Milwaukee Tool 6577-20 - Manual (Page 4)

4
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 at-
tempt 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, centre
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.
• Support large panels to minimise 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.
• Do not use dull or damaged blades. Unsharp-
ened or improperly set blades produce narrow
kerf causing excessive friction, blade binding and
kickback.
• 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.
• Use extra caution when sawing into existing
walls or other blind areas. The protruding blade
may cut objects that can cause kickback.
Lower guard function
• 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.
• 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 dam-
aged parts, gummy deposits, or a build-up of
debris.
• 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.
• Always observe that the lower guard is cov-
ering 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.
• Maintain labels and nameplates. These carry
important information. If unreadable or missing,
contact a MILWAUKEE service facility for a free
replacement.
• WARNING Some dust created by power sanding,
sawing, grinding, drilling, and other construction
activities contains chemicals known to cause
specific safeTy rules
Cutting procedures
• DANGER: Keep hands away from cutting
area and the 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.
• Do not reach underneath the workpiece. The
guard cannot protect you from the blade below the
workpiece.
• Adjust the cutting depth to the thickness of
the workpiece. Less than a full tooth of the blade
teeth should be visible below the workpiece.
• Never hold piece being cut in your hands or
across your leg. Secure the workpiece to a
stable platform. It is important to support the
work properly to minimize body exposure, blade
binding, or loss of control.
• Hold the power tool by insulated gripping
surfaces only, when performing an operation
where the cutting tool may contact hidden
wiring or its own cord. Contact with a “live” wire
will also make exposed metal parts of the power
tool “live” and could give the operator an electric
shock.
• When ripping, always use a rip fence or straight
edge guide. This improves the accuracy of cut
and reduces the chance of blade binding.
• Always use blades with correct size and shape
(diamond versus round) of arbour 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 bolt. The blade washers and bolt were specially
designed for your saw, for optimum performance
and safety of operation.
Further safety instructions for all saws
Kickback causes and related warnings
– Kickback is a sudden reaction to a pinched,
bound or misaligned saw blade, causing an un-
controlled 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 incor-
rect operating procedures or conditions and can
be avoided by taking proper precautions as given
below:
• 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 kick-
back forces can be controlled by the operator, if
proper precautions are taken.
• When blade is binding, or when interrupting