pressure.
• Do not use saw blades that have cracks or that are dam-
aged.
• Saw blades of highly alloyed, high-speed steel (HSS-
steel) must not be used.
• The saw blade must not become stuck in the cut. The
saw tooth offset must be wider of the saw blade thinner.
• Always remove the plug from the power supply socket
before carrying out any work on the machine, when inter-
rupting work and when not using the machine.
• Bosch can assure flawless functioning of the machine
only when original accessories are used.
DANGER
• Keep hands away from cutting area and the blade.
Keep your second hand on auxiliary handle, or motor
housing. If both hands are holding the saw, they cannot
be cut by the blade.
• Do not reach underneath the workpiece. The guard
cannot protect you from the blade below the workpiece.
• Adjust the cutting depth to the thickness of the work-
piece. Less than a full tooth of the blade teeth should be
visible below the workpiece.
• Never hold piece being cut in your hands or across
your leg. Secure the workpiece to a stable platform.
It is important to support the work properly to minimize
body exposure, blade binding, or loss of control.
• Hold power tool 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 also make exposed metal parts of the pow-
er tool "live" and shock the operator.
• When ripping always use a rip fence or straight edge
guide. This improves the accuracy of cut and reduces
the chance of blade binding.
• Always use blades with correct size and shape (dia-
mond versus round) of arbour holes. Blades that do
not match the mounting hardware of the saw will run ec-
centrically, causing loss of control.
• Never use damaged or incorrect blade washers or
bolt. The blade washers and bolt were specially de-
signed 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 mis-
aligned 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 clos-
ing 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 sur-
face of the wood causing the blade to climb out of the kerf
and jump back toward the operator.
Kickback is the result of saw misuse and/or incorrect operat-
ing 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 arms to resist kickback forces. Position
your body to either side of the blade, but not in line
with the blade. Kickback could cause the saw to jump
backwards, but kickback forces can be controlled by the
operator, if proper precautions are taken.
• When blade is binding, or when interrupting a cut
manual skil 5300
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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. Investi-
gate and take corrective actions to eliminate the cause of
blade binding.
• When restarting a saw in the workpiece, centre 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 minimise the risk of blade
pinching and kickback. Large panels tend to sag un-
der 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 blades. Unsharpened or
improperly set blades produce narrow kerf causing ex-
cessive friction, blade binding and kickback.
• Blade depth and bevel adjusting locking levers must
be tight and secure before making cut. If blade adjust-
ment shifts while cutting, it may cause binding and kick-
back.
• Use extra caution when making a "plunge cut" into
existing walls or other blind areas. The protruding
blade may cut objects that can cause kickback.
Lower guard - safety measures
• Check lower guard for proper closing before each
use. Do not operate the 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 ac-
cidentally dropped, lower guard may be bent. Raise the
lower guard with the retracting handle and 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 of the lower guard spring. If the
guard and the spring are not operating properly, they
must be serviced before use. Lower guard may oper-
ate sluggishly due to damaged parts, gummy deposits, or
a build-up of debris.
• Lower guard should be retracted manually only for
special cuts such as "plunge cuts" and "compound
cuts." Raise lower guard by retracting handle and as
soon as blade enters the material, the lower guard
must be released. For all other sawing, the lower guard
should operate automatically.
• 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 re-
leased.
• Check guard for proper closing before each use. Do
not operate the saw if guard does not move freely
and enclose the blade instantly. Never clamp or tie
the guard with the blade exposed. If saw is acciden-
tally dropped, guard may be bent. Check to make sure
that guard 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 guard re-
turn spring. If the guard and the spring are not op-
erating properly, they must be serviced before use.
Guard may operate sluggishly due to damaged parts,
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