OPERATOR'S MANUAL
II:RRFTSMRN°I
5-1/2 in., 18 VOLT
CORDLESS TRIM SAW
Model No.
315.114232
_ WARNING: To reduce the risk of injury,
the usermust read and understand the
operator's manual before using this
product.
Customer Help Line: 1-800-932-3188
Sears, Roebuck and Co., 3333 Beverly Rd., Hoffman Estates, IL 60179 USA
Visit the Craftsman web page: www.sears.com/craftsman
983000-507
11-04
Save this manual for future reference
• Warranty .......................................................................................................................................................................... 2
• Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................... 2
• General Safety Rules.................................................................................................................................................... 3-4
• Specific Safety Rules.................................................................................................................................................... 4-5
• Safety Rules for Charger ................................................................................................................................................. 6
• Symbols ........................................................................................................................................................................ 7-8
• Features...................................................................................................................................................................... 9-10
• Assembly .................................................................................................................................................................. 10-11
• Operation .................................................................................................................................................................. 12-19
• Maintenance .................................................................................................................................................................. 20
• Accessories ................................................................................................................................................................... 20
• Exploded View and Parts List................................................................................................................................... 21-22
• Par_sOrdering/Service .................................................................................................................................... Back Page
FULL ONE YEAR WARRANTY ON CRAFTSMAN TOOL
If this CRAFTSMAN tool fails to give complete satisfaction within one year from the date of purchase, RETURN IT TO
THE NEAREST SEARS STORE OR SEARS SERVICE CENTER IN THE UNITED STATES, and Sears will replace it, free
of charge.
If this CRAFTSMAN tool isused for commercial or rental purposes, this warranty applies for only 90 days from the date
of purchase.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
Sears, Roebuck and Co., Dept. 817WA, Hoffman Estates, IL 60179
This tool has many features for making its use more pleasant and enjoyable. Safety, performance, and dependability
have been given top priority in the design of this product making it easy to maintain and operate.
_L WARNING! READ AND UNDERSTAND ALL
INSTRUCTIONS. Failureto follow all instructions
listed below, may result in electric shock, fire and/or
serious personal injury.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
WORK AREA
• Keep your work area clean and well lit. Cluttered
benches and dark areas inviteaccidents.
• Do not operate power tools in explosive atmo-
spheres, such as in the presence of flammable
liquids, gases, or dust. Power tools create sparks
which may ignite the dust or fumes.
• Keep bystanders, children, and visitors away while
operating a power tool. Distractions can cause you to
lose control.
ELECTRICALSAFETY
• A battery operated tool with integral batteries or a
separate battery pack must be recharged only with
the specified charger for the battery. A charger that
may be suitable for one type of battery may create a
risk of fire when used with another battery.
• Use battery operated tool only with specifically
designated battery pack. Use of any other batteries
may create a risk of fire.
• Use battery only with charger listed.
MODEL BATTERY PACK CHARGER
315.114232 Item no. 9 11378 Item no. 9 11379
(130139020) (1426101)
• Do not abuse the cord. Never use the cord to carry
the charger. Keep cord away from heat, oil, sharp
edges, or moving parts. Replace damaged cords
immediately. Damaged cords may create a fire.
PERSONAL SAFETY
• Stay alert, watch what you are doing and use
common sense when operating a power tool. Do
not use tool while tired or under the influence of
drugs, alcohol, or medication. A moment of inatten-
tion while operating power tools may result in serious
personal injury.
• Dress properly. Do not wear loose clothing or
jewelry. Contain long hair. Keep your hair, clothing,
and gloves away from moving parts. Loose clothes,
jewelry, or long hair can be caught in moving parts.
• Avoid accidental starting. Be sure switch is in the
locked or off position before inserting battery pack.
Carrying tools with your finger on the switch or insert-
ing the battery pack into a tool with the switch on
invites accidents.
• Remove adjusting keys or wrenches before turning
the tool on. A wrench or a key that is left attached to a
rotating part of the tool may result in personal injury.
• Do not overreach. Keep proper footing and balance
at all times. Proper footing and balance enable better
control of the tool in unexpected situations.
• Use safety equipment. Always wear eye protection.
Dust mask, non-skid safety shoes, hard hat, or hearing
protection must be used for appropriate conditions.
