Craftsman 171.24874 Owner's Manual

Hold tool by insulated gripping surfaceswhen performing an operation where thecutting tool may contact hidden wiring orits own cord. Contact with a "live" wire willmake exposed metal parts of the tool "live"and shock the operator. If cutting into existingwalls or other blind areas where electricalwiring may exist is unavoidable, disconnect allfuses or circuit breakers feeding this worksite.Always make sure the work surface is freefrom nails and other foreign objects.Cutting into a nail can cause the bit and thetool to jump and damage the bit.Never hold the workpiece in one hand andthe tool in the other hand when in use.Never place hands near or below cuttingsurface. Clamping the material and guidingthe tool with both hands is safer.Never lay workpiece on top of hardsurfaces, like concrete, stone, etc...Protruding cutting bit may cause tool to jump.Always wear safety goggles and dustmask. Use only in well ventilated area.Using personal safety devices and working insafe environment reduces risk of injury.After changing the bits or making anyadjustments, make sure the collet nut andany other adjustment devices are securelytightened. Loose adjustment device canunexpectedly shift, causing loss of control;loose rotating components will be violentlythrown.Never start the tool when the bit isengaged in the material. The bit cuttingedge may grab the material, causing loss ofcontrol of the cutter.Always hold the tool with two handsduring start-up. The reaction torque of themotor can cause the tool to twist.The direction of feeding the bit into thematerial is very important and it relates tothe direction of bit rotation. When viewingthe tool from the top, the bit rotatesclockwise. Feed direction of cuttingmust be counter-clockwise. NOTE: insideand outside cuts will require different feeddirection, refer to section on feeding therouter. Feeding the tool in the wrong directioncauses the cutting edge of the bit to climb outof the work and pull the tool in the direction ofthis feed.Never use dull or damaged bits. Sharp bitsmust be handled with care. Damaged bitscan snap during use. Dull bits require moreforce to push the tool, possibly causing the bitto break.Never touch the bit during or immediatelyafter the use. After use, the bit is too hot tobe touched by bare hands.Never lay the tool down until the motorhas come to a complete standstill. Thespinning bit can grab the surface and pullthe tool out of your control.Never use bits that have a cutting diametergreater than the opening in the base.1_WARNINGJ Somedustcreated by power sanding, sawing,grinding, drilling, and other constructionactivities contains chemicals known tocause cancer, birth defects or otherreproductive harm. Some examplesof these chemicals are:• Lead from lead-based paints,• Crystalline silica from bricks and cement andother masonry products, and• Arsenic and chromium from chemically-treated lumber.Your risk from these exposures varies,depending on how often you do this type ofwork. To reduce your exposure to thesechemicals: work in a well ventilated area, andwork with approved safety equipment, suchas those dust masks that are speciallydesigned to filter out microscopic particles.