Skil CR540601E - Cordless Circular Saw Manual

INTRODUCTION

• This tool is intended for lengthways and crossways cutting of wood with straight cuts as well as angle cuts up to 50°
• This tool is not intended for professional use
• Read and save this instruction manual

SPECIFICATIONS

SAFETY

GENERAL POWER TOOL SAFETY WARNINGS

Read all safety warnings, instructions, illustrations and specifications provided with this power tool. Failure to follow all instructions listed below may result in electric shock, fire and/or serious injury.

Save all warnings and instructions for future reference.

The term "power tool" in the warnings refers to your mainsoperated (corded) power tool or battery-operated (cordless) power tool.

1. WORK AREA SAFETY
   1. Keep work area clean and well lit. Cluttered or dark areas invite accidents.
   2. Do not operate power tools in explosiveatmospheres, such as in the presence of flammable liquids, gases or dust. Power tools create sparks which may ignite the dust or fumes.
   3. Keep children and bystanders away while operating a power tool. Distractions can cause you to lose control.
2. ELECTRICAL SAFETY
   1. Power tool plugs must match the outlet. Never modify the plug in any way. Do not use any adaptor plugs with earthed (grounded) power tools. Unmodified plugs and matching outlets will reduce risk of electric shock.
   2. Avoid body contact with earthed or grounded surfaces such as pipes, radiators, ranges and refrigerators. There is an increased risk of electric shock if your body is earthed or grounded.
   3. Do not expose power tools to rain or wet conditions. Water entering a power tool will increase the risk of electric shock.
   4. Do not abuse the cord. Never use the cord for carrying, pulling or unplugging the power tool. Keep cord away from heat, oil, sharp edges or moving parts. Damaged or entangled cords increase the risk of electric shock.
   5. When operating a power tool outdoors, use an extension cord suitable for outdoor use. Use of a cord suitable for outdoor use reduces the risk of electric shock.
   6. If operating a power tool in a damp location is unavoidable, use a residual current device (RCD) protected supply. Use of an RCD reduces the risk of electric shock.
3. PERSONAL SAFETY
   1. Stay alert, watch what you are doing and use common sense when operating a power tool. Do not use a power tool while you are tired or under the influence of drugs, alcohol or medication. A moment of inattention while operating power tools may result in serious personal injury.
   2. Use personal protective equipment. Always wear eye protection. Protective equipment such as a dust mask, non-skid safety shoes, hard hat, or hearing protection used for appropriate conditions will reduce personal injuries.
   3. Prevent unintentional starting. Ensure the switch is in the off-position before connecting to power source and/or battery pack, picking up or carrying the tool. Carrying power tools with your finger on the switch or energising power tools that have the switch on invites accidents.
   4. Remove any adjusting key or wrench before turning the power tool on. A wrench or a key left attached to a rotating part of the power tool may result in personal injury.
   5. Do not overreach. Keep proper footing and balance at all times. This enables better control of the power tool in unexpected situations.
   6. Dress properly. Do not wear loose clothing orjewellery. Keep your hair and clothing away from moving parts. Loose clothes, jewellery or long hair can be caught in moving parts.
   7. If devices are provided for the connection of dust extraction and collection facilities, ensure these are connected and properly used. Use of dust collection can reduce dust-related hazards.
   8. Do not let familiarity gained from frequent use of tools allow you to become complacent and ignore tool safety principles. A careless action can cause severe injury within a fraction of a second.
4. POWER TOOL USE AND CARE
   1. Do not force the power tool. Use the correct power tool for your application. The correct power tool will do the job better and safer at the rate for which it was designed.
   2. Do not use the power tool if the switch does not turn it on and off. Any power tool that cannot be controlled with the switch is dangerous and must be repaired.
   3. Disconnect the plug from the power source and/ or remove the battery pack, if detachable, from the power tool before making any adjustments, changing accessories, or storing power tools. Such preventive safety measures reduce the risk of starting the power tool accidentally.
   4. Store idle power tools out of the reach of children and do not allow persons unfamiliar with the power tool or these instructions to operate the power tool. Power tools are dangerous in the hands of untrained users.
   5. Maintain power tools and accessories. Check for misalignment or binding of moving parts, breakage of parts and any other condition that may affect the power tool's operation. If damaged, have the power tool repaired before use. Many accidents are caused by poorly maintained power tools.
   6. Keep cutting tools sharp and clean. Properly maintained cutting tools with sharp cutting edges are less likely to bind and are easier to control.
   7. 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.
   8. Keep handles and grasping surfaces dry, clean and free from oil and grease. Slippery handles and grasping surfaces do not allow for safe handling and control of the tool in unexpected situations.
5. BATTERY TOOL USE AND CARE
   1. Recharge only with the charger specified by the manufacturer. A charger that is suitable for one type of battery pack may create a risk of fire when used with another battery pack.
   2. Use power tools only with specifically designated battery packs. Use of any other battery packs may create a risk of injury and fire.
   3. 
      When battery pack is not in use, keep it away from other metal objects like paper clips, coins, keys, nails, screws, or other small metal objects that can make a connection from one terminal to another. Shorting the battery terminals together may cause burns or a fire.
   4. 
      Under abusive conditions, liquid may be ejected from the battery; avoid contact. If contact accidentally occurs, flush with water. If liquid contacts eyes, additionally seek medical help. Liquid ejected from the battery may cause irritation or burns.
   5. Do not use a battery pack or tool that is damaged or modified. Damaged or modified batteries may exhibit unpredictable behaviour resulting in fire, explosion or risk of injury.
   6. Do not expose a battery pack or tool to fire or excessive temperature. Exposure to fire or temperature above 130°C may cause explosion.
   7. Follow all charging instructions and do not chargethe battery pack or tool outside the temperature range specified in the instructions. Charging improperly or at temperatures outside the specified range may damage the battery and increase the risk of fire.
6. SERVICE
   1. 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.
   2. Never service damaged battery packs. Service of battery packs should only be performed by the manufacturer or authorized service providers.

