Craftsman 125.46569 Operator's Manual page 5

the workpiece to a stable platform. It is
important to support the workpiece properly
to minimize body exposure, blade binding,
or loss of control.
■ When ripping, always use a rip fence or
straight edge guide. This improves the
accuracy of cut and reduces the chance of
blade binding.
■ Always use blades with correct size and
shape (diamond versus round) of arbour
holes. Blades that do not match the
mounting hardware of the saw will run
eccentrically, causing loss of control.
■ Never use damaged or incorrect blade
washers or bolt. The blade washers and
bolt were specially designed for your saw,
for optimum performance and safety of
operation.
KICKBACK CAUSES AND RELATED
WARNING
■ Kickback is a sudden reaction to a pinched,
bound or misaligned saw blade, causing
an uncontrolled saw to lift up and out of the
workpiece 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
rapidly back toward the operator;
■ If 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 the result of saw misuse and/or
incorrect operating procedures or conditions
and can be avoided by taking proper
precautions as given below:
■ Maintain a firm grip with both hands on
the saw and position your arms to resist
kickback forces. Position your body to
either side of the blade, but not in line with
the blade. Kickback could cause the saw
to jump backwards, but kickback forces
can be controlled by the operator, if proper
precautions are taken.
■ When blade is binding, or when interrupting
a cut for any reason, release the trigger and
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
5 ― English
hold the saw motionless in the material until
the blade comes to a complete stop. Never
attempt to remove the saw from the work or
pull the saw backward while the blade is in
motion or kickback may occur. Investigate
and take corrective actions to eliminate the
cause of blade binding.
■ When restarting a saw in the workpiece,
center the saw blade in the kerf and check
that saw teeth are not engaged into the
material. If the saw blade is binding, it may
walk up or kickback from the workpiece as
the saw is restarted.
■ Support large panels to minimize the risk
of blade pinching and kickback. Large
panels tend to sag under their own weight.
Supports must be placed under the panel
on both sides, near the line of cut and near
the edge of the panel.
■ Do not use dull or damaged blades.
Unsharpened or improperly set blades
produce narrow kerf causing excessive
friction, blade binding and kickback.
■ Blade depth and bevel adjusting locking
levers must be tight and secure before
making cut. If blade adjustment shifts while
cutting, it may cause binding and kickback.
■ Use extra caution when sawing into existing
walls or other blind areas. The protruding
blade may cut objects that can cause
kickback.
LOWER GUARD FUNCTION
■ Check the lower guard for proper closing
before each use. Do not operate the saw if
the lower guard does not move freely and
close instantly. Never clamp or tie the lower
guard into the open position. If the saw is
accidentally dropped, the 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.
■ 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