RIDGID TS3650 - Manual (Page 50)

Safety Instructions for Basic Saw Operations (continued)
50
- Always use unbroken, balanced
blades designed to fit this saw’s 5/8
inch arbor.
- When thru-sawing (making cuts
where the blade comes through the
workpiece top), always use a 10 inch
diameter blade. This keeps the
spreader in closest to the blade.
- Do not over tighten arbor nut. Use
arbor wrenches to “snug” it securely.
- Use only sharp blades with properly
set teeth. Consult a professional
blade sharpener when in doubt.
- Keep blades clean of gum and resin.
- Never use the saw without the proper
blade insert.
Inspect your work area.
• Keep work area clean.
• Cluttered areas and benches invite
accidents. Floor must not be slippery
from wax or sawdust.
• To reduce the risk of burns or other
fire damage, never use the saw near
flammable liquids, vapors or gases.
• To reduce the risk of injury, don’t do
layout, assembly, or setup work on
the table while blade is spinning. It
could cut or throw anything hitting the
blade.
Plan your work
• Use the right tool. Don’t force tool or
attachment to do a job it was not
designed for.
Inspect your workpiece.
• Make sure there are no nails or
foreign objects in the part of the
workpiece to be cut.
• When cutting irregularly shaped
workpieces, plan your work so it will
not slip and pinch the blade:
• A piece of molding for example, must
lie flat or be held by a fixture of jig that
will not let it twist, rock or slip while
being cut. Use jigs or fixtures where
needed to prevent workpiece shifting.
• Use a different, better suited type of
tool for work that can’t be made
stable.
Plan your cut.
• To reduce the risk of kickbacks and
throwbacks which occur when a part
or all of the workpiece binds on the
blade and is thrown violently back
toward the front of the saw:
- Never cut Freehand. Always use
either a rip fence, miter gauge or
fixture to position and guide the work,
so it won’t twist or bind on the blade
and kickback.
- Make sure there’s no debris between
the workpiece and its supports.
• Use extra caution with large, very
small or awkward workpieces.
• Use extra supports (tables, saw
horses, blocks, etc.) for any work-
pieces large enough to tip when not
held down to the table top. Never use
another person as a substitute for a
table extension, or as additional
support for a workpiece that is longer
or wider than the basic saw table, or
to help feed, support or pull the
workpiece.
.SP6498 Belt Drive Saw 05/03 7/15/03 7:05 AM Page 50