Milwaukee 6268-21 User Manual

OPERATOR'S MANUAL
MANUEL de L'UTILISATEUR
MANUAL del OPERADOR

Cat. No.

No de cat.

Cat. No.

6268-21

FPO

JIG SAW
SCIE SAUTEUSE
SIERRA CALADORA

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF INJURY, USER MUST READ AND UNDERSTAND
OPERATOR'S MANUAL.

AFIN DE RÉDUIRE LE RISQUE DE BLESSURES, L'UTILISATEUR DOIT LIRE ET
BIEN COMPRENDRE LE MANUEL DE L'UTILISATEUR.

PARA REDUCIR EL RIESGO DE LESIONES, EL USUARIO DEBE LEER Y
ENTENDER EL MANUAL DEL OPERADOR.

GENERAL SAFETY RULES-FOR ALL POWER TOOLS

WARNING!

READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS

Failure to follow all instructions listed below may result in electric shock, fire
and/or serious injury. The term "power tool" in all of the warnings listed
below refers to your mains-operated (corded) power tool or battery­opearted (cordless) power tool.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

WORK AREA SAFETY

1. Keep work area clean and well lit.
Cluttered or dark areas invite accidents.

2. Do not operate power tools in ex-

plosive atmospheres, such as in
the presence of flammable liq­uids, gases, or dust. Power tools

create sparks which may ignite the dust
or fumes.

3. Keep children and bystanders

away while operating a power tool.

Distractions can cause you to lose
control.

ELECTRICAL SAFETY

4. Power tool plugs must match the

outlet. Never modify the plug in any
way. Do not use any adapter plugs
with earthed (grounded) power
tools. Unmodified plugs and matching

outlets will reduce risk of electric shock.

5. Avoid body contact with earthed

or grounded surfaces such as
pipes, radiators, ranges and re­frigerators. There is an increased

risk of electric shock if your body is
earthed or 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 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.

8. When operating a power tool out-

doors, use an extension cord suit­able for outdoor use. Use of a cord

suitable for outdoor use reduces the
risk of electric shock.

PERSONAL SAFETY

9. Stay alert, watch what you are do-

ing 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.

10. 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.

11. Avoid accidental starting. Ensure

the switch is in the off-position
before plugging in. Carrying tools

with your finger on the switch or plug­ging in power tools that have the
switch on invites accidents.

12. Remove any adjusting key or

wrench before turning the power
tool on. A wrench or a key left at-

tached to a rotating part of the power
tool may result in personal injury.

13. Do not overreach. Keep proper

footing and balance at all times.

This enables better control of the
power tool in unexpected situations.

14. Dress properly. Do not wear loose

clothing or jewellery. Keep your
hair, clothing and gloves away from
moving parts. Loose clothes,

jewellery, or long hair can be caught in
moving parts.

15. 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 dust­related hazards.

POWER TOOL USE AND CARE

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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 mea-

sures reduce the risk of starting the
tool accidentally.

19. Store idle power tools out of the

reach of children and do not al­low persons unfamiliar with the
power tools or these instructions
to operate power tools. Power

tools are dangerous in the hands of
untrained users.

20. 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 acci-

dents are caused by poorly maintained
power tools.

21. Keep cutting tools sharp and
clean. Properly maintained cutting
tools with sharp cutting edges are less
likely to bind and are easier to control.

22. Use the power tool, accessories

and tool bits etc., in accordance
with these instructions and in the
manner intended for the particu­lar type of power tool, 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.

SERVICE

23. 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.

2 3

SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES

1. Hold power tools 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 make exposed metal parts of the tool "live" and shock the
operator.

2. Keep hands away from all cutting edges and moving parts.

3. Use clamps or another practical way to secure and support the workpiece to
a stable platform. Holding the work by hand or against your body leaves it unstable
and may lead to loss of control.

4. Maintain labels and nameplates. These carry important information. If unreadable
or missing, contact a MILWAUKEE Service facility for a free replacement.

