Craftsman 137.212000 Operator's Manual page 9

SAFETY JNSTRUCTUONS FOR BASIC
SAW OPERATION
BEFORE USING THE MINTERSAW
To avoid mistakes that could cause serious,
permanent injury, do not plug the tool in until the
following steps are completed:
€ Completely assemble and adjust saw, following
the instructions. (ASSEMBLY AND
ADJUSTMENTS)
o Learn the use and function of the ON/OFF switch,
lock-off switch, upper and lower blade guards,
stop latch, bevel lock handle, and cover plate screws.
Review and understand all safety instructions
and operating procedures in this Operator's
ManuaI.(SAFETY & OPERATIONS)
o Review the MAINTENANCE and
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE for your miter
saw.
O To avoid injury or possible death from electrical shock:
Make sure your fingers do not touch the plug's
metal prongs when plugging or unplugging your
miter saw. (ELECTRICAL REQUIREMENTS
AND SAFETY)
BEFORE EACH USE
Inspect your saw.
o Disconnect the miter saw, To avoid injury from
accidental starting, unplug the saw before any
adjustments, including set-up and blade changes.
@ Compare the direction of rotation arrow on
the guard to the direction arrow on the blade.
The blade teeth should always point downward
at the front of the saw.
Tighten the arbor screw,
@ Tighten the cover plate screw.
O Check for damaged parts. Check for:
@Alignment of moving parts
• Damaged electric cords
o Binding of moving parts
e Mounting holes
o Function of arm return spring and lower
guard:
Push the cutting arm ati the way down,
then let it rise until it stops. The lower
guard should fully close. Follow instructions
in TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE for
o Other conditions that may affect the way
the miter saw works.
@
Keep all guards in place, in working order and
proper adjustment.
If any part of this miter saw is missing, bent
damaged or broken in any way, or any electrical
parts don't work, turn the saw off and unplug it.
Replace damaged, missing, or defective parts
before using the saw again.
@ Maintain tools with care. Keep the miter saw
clean for best and safest performance. Follow
instructions for lubricating. Don't put lubricants
on the blade while it's spinning.
o Remove adjusting wrench from the tool before
turning it on.
e To avoid injury from jams, slips, or thrown pieces:
USE ONLY RECOMMENDED ACCESSORIES
@
Consult the ACCESSORIES and
ATTACHMENTS section of this Operators
Manual for recommended accessories. Follow
the instructions that come with the accessory.
The use of improper accessories may cause risk
of injury to persons.
¢ Choose the correct 10 inch diameter blade for
the material and the type of cutting you plan to
do.
@ Make sure the blade is sharp, undamaged and
properly aligned, With the saw unplugged, push
the cutting arm all the way down. Hand spin the
blade and check for clearance, Tilt the
power-head to a 45 ° bevel and repeat the check.
e Make sure the blade and arbor collars are clean.
€ Make sure all clamps and locks are tight and
there is no excessive play in any parts.
KEEP YOUR WORK AREA CLEAN
Cluttered areas and benches invite accidents,
To avoid burns or other fire damage, never use the
miter saw near flammable liquids, vapors, or gases.
o Plan ahead to protect your eyes, hands, face
and ears.
® Know your miter saw.
Read and understand the Operator's Manual and
labets affixed to the tool. Learn its application and
limitations as welt as the specific potential hazards
peculiar to this tool. To avoid injury from accidental
contact with moving parts, don't do layout, assembly,
or setup work on the miter saw while any parts are
moving.
e Avoid accidental starting
Make sure the switch is OFF before plugging the
miter saw into a power outlet.
PLAN YOUR WORK
¢ Use the right tool. Don't force a tool or
attachment to do a job it was not designed to do.
Use a different tool for any workpiece that can't
be held in a solidly braced, fixed position.
CAUTION: This machine is not designed for cutting
ferrous metals (steel, iron, and iron-based metals.)
Use this miter saw to cut only wood, wood-like
products, or soft metals like aluminum. Other material
may shatter, bind the blade, or create other dangers.
Remove all nails that may be in the workpiece to
prevent sparking that could cause a fire.
DRESS FOR SAFETY
Any power tool can throw foreign objects into the
eyes. This can result in permanent eye damage.
Everyday eyeglasses have only impact resistant
lenses and are not safety glasses. Glasses or
goggles not in compliance with ANSl Z87.1 could
seriously injure you when they break.
@ Do not wear loose clothing, gloves, neckties or
jewelry (rings, watches). They can get caught
and draw you into moving parts.
® Wear non-slip footwear,
• Tie back tong hair.
® Roll long sleeves above the elbow.
e Noise levels vary widely. To avoid possible
hearing damage, wear ear plugs when using any
miter saw.
e For dusty operations, wear a dust mask along
with safety goggles.
INSPECT YOUR WORKPIECE
Make sure there are no nails or foreign objects in the
part of the workpiece being cut,
Plan your work to avoid small pieces that may
bind, or that are too small to clamp and get a
solid grasp on,
Plan the way you will grasp the workpiece from start
to finish. Avoid awkward operations and hand
positions. A sudden slip could cause your fingers or
hand to move into the blade.
DON'T OVER-REACH
Keep good footing and balance, Keep your face and
body to one side, out of the line of a possible
kickback. NEVER stand in the line of the blade,
Never cut freehand:
€ Brace your workpiece firmly against the fence
and table stop so it will not rock or twist during
the cut.
e Make sure there is no debris between the
workpiece and the table or fence.
17
e Make sure there are no gaps between the
workpiece, fence and table that will let the
workpiece shift after it is cut.
e Keep the cut off piece free to move sideways
after it is cut off. Otherwise, it could get wedged
against the blade and thrown violently.
o Only the workpiece should be on the saws table.
O Secure work. Use clamps or a vise to help hold
the work when it's practical.
USE EXTRA CAUTION WiTH LARGE OR ODD
SHAPED WORKPmECES.
e Use extra supports (tables, sawhorses, blocks,
etc.) for workpieces large enough to tip.
O Never use another person as a substitute for a
table extension, or as an additional support for a
workpiece that is longer or wider than the basic
miter saw table, or to help feed, support, or pull
the workpiece.
¢ Do not use this saw to cut small pieces. If the
workpiece being cut would cause your hand or
fingers to be within 6-1/2 inches of the saw bfade
the workpiece is too small. Keep hands and
fingers out of the "no hands zone" area marked
on the saws table.
¢ When cutting odd shaped workpieces, plan your
work so it will not bind in the blade and cause
possible injury. Molding, for example, must lie flat
or be held by a fixture or jig that will not let it
move when cut.
e Properly support round material such as dowel
rods, or tubing, which have a tendency to roll
when cut, causing the blade to "bite".
To avoid injury, follow all applicable safety instructions,
when cutting non-ferrous metals:
® Use only saw blades specifically recommended
for non-ferrous metal cutting.
O Do not cut metal workpieces that must be hand
held. Clamp workpieces securely.
e Cut non-ferrous metals only if you are under the
supervision of an experienced person.
WHEN SAW iS RUNNING
Don't allow familiarity from frequent use of your miter
saw to result in a careless mistake. A careless
fraction of a second is enough to cause a severe
injury.
Before cutting, if the saw makes an unfamiliar noise
or vibrates, stop immediately. Turn the saw OFF.
Unplug the saw. Do not restart u=_u_Jnu g and
correcting the problem.