Ryobi P501 - Manual (Page 4)

4 — English
 DANGER! Keep hands away from cutting area and
blade. Keep your second hand on the 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” later.)
 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 handle. 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 lower guard by retracting handle. 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 or its own cord. Contact with a
“live” wire will 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 bolts were specially
designed for the 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 a result of tool misuse and/or incorrect operating
procedures or conditions and can be avoided by taking
proper precautions as given below:

Maintain a firm grip on the saw and position your body
and arm in a way that allows you to resist KICKBACK
forces. KICKBACK forces can be controlled by the
operator, if proper precautions are taken.
 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.
 When restarting a saw in the workpiece, center the
saw blade in the kerf and check that 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.
 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.
GENERAL SAFETY RULES
SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES
SERVICE
 Tool service must be performed only by qualified
repair personnel. Service or maintenance performed
by unqualified personnel could 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 electric shock or injury.