5. 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 of these chemicals are:

• lead from lead-based paint

• 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.

FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION

1. Quik-Lok tension lever

2. LED light

3. Blade

4. Shoe cover

5. Shoe

6. Orbital action selector lever

7. Tilt angle scale

8. Vacuum manifold

9. Shoe adjustment lever

10. On/Off switch

11. Lock button

12. Speed control dial

13. Blower adjustment dial

14. Transparent blade cover

15. Cutting guide

12

1

2

3

4

11

10

9

8

7

6

5

S.P .M.

Cat.
No.

6268-21

1

Symbology

Double Insulated

Volts Alternating Current

Amps

Strokes per Minute (S.P.M.)

Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.

Canadian Standards Association

Specifications

Volts

AC

120

Amps

6.5

Only

Length

of

Stroke

1"

Strokes

per

minute

0 - 3000

13

14

15

Aluminum

Plastic

Wood

Metal

Orbital
Action

0 - 3

0 - 1

0 - 1

0 - 1

Cutting

Speed

6

5 - 6

4 - 5

2 - 3

4 5

GROUNDING

EXTENSION CORDS

WARNING!

Improperly connecting the
grounding wire can result in the
risk of electric shock. Check with
a qualified electrician if you are in
doubt as to whether the outlet is
properly grounded. Do not modify
the plug provided with the tool.
Never remove the grounding
prong from the plug. Do not use
the tool if the cord or plug is dam­aged. If damaged, have it repaired
by a MILWAUKEE service facility
before use. If the plug will not fit
the outlet, have a proper outlet
installed by a qualified electrician.

Grounded Tools:
Tools with Three Prong Plugs

Tools marked “Grounding Required” have
a three wire cord and three prong ground­ing plug. The plug must be connected to a
properly grounded outlet (See Figure A). If
the tool should electrically malfunction or
break down, grounding provides a low re­sistance path to carry electricity away from
the user, reducing the risk of electric shock.

The grounding prong in the plug is con­nected through the green wire inside the
cord to the grounding system in the tool.
The green wire in the cord must be the
only wire connected to the tool's ground­ing system and must never be attached to
an electrically “live” terminal.

Your tool must be plugged into an appro­priate outlet, properly installed and
grounded in accordance with all codes and
ordinances. The plug and outlet should look
like those in Figure A.

Double Insulated Tools:
Tools with Two Prong Plugs

T ools marked “Double Insulated” do not re­quire grounding. They have a special
double insulation system which satisfies
OSHA requirements and complies with the
applicable standards of Underwriters Labo­ratories, Inc., the Canadian Standard As­sociation and the National Electrical Code.
Double Insulated tools may be used in ei­ther of the 120 volt outlets shown in
Figures B and C.

Grounded tools require a three wire ex­tension cord. Double insulated tools can
use either a two or three wire extension
cord. As the distance from the supply out­let increases, you must use a heavier
gauge extension cord. Using extension
cords with inadequately sized wire causes
a serious drop in voltage, resulting in loss
of power and possible tool damage. Refer
to the table shown to determine the re­quired minimum wire size.

The smaller the gauge number of the wire,
the greater the capacity of the cord. For
example, a 14 gauge cord can carry a
higher current than a 16 gauge cord. When
using more than one extension cord to make
up the total length, be sure each cord con­tains at least the minimum wire size re­quired. If you are using one extension cord
for more than one tool, add the nameplate
amperes and use the sum to determine the
required minimum wire size.

Guidelines for Using Extension Cords

• If you are using an extension cord out­doors, be sure it is marked with the
suffix “W-A” (“W” in Canada) to indi­cate that it is acceptable for outdoor
use.

• Be sure your extension cord is prop­erly wired and in good electrical
condition. Always replace a damaged
extension cord or have it repaired by a
qualified person before using it.

• Protect your extension cords from
sharp objects, excessive heat and
damp or wet areas.

