Makita 5740NB User Manual

INSTRUCTION MANUAL
MANUEL D'INSTRUCTION
MANUAL DE INSTRUCCIONES

Circular Saw
Scie circulaire
Sierra circular

5740NB

001311

DOUBLE INSULATION
DOUBLE ISOLATION
DOBLE AISLAMIENTO

WARNING:

For your personal safety, READ and UNDERSTAND before using.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.

AVERTISSEMENT:

Pour votre propre sécurité, prière de lire attentivement avant l’utilisation.
GARDER CES INSTRUCTIONS POUR RÉFÉRENCE ULTÉRIEURE.

ADVERTENCIA:

Para su seguridad personal, LEA DETENIDAMENTE este manual antes de usar la herramienta.
GUARDE ESTAS INSTRUCCIONES PARA FUTURA REFERENCIA.

ENGLISH

SPECIFICATIONS

Model 5740NB

Blade diameter 185 mm (7-1/4”)

Max. cutting depth

No load speed (RPM) 4,700/min.

Overall length 298 mm (11-3/4”)

Net weight 3.5 kg (7.7 lbs)

• Due to our continuing programme of research and development, the specifications herein are subject to change
without notice.

• Note: Specifications may differ from country to country.

at 90° 64 mm (2-1/2”)

at 45° 42 mm (1-5/8”)

GENERAL SAFETY RULES

USA002-2

(For All Tools)

WARNING:

Read and understand all instructions.

Failure to follow all instructions listed below,
may result in electric shock, fire and/or
serious personal injury.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

Work Area

1. Keep your work area clean and well lit. Cluttered

benches and dark areas invite accidents.

2. 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.

3. Keep bystanders, children, and visitors away

while operating a power tool. Distractions can

cause you to lose control.

Electrical Safety

4. Double insulated tools are equipped with 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 a polarized outlet.
Do not change the plug in any way. Double insula-

tion eliminates the need for the three wire
grounded power cord and grounded power supply
system.

5. Avoid body contact with grounded surfaces

such as pipes, radiators, ranges and refrigera-

tors. There is an increased risk of electric shock if

your body is grounded.

6. Do not expose power tools to rain or wet condi­tions. Water entering a power tool will increase the

risk of electric shock.

7. Do not abuse the cord. Never use the cord to
carry the tools or pull the plug from an outlet.
Keep cord away from heat, oil, sharp edges or
moving parts. Replace damaged cords immedi­ately. Damaged cords increase the risk of electric

shock.

8. When operating a power tool outside, use an
outdoor extension cord marked “W-A” or “W”.

These cords are rated for outdoor use and reduce
the risk of electric shock.

Personal Safety

9. 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 inat-

tention while operating power tools may result in
serious personal injury.

10. 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.

11. Avoid accidental starting. Be sure switch is off
before plugging in. Carrying tools with your finger

on the switch or plugging in tools that have the
switch on invites accidents.

12. 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.

13. Do not overreach. Keep proper footing and bal­ance at all times. Proper footing and balance

2

enables better control of the tool in unexpected situ­ations.

14. Use safety equipment. Always wear eye protec­tion. Dust mask, non-skid safety shoes, hard hat, or

hearing protection must be used for appropriate con­ditions. Ordinary eye or sun glasses are NOT eye
protection.

Tool Use and Care

15. Use clamps or other practical way to secure and
support the workpiece to a stable platform. Hold-

ing the work by hand or against your body is unsta­ble and may lead to loss of control.

16. 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.

17. Do not use tool if switch does not turn it on or
off. Any tool that cannot be controlled with the

switch is dangerous and must be repaired.

18. Disconnect the plug from the power source
before making any adjustments, changing
accessories, or storing the tool. Such preventive

safety measures reduce the risk of starting the tool
accidentally.

19. Store idle tools out of reach of children and
other untrained persons. Tools are dangerous in

the hands of untrained users.

20. 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.

21. Check for misalignment or binding of moving
parts, breakage of parts, and any other condition
that may affect the tools operation. If damaged,
have the tool serviced before using. Many acci-

dents are caused by poorly maintained tools.

22. Use only accessories that are recommended by
the manufacturer for your model. Accessories

that may be suitable for one tool, may become haz­ardous when used on another tool.

SERVICE

23. Tool service must be performed only by qualified
repair personnel. Service or maintenance per-

formed by unqualified personnel could result in a risk
of injury.

