Black & Decker FIRESTORM FS1807CS - Manual (Page 3)

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tools, with sharp cutting edge are less likely to bind and are easier to control.
• Check for misalignment or binding of moving parts, breakage of parts, and any
other condition that may affect the tool’s operation. If damaged, have the tool
serviced before using. Many accidents are caused by poorly maintained tools.
• Use only accessories that are recommended by the manufacturer for your model.
Accessories that may be suitable for one tool may create a risk of injury when used on
another tool.
Service
• Tool service must be performed only by qualified repair personnel. Service or
maintenance performed by unqualified personnel may result in a risk of injury.
• When servicing a tool, use only identical replacement parts. Follow instructions in
the Maintenance section of this manual. Use of unauthorized parts or failure to follow
Maintenance Instructions may create a risk of shock or injury.
Specific Safety Rules
DANGER: Keep hands away from cutting area and blade. Keep your second
hand on auxiliary handle, or motor housing. If both hands are holding the saw, they
cannot be cut by the blade.
• Keep your body positioned to either side of the saw blade, but not in line with the
saw blade. KICKBACK could cause the saw to jump backwards. (See "Causes and
Operator Prevention of Kickback").
• Do not reach underneath the work. The guard cannot protect you from the blade below
the work.
• Check lower guard for proper closing before each use. Do not operate 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 Lever and make sure it moves freely and does not
touch the blade or any other part, in all angles and depths of cut.
• Check the operation and condition 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 buildup of debris.
• Lower guard should be retracted manually only for special cuts such as "Pocket
Cuts" and "Compound Cuts". Raise the lower guard by Retracting Lever. As soon
as blade enters the material, lower guard must be released. For all other sawing, the
lower guard should operate automatically.
• 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 switch is released.
• NEVER hold piece being cut in your hands or across your leg. It is important to
support the work properly to minimize body exposure, blade binding, or loss of control.
• Hold tool by insulated gripping surfaces when performing an operation where the
cutting tool may contact hidden wiring. Contact with a “live” wire will also make
exposed metal parts of the tool "live" and shock the operator.
• When ripping, always use a rip fence or straight edge guide. This improves the
accuracy of the cut and reduces the chance for blade binding.
• Always use blades with correct size and shape (diamond vs. round) arbor holes.
Blades that do not match the mounting hardware of the saw will run eccentrically, causing
loss of control.
• Never use damaged or incorrect blade washers or bolts. The blade washers and bolt
were specially designed for your saw, for optimum performance and safety of operation.
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 tool misuse and/or incorrect operating procedures or conditions
and can be avoided by taking proper precautions as given below:
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