Recommended Minimum Wire

Gauge for Extension Cords*

Nameplate

Amperes

0 - 2.0

2.1 - 3.4

3.5 - 5.0

5.1 - 7.0

7.1 - 12.0

12.1 - 16.0

16.1 - 20.0

* Based on limiting the line voltage drop to
five volts at 150% of the rated amperes.

Extension Cord Length

50'

18
18
18
16
14
12
10

75'

18
18
16
14
12
10

100'

18
16
14
12
10

150'

16
14
12
12

25'

18
18
18
18
16
14
12

Fig. A

READ AND SA VE ALL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FUTURE USE.

Fig. B

6 7

Fig. C

TOOL ASSEMBLY

WARNING!

To reduce the risk of injury,
always unplugtool before attach­ing or removing accessories or
making adjustments. Use only
specifically recommended
accessories. Others may be
hazardous.

Fig. 2

Slot

Blade

Using the anti-splinter device (Fig.3)

The anti-splinter device helps stablize the
workpiece and reduce workpiece
splinter.

To use, slide the anti-splinter device onto
the shoe or shoe cover (Fig. 3). Make sure
the anti-splinter device is installed flush
with the bottom of the shoe and shoe cover,
as applicable.

Note: Use the transparent blade cover and
anti-splinter device only when the shoe is
perpendicular to the blade.

Adjusting the shoe (Fig. 4)

The shoe may be tilted up to 45° in either
direction and moved forward or backward.

Fig. 4

Fig. 1

Plunger

Lug

Installing saw blades

Use only T-Shank jig saw blades.

1. Unplug the tool.

2. Firmly rotate the Quik-Lok tension
lever as far as it will go and hold it in
position (Fig. 1).

3. Fit the saw blade into the groove in the
support roller and push it firmly into the
plunger as far as it will go; the lug of
the saw blade must be in the plunger.

4. Release the Quik-Lok tension lever and
the saw blade is automatically held.

5. Check that the saw blade is held firmly;
the slot in the plunger will be at an angle
to the blade (Fig. 2).

Fig. 3

Anti-splinter device

Shoe cover

Using the shoe cover

The shoe cover is used to prevent marring
and scratching of the workpiece surface.
To attach the shoe cover, hook the front of
the cover over the steel shoe. Next, snap
the rear of the shoe cover to the steel shoe.
Be sure both sides are snapped in place.

When the shoe cover is not needed, re­move it by pulling the tabs on rear of the
shoe cover outward from the steel shoe.
Unhook the front of the shoe cover and
remove.

To set a tilt angle for angle cuts and
bevels, loosen the shoe adjustment lever

and pull the base forward slightly until the
retaining lugs are no longer engaged. Tilt
the shoe to the required preset angle
(15°, 30°, or 45°) as read on the tilt angle
scale. Push back the shoe into the retain­ing lugs and tighten the shoe adjustment
lever. If angles other than the presets are
required, set the desired angle and tighten
the shoe adjustment lever without engag­ing the retaining lugs.

If very exact angles are needed it is rec­ommended that a test cut and subsequent
adjustment be made.

8 9

OPERATION

WARNING!

To reduce the risk of injury, wear
safety goggles or glasses with
side shields. Unplug the tool
before changing accessories or
making adjustments.

The 6268-21 orbital action jig saw can cut
a wide variety of materials including metal,
wood and plastic. Cuts may be straight
lines, bevels, curves or internal cut-outs.
Notable features of these jig saws include:

• Rapid blade change without tools with
the Quik-Lok blade change system.

• Adjustable Orbital Action blade stroke
cuts faster by pressing the blade
against the work only during the
upstroke. This is particularly effective
when rough cutting thick wooden
boards.

• Electronic dial speed control maintains
the pre-set speed during the cut.

• Adjustable shoe can be tilted by up to
45 degrees in either direction for bevel
cuts.

• Non-marring shoe cover to protect the
surface of workpiece from marring and
scratching.

