most important—down. The saw cuts upward, so any splintering will be
on the work face that is up when you saw it.
FIG. 13
FIG. 14
Cutting
WARNING: Never attempt to use this tool by resting it upside
down on a work surface and bringing the material to the tool. Always
securely clamp the workpiece and bring the tool to the workpiece,
securely holding the tool with two hands as shown in Figure 15.
Place the wider portion of the saw foot plate 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 15 illustrates the RIGHT way to
cut off the end of a board. 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.
FIG. 15
Be sure saw is up to full speed before blade contacts material to be cut.
Starting 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 working without much decrease
in speed. Forcing the saw can cause rough cuts, inaccuracy, kickback,
and over-heating of the motor. Should your cut begin to go off the line,
don't try to force it back on. Release the switch and allow blade to come
to a complete stop. Then you can withdraw the saw, sight anew, and
start a new cut slightly inside the wrong one. In any event, withdraw the
saw if you must shift the cut. Forcing a correction inside the cut can stall
the saw and lead to kickback.
IF SAW STALLS, RELEASE THE TRIGGER AND BACK THE SAW
UNTIL IT IS LOOSE. BE SURE BLADE IS STRAIGHT IN THE CUT
AND CLEAR OF THE CUTTING EDGE BEFORE RESTARTING.
11
FIG. 16