SAFETY WARNINGS FOR THE UNIT

1. CUTTING PROCEDURES
   1. 
      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.
   2. Do not reach underneath the workpiece. The guard cannot protect you from the blade below the workpiece.
   3. 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.
   4. 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.
   5. Hold the power tool only by the insulated gripping surfaces when performing an operation where the accessory may contact hidden wiring (contact with a "live" wire will also make exposed metal parts of the power tool "live" and shock the operator)
   6. When ripping always use a parallel guide or straight edge guide. This improves the accuracy of cut and reduces the chance of blade binding.
   7. 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.
   8. 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 power tool misuse and/or incorrect operating procedures or conditions and can be avoided by taking proper precautions as given below.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Do not use dull or damaged blades. Unsharpened or improperly set blades produce narrow kerf causing excessive friction, blade binding and kickback.
6. 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.
7. 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
   1. 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.
   2. 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.
   3. 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.
   4. 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.

ADDITIONAL SAFETY WARNINGS

GENERAL

• This tool should not be used by people under the age of 16 years
• This tool is not suitable for wet cutting
• Do not work materials containing asbestos (asbestos is considered carcinogenic)
• Dust from material such as paint containing lead, some wood species, minerals and metal may be harmful (contact with or inhalation of the dust may cause allergic reactions and/or respiratory diseases to the operator or bystanders); wear a dust mask and work with a dust extraction device when connectable
• Certain kinds of dust are classified as carcinogenic (such as oak and beech dust) especially in conjunction with additives for wood conditioning; wear a dust mask and work with a dust extraction device when connectable
• Follow the dust-related national requirements for the materials you want to work with
• Do not use this saw in combination with a saw table
• Remove battery from tool before making any adjustments or changing accessories

ACCESSORIES

• SKIL can assure flawless functioning of the tool only when original accessories are used
• Use only saw blades that correspond with the characteristic data given in these operation instructions and that are tested and marked in accordance with EN 847-1
• Use only accessories with an allowable speed matching at least the highest no-load speed of the tool
• Use only saw blades with a minimum diameter of 165 mm, a maximum diameter of 165 mm and a spindle hole of 16 mm
• Never use saw blades made of high speed steel (HSS)
• Never use grinding/cutting discs with this tool

