Craftsman 509399, 509398 owner manual Ripping, Hold Down Function, Pawls and Riving Knife Function

Ripping

Hold Down Function

The hold down must be set correctly during ripping to act as barrier against the infeed side of the blade, to help keep the workpiece flat on the table, and to deflect workpiece chips. It must be lowered to just clear the workpiece.

The hold down must be re-set each time a different thickness workpiece is cut.

Follow the Ripping Set-Up Procedure to cor- rectly set the hold down.

Pawls and Riving Knife Function

The pawls and riving knife must be set cor- rectly during ripping to reduce the risk of kickback, to prevent wrong way feed, and to act as a barrier to the hazardous outfeed side of the blade.

The riving knife rests on the table. It keeps the workpiece kerf open. This reduces the chances that the cut workpiece will spring closed and pinch the blade. Pinching the blade is a cause of kickback.

The pawls rest level on the upper surface of the workpiece. During cutting they allow the workpiece to pass freely from the infeed to the outfeed side, but help stop the kickback motion from outfeed to infeed side by grab- bing into the workpiece surface.

The pawls must be re-set each time a differ- ent thickness workpiece is cut.

Follow the Ripping Set-Up Procedure to cor- rectly set the pawls and riving knife.

Set Hold-Down to just clear workpiece

Set Pawl level on workpiece

Set Riving Knife

fully down

40