DeWalt DW744 Instruction Manual page 12

injury. However, if normal safety precautions are
overlooked or completely ignored, personal injury to the
operator can result. Read and follow all warnings indicated
on the saw. Through sawing is any operation which renders
the material into two separate pieces.Observe the safety
rules included in this manual.
THIS SAW IS NOT INTENDED FOR CUTTING METAL.
Operating Instructions
There are two basic types of cuts: ripping and crosscutting.
In general, cutting with the grain is ripping and across the
grain is crosscutting. However, with man made materials
this distinction is somewhat difficult to make. Therefore,
cutting a piece of wood to a different width is ripping and
cutting across the short dimension is crosscutting. Neither
ripping or crosscutting may be done safely freehand!
Ripping requires the use of the rip fence and crosscutting
uses the miter gauge.
CAUTION: Before using the saw each and every time
verify the following:
1. Blade is tight.
2. Bevel angle lock knob is tight.
3. If ripping, ensure rail lock lever is tight and fence is
parallel to the blade.
4. If crosscutting, miter gauge lever is tight.
5. Guard is in place and working properly.
6. Safety glasses are being worn.
7. The blade guard is properly attached and the
anti-kickback teeth are functioning.
Failure to adhere to these common safety rules can greatly
increase the likelihood of injury.
Ripping
1. Lock the rip fence by pressing the rail lock lever down.
Remove the miter gauge.
2. Raise the blade so it is about 1/8"(3.2mm) higher than
the top of the workpiece.
3. Hold the workpiece flat on the table and against the
fence. Keep the workpiece about 1" (25.4mm) away
from the blade.
CAUTION: The workpiece must have a straight edge
against the fence and must not be warped, twisted or
bowed. Keep both hands away from the blade and away
from the path of the blade.
4. Turn the saw on and allow the blade to come up to
speed. Both hands can be used in starting the cut.
When there is approximately twelve (12) inches
(305mm) left to be ripped...use only one hand, with your
thumb pushing the material, your index and second
finger holding the material down and your other fingers
hooked over the fence. Always keep your thumb along
side your first two fingers and near the fence.
5. Keeping the workpiece against the table and fence,
slowly feed the workpiece rearward all the way through
the saw blade. Continue pushing the workpiece until it is
clear of the guard and it falls off the rear of the table. Do
not overload the motor.
6. Never try to pull the workpiece back with the blade
turning. Turn the switch off, allow the blade to stop, raise
the anti-kickback teeth on each side of the splitter if
necessary and slide the workpiece out.
7. When sawing a long piece of material or a panel, always
use a work support. A sawhorse, rollers, or out feed
assembly provides adequate support for this purpose. The
work support must be at the same height as the saw
table.
CAUTION: Never push or hold onto the "free" or "cut
off" side of the workpiece.
Bevel Ripping
This operation is the same as ripping except the bevel
angle is set to an angle other than zero degrees.
WARNING: Before connecting the table saw to the
power source or operating the saw, always inspect the
guard and splitter for proper alignment and clearance with
saw blade. Check alignment after each change of bevel
angle.
Ripping Small Pieces
It is unsafe to rip small pieces. It is not safe to put your
hands close to the blade. Instead, rip a larger piece to obtain
the desired piece. When a small width is to be ripped and the
hand cannot be safely put between the blade and the rip
fence, use one or more push sticks. A pattern is included on
page 9 to make push sticks. Use them to hold the workpiece
against the table and fence, and push the workpiece fully
past the blade. See Figure 22.
Crosscutting
1. Remove the rip fence and place the miter gauge in the
desired slot.
2. Adjust the blade height so that the blade is about 1/8"
(3.2mm) higher than the top of the workpiece.
3. Hold the workpiece firmly against the miter gauge with the
path of the blade in line with the desired cut location.
Keep the workpiece an inch or so in front of the blade.
KEEP BOTH HANDS AWAY FROM THE BLADE AND
THE PATH OF THE BLADE.
4. Start the saw motor and allow the blade to come up to
speed.
5. While using both hands to keep the workpiece against the
face of the miter gauge, and holding the workpiece flat
against the table, slowly push the workpiece through the
blade. See Figure 23.
6. Never try to pull the workpiece with the blade turning.
Turn the switch off, allow the blade to stop, and carefully
slide the workpiece out.
8
DUST ACCESS
DOOR
HAIR PIN
COTTERS
CAUTION: Never touch or hold onto the "free" or "cut
off" end of the workpiece.
Bevel Crosscutting
This operation is the same as crosscutting except that the
bevel angle is set to an angle other than 0°.
WARNING: Before connecting the table saw to the
power source or operating the saw, always inspect the guard
and splitter for proper alignment and clearance with saw
blade. Check alignment after each change of bevel angle.
Mitering
This operation is the same as crosscutting except the
miter gauge is locked at an angle other than 0°. Hold the
workpiece FIRMLY against the miter gauge and feed the
workpiece slowly into the blade (to prevent the workpiece
from moving). See Figure 23.
FIG. 24
FIG. 25
HEIGHT
ADJUSTMENT
THREADS