Powermatic COS18 User Manual

OWNER’S MANUAL

Model COS18 Cut-Off Saw

Left-Hand model shown,

with 8' and 4' optional r oller tables

WMH TOOL GROUP

Industrial Machinery Division
427 Sanford Road
LaVergne, TN 37086

▪

Ph: 800-248-0144
E-mail : powerm atic@wmhtool gr oup. com M-0460277 10/03 Rev. B
www.wmht oolgroup.com

Fax: [phone]

Copyright © WMH Tool Group

This manual has been prepared for the owner and operators of a Powermatic Model COS18
Cut-Off Saw. Its purpose, aside from proper machine operation, is to promote safety through
the use of accepted correct operating and maintenance procedures. Completely read the
safety and maintenance instructions before operating or servicing the machine. To obtain
maximum life and efficiency from your saw, and to aid in using the machine safely, read this
manual thoroughly and follow all instructions carefully.

Warranty & Service

WM H Tool Group warrants every product it sells. I f one of our tools needs service or r epair, one of our
Authorized Repai r Stations loc ated throughout the Uni ted States can give you quic k service.

In most cases, any one of these W M H Tool Group Repair Stations can author ize warranty repair, assist you in
obtaining parts, or perform routine maintenanc e and major repair on your J E T, Performax, Powermatic or
Wilton tools.

For the nam e of an Authorized Repair Station in y our ar ea, call 1-800-274- 6848.

More Information

WM H Tool Group is consistently adding new products to the line. For complete, up-to-date produc t
infor mation, c hec k with your local WMH Tool Group distributor or visit wm htoolgroup.com.

Limited Warranty

WM H Tool Group (including JET, Per formax, Powermatic and Wilton brands) m akes every effort to assure
that its products meet high quality and durability standards and warrants to the ori ginal retail
consumer/purc haser of our products that each product be free from def ec ts in materials and workmanship as
foll ows: 1 YEAR LIMITED WARRANT Y ON ALL PRODUCTS UNLESS SPECIFIED OTHERWISE. This
warranty does not apply t o defects due directly or indirec tly to m isuse, abuse, negligence or acc idents, normal
wear-and-tear, repair or alter ations outside our facilities, or to a lack of maintenance.

WMH TOOL GROUP LIMITS ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES TO THE PERIOD SPECIFIED ABOVE, FROM
THE DATE THE PRODUCT WAS PURCHASED AT RETAIL. EXCEPT AS STATED HEREI N, ANY IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OR MERCHANTI B I LI TY AND FITNESS ARE EXCLUDED. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW
LIMITATIONS ON HOW LONG THE IMPLIED WARRANTY LASTS, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT
APPLY TO YOU. WMH TOOL GROUP SHALL IN NO EVENT BE LIABLE FOR DEATH, INJURIES TO
PERSONS OR PROPERTY, OR FOR INCIDENTAL, CONTINGENT, SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE USE OF O UR P RODUCTS. 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.

To take advantage of thi s warranty, the product or part must be returned for examination, postage prepaid, to
an Authorized Repair Station designated by our office. Proof of purchase date and an expl anation of t he
complaint must accompany the merchandise. If our inspection discl oses a def ec t, W M H Tool Group will
either repair or r eplace the product, or r efund the purchase pric e if we cannot readily and quickly prov ide a
repair or replacement, if you are willing to accept a refund. WMH Tool Group will return repaired product or
replacement at our expense, but if i t is determined there is no def ec t, or that the defect result ed from causes
not within the scope of our warranty, then the user must bear t he c ost of storing and ret ur ning the product.
This warranty gi ves you specific legal r ights; you may also have other ri ghts, whic h vary from state to state.

WM H Tool Group sells through distributors only. WMH Tool Group reserves the right to effect at any tim e,
without pri or notice, those alterations to parts, fittings, and accessory equipment which they may deem
necessary for any reason whatsoever.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Safety Rules...............................................................................................................................................4-5

Safety Decals ................................................................................................................................................ 6

Specifications................................................................................................................................................7

Features........................................................................................................................................................8

Receiving......................................................................................................................................................9

Installation & Assembly..................................................................................................................................9

Handwheel............................................................................................................................................. 9

Electrical Connections .........................................................................................................................10

Extension Cords.................................................................................................................................. 10

Dust Collection.................................................................................................................................... 11

Operating Controls...............................................................................................................................11

