Ryobi CSB1308 User Manual

OPERATOR'S MANUAL
7-1/4 in. (184 mm) Circular Saw

Model CSB1308

DOUBLE INSULATED

SPECIFICATIONS:

Blade Diameter 7-1/4 in. (184 mm)
Blade Arbor 5/8 in. (16 mm)
Cutting Depth at 0° 2-3/8 in. (60 mm)

Cutting Depth at 45° 1-13/16 in. (46 mm)
Cutting Depth at 51.5° 1-5/8 in. (41 mm)
Rating 120 volts, 60 Hz, AC
Input 13 Amperes
No Load Speed 5,000 RPM

Net Weight 11.5 lbs.

THANK YOU FOR BUYING A RYOBI CIRCULAR SAW.

Your new circular saw has been engineered and manufactured to Ryobi's high standard for dependability, ease of operation,
and operator safety. Properly cared for, it will give you years of rugged, trouble-free performance.

CAUTION: Carefully read through this entire operator's manual before using your new saw.

Pay close attention to the Rules for Safe Operation, Warnings, and Cautions. If you use your saw properly and only for what
it is intended, you will enjoy years of safe, reliable service.

Thank you again for buying Ryobi tools.

SAVE THIS MANUAL FOR FUTURE REFERENCE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

■ Product Specifications

■ Table Of Contents

■ General Safety Rules

■ Specific Safety Rules

■ Features

■ Assembly

■ Operation

■ Maintenance

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■ Exploded View And Parts List

■ Service Information

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GENERAL SAFETY RULES

WARNING:

Read and understand all instructions. Failure to

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

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
Work Area

■ Keep your work area clean and well lit. Clut-
tered benches and dark areas invite accidents.

■ Do not operate power tools in explosive
atmospheres, such as in the presence of
flammable liquids, gases, or dust. Power tools

create sparks which may ignite the dust or fumes.

■ Keep bystanders, children, and visitors away
while operating a power tool. Distractions can

cause you to lose control.

Electrical Safety

■ 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 insulation eliminates the

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

■ Avoid body contact with grounded surfaces,
such as pipes, radiators, ranges, and refrig-

1

2
2-3
3-4

6
7-8

9-15

16

18-19

20

erators. There is an increased risk of electric
shock if your body is grounded.

■ Don’t expose power tools to rain or wet condi­tions. Water entering a power tool will increase

the risk of electric shock.

■ 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.

■ 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

■ 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 inattention while operating power tools
may result in serious personal injury.

■ 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.

■ 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.

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GENERAL SAFETY RULES

Personal Safety (continued)

■ 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.

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

enables better control of the tool in unexpected
situations.

■ Use safety equipment. Always wear eye pro­tection. Dust mask, nonskid safety shoes, hard

hat, or hearing protection must be used for
appropriate conditions.

Tool Use and Care

■ 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 is unstable and may lead to loss of control.

■ 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.

■ 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.

■ Disconnect the plug from the power source
before making any adjustments, changing
accessories, or storing the tool. Such preven-

tive safety measures reduce the risk of starting

the tool accidentally.

■ Store idle tools out of the reach of children
and other untrained persons. Tools are danger-

ous in the hands of untrained users.

■ 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.

■ Check for misalignment or binding of moving
parts, breakage of parts, and any other condi­tion that may affect the tool's operation. If

damaged, have the tool serviced before using.
Many accidents are caused by poorly maintained
tools.

■ Use only accessories that are recommended
by the manufacturer for your model. Accesso-

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

Service

■ Tool service must be performed only by
qualified repair personnel. Service or mainte-

nance performed by unqualified personnel could
result in a risk of injury.

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

unauthorized parts or failure to follow Mainte­nance Instructions may create a risk of electric
shock or injury.

SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES

Specific Safety Rules for Circular Saws

■ DANGER! Keep hands away from cutting area

and blade. Keep your second hand on the
auxiliary handle or motor housing. If both hands

are holding 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
cannot protect you from the blade below the work.

■ 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 handle. Make sure it moves freely and
does not touch the blade or any other part, in all
angles and depths of cut.

■ 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.

■ Lower guard should be retracted manually only

for special cuts, such as "Pocket Cuts" and
"Compound Cuts." Raise lower guard by
retracting handle. As soon as blade enters the
material, lower guard must be released. For all

other sawing, the lower guard should operate
automatically.

Page 3

SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES

Specific Safety Rules for Circular Saws
(continued)

■ 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.

■ 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.

■ Hold tool by insulated gripping surface 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 tool "live" and shock the operator.

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

and reduces the chance for blade binding.

■ 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.

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

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

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 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.

