Chicago Electric 98265 operating instructions Safe Method

6.Do not perform any operation freehand.

7.Never reach around or over saw blade.

8.Make sure the workpiece is supported at all times while sawing. Use a roller stand (not provided) with larger work- pieces if necessary.

9.To properly understand all safety warn- ings, be familiar with the following safety terms and equipment:

a.Featherboard – A block with “fingers“ that hold the workpiece against the fence while sawing.

b.Through-sawing – A cut made from one side of a board to the opposite side, without stopping.

c.Ripcut or Ripping - A cut made parallel to (along with) the grain of the wood.

d.Crosscut or Crosscutting - A cut made perpendicular (at a 90° angle) to the grain of the wood.

e.Push-stick – A narrow strip of wood or other soft material with a notch cut into one end and which is used to push short pieces of material through saws. It provides a safe distance between the hands and the cutting tool. Must be narrower than the cut width to prevent contact with the blade.

f.Freehand – Feeding a workpiece through the saw without using a fence or guided support to guide it. NOT A

SAFE METHOD.

g.Kerf – The gap made by the saw in the workpiece.

h.Kickback – A sudden reaction to a pinched, bound, or misaligned blade, causing an uncontrolled workpiece to lift up and out of the saw toward the opera- tor.

i.Spreader – A metal plate that follows the saw blade to keep the kerf (gap) from

closing on the saw blade. Spreaders, except riving knives, must be aligned to the blade after blade adjustment to prevent binding.

j.Riving Knife – A spreader mounted on the same mechanism as the blade. Generally more effective than simple spreaders.

10.As noted previously, Kickback is a sud- den reaction to a pinched, bound, or mis- aligned blade, causing an uncontrolled workpiece to lift up and out of the saw toward the operator.

Kickback is usually a result of tool mis- use and can be limited or avoided by following the precautions below:

•Fence must be completely parallel to the saw blade.

•Workpiece must be free from flaws

(such as loose knots) and from foreign objects (such as nails and screws).

•Support large workpieces along their entire length. Large workpieces tend to bend, grabbing the blade.

•Do not use a dull, damaged, or pitch- covered blade.

•Do not use fence as a guide when crosscutting.

•Do not ripcut a twisted or warped work- piece, or workpiece without straight edge to guide along fence.

•Maintain control of the workpiece. Do not allow the workpiece to rest against the moving blade without holding onto it.

•If the blade binds or a cut is interrupt- ed, turn off the power switch and hold the workpiece still until the blade stops. Correct the cause of blade binding be- fore proceeding.

•Before continuing an unfinished cut, center the blade in the pre-cut kerf and

SKU 98265 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353. Page 5