Cutting
Support the work so that the waste will be on your right. Place the wider portion of the saw shoe on that part of the work piece which is solidly supported, not on the section that will fall off when the cut is made. As examples, Figure 12 illustrates the RIGHT way to cut off the end of a board, and Figure 13 the WRONG way. Always clamp work. Don’t try to hold short pieces by hand! Remember to support cantilevered and overhanging material. Use caution when sawing material from below.
Be sure that the saw is up to full speed before blade contacts material to be cut. Starting the saw with blade against material to be cut or pushed forward into kerf can result in kickback.
Push the saw forward at a speed which allows the blade to cut without laboring. Hardness and toughness can vary even in the same piece of material, and knotty or damp sections can put a heavy load on the saw. When this happens, push the saw more slowly, but hard enough to keep it working without much decrease in speed.
Kickback
When the saw blade becomes pinched or twisted in the cut, kickback can occur. The saw is thrust rapidly back 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 backward. When 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 more likely to occur when any of the following conditions exist.
1.IMPROPER WORKPIECE SUPPORT
A.Sagging or improper lifting of the cut off piece can cause pinching of the blade and lead to kickback (Fig. 11).
11
B. Cutting through material supported at the outer ends only can cause kickback. As the material weakens it sags, closing down the kerf and pinching the blade.
C. Cutting off a cantilevered or overhanging piece of material from the bottom up in a vertical direction can cause kickback. The falling cut off piece can pinch the blade.
D. Cutting off long narrow strips (as in ripping) can cause kickback. The cut off strip can sag or twist closing the kerf and pinching the blade.
E. Snagging the lower guard on a surface below the material being cut momentarily reduces operator control. The saw can lift partially out of the cut increasing the chance of blade twist.
2.IMPROPER DEPTH OF CUT SETTING ON SAW
To make the most efficient cut, the blade should protrude only far enough to expose 1/2 of a tooth as shown in figure 5. This allows the shoe to support the blade and minimizes twisting and pinching in the material. See the section titled Cutting Depth Adjustment.
3.BLADE TWISTING (MISALIGNMENT IN CUT)
A.Pushing harder to cut through a knot, a nail, or a hard grain area can cause the blade to twist.
B.Trying to turn the saw in the cut (trying to get back on the marked line) can cause blade twist.
C.
D.Changing hand grip or body position while cutting can result in blade twist.
E.Backing up the saw to clear blade can lead to twist if it is not done carefully.
4.MATERIALS THAT REQUIRE EXTRA ATTENTION
A.Wet lumber
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