Ryobi P500 User Manual

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DANGER! Keep hands away from cutting area and 
blade. Keep your second hand on the 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. (See “Causes 
And Operator Prevention Of Kickback” later.)
 
Do not reach underneath the work. The guard cannot 
protect you from the blade below the work.
 
Check lower guard for proper closing before each use. 
Do not operate saw if lower guard does not move freely 
and close instantly. Never clamp or tie the lower guard 
into the open position. If saw is accidentally dropped, 
lower guard may be bent. Raise the lower guard with the 
retracting handle. Make sure it moves freely and does 
not touch the blade or any other part, in all angles and 
depths of cut.
 
Check the operation and condition of the lower guard 
spring. If the guard and the spring are not operating 
properly, they must be serviced before use. Lower guard 
may operate sluggishly due to damaged parts, gummy 
deposits, or a buildup of debris.
 
Lower guard should be retracted manually only for 
special cuts, such as "Pocket Cuts" and "Compound 
Cuts." Raise lower guard by retracting handle. As soon 
as blade enters the material, lower guard must be 
released. For all other sawing, the lower guard should 
operate automatically.
 
Always observe that the lower guard is covering the 
blade before placing saw down on bench or floor. 
An 
unprotected, coasting blade will cause the saw to walk 
backwards, cutting whatever is in its path. Be aware of 
the time it takes for the blade to stop after switch is 
released.
 
NEVER hold piece being cut in your hands or across 
your leg. 
It is important to support the work properly 
to minimize body exposure, blade binding, or loss of 
control.
Hold tool by insulated gripping surfaces when 
performing an operation where the cutting tool may  
contact hidden wiring or its own cord. 
Contact with a 
“live” wire will make exposed metal parts of the tool “live” 
and shock the operator.
SERVICE
Tool service must be performed only by qualified re-
pair personnel. 
Service or maintenance performed by 
unqualified personnel may result in a risk of injury.
 
When ripping, always use a rip fence or straight edge 
guide. 
This improves the accuracy of the cut and reduces 
the chance for blade binding.
 
Always use blades with correct size and shape 
(diamond vs. round) arbor holes. 
Blades that do 
not match the mounting hardware of the saw will run 
eccentrically, causing loss of control.
 
Never use damaged or incorrect blade washers 
or bolts.
 The blade washers and bolts were specially 
designed for the saw for optimum performance and safety 
of operation.
CAUSES AND OPERATOR PREVENTION OF 
KICKBACK: 
Kickback is a sudden reaction to a pinched, bound, or mis-
aligned 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 clos-
ing 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 a result of tool misuse and/or incorrect oper-
ating procedures or conditions and can be avoided by taking 
proper precautions as given below: 
Maintain a firm grip on the saw and position your body 
and arm in a way that allows you to resist KICKBACK 
forces. 
KICKBACK forces can be controlled by the opera-
tor, if proper precautions are taken.
 
When blade is binding, or when interrupting a cut 
for any reason, release the trigger and hold the saw 
motionless in the material until the blade comes to a 
complete stop. Never attempt to remove the saw from 
the work or pull the saw backward while the blade is 
in motion or KICKBACK may occur. 
Investigate and 
take corrective actions to eliminate the cause of blade 
binding.
When restarting a saw in the workpiece, center the 
saw blade in the kerf and check that teeth are not 
engaged into the material. 
If saw blade is binding, it 
may walk up or KICKBACK from the workpiece as the 
saw is restarted.
When servicing a tool, use only identical replacement 
parts. Follow instructions in the Maintenance section 
of this manual.
 Use of unauthorized parts or failure to fol-
low Maintenance Instructions may create a risk of shock 
or injury.
GENERAL SAFETY RULES
SPECIFIC SAFETY RULES