Chicago Electric 68316 User Manual
Owner’s Manual & Safety Instructions
Save This Manual Keep this manual for the safety warnings and precautions, assembly, operating,
inspection, maintenance and cleaning procedures. Write the product’s serial number in the back of the manual
near the assembly diagram (or month and year of purchase if product has no number). Keep this manual and
the receipt in a safe and dry place for future reference.
ITEM 68316
Visit our website at: http://www.harborfreight.com
REV 12b
When unpacking, make sure that the product is intact
and undamaged. If any parts are missing or broken,
please call 1-800-444-3353 as soon as possible.
Copyright© 2010 by Harbor Freight Tools®. All rights reserved.
No portion of this manual or any artwork contained herein may be reproduced in
any shape or form without the express written consent of Harbor Freight Tools.
Diagrams within this manual may not be drawn proportionally. Due to continuing
improvements, actual product may differ slightly from the product described herein.
Tools required for assembly and service may not be included.
Email our technical support at: tech@harborfreight.com
Read this material before using this product.
Failure to do so can result in serious injury.
SAVE THIS MANUAL.
Table of Contents
Safety ......................................................... 2
Specications ............................................. 8
Setup .......................................................... 8
SAFETY OPERATION MAINTENANCESETUP
Operation ................................................... 10
This is the safety alert symbol. It is used to alert you to potential personal injury hazards.
Maintenance .............................................. 16
Parts List and Diagram .............................. 18
Warranty .................................................... 20
WARNING SYMBOLS AND DEFINITIONS
Obey all safety messages that follow this symbol to avoid possible injury or death.
Indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
will result in death or serious injury.
Indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
could result in death or serious injury.
Indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
could result in minor or moderate injury.
Addresses practices not related to personal injury.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
General Power Tool Safety Warnings
Read all safety warnings and instructions.
Failure to follow the warnings and instructions may result in electric shock, re and/or serious injury.
Save all warnings and instructions for future reference.
The term ″power tool″ in the warnings refers to your mains-operated (corded) power tool.
Work area safety
1. Keep work area clean and well lit.
Cluttered or dark areas invite accidents.
2. Do not operate power tools in explosive
atmospheres, such as in the presence of
ammable liquids, gases or dust. Power tools
create sparks which may ignite the dust or fumes.
Electrical safety
3. Keep children and bystanders
away while operating a power tool.
Distractions can cause you to lose control.
1. Power tool plugs must match the
outlet. Never modify the plug in any way.
Do not use any adapter plugs with grounded
power tools. Unmodied plugs and matching
outlets will reduce risk of electric shock.
2. Avoid body contact with grounded surfaces
such as pipes, radiators, ranges and
refrigerators. There is an increased risk of
electric shock if your body is grounded.
Page 2 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353. SKU 68316
3. Do not expose power tools to rain or wet
conditions. Water entering a power tool
will increase the risk of electric shock.
4. Do not abuse the cord. Never use the cord
for carrying, pulling or unplugging the power
tool. Keep cord away from heat, oil, sharp
edges or moving parts. Damaged or entangled
cords increase the risk of electric shock.
Electrical safety (cont.)
5. When operating a power tool outdoors, use
an extension cord suitable for outdoor use.
Use of a cord suitable for outdoor use
reduces the risk of electric shock.
Personal safety
1. Stay alert, watch what you are doing and use
common sense when operating a power tool.
Do not use a power tool while you are tired
or under the inuence of drugs, alcohol or
medication. A moment of inattention while operating
power tools may result in serious personal injury.
2. Use safety equipment. Always wear eye
protection. Safety equipment such as
dust mask, non-skid safety shoes, hard hat,
or hearing protection used for appropriate
conditions will reduce personal injuries.
3. Prevent unintentional starting. Ensure the
switch is in the off-position before connecting
to power source and/or battery pack, picking
up or carrying the tool. Carrying power tools
with your nger on the switch or energizing power
tools that have the switch on invites accidents.
4. Remove any adjusting key or wrench
before turning the power tool on.
A wrench or a key left attached to a rotating part
of the power tool may result in personal injury.
6. If operating a power tool in a damp location
is unavoidable, use a Ground Fault Circuit
Interrupter (GFCI) protected supply.
Use of a GFCI reduces the risk of electric shock.
5. Do not overreach. Keep proper footing and
balance at all times. This enables better control
of the power tool in unexpected situations.
6. Dress properly. Do not wear loose clothing or
jewelry. Keep your hair, clothing and gloves
away from moving parts. Loose clothes, jewelry
or long hair can be caught in moving parts.
7. If devices are provided for the connection of
dust extraction and collection facilities, ensure
these are connected and properly used. Use of
these devices can reduce dust-related hazards.
8. Only use safety equipment that has been
approved by an appropriate standards agency.
