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Radial Arm Saw

The principal sources of injury to persons using radial arm saws includes cuts or amputation to arms or hands by the blade, flying wood chips and handling of materials. It is therefore necessary that no person operate this equipment until its use has been thoroughly demonstrated and understood.

Pre-Operation

  1. A radial arm saw requires many adjustments prior to use. Ensure that the saw is locked out before making these adjustments.
  2. Safety glasses or goggles must be worn. A face shield may also be required and it should be used in conjunction with proper eye protection.
  3. Read and understand the operating manual prior to use.
  4. Choose the proper blade for the job and ensure that it is installed correctly.
  5. Ensure that the blade guards are securely installed. The upper half of the blade must always be guarded, including the arbor end. The lower half of the saw should have an articulating guard for 90-degree crosscut operations.
  6. The tabletop should be large enough to cover the blade in any direction (mitre, bevel or rip). The saw should never be operated with the blade in a position where it protrudes or extends beyond the table.
  7. The slots of the back fence should not be deeper than 6mm. The fence must be replaced if the slots are deeper than this or if pieces are missing.

Operation (all cuts)

  1. Do not stand in a direct line with the blade.
  2. Never carry on a conversation or interrupt a person operating a radial arm saw.
  3. Allow the saw to reach full speed before starting the cut.
  4. Hold the stock firmly against the tabletop and the rear fence.
  5. A push stick should be used when ripping. The push stick should be longer than the blade's diameter.
  6. Keep proper footing and balance at all times.
  7. Never leave the radial arm saw unattended while the blade is running. Wait until the blade has come to a full stop before leaving the area.
  8. Always remove scrap material from the table with a stick.

Ripping

  1. Rotate the radial saw's head 90 degrees so that the blade is parallel to the fence and is clamped in position. Lower the blade so that it will cut through the stock.
  2. Position the:
    • nose of the guard (or drop the guard down), to just clear the stock.
    • the spreader (to prevent the material from coming together after ripping , binding and producing a kickback)
    • the antikickback devices (position so that the anitkickback fingers ride on the stock. The angle should be adjusted so that if the stock is pulled out by hand, it will jam under the fingers and the stock cannot be moved).
  3. Using a push-stick, feed the stock against the direction of rotation of the revolving blade from the side at which the blade rotates upwards towards the operator.
  4. For inrip, feed the material from right to left, for outrip, feed the material from left to right. Serious injury can result from feeding the material from the wrong side as the operator's hands can be drawn into the blade.
  5. A person or helper standing on the infeed side of the blade can be at serious risk of injury from flying stock. It is important to be aware of this fact.
  6. When feeding the stock, hold it firmly against the table and the fence. Apply a firm, even pressure. Operators should never release the feed pressure until the cut is completed and the workpiece has fully cleared the table.
  7. Care must be taken when ripping material with thin, lightweight, hard or slippery surfaces because of the reduced efficiency of the antikickback devices.

Crosscutting

  1. Radial arm saws used for crosscutting are pulled across the cutting area by means of a handle located to one side of the blade. The operator should stand, if possible, on the handle's side and pull the cutting head with the hand nearest the handle. The product being cut should be maneuvered with the other hand.
  2. The blade should never be pulled beyond the point necessary to make the cut as the back of the blade could lift the workpiece and throw it over the fence.
  3. Place the material to be cut against the fence or a special jig, never cut freehand.
  4. Never remove short pieces from the table until the saw has returned to its normal position at the rear of the table. Always use a stick, not your hands, to remove scrap from the table.