Use and Care Manual

ManualsBrandsMilwaukee ManualsSaw6480-20

PERSONAL SAFETY

GENERAL SAFETY RULES

WORK AREA SAFETY

ELECTRICAL SAFETY

WARNING READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS Failure to follow all instructions

listed below, may result in electric shock, ﬁ re and/or serious personal injury.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

TOOL USE AND CARE

• Grounded tools must be plugged into an outlet

properly installed and grounded in accordance

with all codes and ordinances. Never remove

the grounding prong or modify the plug in any

way. Do not use any adaptor plugs. Check with

a qualiﬁ ed electrician if you are in doubt as to

whether the outlet is properly grounded. If the

tools should electrically malfunction or break down,

grounding provides a low resistance path to carry

electricity away from the user.

• Double Insulated tools are equipped with a

polarized plug (one blade is wider than the

other). This plug will ﬁ t in a polarized outlet

only one way. If the plug does not ﬁ t fully in

the outlet, reverse the plug. If it still does not

ﬁ t, contact a qualiﬁ ed 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.

• Guard against electric shock. Prevent body con-

tact with grounded surfaces such as pipes, radiators,

ranges and refrigerators. When making blind or

plunge cuts, always check the work area for hidden

wires or pipes. Hold your tool by insulated nonmetal

grasping surfaces. Use a Ground Fault Circuit Inter-

rupter (GFCI) to reduce shock hazards.

• Do not expose power tools to rain or wet condi-

tions. 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.

• Know your power tool. Read this manual care-

fully to learn your power tool's applications and

limitations as well as potential hazards associated

with this type of tool.

• 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 inﬂ uence

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. When working outdoors, wear rub-

ber gloves and insulated non-skid footwear. Keep

hands and gloves away from moving parts.

• Avoid accidental starting. Be sure switch is off

before plugging in. Do not use a tool if the power

switch does not turn the tool on and off. Do not carry

a plugged-in tool with your ﬁ nger on the switch.

• Remove adjusting keys or wrenches before

turning on the tool. 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. Everyone in the work area

should wear safety goggles or glasses with side

shields complying with current safety standards.

Everyday eyeglasses only have impact resistant

lenses. They are not safety glasses. Wear hearing

protection during extended use and a dust mask

for dusty operations. Hard hats, face shields, safety

shoes, etc., should be used when speciﬁ ed or

necessary. Keep a ﬁ re extinguisher nearby.

• Keep guards in place and in working order.

• Never stand on tool. Serious injury could occur if

the tool is tipped or if the cutting tool is unintention-

ally contacted.

• Keep hands away from all cutting edges and

moving parts.

• Use clamps or other 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.

• Keep your work area clean and well lit. Cluttered

benches and dark areas invite accidents.

• Do not operate power tools in explosive atmo-

spheres, such as in the presence of ﬂ ammable

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. Protect others in the

work area from debris such as chips and sparks.

Provide barriers or shields as needed.

• Protect others in the work area from debris such

as chips and sparks. Provide barriers or shields

as needed.

• Make workshop child proof with padlocks, mas-

ter switches, or by removing starter keys.

• 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.

SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES

SERVICE

• Do not force tool. Your tool will perform best at

the rate for which it was designed. Excessive force

only causes operator fatigue, increased wear and

reduced control.

• Use the right tool. Do not use a tool or attach-

ment to do a job for which it is not recommended.

For example, do not use a circular saw to cut tree

limbs or logs. Do not alter a tool.

• Disconnect the plug from the power source

before making any adjustments, changing ac-

cessories, or storing the tool. Such preventive

safety measures reduce the risk of starting the tool

accidentally.

• Store idle tools out of reach of children and

other untrained persons. Tools are dangerous

in the hands of untrained users.

• Never leave the tool running unattended. Turn

power off. Do not leave the tool until it comes to a

complete stop.

• 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 ac-

cidents 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.

• Maintain tools with care. Keep cutting tools

sharp and clean. Properly maintained tools with

sharp cutting edge are less likely to bind and are

easier to control. Do not use a damaged tool. Tag

damaged tools “Do not use” until repaired.

• Tool service must be performed only by quali-

ﬁ ed repair personnel. Service or maintenance

performed by unqualiﬁ ed personnel could result

in a risk of injury.

• When servicing a tool, use only identical replace-

ment parts. Follow instructions in the Mainte-

nance section of this manual. Use of unauthorized

parts or failure to follow Maintenance Instructions

may create a risk of electric shock or injury.

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

specifically designed to filter out microscopic

particles.

• Handle the counterbalance with care. The cable

is under tension. Always assemble cable to saw

carriage before removing cable clip. Do not pull on

cable by hand or attempt to disassemble or repair

the counterbalance.

• Do not defeat the guards or operate the tool

without the guards in place.

• Do not use push sticks. Push sticks or the work-

piece can kick back, cause the blade to pinch, or

become caught in the blade and be thrown from

the tool.

• Cross-cutting (vertical cutting) must always be

done from the top down. Saw carriage should be

raised to the uppermost position on the guide tubes

and locked into position with the carriage lock when-

ever the tool is not in use. See "Cross-Cutting".

• Ripping (horizontal cutting) must ripping must

always be done by moving the workpiece

through the saw in the direction of the arrow on

the saw motor. Saw carriage should be raised to

the top of the guide tubes and locked into position

with the carriage lock whenever tool is not in use.

See "Rip Cutting".

• Never cut a workpieces with a width smaller

than that of the saw carriage. Proper support

for the workpiece must be maintained to insure

safety. When the carriage moves over the work-

piece, it would be impossible to safely support the

workpiece for the cut. Use a tool better suited for

these applications.

• Always wait for blade to stop completely be-

fore changing positions. Unplug the tool before

transporting or moving it.

• Do not place hands on or under saw carriage

or in the path of the blade. Do not attempt to

retrieve a piece of material that is cut off while the

blade is rotating.

• Make workshop child proof with padlocks,

master switches, or by removing starter keys. See

"Lock-Off Feature".

• Replace guards after blade change. Maintain

guards in working order.

• Direction of feed. Feed work into a blade or cut-

ter against the direction of rotation of the blade or

cutter only.

•

Causes and Operator Prevention of KICK-

BACK:

KICKBACK is a sudden reaction to a pinched,

bound or misaligned saw blade, causing an un-

controlled 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

• Maintain labels and nameplates. These carry

important information. If unreadable or missing,

contact a MILWAUKEE service facility for a free

replacement.

• 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.