General Procedures

OPERATION

NOTE:

If uncoupled hoses are left in the sun, pressure in- crease within the hose may make them difficult to connect. When possible, connect the free ends of operating hoses together.

TOOL OPERATION

NOTE:

At the beginning of each shift or when a new cutoff wheel has been installed, run the saw at operating speed for at least one minute before starting work. Keep personnel from in front of or in line with the wheel.

1.Whenever possible, the work should be held down and securely supported on both sides of the cut.

2.Press down the safety catch; then slowly squeeze the trigger. Start the cut with the wheel rotating. Start the work gently, do not “bump” the work.

3.Feed the wheel through the material as fast as pos- sible without allowing the wheel to reduce its speed. Cutting through the material too slowly allows heat expansion and can cause wheel “pinching” in the material. “Pinching” the wheel from heat expansion is one of the most common causes of wheel break- age.

CARE OF ABRASIVE CUTOFF WHEELS

All abrasive cutting-off wheels are breakable and, there- fore, care must be exercised during handling and stor- age to prevent damage.

STORAGE

Thin, organic bonded wheels such as cuttingoff wheels should be laid horizontally on a flat surface of steel or similar rigid material away from excessive heat or mois- ture. Wheels should not be stored where they will be exposed to high humidity, water, other liquids, or freez- ing temperatures. Temperatures low enough to cause condensation on the wheels when moving them from storage to an area of higher temperatures should be avoided.

When used on cutoff saws carried on emergency vehi- cles, wheels should be removed after use and discarded or carefully stored as described in this section.

If wheels are supplied with blotters attached, suitable separators should be used to preserve flatness.

INVESTIGATION OF WHEEL BREAKAGE

Wheels designed for use with hand-held portable saws are specifically manufactured for this application. They are manufactured to be extremely tough and are difficult to break under normal use.

If a wheel breaks during use, a careful investigation should be conducted by the user to determine the cause of the breakage. The cause must then be corrected as soon as possible.

If the user is unable to determine the cause of breakage, the wheel manufacturer should be consulted.

COLD WEATHER OPERATION

If the saw is to be used during cold weather, preheat the hydraulic oil at low engine speed. When using the normally recommended oils, oil should be at or above 50 °F/10 °C (400 ssu/82 centistokes) before use.

Damage to the hydraulic system or saw can result from use with oil that is too viscous or thick.

12 ► CO23 User Manual