Black & Decker TRIMCAT 2832 - Manual (Page 12)

blade to cut without laboring. Hardness and toughness can vary even in the
same piece of material, and knotty or damp sections can put a heavy load on
the saw. When this happens, push the saw more slowly, but hard enough to
keep it working without much decrease in speed. Forcing the saw can cause
rough cuts, inaccuracy, kickback, and over-heating of the motor. Should
your cut begin to go off the line, don’t try to force it back on. Release the
switch and allow blade to come to a complete stop. Then you can withdraw
the saw, sight anew, and start a new cut slightly inside the wrong one. In any
event, withdraw the saw if you must shift the cut. Forcing a correction inside
the cut can stall the saw and lead to kickback.
IF SAW STALLS, RELEASE THE TRIGGER AND BACK THE SAW UNTIL IT IS
LOOSE. BE SURE BLADE IS STRAIGHT IN THE CUT AND CLEAR OF THE
CUTTING EDGE BEFORE RESTARTING.
As you finish a cut, release the trigger and allow the blade to stop before lift­
ing the saw from the work. As you lift the saw, the spring-tensioned tele­
scoping guard will automatically close under the blade. Remember the blade
is exposed until this occurs. Never reach under the work for any reason.
When you have to retract the telescoping guard manually (as is necessary
for starting pocket cuts) always use the retracting lever. NOTE: When cutting
thin strips, be careful to ensure that small cutoff pieces don’t hang up on
inside of lower guard.
RIPPING
Ripping is the process of cutting wider boards into narrower strips- cutting
grain lengthwise. Hand guiding is more difficult for this type of sawing and
some type of guide should be used.
POCKET CUTTING (Figure 10)
TURN OFF TOOL AND REMOVE BATTERY PACK BEFORE ADJUSTING.
A pocket cut is one that is made in a floor, wall, or other flat surface. Adjust
saw shoe so blade cuts at desired depth. Tilt saw forward and rest front of
the shoe on material to be cut. Using the retracting lever, retract blade guard
to an upward position. Lower rear of shoe until blade teeth almost touch cut­
ting line. Now release the blade guard (its contact with the work will keep it in
position to open freely as you start the cut). Start the motor and gradually
lower the saw until its shoe rests flat on the material to be cut. Advance saw
along the cutting line until cut is completed. Release trigger and allow blade
to stop completely before withdrawing the blade from the material. When
starting each new cut, repeat as above. Never tie the blade guard in a raised
position. Never move the saw backwards when pocket cutting. This may
cause the unit to raise up off of the work surface which could cause injury.
Kickback
When the saw blade becomes pinched or twisted in the cut, kickback can
occur. The saw is thrust rapidly back 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 backward. When 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 more likely to occur when any of
the following conditions exist.
Improper work piece support
• Sagging or improper lifting of the cutoff piece causing pinching of the
blade.
• Cutting through material supported at the outer ends only-Figure 9. As the
material weakens it sags, closing down the kerf and pinching the blade.
• Cutting off a cantilevered or overhanging piece of material from the bot­
tom up in a vertical direction. The falling cut off piece can pinch the blade.
• Cutting off long narrow strips (as in ripping). The cutoff strip can sag or
twist closing the kerf and pinching the blade.
• Snagging the lower guard on a surface below the material being cut,
momentarily reducing operator control. The saw can lift partially out of
the cut, increasing the chance of blade twist.
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