• Do not wear loose clothing or jewelry. Contain long
hair. Loose clothes, jewelry, or long hair can be drawn
into air vents.
• Do not use on a ladder or unstable support. Stable
footing on a solid surface enables better control of the
tool in unexpected situations.
TOOLUSEAND CARE
• Use clamps or other practical way 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.
• Do not force tool. Use the correct tool for your
application, The correct tool will do the job better and
safer at the rate for which it is designed.
• Do not use tool if switch does not turn it on or off. A
tool that cannot be controlled with the switch is
dangerous and must be repaired.
• Disconnect battery pack from tool or place the
switch in the locked or off position before making
any adjustments, changing accessories, or storing
the tool. Such preventive safety measures reduce the
risk of starting the tool accidentally.
• Store idle tools out of reach of children and other
untrained persons. Tools are dangerous in the hands
of untrained users.
• When battery pack is not in use, keep it away from
other metal objects like: paper clips, coins, keys,
nails, screws, or other small metal objects that can
make a connection from one terminal to another.
Shorting the battery terminals together may cause
sparks, burns, or a fire.
• Maintain tools with care. Keep cutting tools sharp
and clean. Properly maintained tools with sharp
cutting edges are less likely to bind and are easier to
control.
• Check for misalignment or binding of moving parts,
breakage of parts, and any other condition that
may affect the tool's operation. If damaged, have
the tool serviced before using. Many accidents are
caused by poorly maintained tools.
• Use only accessories that are recommended by the
manufacturer for your model. Accessories that may
be suitable for one tool may create a risk of injury when
used on another tool.
• Keep the tool and its handle dry, clean and free
from oil and grease. Always use a clean cloth when
cleaning. Never use brake fluids, gasoline, petroleum-
based products, or any strong solvents to clean the
tool. Following this rule will reduce the risk of loss of
control and deterioration of the enclosure plastic.
SERVICE
• Tool service must be performed only by qualified
repair personnel. Serviceor maintenance performed
by unqualified personnel may result in a risk of injury.
• When servicing a tool, use only identical replace-
ment parts. Follow instructions in the Maintenance
section of this manual. Use of unauthorizedparts or
failure to follow Maintenance Instructionsmay create a
risk of shock orinjury.
• DANGER! Keep hands away from cuffing area and
blade. Keep your second hand on auxiliary handle
or motor housing. If bothhands are holdingthe saw,
they cannotbe cut by the blade.
• Keep your body positioned to either side of the
saw blade, but not in line with the saw blade. KICK-
BACK could cause the saw to jump backwards.
• Do not reach underneath the work. The guard can-
not protect you from the blade below the work.
• Check the 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
accidentallydropped, lower guard may be bent. Raise
the lower guard with the retracting handle and make
sure it moves freely and does not touch the blade or
any other part, in all angles and depths of cut.
• Check the operation and condition 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 sluggishlydueto dam-
aged parts, gummydeposits, or a buildupof debris.
• Lower guard should be retracted manually only
for special cuts such as "Pocket Cuts" and "Com-
pound Cuts". Raise lower guard by Retracting
Handle. As soon as blade enters the material,
lower guard must be released. For all othersawing,
the lowerguard should operate automatically.
• Always observe that the lower guard is covering
the blade before placing saw down on bench or
floor. An unprotected, coasting blade will cause the
saw to walk backwards, cutting whatever is in its path.
Be aware of the time it takes for the blade to stop after
switch is released.
NEVER hold piece being cut in your hands or
across your leg. Itis importantto support the work
properlyto minimize body exposure, bladebinding,or
loss of control.
Hold tool by insulating gripping surfaces when
performing an operation where the cutting tool
may contact hidden wiring. Contact with a "live" wire
willalso make exposedmetal parts ofthe tool "live"
and shock the operator.
• When ripping always use a rip fence or an edge
guide. This improves the accuracy of cut and reduces
the chance of bladebinding.
• Always use blades with correct size and shape
(diamond vs. round) arbor holes. Bladesthat do not
match the mounting hardware ofthe saw willrun ec-
centrically,causing lossof control.
• Never use damaged or incorrect blade washers
or bolts. The blade washers and boltwere specially
designedfor the saw,for optimumperformanceand
safety of operation.