BEFORE USE

• Avoid damage that can be caused by screws, nails and other elements in your workpiece; remove them before you start working
• Remove all obstacles on top of as well as underneath the cutting path before you start cutting
• Secure the workpiece (a workpiece clamped with clamping devices or in a vice is held more securely than by hand)
• 
  Use suitable detectors to find hidden utility lines or call the local utility company for assistance (contact with electric lines can lead to fire or electrical shock; damaging a gas line can result in an explosion; penetrating a water pipe will cause property damage or an electrical shock)

DURING USE

• The noise level when working can exceed 85 dB(A); wear ear protection
• Never use the tool without the original protection guard system
• Do not attempt to cut extremely small workpieces
• Do not work overhead with the tool
• In case of jamming or electrical or mechanical malfunction, immediately switch off the tool and disconnect the plug

AFTER USE

• When you put away the tool, switch off the motor and ensure that all moving parts have come to a complete standstill
• After switching off your circular saw, never stop the rotation of the saw blade by a lateral force applied against it
• Only use the following batteries and chargers with this tool
  • SKIL battery: BY519703E BY519603E
  • SKIL charger: SC535801E QC536001E
• Do not use the battery when damaged; it should be replaced
• Do not disassemble the battery
• Do not expose tool/battery to rain
• Permitted ambient temperature (tool/charger/battery):
  • when charging 4...40°C
  • during operation –20...+50°C
  • during storage –20...+50°C

FEATURES

USE

• Charging battery
  read the safety warnings and instructions provided with the charger
• Removing/installing the battery
  
• Mounting saw blade (See Specifications)
  remove battery from tool
  • take hex key from storage
  • push spindle-lock button and hold it while you remove blade bolt by turning hex key CLOCKWISE (= in same direction as arrow printed on saw blade)
    push spindle-lock button only when tool is at a standstill
  • release spindle-lock button
  • remove flange
    make sure that clamping surfaces of flanges are perfectly clean and face the blade
  • open lower guard with lever and hold it while you mount saw blade with saw teeth and arrow printed on saw blade pointing in same direction as arrow on upper guard
  • release lower guard
  • mount flange
  • push spindle-lock button and hold it while you tighten blade bolt with hex key 1/8 turn past finger tight (ensures slippage of saw blade when it encounters excessive resistance thus reducing motor overload and saw kickback)
  • release spindle-lock button
• Adjusting cutting depth (0-54 mm)
  
  • for an optimal quality cut the saw blade should not extend more than 3 mm below the workpiece
  • loosen Depth-of-cut Adjustment Lever
  • raise/lower foot until desired cutting depth is set on scale using indicator
  • tighten Depth-of-cut Adjustment Lever
• Adjusting cutting angle (0-50°)
  
  • loosen Bevel-Adjustment Knob
  • tilt tool until desired cutting angle is set on scale using Bevel Gauge
  • tighten Bevel-Adjustment Knob
    when bevel cutting, cutting depth does not correspond with value on cutting depth scale
• 90°Cutting angle check
  • adjust and tighten foot to maximum cutting depth
  • adjust and tighten cutting angle to 0°
  • check for a 90° angle between the blade and bottom of foot with a square
  • if adjustment is needed, loosen Bevel-Adjustment Knob and use adjustment screw as illustrated
• Adjustable Saw-Line Window
  
  • for guiding tool along desired line of cut marked on the workpiece
  • for a straight 0° cut or a 45° bevel cut use the indicator line concerned
    the wide part of the foot should rest on the supported part of the workpiece
  • can be adjusted to align with different sawblade widths, however it may be that one side of the saw blade does not align, then choose whether waste material is on inner or outer side of blade

cutting width is determined by width of blade teeth and not by width of blade body
always make trial cuts first to verify actual line of cut

