RIDGID R4518T Operator's Manual page 12

FEATURES
MITER GAUGE - The miter gauge aligns the workpiece for a
cross cut. The easy-to-read indicator shows the exact angle
for a miter cut, with positive stops at 90° and 45°.
MITER GAUGE GROOVES - The miter gauge rides in the
grooves on the saw table.
RIP FENCE - A sturdy metal fence guides the workpiece and
is secured with the locking handle. Grooves run along the
top and sides of the rip fence for use with optional clamps
and accessories.
NOTE: The low fence should only face the blade when cut-
ting narrow material that is 3/4 inches thick or less.
RIP SCALE - Located on the front rail, the easy-to-read rip
scale provides precise measurements for rip cuts.
RIVING KNIFE - A removable metal piece of the blade
guard assembly, slightly thinner than the saw blade, which
helps keep the kerf open and prevent kickback. When in the
through sawing, or "up" position, it is higher than the saw
blade. When in the non-through sawing, or "down" position,
it is below the saw blade teeth.
SLIDING TABLE EXTENSION - Located on right side
of the saw table, this table extension gives the operator
additional support when cutating wide workpieces.
SOFTstart - This saw is equipped with SOFTstart. SOFTstart
gradually brings the motor to operating speed by electroni-
cally reducing the load and torque at initial start. SOFTstart
minimizes the likelihood of tripping circuit breakers.
SWITCH ASSEMBLY - This saw has an easy access
switch assembly located below the front rail. To lock the
switch, install a padlock (not included) through the holes in
the switch and cover. Make certain the switch is inoperable.
If the switch is still operable with the padlock installed, a
padlock with a larger shackle diameter must be used. Store
the padlock key in another location.
OPERATING COMPONENTS
The upper portion of the blade projects up through the table
and is surrounded by an insert called the throat plate. The
height of the blade is set with a handwheel on the front of
the saw. Detailed instructions are provided in the Operation
section of this manual for the basic cuts: cross cuts, miter
cuts, bevel cuts, and compound cuts.
The rip fence is used to position work for lengthwise cuts.
A scale on the front rail shows the distance between the rip
fence and the blade.
It is very important to use the blade guard assembly for
all through-sawing operations. The blade guard assembly
includes: riving knife, anti-kickback pawls, and blade guard.
SWITCH ASSEMBLY
See Figure 4.
This saw is equipped with an on/off switch that has a
built-in locking feature. This feature is intended to prevent
unauthorized and possible hazardous use by children and
others.
NOTE: The switch cover does not have to be raised to
operate the switch.
TO TURN YOUR SAW ON:
 Press the top button on the switch to turn the saw on.
NOTE: If AC power is disconnected or interrupted while
the saw is running, the saw will turn off. To restart the
saw, restore AC power and press the top of the switch.
TO TURN YOUR SAW OFF:
 Press the bottom button on the switch to turn the saw off.
TO LOCK YOUR SAW:
 With the saw turned off, install a padlock (not included)
through the holes in the switch and switch cover.
WARNING:
ALWAYS make sure your workpiece is not in con-
tact with the blade before operating the switch to
start the tool. Failure to heed this warning could
cause the workpiece to be kicked back toward
the operator and result in serious personal injury.
WARNING:
To reduce the risk of accidental starting, always
make sure the top button on the switch is not
depressed before plugging tool into the power
source.
SWITCH ON
SWITCH IN LOCKED POSITION
12 − English
SWITCH OFF
Fig. 4