• Causes and Operator Prevention of Kickback:
Kickbackis a suddenreactionto a pinched, bound, or
misaligned saw blade, causingan uncontrolledsaw to
liftup and out ofthe workpiecetowardtheoperator.
When the blade is pinchedor bound tightlyby the kerr
closingdown,the blade stallsand the motor reaction
drives the unit rapidly back towardthe operator.
Ifthe blade becomestwistedor misalignedin the cut,
the teeth at the back edge ofthe blade can dig intothe
top surface of the wood causingthe blade toclimb out
ofthe kerf and jumpback toward the operator.
Kickbackis a result of tool misuseand/or incorrectop-
eratingproceduresorconditionsand can be avoided
by takingproper precautionsas givenbelow:
• Maintain a firm grip on the saw and position your
body and arm in a way that allows you to resist
KICKBACK forces. KICKBACK forces can be con-
trolledby the operator,ifproper precautionsare 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 re-
move the saw from the work or pull the saw back-
ward while the blade is in motion or KICKBACK
may occur. Investigateand take correctiveactionsto
eliminate the cause of blade binding.
• When restarting a saw in the workpiece, center the
saw blade in the kerf and check that 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.
4
Additional Specific Safety Rules
• Support large panels to minimize the risk of blade
pinching and KICKBACK. Largepanels 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 blade. Unsharpened
or improperly set blades produce narrow kerr 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, itwill cause bind-
ing and KICKBACK.
• Use extra caution when making a "Pocket Cut"
into existing walls or other blind areas, The pro-
trudingblade may cut objectsthat can cause KICK-
BACK.
• Hold tool by insulated gripping surfaces when
performing an operation where the cutting tool may
contact hidden wiring. Contact with a "live" wire will
also make exposed metal parts of the tool "live" and
shock the operator.
• Know the power tool. Read operator's manual care-
fully. Learn its applications and limitations, as well
as the specific potential hazards related to this tool.
Following this rule will reduce the risk of electric shock,
fire, or serious injury.
• Always wear safety glasses with side shields.
Everyday glasses have only impact resistant lenses.
They are NOT safety glasses. Following this rule will
reduce the risk of eye injury.
• Protect your lungs. Wear a face or dust mask if the
operation is dusty. Following this rule will reduce the
risk of serious personal injury.
• Protect your hearing. Wear hearing protection dur-
ing extended periods of operation. Following this rule
will reduce the risk of serious personal injury.
• Battery tools do not have to be plugged into an
electrical outlet; therefore, they are always in
operating condition. Be aware of possible hazards
when not using the battery tool or when changing
accessories. Following this rule will reduce the risk of
electric shock, fire, or serious personal injury.
• Do not place battery tools or their batteries near
fire or heat. This will reducethe riskof explosionand
possibly injury.
• Never use a battery that has been dropped or
received a sharp blow. A damaged battery issubject
to explosion. Properly dispose of a dropped or dam-
aged battery immediately.
• Batteries vent hydrogen gas and can explode in
the presence of a source of ignition, such as a pilot
light. To reduce the risk of serious personal injury,
never use any cordless product in the presence of
open flame. An exploded battery can propel debris and
chemicals. If exposed, flush with water immediately.
• Do not charge battery tool in a damp or wet
location. Following this rule will reduce the risk of
electric shock.
• For best results, the battery tool should be charged
in a location where the temperature is more than
50°F but less than IO0°F. Do not store outside or in
vehicles.
Under extreme usage or temperature condi-
tions, battery leakage may occur. If liquid comes
in contact with your skin, wash immediately with
soap and water, then neutralize with lemon juice
or vinegar. If liquid gets into your eyes, flush them
with clean water for at least 10 minutes, then seek
immediate medical attention. Following this rule will
reduce the risk of serious personal injury.
_k WARNING! READ AND UNDERSTAND ALL
INSTRUCTIONS. Failureto follow all instructions
listedbelow, may resultin electric shock, fire
and/or seriouspersonalinjury.
• Before using battery charger, read all instructions
and cautionary markings in this manual, on battery
charger, battery, and product using battery to prevent
misuse of the products and possible injury or damage.
_i, CAUTION: To reduce the risk of electric shock or
damage to the chargerand battery, charge only
nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries as specifi-
callydesignated on the charger.Other types of
batteries may burst, causing personal injuryor
damage.
