RIDGID R3203-1 - Manual (Page 4)

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 DANGER! Keep hands away from cutting area and the
blade. Keep your second hand on auxiliary handle or
motor housing. If both hands are holding the saw, they
cannot be cut by the blade.
 Do not reach underneath the workpiece. The
guard cannot protect you from the blade below the
workpiece.
 Adjust the cutting depth to the thickness of the
workpiece. Less than a full tooth of the blade teeth
should be visible below the workpiece.
 Never hold piece being cut in your hands or across
your leg. Secure the workpiece to a stable platform.
It is important to support the work properly to minimize
body exposure, blade binding, or loss of control.
 Hold power tool by insulated gripping surfaces when
performing an operation where the cutting tool may
contact hidden wiring or its own cord. Contact with
a “live” wire will also make exposed metal parts of the
power tool “live” and shock the operator.
 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 arbor 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.
CAUSES AND OPERATOR PREVENTION OF
KICKBACK:
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 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 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 making a “Plunge Cut” into
existing walls or other blind areas. The protruding blade
may cut objects that can cause kickback.
 Check lower guard for proper closing before each use.
Do not operate 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. Make sure it moves freely and does
not touch the blade or any other part, in all angles and
depths of cut.
SERVICE
 Have your power tool serviced by a qualified repair
person using only identical replacement parts. This will
ensure that the safety of the power tool is maintained.
WARNING!
To reduce the risk of injury, user must read
instruction manual.
GENERAL SAFETY RULES
SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES
 When servicing a power tool, use only identical
replacement parts. Follow instructions in the
Maintenance section of this manual. Use of unauthorized
parts or failure to follow Maintenance instructions may
create a risk of shock or injury.