DeWalt DCS574 - Kickback and Adjustments; Kickback Causes and Prevention; Cutting Depth Adjustment; Bevel Angle Adjustment

ENGLISH
10
RECOMMENDED BLADE TYPES
Combination Framing 5/8" Round arbor, 24 teeth
All purpose fast rip and
crosscuts.
Pressure Treated/Wet
Lumber
5/8" Round arbor, 20 teeth
Coated, resistant to gum
build-up.
Extreme Durability 5/8" Round arbor, 18 teeth
Coated, rock carbide.
Finishing 5/8" Round arbor, 36 teeth
More teeth for finer finishcuts.
Fast Cut Framing 5/8" round arbor, 18 teeth
Fastest blade for rips and
crosscuts.
If you need assistance regarding blades, please call
1-800-4-DeWALT (1-800-433-9258).
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 more likely to occur when any of the following
conditionsexists.
1. IMPROPER WORKPIECE SUPPORT
a. Sagging or improper lifting of the cut off piece can cause
pinching of the blade and lead tokickback.
b. Cutting through material supported at the outer ends
only can cause kickback. As the material weakens it sags,
closing down the kerf and pinching the blade (Fig.O).
c. Cutting off a cantilevered or overhanging piece of
material from the bottom up in a vertical direction can
cause kickback. The falling cut off piece can pinch theblade.
d. Cutting off long narrow strips (as in ripping) can cause
kickback. The cut off strip can sag or twist closing the kerf
and pinching theblade.
e. Snagging the lower guard on a surface below the
material being cut momentarily reduces operator control.
The saw can lift partially out of the cut increasing the
chance of bladetwist.
2. IMPROPER DEPTH OF CUT SETTING ON SAW
a. To make the most efficient cut, the blade should
protrude only far enough to expose one-half of a tooth as
shown in FigureI. This allows the shoe to support the blade
and minimizes twisting and pinching in the material. See
the section titled Cutting DepthAdjustment.
3. BLADE TWISTING (MISALIGNMENT IN CUT)
a. Pushing harder to cut through a knot, a nail or a hard
grain area can cause the blade totwist.
b. Trying to turn the saw in the cut (trying to get back on
the marked line) can cause bladetwist.
c. Overreaching or operating the saw with poor body
control (out of balance), can result in twisting theblade.
d. Changing hand grip or body position while cutting can
result in bladetwist.
e. Backing up the saw to clear blade can lead totwist.
4. MATERIALS THAT REQUIRE EXTRA ATTENTION
a. Wet lumber
b. Green lumber (material freshly cut or not kiln dried)
c. Pressure treated lumber (material treated with
preservatives or anti-rot chemicals)
5. USE OF DULL OR DIRTY BLADES
a. Dull blades cause increased loading of the saw. To
compensate, an operator will usually push harder which
further loads the unit and promotes twisting of the blade
in the kerf. Worn blades may also have insufficient body
clearance which increases the chance of binding and
increasedloading.
6. LIFTING THE SAW WHEN MAKING A BEVEL CUT
a. Bevel cuts require special operator attention to proper
cutting techniques – especially guidance of the saw. Both
blade angle to the shoe and greater blade surface in the
material increase the chance for binding and misalignment
(twist) tooccur.
7. RESTARTING A CUT WITH THE BLADE TEETH
JAMMED AGAINST THE MATERIAL
a. The saw should be brought up to full operating speed
before starting a cut or restarting a cut after the unit has
been stopped with the blade in the kerf. Failure to do so can
cause stalling andkickback.
Any other conditions which could result in pinching,
binding, twisting, or misalignment of the blade could cause
kickback. Refer to the sections Further Safety Instructions
for All Saws and Blades for procedures and techniques that
will minimize the occurrence ofkickback.
Cutting Depth Adjustment (Fig. A, H, I)
NOTE: The maximum depth of cut for this saw is 2-9/16"
(65mm) at 90°.
1. Hold the saw firmly and loosen (clockwise) the depth
adjustment lever
4
and move shoe
5
to obtain the desired
depth ofcut.
2. Make sure the depth adjustment lever has been
retightened (counterclockwise) before operatingsaw.
For the most efficient cutting action, set the depth
adjustment so that one-half tooth of the blade will project
below the material to be cut. This distance is from the tip of
the tooth to the bottom of the gullet in front of it. This keeps
blade friction at a minimum, removes sawdust from the cut,
results in cooler, faster sawing and reduces the chance of
kickback. A method for checking for correct cutting depth
is shown in FigureI. Lay a piece of the material you plan to
cut along the side of the blade, as shown, and observe how
much tooth projects beyond thematerial.
Bevel Angle Adjustment (Fig. A, J)
The full range of the bevel adjustment is from 0° to 57°. The
quadrant is graduated in increments of 1°. On the front of
the saw is a bevel angle adjustment mechanism consisting
of a calibrated quadrant and a bevel adjustment lever
10
.
To set the saw for a bevel cut
1. Loosen (counterclockwise) the bevel adjustment
lever
10
and tilt shoe
5
to the desired angle by aligning
the pointer with the desired anglemark.
2. Retighten lever firmly (clockwise).