Makita 5703R Instruction Manual page 6

15. Use extra caution when sawing into existing
walls or other blind areas. The protruding blade
may cut objects that can cause kickback.
16. ALWAYS hold the tool firmly with both hands.
NEVER place your hand or fingers behind the
saw. If kickback occurs, the saw could easily
jump backwards over your hand, leading to
serious personal injury.
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17. Never force the saw. Push the saw forward at
a speed so that the blade cuts without
slowing. Forcing the saw can cause uneven cuts,
loss of accuracy, and possible kickback.
Lower guard function
18. Check lower guard for proper closing before
each use. Do not operate the saw if lower
guard does not move freely and close
instantly. Never clamp or tie the lower guard
into the open position. If saw is accidentally
dropped, lower guard may be bent. Raise the
lower guard with the retracting handle and make
sure it moves freely and does not touch the blade
or any other part, in all angles and depths of cut.
19. Check the operation of the lower guard spring.
If the guard and the spring are not operating
properly, they must be serviced before use.
Lower guard may operate sluggishly due to
damaged parts, gummy deposits, or a build-up of
debris.
20. Lower guard may be retracted manually only
for special cuts such as "plunge cuts" and
"compound cuts". Raise lower guard by
retracting handle and as soon as blade enters
the material, the lower guard must be released.
For all other sawing, the lower guard should
operate automatically.
21. Always observe that the lower guard is
covering the blade before placing saw down on
bench or floor. An unprotected, coasting blade
will cause the saw to walk backwards, cutting
whatever is in its path. Be aware of the time it
takes for the blade to stop after switch is released.
22. To check lower guard, open lower guard by
hand, then release and watch guard closure.
Also check to see that retracting handle does
not touch tool housing. Leaving blade exposed
is VERY DANGEROUS and can lead to serious
personal injury.
Riving knife function
23. Use the appropriate saw blade for the riving
knife. For the riving knife to function, the body of
the blade must be thinner than the riving knife
and the cutting width of the blade must be wider
than the thickness of the riving knife.
24. Adjust the riving knife as described in this
instruction
positioning and alignment can make the riving
knife ineffective in preventing kickback.
25. Always use the riving knife except when
plunge cutting. Riving knife must be replaced
after plunge
interference during plunge cutting and can create
kickback.
26. For the riving knife to work, it must be engaged
in the workpiece. The riving knife is ineffective in
preventing kickback during short cuts.
27. Do not operate the saw if riving knife is bent.
Even a light interference can slow the closing rate
of a guard.
Additional safety warnings
28. Use extra caution when cutting damp wood,
pressure treated lumber, or wood containing
knots. Maintain smooth advancement of tool
without decrease in blade speed to avoid
overheating the blade tips.
29. Do not attempt to remove cut material when
blade is moving. Wait until blade stops before
grasping cut material.Blades coast after turn off.
30. Avoid Cutting Nails. Inspect for and remove
all nails from lumber before cutting.
31. Place the wider portion of the saw base on
that part of the workpiece which is solidly
supported, not on the section that will fall off
when the cut is made. As examples, Fig. 1
illustrates the RIGHT way to cut off the end of
a board, and Fig. 2 the WRONG way. If the
workpiece is short or small, clamp it down.
DO NOT TRY TO HOLD SHORT PIECES BY
HAND!
Fig. 1
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6
manual. Incorrect
cutting. Riving knife
spacing,
causes