OPERATING MANUAL 7-1/4-in. 15 Amp Hypoid Circular Saw 241-0746 IMPORTANT : Carefully read this Owner’s Manual before using this tool. Pay close attention to all Safety Instructions, Warnings, and Caution sections. Use this tool properly, and only for its intended use. Safety symbols in this manual are used to flag possible dangers. The safety symbols and their explanations require the operator’s full understanding.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Rules for Safe Operation .............................................................................. Page 3 Unpacking ....................................................................................................... Page 8 Description ...................................................................................................... Page 9 Operation ......................................................................................................... Page 11 Maintenance.....
RULES FOR SAFE OPERATION KNOW THE TOOL To operate this tool, carefully read this Owner’s Manual and all labels affixed to the saw before using. Keep this Manual available for future reference. IMPORTANT This tool should only be serviced by a qualified service technician. For more information, call the toll-free helpline, at 1-866-917-4374. READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS THOROUGHLY GENERAL SAFETY RULES FOR ALL POWER TOOLS WARNING! Read and understand all instructions.
● Avoid body contact with grounded surfaces such as pipes, radiators, ranges and refrigerators. 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.
and balance enables better control of the tool in unexpected situations. se safety equipment. Always wear eye protection. Dust mask, non-skid safety ●U shoes, hard hat, or hearing protection must be used for appropriate conditions. efore connecting the tool to a power source (receptacle, outlet, etc.), be ●B sure voltage supplied is the same as that specified on the nameplate of the tool.
unauthorized parts or failure to follow Maintenance Instructions may create a risk of electric shock or injury. Specific Safety Rules for circular saws DANGER:Keep hands away from cutting area and 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. ● 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.
holes. Blades that do not match the mounting hardware of the saw will run eccentrically causing loss of control. ever use damaged or incorrect blade washers or bolts. The blade ●N washers and bolt were specially designed for your saw, for optimum performance and safety of operation. auses and operator prevention of kickback: ●C -K ickback 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.
● Do not use the circular saw near fumes or combustible liquids. ● Never slow the blade down with your hands, or by applying pressure to the side of the blade. ● Never apply force! Move the circular saw forward gently and steadily. UNPACKING WARNING: If any parts are broken or missing, DO NOT attempt to plug in the power cord or operate the saw until the broken or missing parts are replaced. Failure to do so could result in possibly serious injury.
DESCRIPTION KNOW YOUR HYPOID CIRCULAR SAW (Fig. 2) Fig. 2 Rear Handle Front Handle Upper Blade Guard Trigger Switch Depth-of-Cut Adjustment Lever Bevel Adjustment Locking Lever Lower Blade Guard Lever Bevel Scale Lower Blade Guard Base Blade Front Handle Spindle Clamping Screw Edge Guide Locking Knob Base Motor Housing Rafter Hook NOTE: Before attempting to use your saw, familiarize yourself with all of the operating features and safety requirements.
Your hypoid circular saw has a precision-built electric motor and it should only be connected to a 120-volt, 60-Hz AC ONLY power supply (normal household current). DO NOT operate on direct current (DC). This large voltage drop will cause a loss of power and the motor will overheat. If the saw does not operate when plugged into correct 120-volt, 60-Hz AC ONLY outlet, check the power supply. The saw has a 8-ft, 2-wire power cord (no adapter needed).
OPERATION WARNING: The maximum blade capacity of your saw is 7-1/4 inches. Any blade larger than 7-1/4 inch will come in contact with the blade guards. Never use a blade that is so thick that it prevents the outer blade washer from engaging with the flat side of the spindle. Blades that are too large or too thick can result in an accident causing serious injury. SAW BLADES All saw blades need to be kept clean, sharp, and properly set in order to cut efficiently.
KICKBACK…WHAT CAUSES IT AND WAYS TO HELP PREVENT IT Kickback Causes • K ickback is a sudden reaction to a pinched, bound, or misaligned saw blade, which can cause the saw to lift up and out of the workpiece and toward the operator. • W hen the blade is pinched or bound tightly by the kerf closing down, the blade stalls and the motor reaction drives the unit rapidly back towards the operator.
Ways to Help Prevent Kickback DANGER: Always release the trigger switch immediately if the blade binds or the saw stalls. Kickback could cause you to lose control of the saw. Loss of control can lead to serious injury. 1. Always maintain a firm grip with both hands on the saw (Fig. 5) and position your body and arms to allow you to resist kickback forces. The operator can control kickback forces if the proper precautions are taken. Fig. 5 2.
8. Keep the blade at the correct depth setting. The depth setting should not exceed 1/4 inch below the material being cut (Fig. 6). Be sure that the blade depth and adjusting locking levers are tight and secure before making a cut. If blade adjustment shifts while cutting, it may cause binding and Kickback. Fig. 6 Correct Blade Depth Blade is Set Too Deep KICKBACK 9. Use extra caution when making a “Pocket Cut” into existing walls or other blind areas.
MAKING DEPTH-OF-CUT ADJUSTMENTS Always use the correct Fig. 8 blade-depth setting. The correct blade-depth setting Depth-of-cut adjustment for all cuts should not be lever more than 1/4-inch deeper than the material being cut. Increased cutting depth will increase the chance of kickback and cause the cut to be rough. Your saw is equipped with a depthof-cut scale that provides increased depth-of-cut accuracy. The depth-of-cut scale is located on the left side of the bracket (Fig 8).
