Hercules HE74 Owner's Manual & Safety Instructions
12" Double-Bevel
Sliding Compound Miter Saw
Model
HE74
Owner’s Manual &
Safety Instructions
17j
WARNING: To prevent serious injury, User must read and
understand Owner’s Manual. SAVE THIS MANUAL.
When unpacking, make sure that the product is intact and
undamaged. If any parts are missing or broken, please call
1-888-866-5797 as soon as possible. Reference 63978.
Page 2 For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797. Item 63978
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
GENERAL TOOL SAFETY WARNINGS
Read all safety warnings and all instructions.
Failure to follow the warnings and instructions may result
in electric shock, fire and/or serious injury. Save all
warnings and instructions for future reference.
1. KEEP GUARDS IN PLACE and in working order.
2. REMOVE ADJUSTING KEYS AND WRENCHES.
Form habit of checking to see that keys and adjusting
wrenches are removed from tool before turning it on.
3. KEEP WORK AREA CLEAN.
Cluttered areas and benches invite accidents.
4. DON’T USE IN DANGEROUS ENVIRONMENT.
Don’t use power tools in damp or wet locations,
or expose them to rain. Keep work area well lighted.
5. KEEP CHILDREN AWAY. All visitors should
be kept safe distance from work area.
6. MAKE WORKSHOP KID PROOF with padlocks,
master switches, or by removing starter keys.
7. DON’T FORCE TOOL. It will do the job better
and safer at the rate for which it was designed.
8. USE RIGHT TOOL. Don’t force tool or attachment
to do a job for which it was not designed.
Table A: RECOMMENDED MINIMUM WIRE GAUGE
FOR EXTENSION CORDS
(120 VOLT)
NAMEPLATE
AMPERES
(at full load)
EXTENSION CORD
LENGTH
25′ 50′ 100′ 150′
0 – 6 18 16 16 14
6.1 – 10 18 16 14 12
10.1 – 12 16 16 14 12
12.1 – 16 14 12 Do not use.
9. USE PROPER EXTENSION CORD. Make sure your
extension cord is in good condition. When using
an extension cord, be sure to use one heavy
enough to carry the current your product will draw.
An undersized cord will cause a drop in line voltage
resulting in loss of power and overheating.
Table A shows the correct size to use depending
on cord length and nameplate ampere rating.
If in doubt, use the next heavier gauge.
The smaller the gauge number, the heavier the cord.
10. WEAR PROPER APPAREL. Do not wear
loose clothing, gloves, neckties, rings, bracelets,
or other jewelry which may get caught in moving
parts. Nonslip footwear is recommended.
Wear protective hair covering to contain long hair.
11. ALWAYS USE SAFETY GLASSES. Also use
face or dust mask if cutting operation is dusty.
Everyday eyeglasses only have impact resistant
lenses, they are NOT safety glasses.
12. SECURE WORK. Use clamps or a vise to
hold work when practical. It’s safer than using your
hand and it frees both hands to operate tool.
13. DON’T OVERREACH.
Keep proper footing and balance at all times.
14. MAINTAIN TOOLS WITH CARE. Keep tools sharp
and clean for best and safest performance. Follow
instructions for lubricating and changing accessories.
15. DISCONNECT TOOLS before servicing;
when changing accessories, such as
blades, bits, cutters, and the like.
16. REDUCE THE RISK OF UNINTENTIONAL
STARTING. Make sure switch is in
off position before plugging in.
17. USE RECOMMENDED ACCESSORIES.
Consult the owner’s manual for recommended
accessories. The use of improper accessories
may cause risk of injury to persons.
18. NEVER STAND ON TOOL.
Serious injury could occur if the tool is tipped or
if the cutting tool is unintentionally contacted.
19. CHECK DAMAGED PARTS. Before further use
of the tool, a guard or other part that is damaged
should be carefully checked to determine that
it will operate properly and perform its intended
function – check for alignment of moving parts,
binding of moving parts, breakage of parts,
mounting, and any other conditions that may
affect its operation. A guard or other part that is
damaged should be properly repaired or replaced.
20. DIRECTION OF FEED.
Feed work into a blade or cutter against the
direction of rotation of the blade or cutter only.
21. NEVER LEAVE TOOL RUNNING UNATTENDED.
TURN POWER OFF. Don’t leave tool
until it comes to a complete stop.
Page 3For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797.Item 63978
Grounding Instructions
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK AND
DEATH FROM INCORRECT
GROUNDING WIRE CONNECTION READ AND
FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS:
Double Insulated Tools: Tools with
Two Prong Plugs
1. To reduce the risk of electric shock, double
insulated equipment has a polarized plug
(one blade is wider than the other). This plug will fit in
a polarized outlet only one way. If the plug does not
fit fully in the outlet, reverse the plug. If it still does
not fit, contact a qualified electrician to install the
proper outlet. Do not change the plug in any way.