Installing/Changing Blade ....................................................................................................................11

Air Supply............................................................................................................................................12

Squaring the F ence..............................................................................................................................12

Installing Roller Tables (Optional)........................................................................................................12

8-Foot Table Guide ............................................................................................................ .................. 14

Leveling & Aligning Roller Tables........................................................................................................14

Adjustments................................................................................................................................................. 15

Blade Travel........................................................................................................................................15

Clamp Height Adjustment....................................................................................................................15

Belt Replacement................................................................................................................................16

Operation....................................................................................................................................................16

Maintenance................................................................................................................................................ 16

Optional Accessories...................................................................................................................................17

Parts Lists & Exploded Views:

Table & Motor Assembly................................................................................................................. 18-21

Stand Assembly..............................................................................................................................22-24

Air Control Assembly......................................................................................................................25-27

Safety Guard Assembly..................................................................................................................28-31

4' Roller Table Assembly................................................................................................................32-33

8' Roller Table Assembly................................................................................................................34-35

Pneumatic Diagram........................................................................................................................ 36-37

Electrical Schematic.................................................................................................................................... 38

Prev entiv e M aintenance Checklist...............................................................................................................39

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SAFETY RULES

As with all m achines, there i s a certain amount of hazard inv olv ed with the use of thi s c ut-off saw. Use t he
machine with the respect and caution demanded where safety precautions are concerned. When normal
safety precautions are overlooked or ignored, personal injury to the operator can result.

Read, understand and follow the safety and oper ating instruct ions found in this manual. Know the
limitati ons and hazar ds associated with this machine.

Electrical grounding. Make certain that the machine f r ame is elect r ically gr ounded and that a ground lead is
included in the incom ing electrical service. In cases where a cord and plug are used, make certai n that the
grounding plug connects to a suitable ground. Follow the grounding procedure indic ated in the Nati onal
Electrical Code.

Eye safety. Wear an approved safety shield, goggles, or gl asses to protect eyes. (NOTE: Common
eyeglasses are only impact-resistant, they are not safety glasses.)

Personal protection. Before operating the mac hine, remove tie, rings, watch and other jewelry and roll up
sleeves above the elbows. Rem ove all loose outer clot hing and confi ne long hair. Protective type footwear
should be used. Where the noise exceeds the level of exposure allowed in Secti on 1910.95 of the OS HA
Regulations, use hearing protecti ve devices. Do not wear gloves.

Guards. Keep the machine guards in place for every operation for which t hey c an be used. If any guards are
removed for maintenance, DO NOT OPERATE the machine until t he guar ds are reinstalled. The blade guard
is air act uated; it i s al so a clamp for stoc k . Never shut off or disconnect air while oper ator or bystanders are
near guard.

Work area. Keep the floor around the machine clean and free of scr ap material, saw dust, oil and other
liqui ds t o minimize the danger of tripping or slipping. B e sure t he table is fr ee of all scrap, foreign material
and tools befor e st ar ting to cut. M ak e c er tain the work area is well lighted and that a pr oper exhaust system is
used to minimize dust. Powermatic r ec ommends the use of anti-skid floor strips on the floor area where the
operator normally stands and that eac h machine’s work area be mark ed off. P r ovide adequat e work space
around the machine.

Avoid accidental starting: Make certain motor switch is in off position before connecting power to the
machine.

Operator position. Maintain a balanced stanc e and k eep y our body under c ontrol at all tim es.
Housekeeping. Bef or e turning on machine, remove all extra equipment such as keys, wrenches, scrap, and

cleaning rags away from the machine.
Careless acts. Give the work you are doing your undivided att ention. Looking around, carrying on a

conver sation, and “horseplay” ar e c ar eless acts that can result in serious injury.
Disconnect all power so urces (both air and electric) before perf orming any service, maintenance,

adjustment s or when changi ng blades. When the air li ne is disconnected or turned off, the guard will
immediately drop down to the table. Keep hands clear of guard at all times. A machine under repair should be
RED TAGGE D to show it should not be used until the maintenance is complete.

Maintain cutting tools in top condition. Keep blades sharp and clean for safe and best performance. Dull
tools incr ease noi se l evels and can cause ki c k bac ks and glazed surfaces. Check the condition and
adjustment of the tool s before maki ng any cuts.

Hand safety. K eep hands outsi de the machine. Do not clear chips and sawdust with hands; use a brush.

