Crosscutting
Crosscutting Defined
Crosscutting is cutting a workpiece to length. The workpiece is held firmly against the fence, and the blade is pulled through the workpiece to make the cut. Straight, bevel, miter, and compound cuts can be made.
Crosscutting Safety
The hazards associated with crosscutting include: exposed blade teeth, rolling car- riage, and thrown workpiece. This section explains these hazards and tells how to avoid them or reduce the risk of their hap- pening. Read this section before making any type of crosscut. Follow these steps every time you make a crosscut.
Exposed Blade Teeth
WARNING
During crosscutting, blade teeth can be exposed. To reduce risk of having fingers, hand or arm cut off:
[Correctly install and use guard.
[Lower pawls or riving knife to clear fence or workpiece, whichever is higher, by 1/4". Lowered pawls or riving knife act as partial barrier to front of blade.
[Keep hands away from blade and out of blade path. Keep hand holding down workpiece at least 8" from blade.
[Blade can come off table edge beyond 30° left miter position. Use right miter position whenever possible.
[Do not cut freehand. You will not be able to control workpiece.
[If blade jams, turn off saw, remove yellow key, then free blade.
Straight
Bevel
Miter
Compound
Rolling Carriage
WARNING
When saw is turned on, blade can sud- denly come forward. To reduce risk of this happening:
[Keep one hand on saw handle when turn- ing saw on.
[Adjust leveling feet to make sure radial arm slants slightly toward rear.
Thrown Workpiece
CAUTION
Workpiece could be picked up by spin- ning blade and thrown. You might be hit by thrown workpiece. To reduce risk of thrown workpiece:
[Make sure installed fence is at least half as high as the workpiece, and never less than 3/4".
[Start and finish cut with blade in rearmost position, behind fence.
[Firmly hold workpiece flat on table and up against fence. Cut only one workpiece at a time.
[Pull blade through workpiece only far enough to complete cut, and never more than half the diameter of blade.
[Do not touch or move workpieces until blade has stopped spinning.
[Use length stop only on end of workpiece which is held down.
[Use table extensions to support work- pieces that extend beyond table.
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