Chop Saw Safety

Using the chop saw:

• While using, wear ear-protective headphones or plugs. 

• There will be a little switch near where your pointer finger will be, and it must be pushed at the same time as the big handle

• KEEP YOUR HANDS AWAY FROM THE BLADE!!! always hold the piece being cut with the other hand, ALONG THE FENCE, which is perpendicular with the blade and is a VERY useful tool to keep the cut in place

• First, line up the piece with the mark. Bring the saw down without turning it on to align the blade

• You can tap the side of the piece to realign if needed 

• Don't play with the blade guard

Important things to keep in mind

• Before starting to cut, yell, "SAW," so that everyone in the room knows that you are using the saw.

• Remember that the blade has thickness; keep the blade to the side of the part that you are not keeping.

• Draw an X on the part that will be discarded

• KEEP YOUR HANDS AWAY FROM THE BLADE

• keep the blade running until the blade is no longer in contact with the piece being cut

• allow the blade to spin to it's highest before cutting into the piece

• DON'T PLAY with the blade guard 

Different saws

• There are two types of chop-saw 

• One for cutting wood

• One for cutting metal

• It is VERY important that wood is cut with a wood saw and metal with a metal saw

• typically, wood saws are bigger and the base is much wider. you can adjust the angle of the saw to cut at an angle. this saw sits near the windows between the classrooms and CANNOT be moved. 

• our metal saw looks small and compact, and CAN be moved. It can also cut through polycarb and PVC pipes

• BOTH saws have a safety pin, often in a color contrasting from the saw. The pin MUST be pushed in while the saw is not in use to prevent others from accidentally cutting themselves. 

• The saw on the left is typically made for metal, while the one on the right is typically made for wood