24. When servicing a tool, use only identical
replacement parts. Follow instructions in the
Maintenance section of this manual. Use of unau-

thorized parts or failure to follow Maintenance
instructions may create a risk of electric shock or
injury.

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 1 shows the correct size to
use depending on cord length and nameplate ampere
rating. If in doubt, use the next heavier gage. The smaller
the gage number, the heavier the cord.

Table 1. Minimum gage for cord

Ampere Rating

Volts Total length of cord in feet

120 V 25 ft. 50 ft. 100 ft. 150 ft.

More Than Not More Than AWG

0 6 18 16 16 14

6 10 18161412
10 12 16 16 14 12
12 16 14 12 Not Recommended

SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES

USB008-5

DO NOT let comfort or familiarity with
product (gained from repeated use)
replace strict adherence to circular saw
safety rules. If you use this tool unsafely
or incorrectly, you can suffer serious per­sonal injury.

1. DANGER! Keep hands away from cutting area
and blade. Keep your second hand on auxiliary

handle, or motor housing. If both hands are hold-

ing the saw, they cannot be cut by the blade.

Keep your body positioned to either side of the
saw blade, but not in line with the saw blade.

KICKBACK could cause the saw to jump backwards.
(See “Causes and Operator Prevention of Kick­back”)
Do not reach underneath the work. The guard can
not protect you from the blade below the work. Do
not attempt to remove cut material when blade is
moving.
CAUTION: Blades coast after turn off. Wait until
blade stops before grasping cut material.

3

2. 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
Lever and make sure it moves freely and does not
touch the blade or any other part, in all angles and
depths of cut.
To check lower guard, open lower guard by hand,
then release and watch guard closure. Also check to
see that Retracting Lever does not touch tool hous­ing. Leaving blade exposed is VERY DANGEROUS
and can lead to serious personal injury.

3. 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 sluggishly due to

damaged parts, gummy deposits, or a buildup of
debris.

4. Lower guard should be retracted manually only
for special cuts such as “Pocket Cuts” and
“Compound Cuts.” Raise lower guard by Retract­ing Lever. As soon as blade enters the material,
lower guard must be released. For all other saw-

ing, the lower guard should operate automatically.

5. 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.

6. NEVER hold piece being cut in your hands or
across your leg. It is important to support the work

properly to minimize body exposure, blade binding,
or loss of control.

7. Hold tool by insulated gripping surfaces when
performing an operation where the cutting tool
may contact hidden wiring or its own cord. Con-

tact with a “live” wire will also make exposed metal
parts of the tool “live” and shock the operator.

8. When ripping always use a rip fence or straight
edge guide. This improves the accuracy of cut and

reduces the chance for blade binding.

9. Always use blades with correct size and shape
(diamond vs. round) arbor holes. Blades that do

not match the mounting hardware of the saw will run
eccentrically, causing loss of control.

10. Never use damaged or incorrect blade washers
or bolts. The blade washers and bolt were specially

designed for your saw, for optimum performance and
safety of operation.

11. 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 operator.
Kickback is the result of tool 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 body and arm to allow you to
resist KICKBACK forces. 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 as shown in

Fig. 1.

To minimize the risk of blade pinching and kickback.
When cutting operation requires the resting of the
saw on the workpiece, the saw should be rested on
the larger portion and the smaller piece cut off.

Fig. 1 To avoid kickback, do support board or panel near

the cut.

4

Fig. 2 Do not support board or panel away from the cut.

Do not use dull or damaged blade. Unsharpened

or improperly set blades produce narrow kerf caus­ing excessive friction, blade binding and KICKBACK.
Keep blade sharp and clean. Gum and wood pitch
hardened on blades slows saw and increases poten­tial for kickback. Keep blade clean by first removing it
from tool, then cleaning it with gum and pitch
remover, hot water or kerosene. Never use gasoline.

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 “Pocket Cut”
into existing walls or other blind areas. The pro-

truding blade may cut objects that can cause KICK­BACK. For pocket cuts, retract lower guard using
Retracting Lever.

ALWAYS hold the tool firmly with both hands.
NEVER place your hand or fingers behind the
saw. If kickback occurs, the saw could easily jump

backwards over your hand, leading to serious per­sonal injury.

15. When operating the saw, keep the cord away
from the cutting area and position it so that it will
not be caught on the workpiece during the cut­ting operation. The tool is provided with a front
grip and rear handle for two hand operation.
Operate with proper hand support, proper work­piece support, and supply cord routing away
from the work area.
WARNING: It is important to support the work­piece properly and to hold the saw firmly to pre­vent loss of control which could cause personal
injury. Fig. 4 illustrates typical hand support of
the saw.