1. Always use your saw with your hands positioned correctly: with one hand operating the trigger switch and the other on the front assist handle (Fig. 9). Never use the saw with your hands positioned as shown in Fig. 10. Fig. 9 To Help Maintain Control: Always support the workpiece near the cut. Always support the workpiece so the cut will be on your right. Fig. 10 Always clamp the workpiece so it will not move during the cut. Place the workpiece with the good side down.
4. Depress the trigger switch to start the saw. 5. Always let the blade reach full speed before you begin the cut into the workpiece. 6. When making a cut, always use steady, even pressure. Forcing the saw causes rough cuts and could shorten the life of the saw or cause Kickback. 7. After completing your cut, release the trigger switch and allow the blade to come to a complete stop. Do not remove the saw from the workpiece while the blade is moving.
MAKING RIP CUTS Fig. 11a Line of Cut Always use a guide when making long or wide rip cuts with your saw. You can use either a straight edge or use the edge guide that was included with your saw. 0o Indicator USING A STRAIGHT EDGE WARNING: Always securely clamp and support the workpiece. Always maintain proper control of the saw. Failure to clamp and support the workpiece, combined with loss of control of the saw, could result in serious injury. Fig.
WARNING: Always unplug the saw before making any adjustments. Failure to unplug the saw could result in accidental starting, which can cause serious personal injury. 1. Unplug the saw from the power source. Fig. 13 2. Position the edge guide so that the ruler side of the arm is facing up. Slide the arm of the edge guide through the mounting slots at the front of the saw base (Fig 13). 3. Adjust the edge guide to the desired width of cut. Edge Guide 4. Tighten the edge-guide lock knob.
MAKING BEVEL CUTS WARNING: Always securely clamp and support the workpiece. Always maintain proper control of the saw. Failure to clamp and support the workpiece and loss of control of saw could result in serious injury. 1. Your saw can be adjusted to bevel cut at any angle between 0° and 51°. When making 45° bevel cuts, there is a notch in the saw base to help you line up the blade with the line of cut (Fig. 15). 2.
0° BEVEL STOP The saw has a 0° bevel stop that has been factory adjusted to assure a 0° angle of the saw blade when making 90°cuts. TO CHECK 0° BEVEL STOP WARNING: Always unplug the saw before making any adjustments. Failure to unplug the saw could result in accidental starting, which can cause serious personal injury. 1. Unplug the saw from the power source. Fig. 16 0° bevel stop adjustment screw 2. Place the saw in an upside-down position on a workbench. 3.
2. While holding the lower blade guard up by the lever, firmly rest the front of the saw base flat against the workpiece with the rear handle raised, so that the blade does not touch the workpiece (Fig. 18). 3. Depress the trigger switch to start the saw. Always allow the blade to reach full speed, and then slowly lower the blade onto the workpiece until the base is flat against the workpiece. Fig. 18 Fig. 19 4. You must release the lower blade guard lever as the blade enters the material. Hook 5.
MAINTENANCE WARNING: To ensure safety and reliability, all repairs should be performed by a qualified service technician. WARNING: For your safety, always turn off the switch and unplug the hypoid circular saw from the power source before performing any maintenance or cleaning. It has been found that electric tools are subject to accelerated wear and possible premature failure when they are used to work on fiberglass boats and sports cars, wallboard, spackling compounds, or plaster.
REPLACEMENT OF CARBON BRUSHES WARNING: For your safety, always turn off the switch and unplug the saw from the power source before performing any maintenance or cleaning. 1. U nplug the saw before inspecting or replacing brushes. 2. R eplace both carbon brushes when either has less than 1/4-in. length of carbon remaining, or if the spring or wire is damaged or burned. 3. U sing a slotted screwdriver, remove the black, plastic cap on each side of the motor (Fig.
CHANGING THE BLADE WARNING: Be sure to wear protective work gloves while handling a saw blade. The blade can injure unprotected hands. 1. Unplug the saw from the power source. WARNING: To prevent personal injury, ALWAYS disconnect the plug from power source BEFORE assembling parts, making adjustments or changing blades. 2. Place the saw, on its side, on a flat surface. 3. Loosen the depth-ofcut adjustment lever, raise the saw up all the way, and tighten the lever.
8. C ompletely remove the spindle-clamping screw “A,” the outer “D” washer, and the blade (see Fig. 21). 9. T he remaining washer is the inner bushing washer that fits around the spindle shaft; it does not need to be removed. 10. Put a drop of oil onto the inner bushing washer and outer “D” washer where they will touch the blade. 11. Place the new saw blade inside the lower blade guard, onto the spindle shaft, and against the inner bushing.
TROUBLE SHOOTING If the blade does not follow a straight line: • T eeth are dull. This is caused by hitting a hard object such as a nail, and dulling the teeth on one side. The blade tends to cut to the side with the sharpest teeth. • Base is out of line or bent. • B lade is bent. • Edge guide or straight edge is not being used. If the blade binds or smokes from friction: • Blade is dull. • B lade is on backwards. • Blade is bent. • Workpiece is not properly supported.
WARRANTY If, during normal use, this MASTERFORCE™ power tool breaks or fails due to a defect in material or workmanship within three years from the date of original purchase, simply bring this tool and its sales receipt back to your nearest MENARDS® retail store for a free equivalent replacement within those three years.