Unapproved safety equipment may not provide
adequate protection. Eye protection must
be ANSI-approved and breathing
protection must be NIOSH-approved for
the specic hazards in the work area.
SAFETYOPERATIONMAINTENANCE SETUP
Power tool use and care
1. Do not force the power tool. Use the
correct power tool for your application.
The correct power tool will do the job better and
safer at the rate for which it was designed.
2. Do not use the power tool if the switch
does not turn it on and off. Any power
tool that cannot be controlled with the switch
is dangerous and must be repaired.
3. Disconnect the plug from the power source
and/or the battery pack from the power tool
before making any adjustments, changing
accessories, or storing power tools.
Such preventive safety measures reduce the
risk of starting the power tool accidentally.
4. Store idle power tools out of the reach of
children and do not allow persons unfamiliar
with the power tool or these instructions
to operate the power tool. Power tools are
dangerous in the hands of untrained users.
5. Maintain power tools. Check for misalignment
or binding of moving parts, breakage of parts
and any other condition that may affect the
power tool’s operation. If damaged, have the
power tool repaired before use. Many accidents
are caused by poorly maintained power tools.
6. Keep cutting tools sharp and clean. Properly
maintained cutting tools with sharp cutting edges
are less likely to bind and are easier to control.
7. Use the power tool, accessories and blades
etc. in accordance with these instructions,
taking into account the working conditions
and the work to be performed. Use of the
power tool for operations different from those
intended could result in a hazardous situation.
Page 3For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.SKU 68316
Service
Have your power tool serviced by a qualied repair
person using only identical replacement parts. This
will ensure that the safety of the power tool is maintained.
SAFETY OPERATION MAINTENANCESETUP
Circular Saw Safety Warnings
1. DANGER: Keep hands away from cutting
area and the blades. Keep your second hand on
auxiliary handle, or motor housing. If both hands
are holding the saw, they cannot be cut by the blades.
2. Do not reach underneath the workpiece.
The guard cannot protect you from the
blades below the workpiece.
3. Adjust the cutting depth to the thickness of the
workpiece. Less than a full tooth of the blades’
teeth should be visible below the workpiece.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. When ripping always use a rip fence or straight
edge guide. This improves the accuracy of cut
and reduces the chance of blade binding.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. Causes and Operator Prevention of Kickback:
• Kickback is a sudden reaction to a pinched,
bound or misaligned saw blades, causing
an uncontrolled saw to lift up and out of
the workpiece toward the operator;
• When the blades are pinched or bound
tightly by the kerf closing down, the blades
stall and the motor reaction drives the
unit rapidly back toward the operator;
• If the blades become twisted or misaligned
in the cut, the teeth at the back edge of the
blades can dig into the top surface of the
wood causing the blades 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:
a. Maintain a rm grip with both hands on the
saw and position your arms to resist kickback
forces. Position your body to either side of
the blades, but not in line with the blades.
Kickback could cause the saw to jump backwards,
but kickback forces can be controlled by the
operator, if proper precautions are taken.
b. When blades are binding, or when interrupting
a cut for any reason, release the trigger
and hold the saw motionless in the material
until the blades come to a complete stop.
Never attempt to remove the saw from the
work or pull the saw backward while the
blades are in motion or kickback may occur.
Investigate and take corrective actions to
eliminate the cause of blade binding.
c. When restarting a saw in the workpiece,
center the saw blades in the kerf and
check that saw teeth are not engaged
into the material. If saw blades are binding,
they may walk up or kickback from the
workpiece as the saw is restarted.
d. 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.
e. Do not use dull or damaged blades.
Unsharpened or improperly set blades
produce narrow kerf causing excessive
friction, blade binding and kickback.
f. 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.
g. Use extra caution when making a
″plunge cut″ into existing walls or other
blind areas. The protruding blades may
cut objects that can cause kickback.
Page 4 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353. SKU 68316
Circular Saw Safety Warnings (cont.)
10. Check lower guard for proper closing before
each use. Do not operate the 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 and make sure it
moves freely and does not touch the blades or
any other part, in all angles and depths of cut.
11. 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 deposits, or a build-up of debris.
12. Lower guard should be retracted manually
only for special cuts such as ″plunge cuts″
and ″compound cuts.″ Raise lower guard
by retracting handle and as soon as blades
enter the material, the lower guard must
be released. For all other sawing, the lower
guard should operate automatically.
13. Always observe that the lower guard is covering
the blades before placing saw down on bench
or oor. Unprotected, coasting blades will cause
the saw to walk backwards, cutting whatever
is in its path. Be aware of the time it takes for
the blades to stop after switch is released.
14. DO NOT USE THIS SAW WITH THE
SAW HELD UPSIDE DOWN IN A VISE.
The saw is not designed for such use and
cannot be used safely in that position.