• Do not use charger outdoors or expose to wet or
damp conditions. Water entering chargerwill increase
the risk of electric shock.
• Use of an attachment not recommended or sold
by the battery charger manufacturer may result in
a risk of fire, electric shock, or injury to persons,
Following this rule will reduce the risk of electric shock,
fire, or serious personal injury.
• Do not abuse cord or charger. Never use the cord to
carry the charger. Do not pull the charger cord rather
than the plug when disconnecting from receptacle.
Damage to the cord or charger could occur and create
an electric shock hazard. Replace damaged cords im-
mediately.
• Make sure cord is located so that itwill not be
stepped on, tripped over, come in contact with
sharp edges or moving parts or otherwise subject-
ed to damage or stress. This will reduce the riskof
accidental falls, which could cause injury,and damage
to the cord, which could result inelectric shock.
• Keep cord and charger from heat to prevent
damage to housing or internal parts.
• Do not let gasoline, oils, petroleum-based products,
etc. come in contact with plastic parts. They contain
chemicalsthat can damage, weaken, ordestroy plastic.
• An extension cord should not be used unless
absolutely necessary. Use of improper extension cord
could result ina risk of fire and electric shock. If
extension cord must be used, make sure:
a. That pins on plug of extension cord are the
same number, size and shape as those of
plug on charger.
b. That extension cord is properly wired and in
good electrical condition; and
c. That wire size is large enough for AC ampere
rating of charger as specified below:
Cord Length (Feet) 25' 50' 100'
Cord Size (AWG) 16 16 16
NOTE: AWG = American Wire Gauge
Do not operate charger with a damaged cord or
plug, which could cause shorting and electric shock. If
damaged, have the charger replaced by an authorized
serviceman.
Do not operate charger if it has received a sharp
blow, been dropped, or otherwise damaged inany
way. Take itto an authorized servicemanfor electrical
checkto determine if the charger is in good working
order.
Do not disassemble charger. Take itto an authorized
serviceman when service or repair is required. Incor-
rect reassembly may result in a risk of electric shock or
fire.
• Unplug charger from outlet before attempting any
maintenance or cleaning to reduce the risk of
electric shock,
• Disconnect charger from the power supply when
not in use. This will reduce the risk of electric shock
or damage to the charger if metal items should fall into
the opening. It also will help prevent damage to the
charger during a power surge.
• Risk of electric shock. Do not touch uninsulated
portion of output connector or uninsulated battery
terminal.
Save these instructions. Refer to them frequently and
use them to instruct others who may use this tool. If
you loan someone this tool, loan them these instruc-
tions also to prevent misuse of the product and
possible injury.
A WARNING: Some dust created by power sanding, sawing, grinding, drilling, and other construction activities
contains chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. Some examples ofthese
chemicals are:
• lead from lead-based paints,
• crystalline silica from bricks and cement and other masonry products, and
• arsenic and chromium from 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 specially designed to filter out microscopic particles.
Some of the following symbols may be used on this tool. Please study them and learn their meaning. Proper
interpretation of these symbols will allow you to operate the tool better and safer.
SYMBOL NAME
DESIGNATION/EXPLANATION
V
A
Hz
W
min
n o
[]
.../min
@
Volts
Amperes
Hertz
Watt
Minutes
Alternating Current
Direct Current
No Load Speed
Class II Construction
Per Minute
Wet Conditions Alert
Voltage
Current
Frequency (cycles per second)
Power
Time
Type of current
Type or a characteristic of current
Rotational speed, at no load
Double-insulated construction
Revolutions, strokes, surface speed, orbits etc., per minute
Do not expose to rain or use in damp locations.
Read The Operator's Manual
Q
A
_) No Hands Symbol
,_ No Hands Symbol
(_) Hot Surface
Eye Protection
Safety Alert
No Hands Symbol
No Hands Symbol
To reduce the risk of injury, user must read and understand
operator's manual before using this product.
Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses with side
shields and a full face shield when operating this product.
Precautions that involve your safety.
Failure to keep your hands away from the blade will result in
serious personal injury.
Failure to keep your hands away from the blade will result in
serious personal injury.
Failure to keep your hands away from the blade will result in
serious personal injury.
Failure to keep your hands away from the blade will result in
serious personal injury.
To reduce the risk of injury or damage, avoid contact with
any hot surface.
7