• Dust suction
  For using vacuum cleaner
  
  • mount vacuum cleaner adaptor as illustrated
  • connect vacuum cleaner hose to vacuum cleaner adaptor

never let the vacuum cleaner hose interfere with the lower guard or the cutting operation

Dust bag

• mount dust bag

• Operating the tool
  • mount battery
  • always hold handle firmly with one hand and auxiliary handle firmly with the other hand
  • place tool with front end of foot flat on workpiece
    ensure that the saw teeth are not engaged into the workpiece
  • switch on tool by first pressing lock-off button (= safety switch which cannot be locked) and then pulling trigger switch
    the tool should run at full speed before the blade enters into the workpiece
  • lower guard opens automatically when saw blade enters the workpiece (open lower guard manually by using lever only for special cuts such as plunge cuts)
    do not force the tool (apply light and continuous pressure in order to avoid overheating the blade tips)
    while working, always hold the tool at the greycoloured grip area(s)
  • after completing the cut switch off tool by releasing trigger switch
    ensure that the blade has come to a complete standstill, before you lift the tool from the workpiece
• LED-worklight
  • The LED worklight will automatically turn on with a slight squeeze on the trigger switch before the tool starts running, and will turn off 8 to 12 seconds after the trigger is released.
    
  • When the tool and/or battery pack becomes overloaded or too hot, the internal sensors will turn the tool off. If the tool and/or battery pack are overloaded, the LED worklight will rapidly flash. Rest the tool for a while or place the tool and battery pack separately under air flow to cool.
  • The LED worklight will flash more slowly to indicate that the battery pack is at low-battery capacity. Recharge the battery pack.
• Battery protection
  Switches off the tool or prevents the tool from being switched on, when
  • the load is too high
  • the battery temperature is not within the allowable operating temperature range of -20 to +50°C
  • the lithium-ion battery is nearly empty (to protect against deep discharge)

do not continue to press the on/off switch after the tool is switched off automatically; battery may be damaged

APPLICATION ADVICE

• Always face the good side of the workpiece down to ensure minimum splintering
• Only use sharp saw blades of the correct type
  
  • quality of cut improves by the number of teeth
  • carbide tipped blades stay sharp up to 30 times longer than ordinary blades
• Rip Fence
  
  • for making exact cuts along a workpiece edge
  • can be inserted in either side of foot

Adjusting Rip Fence

• loosen Rip-Fence Locking Knob
• adjust to desired cutting width by using Rip Fence scale (use Saw-Line Window as 0-reference)
• tighten Rip-Fence Locking Knob

• Plunge cutting
  
  • set desired cutting depth
  • tilt tool forward with Saw-Line Window lined up with desired line of cut marked on the workpiece
  • open lower guard with lever
  • just before blade enters workpiece, switch on tool and gradually lower back end of tool using front end of foot as hinge-point
  • gradually move tool downward as well as forward
  • as soon as blade enters the material, release lever
    never pull tool backwards
• Cutting large panels
  
  • support panel close to the cut either on floor, table or workbench
    set cutting depth so that you cut through panel and not through support
  • in case Rip Fence does not allow desired width of cut, clamp or nail straight piece of wood to workpiece as a guide, and use the right side of the foot against this guide
    

MAINTENANCE

• This tool is not intended for professional use
• Always keep tool clean (especially ventilation openings)
  remove battery from tool before cleaning
• Always keep the area around lower guard clean (remove dust and chips by blowing out with compressed air or with a brush)
• Clean saw blade immediately after use (especially from resin and glue)

WARRANTY

For all SKIL warranty & enquiries, please contact 1300 01
SKIL (1300 01 7545) Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm EST

You are also entitled to have the goods repaired or replaced if the goods fail to be of acceptable quality and the failure does not amount to a major failure. Chervon Australia Pty Ltd, Unit 14, 5 Kelletts Road, Rowville, VIC. 3178. Ph; 1300 01 SKIL (1300 01 7545). Email: support@skil.com.au

For Customer Service 1300-017-545 OR www.skil.com.au

Documents / Resources

References

• Innovative Power Tools Let you DIY with Confidence| SKIL

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