• Sawdust blower removes the sawdust
ahead of the cut for improved visibility.

• Built-in manifold for vacuum assisted
dust collection (hose is optional).

• Transparent blade cover improves dust
extraction.

• Vibration dampened mechanism per­mits quieter, smoother running.

WARNING!

To reduce the risk of injury, do
not start the tool with the blade
contacting the workpiece.

Starting and stopping the tool

1. To start the tool, press the On/Off
switch.

Note: LED light turns on when the
On/Off switch is pressed.

2. To stop the tool, release the On/Off
switch.

Locking the On/Off Switch

The lock button holds the trigger in the ON
position for continuous use.

1. To lock the On/Off switch, hold in the
lock button while pressing the On/Off
switch. Then release the On/Off switch.

2. To unlock the On/Off switch, press the
On/Off switch and release. The lock
button will pop out.

Adjusting stroke per minute

The strokes per minute may be adjusted
with the speed control dial. The numbers 1
through 6 are printed on the dial with 1
being the slowest speed and 6 the highest
speed. Recommended cutting speeds for
various materials are listed below. Opti­mum cutting speeds should be determined
by the user for specific cutting require­ments. Strokes per minute may be adjusted
when the tool is running or stopped.

Material

Wood

Metal

Aluminum

Plastic

Recommended

cutting speed

6
5-6
4-5
2-3

Adjusting the orbital action

The amount of orbital action may be
adjusted with the orbital action selector
lever. In general, a large orbital action (3)
should be used with soft materials and a
no orbital action (0) should be used with
hard materials. When a smooth cut is re­quired no orbit (0) should be used. Rec­ommended orbit settings for different ma­terial compositions are listed below. The
optimum orbital action should be determined
by the user for their specific cutting re­quirements. Orbital action may be adjusted
when the tool is running or stopped.

Material Orbital action

Wood

Metal

Aluminum

Plastic

Smooth Cut

Making the Cut

1. Set the stroke and orbital action ac­cording the material to be cut.

2. Position the tool with the front part of
the shoe on the workpiece and start
the tool.

3. Hold the machine firmly against the
workpiece and guide it along the de­sired cutting line. Do not feed into the
work too hard, light pressure on the
saw blade will achieve the optimum
cutting speed.

Special Cutting Techniques

1. Straight cuts — To obtain a perfectly
straight cut, clamp a strip of wood as a
guide along the workpiece or use the
rip guide (accessory).

2. Bevel cuts — adjust the shoe to the
correct angle (see Adjusting the Shoe).

3. Cutting Sheet Metal — sheet metal may
vibrate when being cut. To minimize vi­bration clamp, the workpiece to a wood
base.

0-3
0-1
0-1
0-1

0

Plunge Cutting (Fig. 5)

Plunge cuts can be made into soft
materials without a pre-drilled hole. Harder
materials require a starter hole with a di­ameter slightly over the width of the blade.

To make a plunge cut:

1. Move the shoe all the way back.

2. Set the orbital action selector lever to 0.

3. Keep the power cord out of the cutting
area.

4. Make sure nothing below the intended
cut area will be damaged.

5. Without turning the tool on, place the
front edge of the shoe solidly on
workpiece.

6. Align the blade with the intended cut
line, but keep it above the workpiece.

7. Using the front edge of the shoe as a
pivot, turn on the tool and
gradually lower the blade into the
workpiece.

8. When the shoe is flat against the
workpiece, normal cutting may take
place.

Fig. 5

10 11

MAINTENANCE

WARNING!

To reduce the risk of injury,
always unplug your tool before
performing any maintenance.
Never disassemble the tool or try
to do any rewiring on the tool's
electrical system. Contact a
MILWAUKEE service facility for
ALL repairs.