Fig. 4 A typical illustration of proper hand support, work-

piece support, and supply cord routing.

16. Place the wider portion of the saw base on that
part of the workpiece which is solidly supported,
not on the section that will fall off when the cut is
made. As examples, Fig. 5 illustrates the RIGHT
way to cut off the end of a board, and Fig. 6 the
WRONG way. If the workpiece is short or small,
clamp it down. DO NOT TRY TO HOLD SHORT
PIECES BY HAND!

Fig. 3

Never force the saw. Forcing the saw can cause
uneven cuts, loss of accuracy, and possible
kickback. Push the saw forward at a speed so that

the blade cuts without slowing.

12. Use extra caution when cutting damp wood,
pressure treated lumber, or wood containing
knots. Adjust speed of cut to maintain smooth

advancement of tool without decrease in blade
speed.

13. Adjustments. Before cutting be sure depth and
bevel adjustments are tight.

14. Avoid Cutting Nails. Inspect for and remove all
nails from lumber before cutting.

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

5

17. Never attempt to saw with the circular saw held
upside down in a vise. This is extremely danger­ous and can lead to serious accidents.

Fig. 7

18. WARNING: Blade coasts to stop after switch is
released. Contact with coasting blade can cause
serious injury. Before setting the tool down after
completing a cut, be sure that the lower (tele­scoping) guard has closed and the blade has
come to a complete stop.

19. Some material contains chemicals which may be
toxic. Take caution to prevent dust inhalation
and skin contact. Follow material supplier safety
data.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

WARNING:

MISUSE or failure to follow the safety
rules stated in this instruction manual
may cause serious personal injury.

SYMBOLS

USD201-2

The followings show the symbols used for tool.

V............................volts

A ...........................amperes

Hz..........................hertz

..................alternating current

.......................no load speed

n

˚

.......................Class II Construction

.../min....................revolutions or reciprocation per

minute

FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION

CAUTION:

• Always be sure that the tool is switched off and

unplugged before adjusting or checking function on
the tool.

Adjusting depth of cut

1

CAUTION:

• After adjusting the depth of cut, always tighten the

clamping screw securely.

Loosen the clamping screw on the depth guide and move
the base up or down. At the desired depth of cut, secure
the base by tightening the clamping screw.

For cleaner, safer cuts, set cut depth so that no more
than one blade tooth projects below workpiece. Using
proper cut depth helps to reduce potential for dangerous
KICKBACKS which can cause personal injury.

Bevel cutting

2

Loosen the clamping screw on the bevel scale plate on
the front of the base. Set for the desired angle (0° - 45°)
by tilting accordingly, then tighten the clamping screw
securely.

Sighting

001343

2

001361

1

001378

AB

1. Clamping screw

2. Depth guide

1. Clamping screw

2. Bevel scale
plate

1. Base

6

32

1 1

45

0

1

For straight cuts, align the A position on the front of the
base with your cutting line. For 45° bevel cuts, align the B
position with it.

Switch action

001399

2

1. Lock-off button

2. Switch trigger

1

To install the blade, follow the removal procedure in
reverse. BE SURE TO TIGHTEN THE HEX BOLT
CLOCKWISE SECURELY.

1

001437

1. Saw blade

2. Hex bolt

3. Outer flange

4. Inner flange

CAUTION:

• Before plugging in the tool, always check to see

that the switch trigger actuates properly and returns
to the “OFF” position when released.

To prevent the switch trigger from being accidentally
pulled, a lock-off button is provided. To start the tool,
push in the lock-off button and pull the switch trigger.
Release the switch trigger to stop.

ASSEMBLY

CAUTION:

• Always be sure that the tool is switched off and

unplugged before carrying out any work on the tool.

Removing or installing saw blade

1

CAUTION:

• Be sure the blade is installed with teeth pointing up

at the front of the tool.

• Use only the Makita wrench to install or remove the

blade.

To remove the blade, press the shaft lock so that the
blade cannot revolve and use the wrench to loosen the
hex bolt counterclockwise. Then remove the hex bolt,
outer flange and blade.

001420

2

1. Hex wrench

2. Shaft lock

2

When changing blade, make sure to also clean upper
and lower blade guards of accumulated sawdust. Such
efforts do not, however, replace the need to check lower
guard operation before each use.

