15. When operating the saw, keep the cord away
from the cutting area and position it so that it will
not be caught on the workpiece during the cut-
ting operation. Operate with proper hand sup-
port, proper workpiece support, and supply cord
routing away from the work area.
WARNING: It is important to support the work-
piece properly and to hold the saw firmly to pre-
vent loss of control which could cause personal
injury. Fig. 4 illustrates typical hand support of
the saw.
16. 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 example, Fig. 5 illustrates the RIGHT way to
cut off the end of a board, and Fig.6 the WRONG
way. If the workpiece is short or small, clamp it
down. DON'T TRY TO HOLD SHORT PIECES BY
HAND! (Fig. 6)
17. Never attempt to saw with the circular saw held
upside down in a vise. This is extremely danger-
ous and can lead to serious accidents. (Fig. 7)
18. Before setting the tool down after completing a
cut, be sure that the lower (telescoping) guard
has closed and the blade has come to a com-
plete stop.
19. Using manufacturer data
• Ensure that the diameter, thickness and other
characteristics of the saw blade are suitable for
the tool.
• Ensure that the saw blade is suitable for the
spindle speed of the tool.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Removing or installing saw blade
The following blade can be used with this tool.
Max. dia.
Min. dia.
165 mm
150 mm
The thickness of the riving knife is 1.8 mm.
CAUTION:
• Do not use saw blades which do not comply with the
characteristics specified in these instructions.
• Do not use saw blades the disc of which is thicker or
the set of which is smaller than the thickness of the riv-
ing knife.
To remove the saw blade, depress the shaft lock to pre-
vent shaft rotation, then use the hex wrench to loosen the
hex socket head bolt. (Fig. 8)
Now remove the outer flange, raise the safety cover as
much as possible, and remove the saw blade. (Fig. 9)
Install the saw blade using the reverse of the removal
procedure. Install the inner flange, saw blade, outer
flange and hex socket head bolt, in that order. Be sure to
secure the hex socket head bolt tightly. (Fig. 10)
Blade
Kerf
thickness
1.6 mm
1.9 mm
or less
or more
CAUTION:
• Make sure that the blade teeth point forward in the
same direction as the tool rotation (the arrow on the
blade should point in the same direction as the arrow
on the tool).
• Use only the Makita socket wrench to remove or install
the blade.
Riving knife adjustment (Fig. 11)
Use the socket wrench to loosen the hex head socket
bolt for the riving knife adjustment, then raise the safety
cover. Move the riving knife up or down over the two pro-
truberances for settings indicated in the illustration, so as
to obtain the proper clearance between the riving knife
and saw blade.
CAUTION:
Ensure that the riving knife is adjusted such that:
The distance between the riving knife and the toothed rim
of the saw blade is not more than 5 mm. The toothed rim
does not extend more than 5 mm beyond the lower edge
of the riving knife.
Adjusting depth of cut (Fig. 12)
Loosen the thumb nut on the depth guide and move the
base up or down. At a desired depth of cut, secure the
base by tightening the thumb nut.
CAUTION:
• Use a shallow depth of cut when cutting thin workpiece
for cleaner, safer cuts.
• After adjusting the depth of cut, always tighten the
thumb nut securely.
Adjusting for bevel cuts (Fig. 13)
Loosen the thumb nuts in front and back, and tilt the tool
to the desired angle for bevel cuts (0° – 45°). Secure the
thumb nuts tightly in front and back after making the
adjustment.
Sighting (Fig. 14)
For straight cuts, align the right notch on the front of the
base with your cutting line on the workpiece.
For 45° bevel cuts, align the left notch with it.
Switch action (Fig. 15)
To prevent the switch trigger from being accidentally
pulled, a lock-off button is provided.
To start the tool, depress the lock-off button and pull the
switch trigger. Release the switch trigger to stop.
CAUTION:
Before plugging in the tool, always check to see that the
switch trigger actuates properly and returns to the "OFF"
position when released.
Operation (Fig. 16)
Hold the tool firmly. Set the base plate on the workpiece
to be cut without the blade making any contact. Then turn
the tool on and wait until the blade attains full speed.
Now simply move the tool forward over the workpiece
surface, keeping it flat and advancing smoothly until the
sawing is completed. To get clean cuts, keep your sawing
line straight and your speed of advance uniform.
CAUTION:
• The riving knife should always be used except when
plunging in the middle of the workpiece.
• Do not stop the saw blade by lateral pressure on the
disc.
7