Craftsman 171.24874 Owner's Manual page 4

Hold tool by insulated gripping surfaces
when performing an operation where the
cutting tool may contact hidden wiring or
its own cord. Contact with a "live" wire will
make exposed metal parts of the tool "live"
and shock the operator. If cutting into existing
walls or other blind areas where electrical
wiring may exist is unavoidable, disconnect all
fuses or circuit breakers feeding this worksite.
Always make sure the work surface is free
from nails and other foreign objects.
Cutting into a nail can cause the bit and the
tool to jump and damage the bit.
Never hold the workpiece in one hand and
the tool in the other hand when in use.
Never place hands near or below cutting
surface. Clamping the material and guiding
the tool with both hands is safer.
Never lay workpiece on top of hard
surfaces, like concrete, stone, etc...
Protruding cutting bit may cause tool to jump.
Always wear safety goggles and dust
mask. Use only in well ventilated area.
Using personal safety devices and working in
safe environment reduces risk of injury.
After changing the bits or making any
adjustments, make sure the collet nut and
any other adjustment devices are securely
tightened. Loose adjustment device can
unexpectedly shift, causing loss of control;
loose rotating components will be violently
thrown.
Never start the tool when the bit is
engaged in the material. The bit cutting
edge may grab the material, causing loss of
control of the cutter.
Always hold the tool with two hands
during start-up. The reaction torque of the
motor can cause the tool to twist.
The direction of feeding the bit into the
material is very important and it relates to
the direction of bit rotation. When viewing
the tool from the top, the bit rotates
clockwise. Feed direction of cutting
must be counter-clockwise. NOTE: inside
and outside cuts will require different feed
direction, refer to section on feeding the
router. Feeding the tool in the wrong direction
causes the cutting edge of the bit to climb out
of the work and pull the tool in the direction of
this feed.
Never use dull or damaged bits. Sharp bits
must be handled with care. Damaged bits
can snap during use. Dull bits require more
force to push the tool, possibly causing the bit
to break.
Never touch the bit during or immediately
after the use. After use, the bit is too hot to
be touched by bare hands.
Never lay the tool down until the motor
has come to a complete standstill. The
spinning bit can grab the surface and pull
the tool out of your control.
Never use bits that have a cutting diameter
greater than the opening in the base.
1_WARNINGJ Some
dust
created by power sanding, sawing,
grinding, drilling, and other construction
activities contains chemicals known to
cause cancer, birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Some examples
of these chemicals are:
• Lead from lead-based paints,
• Crystalline silica from bricks and cement and
other masonry products, and
• Arsenic and chromium from chemically-
treated lumber.
Your risk from these exposures varies,
depending on how often you do this type of
work. To reduce your exposure to these
chemicals: work in a well ventilated area, and
work with approved safety equipment, such
as those dust masks that are specially
designed to filter out microscopic particles.