15. Do not use to cut logs, tree
limbs, or uneven lumber.
16. Wet lumber, green (unseasoned) lumber,
and pressure treated lumber all have
an increased potential for kickback and
should only be cut with blades for cutting
that lumber type. Wear a NIOSH-approved
respirator and have appropriate ventilation
whenever cutting pressure treated lumber.
17. Do not use blades made from high-speed steel,
abrasive blades, metal-cutting blades or masonrycutting blades. The guards of this saw are not
designed to protect against the failure of such blades.
18. Place the larger portion of the saw base on
the larger, supported part of the workpiece.
This will help maintain balance and
control while the cut is completed.
19. Closely observe position of saw’s housing
during cut. Do not let housing bump
up against material being cut.
20. Blades must be rated to at least the maximum
speed marked on the tool. Use only blades
designed SPECIFICALLY for this saw.
21. Maintain labels and nameplates on the tool.
These carry important safety information.
If unreadable or missing, contact Harbor
Freight Tools for a replacement.
22. Avoid unintentional starting.
Prepare to begin work before turning on the tool.
23. Do not lay the tool down until it has come to
a complete stop. Moving parts can grab the
surface and pull the tool out of your control.
24. When using a handheld power tool,
maintainarmgriponthetoolwithboth
hands to resist starting torque.
25. Do not leave the tool unattended when it is plugged
into an electrical outlet. Turn off the tool, and
unplug it from its electrical outlet before leaving.
26. Use clamps (not included) or other practical ways
to secure and support the workpiece to a stable
platform. Holding the work by hand or against your
body is unstable and may lead to loss of control.
27. This product is not a toy.
Keep it out of reach of children.
28. Verify that there are no utility lines or
hardware in or near the workpiece.
This is especially critical for plunge cuts.
SAFETYOPERATIONMAINTENANCE SETUP
29. Do not depress the spindle lock when
starting or during operation.
Page 5For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353.SKU 68316
Circular Saw Safety Warnings (cont.)
30. WARNING: Handling the cord on this product will
expose you to lead, a chemical known to the State
of California to cause cancer, and birth defects or
SAFETY OPERATION MAINTENANCESETUP
other reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.
(California Health & Safety Code § 25249.5, et seq.)
31. WARNING: Some dust created by power sanding,
sawing, grinding, drilling, and other construction
activities, contains chemicals known [to the State
of California] to cause cancer, birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Some examples of these
chemicals are:
•Leadfromlead-basedpaints
•Crystallinesilicafrombricksandcementorother
masonry products
•Arsenicandchromiumfrom
chemically treated lumber
Your risk from these exposures varies, depending
on how often you do this type of work. To reduce
your exposure to these chemicals: work in a well
ventilated area, and work with approved safety
equipment, such as those dust masks that are
speciallydesignedtolteroutmicroscopicparticles.
(California Health & Safety Code § 25249.5, et seq.)
32. People with pacemakers should consult their
physician(s)beforeuse.Electromagneticeldsin
close proximity to heart pacemaker could cause
pacemaker interference or pacemaker failure. In
addition, people with pacemakers should:
•Avoidoperatingalone.
•Donotusewithpowerswitchlockedon.
•Properlymaintainandinspecttoavoid
electrical shock.
•Anypowercordmustbeproperlygrounded.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)
should also be implemented – it prevents
sustained electrical shock.
33. The warnings, precautions, and instructions
discussed in this instruction manual cannot
cover all possible conditions and situations
that may occur. It must be understood by the
operator that common sense and caution are
factors which cannot be built into this product,
but must be supplied by the operator.
Vibration Safety
This tool vibrates during use. Repeated or long-term
exposure to vibration may cause temporary or permanent
physical injury, particularly to the hands, arms and
shoulders. To reduce the risk of vibration-related injury:
1. Anyone using vibrating tools regularly or for an
extendedperiodshouldrstbeexaminedbya
doctor and then have regular medical checkups to ensure medical problems are not being
caused or worsened from use. Pregnant women
or people who have impaired blood circulation
to the hand, past hand injuries, nervous system
disorders, diabetes, or Raynaud’s Disease should
not use this tool. If you feel any medical or
physical symptoms related to vibration (such as
tingling,numbness,andwhiteorbluengers),
seek medical advice as soon as possible.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS.
2. Do not smoke during use. Nicotine reduces
thebloodsupplytothehandsandngers,
increasing the risk of vibration-related injury.
3. Use tools with the lowest vibration
when there is a choice.
4. Include vibration-free periods each day of work.
5. Grip tool as lightly as possible (while still keeping
safe control of it). Let the tool do the work.
6. To reduce vibration, maintain the tool as
explained in this manual. If any abnormal
vibration occurs, stop use immediately.
Page 6 For technical questions, please call 1-800-444-3353. SKU 68316
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