4

3

OPERATION

CAUTION:

• Be sure to move the tool forward in a straight line

gently. Forcing or twisting the tool will result in
overheating the motor and dangerous kickback,
possibly causing severe injury.

1

Hold the tool firmly. The tool is provided with both a front
grip and rear handle. Use both to best grasp the tool. If
both hands are holding saw, they cannot be cut by the
blade. Set the base on the workpiece to be cut without
the blade making any contact. Then turn the tool on and
wait until the blade attains full speed. Now simply move
the tool forward over the workpiece surface, keeping it
flat and advancing smoothly until the sawing is com­pleted.
To get clean cuts, keep your sawing line straight and your
speed of advance uniform. If the cut fails to properly fol­low your intended cut line, do not attempt to turn or force
the tool back to the cut line. Doing so may bind the blade
and lead to dangerous kickback and possible serious
injury. Release switch, wait for blade to stop and then
withdraw tool. Realign tool on new cut line, and start cut
again. Attempt to avoid positioning which exposes opera­tor to chips and wood dust being ejected from saw. Use
eye protection to help avoid injury.

001463

2

3

1. Rear handle

2. Front grip

3. Base

7

Rip fence (Guide rule)

2

001483

1. Screw

2. Rip fence
(Guide rule)

1

Replacing carbon brushes

1

001145

1. Limit mark

The handy rip fence allows you to do extra-accurate
straight cuts. Simply slide the rip fence up snugly against
the side of the workpiece and secure it in position with
the screw on the front of the base. It also makes
repeated cuts of uniform width possible.

MAINTENANCE

CAUTION:

• Always be sure that the tool is switched off and

unplugged before attempting to perform inspection
or maintenance.

Adjusting for accuracy of 90° cut (vertical cut)

This adjustment has been made at the factory. But if it is
off, adjust the adjusting screw with a hex wrench while
squaring the blade with the base using a triangular rule,
try square, etc.

1

001499

1. Adjusting screw

2. Base

2

001508

1. Triangular rule

1

Remove and check the carbon brushes regularly.
Replace when they wear down to the limit mark. Keep
the carbon brushes clean and free to slip in the holders.
Both carbon brushes should be replaced at the same
time. Use only identical carbon brushes.

Use a screwdriver to remove the brush holder caps. Take
out the worn carbon brushes, insert the new ones and
secure the brush holder caps.

1

To maintain product SAFETY and RELIABILITY, repairs,
any other maintenance or adjustment should be per­formed by Makita Authorized or Factory Service Centers,
always using Makita replacement parts.

001518

1. Brush holder
cap

2. Screwdriver

2

ACCESSORIES

CAUTION:

• These accessories or attachments are

recommended for use with your Makita tool
specified in this manual. The use of any other
accessories or attachments might present a risk of
injury to persons. Only use accessory or
attachment for its stated purpose.

If you need any assistance for more details regarding
these accessories, ask your local Makita Service Center.

• Rip fence (Guide rule)

• Hex wrench 5

8

MAKITA LIMITED ONE YEAR WARRANTY

EN0006-1

Warranty Policy

Every Makita tool is thoroughly inspected and tested
before leaving the factory. It is warranted to be free of
defects from workmanship and materials for the period of
ONE YEAR from the date of original purchase. Should
any trouble develop during this one year period, return
the COMPLETE tool, freight prepaid, to one of Makita’s
Factory or Authorized Service Centers. If inspection
shows the trouble is caused by defective workmanship or
material, Makita will repair (or at our option, replace)
without charge.

This Warranty does not apply where:

• repairs have been made or attempted by others:

• repairs are required because of normal wear and

tear:

• the tool has been abused, misused or improperly

maintained:

• alterations have been made to the tool.

IN NO EVENT SHALL MAKITA BE LIABLE FOR ANY
INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAM­AGES FROM THE SALE OR USE OF THE PRODUCT.
THIS DISCLAIMER APPLIES BOTH DURING AND
AFTER THE TERM OF THIS WARRANTY.

MAKITA DISCLAIMS LIABILITY FOR ANY IMPLIED
WARRANTIES, INCLUDING IMPLIED WARRANTIES
OF “MERCHANTABILITY” AND “FITNESS FOR A SPE­CIFIC PURPOSE,” AFTER THE ONE YEAR TERM OF
THIS WARRANTY.

This Warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you
may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of
incidental or consequential damages, so the above limi­tation or exclusion may not apply to you. Some states do
not allow limitation on how long an implied warranty lasts,
so the above limitation may not apply to you.

9