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.
3. Keep children and bystanders away while operating a power tool.
Distractions can cause you to lose control.
Electrical Safety
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. Unmodified 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.
3. Do not expose power tools to rain or wet
conditions. Water entering a power tool
will increase 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
influence of drugs, alcohol or medication.
A moment of inattention while operating power
tools may result in serious personal injury.
2. Use personal protective equipment.
Always wear eye protection. Protective
equipment such as dust mask, non-skid safety
shoes, hard hat, or hearing protection used for
appropriate conditions will reduce personal injuries.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
SAFETYOPERATIONMAINTENANCESETUP
3. Prevent unintentional starting.
Ensure the Trigger is in the off-position before
connecting to power source, picking up or
carrying the tool.
Carrying power tools with your finger on
the Trigger or energizing power tools that
have the Trigger on invites accidents.
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 Trigger
does not turn it on and off.
Any power tool that cannot be controlled with the
Trigger is dangerous and must be repaired.
7. If devices are provided for the connection of
dust extraction and collection facilities, ensure
these are connected and properly used. Use of
dust collection 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
specific hazards in the work area.
3. Disconnect the plug from the power source
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
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.
7. Use the power tool, accessories and tool bits
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.
SAFETYOPERATIONMAINTENANCESETUP
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.
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.
Circular Saw Safety Warnings
1. DANGER: Keep hands away from cutting
area and the blade. If both hands are holding
the saw, they cannot be cut by the blade.
2. Do not reach underneath the workpiece.
The guard cannot protect you from
the blade below the workpiece.
3. 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.
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 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:
a. Maintain a firm grip 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.
b. 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.
c. 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.
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 blade may
cut objects that can cause kickback.
10. Check guard for proper closing before each use.
Do not operate the saw if guard does not
move freely and enclose the blade instantly.
Never clamp or tie the guard with the blade
exposed. If saw is accidentally dropped, guard
may be bent. Check to make sure that guard
moves freely and does not touch the blade or
any other part, in all angles and depths of cut.
11. Check the operation and condition of the guard
return spring. If the guard and the spring are not
operating properly, they must be serviced before
use. Guard may operate sluggishly due to damaged
parts, gummy deposits, or a build-up of debris.
12. Assure that the guide plate of the saw will not
shift while performing the ″plunge cut″ when the
blade bevel setting is not at 90°. Blade shifting
sideways will cause binding and likely kick back.
13. Always observe that the 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 Trigger 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 a blade 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 masonry-cutting 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. Blades must be rated to at least the
maximum speed marked on the tool.
20. Maintain labels and nameplates on the tool.
These carry important safety information.
If unreadable or missing, contact
Harbor Freight Tools for a replacement.
21. Avoid unintentional starting.
Prepare to begin work before turning on the tool.
22. 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.
23. When using a handheld power tool,
maintain a firm grip on the tool with both
hands to resist starting torque.
24. Do not depress the spindle lock when
starting or during operation.
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. This product is not a toy.
Keep it out of reach of children.
27. People with pacemakers should consult their
physician(s) before use. Electromagnetic fields in
close proximity to heart pacemaker could cause
pacemaker interference or pacemaker failure.
In addition, people with pacemakers should:
• Avoid operating alone.
• Do not use with Trigger locked on.
• Properly maintain and inspect to avoid
electrical shock.
• Properly ground power cord. Ground Fault Circuit
Interrupter (GFCI) should also be implemented
– it prevents sustained electrical shock.
28. WARNING: This product contains di (2-ethylhexyl)
phthalate (DEHP), a chemical known to the State
of California to cause cancer and birth defects
or other reproductive harm. (California Health
& Safety Code § 25249.5, et seq.)
29. WARNING: The cord of this product contains
lead and/or di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP),
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer, and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.
(California Health & Safety Code § 25249.5, et seq.)