Porter Cable 3812 Manuel D'instructions page 16

TOOL USE
Common sawing operations include ripping and cross cutting, plus a few other standard operations. As with all power
machines, a certain amount of hazard is involved. Using the machine with respect and caution will considerably lessen
the possibility of personal injury. However, if normal safety precautions are overlooked or completely ignored, personal
injury can result. The following information describes the safe and proper method for performing the most common
sawing operations.
The use of attachments and accessories not recommended by Porter-Cable may result in the risk
of personal injury.
CROSS-CUTTING
Cross-cutting requires the use of the miter gauge to
position and guide the work. Place the work against
the miter gauge and advance both the gauge and work
toward the saw blade (Fig. 32). You can use the miter
gauge in either table slot. When bevel cutting (blade
tilted), use the table groove that prevents your hand or
the miter gauge from contacting the saw blade guard.
Start the cut slowly and hold the work firmly against the
miter gauge and the table.
Never hold or touch the part of the
workpiece that will be cut off. Hold the supported
piece, not the free piece that is cut off.
Continue the feed in cross-cutting until the workpiece
is completely cut. Before pulling the work back, give
the work a little sideways shift to move the work slightly
away from the saw blade. Never pick up any short
length of free work from the table and never touch a
cut-off piece unless it is at least a foot long while the
saw is running.
For added safety, you can attach and auxiliary wood
facing to the miter gauge (Fig. 33). Make this facing
at least 1" higher than the maximum depth of cut and
extend it at least 12" either side depending on which
miter gauge slot you use. Fasten this facing (C) to the
front of the miter gauge with two wood screws through
the miter gauge body(A) and into the facing.
When using the block (B) Fig. 34 as a cut-
off gauge, position the rear end of the block so that the
workpiece clears the block before it enters the blade.
Never use the fence as a cut-off gauge
when cross-cutting.
When cross-cutting a number of pieces to the same
length, clamp a block of wood (B) to the fence and
use it as a cut-off gauge (Fig. 34). Always position this
block of wood in front of the saw blade. Once you have
determined the cut-off length, secure the fence and use
the miter gauge to feed the workpiece into the blade.
This block of wood allows the cut-off piece to move
without binding, lessening the possibility of kickback
and injury.
Fig. 32
C
Fig. 33
Fig. 34
16
A
B