Pocket Cuts; Cutting Large Sheets; Rip Cuts/Board Guide - Skil 5400 Operating/Safety Instructions Manual

SM 2610925541 10-04

POCKET CUTS

Disconnect the plug from the power source
before making adjustments. Set depth adjust-
ment according to material to be cut. Tilt saw
forward with cutting guide notch lined up with
the line you've drawn. Raise the lower guard,
using lift lever and hold the saw by the front and
rear handles (Fig. 10).
With the blade just clearing the material to be
cut, start the motor. Gradually lower the back
end of saw using the front end of the foot as the
hinge point. WARNING: As blade starts
cutting the material, release the lower guard
immediately. When the foot rests flat on the
surface being cut, proceed cutting in forward
direction to end of cut. WARNING: Allow blade
to come to a complete stop before lifting the
saw from cut. Also, never pull the saw
backward since blade will climb out of the
material and KICKBACK will occur. Turn saw
around and finish the cut in the normal manner,
sawing forward. If corners of your pocket cut are
not completely cut through, use a jigsaw or
hand saw to finish the corners.
FIG. 10
FOOT
RIP CUTS
The combination blade provided with your saw
is for both cross cuts and rip cuts. Ripping is
cutting lengthwise with the grain of the wood.
Rip cuts are easy to do with a rip fence
(Fig. 13). Rip Fence is available as an
accessory (not included). To attach fence, insert
fence through slots in foot to desired width as
shown and secure with the wing nut
(not included).
RIP FENCE
11/1/04 12:23 PM
LOWER
GUARD
LIFT
LEVER
LINE
GUIDE
FIG. 13
WING
NUT
DESIRED
WIDTH
OF CUT
Page 11

CUTTING LARGE SHEETS

Large sheets and long boards sag or bend,
depending on support. If you attempt to cut
without leveling and properly supporting the
piece, the blade will tend to bind, causing KICK-
BACK and extra load on the motor (Fig. 11).
Support the panel or board close to the cut, as
shown in (Fig. 12). Be sure to set the depth of
the cut so that you cut through the sheet or
board only and not the table or work bench. The
two-by-fours used to raise and support the work
should be positioned so that the broadest sides
support the work and rest on the table or bench.
Do not support the work with the narrow sides as
this is an unsteady arrangement. If the sheet or
board to be cut is too large for a table or work
bench, use the supporting two-by-fours on the
floor and secure.
FIG. 11
WRONG
FIG. 12
RIGHT
RIP BOARD GUIDE
When rip cutting large sheets, the rip fence
may not allow the desired width of cut. Clamp
or nail a straight piece of 1" lumber to the
sheet as a guide (Fig. 14). Use the right side
of the foot against the board guide.
FIG. 14
DESIRED LINE
OF CUT
-11-
RIP
BOARD
GUIDE