.SP6498 Belt Drive Saw 05/03 7/15/03 7:05 AM Page 50

Safety Instructions for Basic Saw Operations (continued)

-Always use unbroken, balanced blades designed to fit this saw’s 5/8 inch arbor.

-When thru-sawing (making cuts where the blade comes through the workpiece top), always use a 10 inch diameter blade. This keeps the spreader in closest to the blade.

-Do not over tighten arbor nut. Use arbor wrenches to “snug” it securely.

-Use only sharp blades with properly set teeth. Consult a professional blade sharpener when in doubt.

-Keep blades clean of gum and resin.

-Never use the saw without the proper blade insert.

Inspect your work area.

Keep work area clean.

Cluttered areas and benches invite accidents. Floor must not be slippery from wax or sawdust.

To reduce the risk of burns or other fire damage, never use the saw near flammable liquids, vapors or gases.

To reduce the risk of injury, don’t do layout, assembly, or setup work on the table while blade is spinning. It could cut or throw anything hitting the blade.

Plan your work

Use the right tool. Don’t force tool or attachment to do a job it was not designed for.

Inspect your workpiece.

Make sure there are no nails or foreign objects in the part of the workpiece to be cut.

When cutting irregularly shaped workpieces, plan your work so it will not slip and pinch the blade:

A piece of molding for example, must lie flat or be held by a fixture of jig that will not let it twist, rock or slip while being cut. Use jigs or fixtures where needed to prevent workpiece shifting.

Use a different, better suited type of tool for work that can’t be made stable.

Plan your cut.

To reduce the risk of kickbacks and throwbacks which occur when a part or all of the workpiece binds on the blade and is thrown violently back toward the front of the saw:

-Never cut Freehand. Always use either a rip fence, miter gauge or fixture to position and guide the work, so it won’t twist or bind on the blade and kickback.

-Make sure there’s no debris between the workpiece and its supports.

Use extra caution with large, very small or awkward workpieces.

Use extra supports (tables, saw horses, blocks, etc.) for any work- pieces large enough to tip when not held down to the table top. Never use another person as a substitute for a table extension, or as additional support for a workpiece that is longer or wider than the basic saw table, or to help feed, support or pull the workpiece.

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RIDGID TS3650 manual Inspect your work area, Plan your work, Inspect your workpiece, Plan your cut