Chicago Electric 68988 Owner's Manual & Safety Instructions page 5

8. never use damaged or incorrect
blade washers or bolt. The blade
washers and bolt were specially
designed for your saw, for optimum
performance and safety of operation.
9. causes and Operator
prevention of Kickback:
• Kickback is a sudden reaction to a
pinched, bound or misaligned saw blade,
causing an uncontrolled saw to lift up and
out of the workpiece toward the operator;
• When the blade is pinched or bound
tightly by the kerf closing down, the blade
stalls and the motor reaction drives the
unit rapidly back toward the operator;
• If the blade becomes twisted or misaligned
in the cut, the teeth at the back edge of the
blade can dig into the top surface of the
wood causing the blade to climb out of the
kerf and jump back toward the operator.
• Kickback is the result of saw misuse and/
or incorrect operating procedures or
conditions and can be avoided by taking
proper precautions as given below:
a. Maintain a firm grip with both hands
on the saw and position your arms to
resist kickback forces. position your
body to either side of the blade, but not
in line with the blade. Kickback could
cause the saw to jump backwards, but
kickback forces can be controlled by the
operator, if proper precautions are taken.
b. 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 remove the saw from
the work or pull the saw backward
while the blade is in motion or
kickback may occur. Investigate and
take corrective actions to eliminate
the cause of blade binding.
c. When restarting a saw in the workpiece,
center the saw blade in the kerf and
check that saw 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.
Item 68988 For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797.
d. Support large panels to minimize the
risk of blade pinching and kickback.
Large panels tend to sag under their own
weight. Supports must be placed under
the panel on both sides, near the line
of cut and near the edge of the panel.
e. Do not use dull or damaged blades.
Unsharpened or improperly set blades
produce narrow kerf causing excessive
friction, blade binding and kickback.
f. Blade depth and bevel adjusting
locking levers must be tight and
secure before making cut. If blade
adjustment shifts while cutting, it
may cause binding and kickback.
g. use extra caution when making a
"plunge cut" into existing walls or other
blind areas. The protruding blade may
cut objects that can cause kickback.
10. check lower guard for proper closing
before each use. Do not operate the 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.
11. check the operation 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 sluggishly due to damaged parts,
gummy deposits, or a build-up of debris.
12. lower guard should be retracted
manually only for special cuts such
as "plunge cuts" and "compound
cuts." Raise lower guard by retracting
handle and as soon as blade enters
the material, the lower guard must be
released. For all other sawing, the lower
guard should operate automatically.
13. 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 Trigger is released.
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