Maintaining Tools

Keep your tool in good repair by adopting a
regular maintenance program. Before use,
examine the general condition of your tool.
Inspect guards, switches, tool cord set and
extension cord for damage. Check for
loose screws, misalignment, binding of
moving parts, improper mounting, broken
parts and any other condition that may af­fect its safe operation. If abnormal noise
or vibration occurs, turn the tool off imme­diately and have the problem corrected
before further use. Do not use a damaged
tool. T ag damaged tools “DO NOT USE” until
repaired (see “Repairs”).

Under normal conditions, relubrication is
not necessary until the motor brushes
need to be replaced. After six months to
one year, depending on use, return your
tool to the nearest MILWAUKEE service
facility for the following:

• Lubrication

• Brush inspection and replacement

• Mechanical inspection and cleaning
(gears, spindles, bearings, housing,
etc.)

• Electrical inspection (switch, cord,
armature, etc.)

• Testing to assure proper mechanical
and electrical operation

WARNING!

To reduce the risk of injury,
electric shock and damage to the
tool, never immerse your tool in
liquid or allow a liquid to flow
inside the tool.

Cleaning

Clean dust and debris from vents. Keep
the tool handles clean, dry and free of oil
or grease. Use only mild soap and a damp
cloth to clean your tool since certain clean­ing agents and solvents are harmful to plas­tics and other insulated parts. Some of
these include: gasoline, turpentine, lacquer
thinner, paint thinner, chlorinated cleaning
solvents, ammonia and household deter­gents containing ammonia. Never use flam­mable or combustible solvents around
tools.

Repairs

If your tool is damaged, return the entire
tool to the nearest service center.

ACCESSORIES

WARNING!

To reduce the risk of injury,
always unplug the tool before
attaching or removing
accessories. Use only specifically
recommended accessories.
Others may be hazardous.

For a complete listing of accessories refer
to your MILWAUKEE Electric Tool catalog
or go on-line to www.milwaukeetool.com .
To obtain a catalog, contact your local dis­tributor or a service center.

Anti-Splinter Device

For clean cutting edge. Three (3) per
package.

Cat. No. 48-08-0531

Shoe Cover

Prevents scratches on delicate surfaces.
Cat. No. 48-08-0533

Carrying Case

Stores saw and optional accessories.
Cat. No. 48-55-6250

Vacuum Hose

For vacuum assisted dust collection.
Cat. No. 48-09-1040

Combination Rip and Circle Guide

Produces accurate parallel and circle cuts.
Cat. No. 49-22-4250

FIVE YEAR TOOL

LIMITED WARRANTY

Every MILWAUKEE tool is tested before
leaving the factory and is warranted to be
free from defects in material and work­manship. MILWAUKEE will repair or
replace (at MILWAUKEE’s discretion),
without charge, any tool (including battery
chargers) which examination proves to be
defective in material or workmanship from
five (5) years after the date of purchase.
Return the tool and a copy of the purchase
receipt or other proof of purchase to a
MILWAUKEE Factory Service/Sales
Support Branch location or MILWAUKEE
Authorized Service Station, freight prepaid
and insured. This warranty does not cover
damage from repairs made or attempted
by other than MILWAUKEE authorized
personnel, abuse, normal wear and tear,
lack of maintenance, or accidents.

Battery Packs, Flashlights, and Radios are
warranted for one (1) year from the date
of purchase.

THE REP AIR AND REPLACEMENT REMEDIES
DESCRIBED HEREIN ARE EXCLUSIVE. IN NO
EVENT SHALL MILWAUKEE BE LIABLE
FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING
LOSS OF PROFITS.

THIS WARRANTY IS EXCLUSIVE AND IN
LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, OR
CONDITIONS, WRITTEN OR ORAL,
EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED FOR
MERCHANTABLILITY OR FITNESS FOR
PAR TICULAR USE OR PURPOSE.

This warranty gives you specific legal
rights. You may also have other rights that
vary from state to state and province to
province. In those states that do not allow
the exclusion of implied warranties or
limitation of incidental or consequential
damages, the above limitations or
exclusions may not apply to you. This
warranty applies to the United States,
Canada, and Mexico only.

12 13