■ Do not use dull or damaged blade. Unsharpened
or improperly set blades produce narrow kerf which
causes excessive friction, blade binding and
KICKBACK.

■ 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

protruding blade may cut objects that can cause
KICKBACK.

Page 4

Additional Rules for Safe Operation

■ Know your power tool. Read operator's manual

carefully. Learn its applications and limitations,
as well as the specific potential hazards related
to this tool. Following this rule will reduce the risk

of electric shock, fire or serious injury.

■ Always wear safety glasses. Everyday eye-

glasses have only impact-resistant lenses; they
are NOT safety glasses. Following this rule will

reduce the risk of serious personal injury.

■ Protect your lungs. Wear a face or dust mask if
the operation is dusty. Following this rule will

reduce the risk of serious personal injury.

■ Protect your hearing. Wear hearing protection
during extended periods of operation. Following

this rule will reduce the risk of serious personal
injury.

■ Don't abuse cord. Never carry the tool by the
cord or yank it to disconnect it from the recep­tacle. Keep cord away from heat, oil, and sharp
edges. Following this rule will reduce the risk of

electric shock or fire.

■ 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. A wire gage size (A.W.G.)
of at least 14 is recommended for an extension
cord 25 feet or less in length. A cord exceeding
50 feet is not recommended. If in doubt, use the
next heavier gage. The smaller the gage num­ber, the heavier the cord. An undersized cord will

cause a drop in line voltage resulting in loss of
power and overheating.

■ Inspect tool cords periodically and, if damaged,
have repaired at your nearest authorized ser­vice center. Constantly stay aware of cord loca-

tion. Following this rule will reduce the risk of

electric shock or fire.

■ 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 by an
authorized service center. Following this rule will

reduce the risk of electric shock, fire or serious
injury.

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 paints,

• 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.

The purpose of safety symbols is to attract your attention to possible dangers. The safety symbols, and the
explanations with them, deserve your careful attention and understanding. The safety warnings do not by
themselves eliminate any danger. The instructions or warnings they give are not substitutes for proper accident
prevention measures.

SYMBOL MEANING

SAFETY ALERT SYMBOL:

Indicates danger, warning, or caution. May be used in conjunction with other symbols or pictographs.
DANGER: Failure to obey a safety warning will result in serious injury to yourself or to others. Always

follow the safety precautions to reduce the risk of fire, electric shock, and personal injury.
WARNING: Failure to obey a safety warning can result in serious injury to yourself or to others. Always

follow the safety precautions to reduce the risk of fire, electric shock, and personal injury.
CAUTION: Failure to obey a safety warning may result in property damage or personal injury to yourself

or to others. Always follow the safety precautions to reduce the risk of fire, electric shock, and personal
injury.

NOTE: Advises you of information or instructions vital to the operation or maintenance of the equipment.

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45

0

FEATURES

KNOW YOUR CIRCULAR SAW

See Figure 1.

Before attempting to use your saw, familiarize yourself
with all operating features and safety requirements.

WARNING:

If any parts are missing, do not operate your tool until the
missing parts are replaced. Failure to do so could result
in possible serious personal injury.

SWITCH

Your saw is equipped with a pre-travel safety switch which
reduces the possibility of accidental starting. When you
depress the switch, you will notice the saw will not start until
you reach the pre-travel position. You must depress the
switch fully to activate the saw.

DEPTH OF

CUT ADJUSTMENT

(DEPTH ADJUSTMENT KNOB)

UPPER BLADE

GUARD

APPLICATIONS

(Use only for the purpose listed below)

■ Cutting all types of wood products (lumber, plywood,
paneling).

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION

Your circular saw has a precision-built electric motor. It
should be connected to a power supply that is 120 volts,
60 Hz only. Do not operate this tool on direct current (DC). A
substantial voltage drop will cause a loss of power and the
motor will overheat. If your saw does not operate when
plugged into an outlet, double-check the power supply.

WARNING:

Do not allow familiarity with your saw to make you
careless. Remember that a careless fraction of a second
is sufficient to inflict severe injury.

SPINDLE LOCK BUTTON

BLADE WRENCH

BLADE WRENCH
STORAGE AREA

WARNING:

LOWER BLADE

GUARD HANDLE

BASE

ASSEMBLY

TRIGGER

SWITCH

BLADE

BEVEL CUT ADJUSTMENT

(BEVEL ADJUSTMENT KNOB)

VIEWING
WINDOW

Fig. 1

The operation of any circular saw can result in foreign objects being thrown into your eyes,
which can result in severe eye damage. Before beginning power tool operation, always wear
safety goggles or safety glasses with side shields and a full face shield when needed. We
recommend Wide Vision Safety Mask for use over eyeglasses or standard safety glasses with
side shields.

Page 6