Craftsman 315.114232 Operator's Manual page 4

SERVICE
• Tool service must be performed only by qualified
repair personnel. Service or maintenance performed
by unqualified personnel may result in a risk of injury.
• When servicing a tool, use only identical replace-
ment parts. Follow instructions in the Maintenance
section of this manual. Use of unauthorizedparts or
failure to follow Maintenance Instructionsmay create a
risk of shock or injury.
• DANGER! Keep hands away from cuffing area and
blade. Keep your second hand on auxiliary handle
or motor housing. If both hands are holdingthe saw,
they cannot be cut by the blade.
• Keep your body positioned to either side of the
saw blade, but not in line with the saw blade. KICK-
BACK could cause the saw to jump backwards.
• Do not reach underneath the work. The guard can-
not protect you from the blade below the work.
• Check the lower guard for proper closing before
each use. Do not operate 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. 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.
• Check the operation and condition 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 sluggishlydue to dam-
aged parts, gummy deposits, or a buildupof debris.
• Lower guard should be retracted manually only
for special cuts such as "Pocket Cuts" and "Com-
pound Cuts". Raise lower guard by Retracting
Handle. As soon as blade enters the material,
lower guard must be released. For all other sawing,
the lower guard should operate automatically.
• 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.
NEVER hold piece being cut in your hands or
across your leg. It is importantto support the work
properly to minimize body exposure, blade binding, or
loss of control.
Hold tool by insulating gripping surfaces when
performing an operation where the cutting tool
may contact hidden wiring. Contact with a "live" wire
will also make exposed metal parts of the tool "live"
and shock the operator.
• When ripping always use a rip fence or an edge
guide. This improves the accuracy of cut and reduces
the chance of blade binding.
• Always use blades with correct size and shape
(diamond vs. round) arbor holes. Bladesthat do not
match the mounting hardware of the saw will run ec-
centrically,causing loss of control.
• Never use damaged or incorrect blade washers
or bolts. The blade washers and bolt were specially
designedfor the saw,for optimum performanceand
safety of operation.
• Causes and Operator Prevention of Kickback:
Kickbackis a sudden reaction to a pinched, bound, or
misaligned saw blade, causing an uncontrolledsaw to
lift up and out of the workpiece toward the operator.
When the blade is pinched or bound tightly by the kerr
closing down, the blade stalls and the motor reaction
drives the unit rapidly back toward the operator.
If the blade becomes twisted or misalignedin the cut,
the teeth at the back edge of the blade can dig intothe
top surface of the wood causing the blade to climb out
of the kerf and jump back toward the operator.
Kickbackis a result of tool misuse and/or incorrectop-
erating procedures or conditionsand can be avoided
by taking proper precautionsas givenbelow:
• Maintain a firm grip on the saw and position your
body and arm in a way that allows you to resist
KICKBACK forces. KICKBACK forces can be con-
trolled by the operator, if proper precautionsare taken.
• 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 re-
move the saw from the work or pull the saw back-
ward while the blade is in motion or KICKBACK
may occur. Investigateand take correctiveactionsto
eliminate the cause of blade binding.
• When restarting a saw in the workpiece, center the
saw blade in the kerf and check that 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.
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