2. Double insulated tools may be used in either of the
120 volt outlets shown in the following illustration.
(See Outlets for 2-Prong Plug.)
Outlets for 2-Prong Plug
Miter Saw Safety Warnings
For Your Own Safety Read Instruction
Manual Before Operating Miter Saw
1. Wear eye protection.
2. Keep hands out of the line of saw blade.
3. Do not operate saw without guards in place.
4. Do not perform any operation freehand.
5. Never reach around saw blade.
6. Turn off tool and wait for saw blade to stop before
moving workpiece or changing settings.
7. Disconnect power before changing blade or servicing.
8. To reduce risk of injury, return carriage to the full
rear position after each crosscut operation.
9. Release lower guard retraction mechanism
after each cut and before moving or removing
the workpiece. Blade adjustment is to be made
with the power off and the blade stopped.
10. Return all guards to original position if
any are moved during blade replacement.
Check all guards for proper operation after service.
11. The lock down pin is to be used only to
lock the head in place for carrying and storage.
It is not to be used for any cutting operation.
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. Do not use to cut logs, tree limbs, or uneven lumber.
15. 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.
16. 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.
17. Blades must be rated to at least the
maximum speed marked on the tool.
18. DO NOT OPERATE WITH ANY GUARD DISABLED,
DAMAGED, OR REMOVED. Moving guards
must move freely and close instantly.
19. The use of accessories or attachments not
recommended by the manufacturer may
result in a risk of injury to persons.
20. When servicing use only identical replacement parts.
21. Do not depress the spindle lock when
starting or during operation.
22. 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.
23. 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.
24. Industrial applications must follow OSHA guidelines.
25. Maintain labels and nameplates on the tool.
These carry important safety information.
If unreadable or missing, contact
Harbor Freight Tools for a replacement.
26. Avoid unintentional starting.
Prepare to begin work before turning on the tool.
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.
28. 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.
Page 4 For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797. Item 63978
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
extended period should first be examined by a
doctor and then have regular medical check-ups
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, and white or blue fingers),
seek medical advice as soon as possible.
2. Do not smoke during use. Nicotine reduces
the blood supply to the hands and fingers,
increasing the risk of vibration-related injury.
3. Use tools with the lowest vibration when there
is a choice between different processes.
4. Include vibration-free periods each day of work.
5. Grip workpiece 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.
Warning Symbols and Definitions
This is the safety alert symbol. It is used to
alert you to potential personal injury hazards.
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.
Symbology
Canadian Standards Association
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.
V
Volts
Direct Current
A
Amperes
n0 xxxx/min.
No Load Revolutions per Minute (RPM)
WARNING marking concerning Risk
of Eye Injury. Wear ANSI-approved
safety goggles with side shields.
Read the manual before set-up and/or use.
Keep hands clear of fence area.
DANGER marking concerning
Risk of Amputation.
Keep hands well clear of cutting area.
Specifications
Electrical Rating 120 VAC / 60 Hz / 15 A
Spindle No Load Speed 4,100 RPM
Max. Accessory Diameter
Blade Diameter – 12"
Arbor 1" Round
Capacity of Cut
50° Miter Left / 60° Miter Right
49° Bevel Left and Right
Cutting Capacities
ANGLE
MAXIMUM
CAPACITY OF CUT
RESULT
0° Miter
Height 4-1/2" Width 12-1/2"
Width 14" Height 3-1/2"
45° Miter
Height 4-1/2" Width 8-1/4"
Width 9-3/4" Height 3-5/16"
45° Bevel
Left
Height 2-7/8" Width 9-7/8"
Width 14" Height 1-3/4"
45° Bevel
Right
Height 1-15/16" Width 12-1/8"
Width 14" Height 1-5/16"
Page 5For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797.Item 63978
Functional Description
Bevel
Angle
Indicator
Bevel
Detent
Lever
Bevel
Lock
Knob
Fence Lock Knob
Dust Outlet
Precision Blade Guide System
On/Off Switch
Fence
Trigger
Wrench
Depth Stop
Head
Lock-Down
Pin
Dust
Collection
Bag
Slide Lock
Knob
Slide
Stop
Blade
Lower Blade
Guard
Clamp
Miter Detent
Lever
Miter
Lock
Knob
Miter
Scale
Kerf
Board
Turntable
Detent
Latch
Button
Miter Angle
Indicator
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