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Job completion. If the operat or leaves the machine area for any reason, the cut- off saw should be turned
"off" and the blade should c ome to a complete stop before his departure. In addi tion, if the operati on is
complete, he should clean the saw and the work area. NEVER clean the saw with power "on" and never use
the hands to clear sawdust and debris; use a brush.

Replacement p art s. Use only Powermatic or fact or y authorized replac ement parts and accessories;
otherwise the warranty and guarant ee is null and void.

Misuse. Do not use t his Powermatic cut-off saw for other than its intended use. If used for other purposes,
Powermati c disclaim s any real or implied warranty and holds itself harmless for any injury or dam age whic h
may result from that use.

If you are not t horoughly familiar with the operation of cut - off saws, obtain advice from your supervisor,
instructor or other qualified person.

Drugs, alcohol, medication. Do not operate this machine while under the influence of drugs, al c ohol, or any
medication.

Health hazards. Some dust created by power sanding, sawing, grindi ng, drilling and other construction
activities contains chemicals known to cause cancer, bir th defects or other r epr oductive harm. Some
examples of these chemicals are:
* Lead from lead-based paint.
* Crystalline silica from bricks and cement and ot her masonry products.
* Arsenic and chromium from chemically-treated l umber.
Your risk from these ex posures varies, depending on how often you do this type of work. To reduce your
exposure to these chemicals, work i n a well-ventilated area, and work with approved safety equipment, such
as those dust masks that are specifically designed to f ilter out microscopic par ticles.

Familiarize yourself with the following safety notices used in this manual:

CAUTION: (This means that if precaut ions are not heeded, it may result i n minor or moderate inj ur y

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and/or possible machine damage)

WARNING: (Thi s means that if precautions are not heeded, it could result in serious injur y or

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possibly even death).

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SAFETY

Familiarize yourself with the location and content of these decals on your machine.

FIGURE 1

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SPECIFICATIONS: COS18 Cut-Off Saw

Stock num ber (COS18L).....................................................................................................................1791294

Stock number (COS18R)....................................................................................................................1791289

Motor........................................................................................................................... .. 10HP, 3Ph, 230/460V

Blade size......................................................................................................................... 18" diameter / 120T

Arbor size.....................................................................................................................................................1"

Arbor speed.....................................................................................................................................3320 RP M

Cutting capac ity @ maximum height .......................................................................................4-3/8" x 10-1/2"

Cutting capac ity @ m aximum width ...............................................................................................1" x 13-3/8"

Table si ze....................................................................................................................................26-1/2" x 28"

Table hei ght................................................................................................................................................33"

Air supply r equired................................................................................................................. 15 CFM / 70 PSI

Cycles per minute (maximum)..................................................................................................................... 70

Dust port.......................................................................................................................................................4"

Minimum CFM........................................................................................................................................... 600

Gross weight........................................................................................................................................850 lbs.

Net weight ...........................................................................................................................................730 lbs.

NOTE: T he above specificati ons were current at the time this manual was published, but because of our
policy of continuous improvement, Powermatic reserves the right to change specifications without not ice and
without inc ur r ing obligations.

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FEATURES: COS18 Cut-Off Saw

FIGURE 2

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RECEIVING

Open shipping crate and check for shipping
damage. Report any damage immediately to
your distri butor and shipping agent . Before using
the cut-off saw, read the instruction manual
thoroughly for assembl y, mai ntenance and safety
instructions.

Contents of crate:

1 Cut-off saw
1 Handwheel
1 Toolbox c ontaining:
1 hex wrench set
1 socket wrench
1 open-end wrench set
1 Manual
1 War ranty card

INSTALLATION & ASSEMBLY

1. Lift the m achi ne with a hoist or fork li ft , using
a sling through the lifting eye on top the
machine, shown in Figure 3. Mak e sur e the
capacity of the lifting unit is sufficient to
safely lift this size machine.

2. The cut-off saw (with any roller table
extensions) should be l ocat ed i n an area that
is well-lit, with enough room around it for
loading and off-loading stock and general
servi cing of the machine.

3. The saw cabinet should be bolt ed to the fl oor
through the holes at the four corners, using
high quali ty lag screws.

Unpainted surf aces, such as the table and f ence,
have been given a protective coating at the
factory. This should be removed with a soft rag
moistened with a good commercial solvent. Do
not use acetone, lac quer thinner, gasoli ne or any
flammable sol vents. Do not use an abrasi ve pad.

