for
operating the saw. Refer to the figures in this section to learn
the correct and incorrect ways for handling the saw.
WARNING:
To make sawing easier and safer, always maintain
proper control of the saw. Loss of control could
cause an accident resulting in possible serious
injury.
DANGER:
When lifting the saw from the workpiece, the
blade is exposed on the underside of the saw
until the lower blade guard closes. Make sure the
lower blade guard is closed before setting the
saw down.
To make the best possible cut, follow these helpful hints.
 Hold the saw firmly with both hands.
 Avoid placing your hand on the workpiece while making
a cut.
 Support the workpiece so that the cut (kerf) is always to
your side.
 Support the workpiece near the cut.
 Clamp the workpiece securely so that the workpiece will
not move during the cut.
 Always place the saw on the workpiece that is supported,
not the "cut off" piece.
 Place the workpiece with the "good" side down.
 Draw a guideline along the desired line of cut before
beginning the cut.
 Keep the cord away from the cutting area. Always place
the cord to prevent it from hanging up on the workpiece
while making a cut.
DANGER:
If the cord hangs up on the workpiece during a
cut, release the switch trigger immediately. Unplug
the saw and reposition the cord to prevent it from
hanging up again.
DANGER:
Using a saw with a damaged cord could result
in serious injury or death. If the cord has been
damaged, have it replaced before using the saw
again.
12 - English