HANDWHEEL

Install the handwheel onto the threaded rod as
shown (Fig. 3).

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ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS

WARNING: Electrical connectio ns must

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be made by a qualified electrician in
compliance will all relevant cod es. The
machine must be properly grounded to
help prevent electrical shock and
possible death.

A power plug is not provided with the COS18.
You may either connect one, or "hard-wire" the
machine di rectl y to your elect rical panel prov ided
there is a disconnect near the machine.
Consult electrical schematic on page 34 for
further clarification of wiring setup.

This machine must be grounded. Grounding
provi des a path of least resistance t o help divert
current away from the operator in case of
electrical malfunction.

Make sure the voltage of your power supply
matches the specifications on the motor plate of
the machine.

After wiring, disconnect machine from power
source, open the blade access door, rem ove the
internal clear panel, and remove the blade (see
"Installing/Changing Blade"). Re-connect the
power and turn on t he saw motor (see "Oper ating
Controls"). Observe the rotation of the arbor – it
should rotate count erclockwise on the LH model,
clockwise on t he RH m odel . I f i t does not, tur n of f
the machine, disconnect power, and switch any
two of the thr ee electric al leads.

NOTE: A label is affixed to the internal clear
panel to help identify proper rotation.

EXTENSION CORDS

If an ex tension cord is necessary, m ake sure the
cord rati ng is suitabl e for the amper age listed on
the machine's motor plate. An undersized cord
will cause a drop in line voltage resulting in loss
of power and overheating.

The chart i n Figure 4 shows the correct si ze cord
to use based on cord lengt h and nameplate am p
rating. If in doubt, use the next heavier gauge.
The smaller the gauge number, the heavier the
cord.

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DUST COLLECTION

Powermatic recommends the use of a dust
collection system with this cut-off saw. The
collector should have sufficient capacity (600
CFM) for this size machine.

Mount the dust collector via a 4" hose to the
outlet on t he blade access door.

OPERATING CONTROLS

Control buttons are in two locations on the saw,
and are shown in Figure 5. A main start and stop
button i s located at t he back of the tabl e top. An
emergency stop but ton is also f ound on the front.
The air -cont rol switch, i n both l oc ati ons, start s the
flow of air to the cy linder.

INSTALLING / CHANGING BLADE

1. Disconnect machine from power source.

WARNING: Never attemp t t o open bl ade

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access door until blade has come to a
complete stop.

2. Open the saw blade access door by
loosening the screws.

3. Remov e the clear panel guarding the blade
(Fig. 6) by loosening the screws and lifting
up on the panel.

4. Lock the arbor by pulling the lever ( Fig. 8).

4. Loosen hex screw (Fig. 7) on the arbor.
(counterclockwise to loosen on the LH
model; clockwise on RH model). Remove
hex screw and outer flange from the arbor.

5. Mount the blade on the arbor as shown,
making sure the teeth are pointed in the
proper direction – the teeth at top of blade
should point toward rear of machine.

6. Re-install outer flange and screw, and
tighten securely.

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7. Re-install clear panel and c lose blade access
door, fasteni ng it securely. NO TE: A sensor
switch on the door will automatically shut
down the saw if the door i s opened whi le the
blade is moving.

WARNING: Do not reconnect power, air

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or electric, without internal clear panel in
place and door securely fastened with
screws.

AIR SUPPLY

The correc t ai r pr essure for t he COS18 saw is 70
PSI. At tach the hose from your air source to the
machine' s air val ve as shown in Figure 9.

SQUARING THE FENCE

The best way to square the fence is to make
sample c uts. Using a square, check the end of a
board af ter it has been chopped. If the cut is not
square, proceed as follows:

1. Loosen one of the bolts on the fence and

lightly tap the fence with a block or mallet .

2. Retighten the bolt, and make another cut.

Repeat as necessary until fence is square.

INSTALLING ROLLER TABLES

(OPTIONAL)

Four-f oot and 8-f oot roll er tables are av ail able as
accessories to your cut- off saw. The roller tables
can be used as infeed or outfeed tables and
mounted to either side of the saw. The terms
"Right Hand" and "Left Hand" Model are
determined by the location of the blade in
reference to the main table. (The cover of this
manual shows a lef t-hand model. )

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