INSTRUCTION MANUAL
GUIDE D’UTILISATION
MANUAL DE INSTRUCCIONES
INSTRUCTIVO DE OPERACIÓN, CENTROS DE SERVICIO
Y PÓLIZA DE GARANTÍA. LÉASE ESTE ADVERTENCIA:
INSTRUCTIVO ANTES DE USAR EL PRODUCTO.
D WALT Industrial Tool Co., 701 East Joppa Road, Baltimore, MD 21286 (AUG07) e
Form No. 654398-00 DW378, DW378G, DW378GT Copyright © 1998, 2002, 2004, 2007 D WALTe
The following are trademarks for one or more DeWALT power tools: the yellow and black color scheme;
the “D” shaped air intake grill; the array of pyramids on the handgrip; the kit box configuration; and the
array of lozenge-shaped humps on the surface of the tool.
DW378, DW378G, DW378GT
7-1/4" (184 mm) Framing Saw
Scie circulaire pour la charpente de 184 mm (7 1/4 po)
Siera alternataiva de 184 mm (7-1/4 pulg.)
Definitions: Safety Guidelines
The definitions below describe the level of severity for each signal word. Please read
the manual and pay attention to these symbols.
DANGER: Indicates an imminently hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
will death or serious injuryresult in .
WARNING: Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
could result in death or serious injury.
CAUTION: Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may
result in minor or moderate injury.
CAUTION: Used without the safety alert symbol indicates a potentially hazardous
situation which, if not avoided, may result in property damage.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS OR ANY D WALT TOOL, e
CALL US TOLL FREE AT: 1-800-4-D WALT (1-800-433-9258) e
General Safety Rules
WARNING! Read all instructions. Failure to follow all instructions listed below may
result in electric shock, fire and/or serious injury. The term “power tool” in all of the
warnings listed below refers to your mains-operated (corded) power tool or
battery-operated (cordless) power tool.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
1) WORK AREA SAFETY
a) Keep work area clean and well lit. Cluttered or dark areas invite accidents.
b) Do not operate power tools in explosive atmospheres, such as in the presence of
flammable liquids, gases or dust. Power tools create sparks which may ignite the dust
or fumes.
c) Keep children and bystanders away while operating a power tool. Distractions can
cause you to lose control.
2) ELECTRICAL SAFETY
a) Power tool plugs must match the outlet. Never modify the plug in any way. Do not
use any adapter plugs with earthed (grounded) power tools. Unmodified plugs and
matching outlets will reduce risk of electric shock
b) Avoid body contact with earthed or grounded surfaces such as pipes, radiators,
ranges and refrigerators. There is an increased risk of electric shock if your body is
earthed or grounded.
c) Do not expose power tools to rain or wet conditions. Water entering a power tool will
increase the risk of electric shock
d) Do not abuse the cord. Never use the cord for carrying, pulling or unplugging the
power tool. Keep cord away from heat, oil, sharp edges or moving parts. Damaged
or entangled cords increase the risk of electric shock. Replace or repair damaged cords.
Make sure your extension cord is in good condition. Use only 3-wire extension cords that
have 3-prong grounding-type plugs and 3-pole receptacles that accept the tool’s plug.
e) When operating a power tool outdoors, use an extension cord suitable for outdoor
use. Use of a cord suitable for outdoor use reduces the risk of electric shock. When using
an extension cord, be sure to use one heavy enough to carry the current your product will
draw. An undersized cord will cause a drop in line voltage resulting in loss of power and
overheating. The following table shows the correct size to use depending on cord length
and nameplate ampere rating. If in doubt, use the next heavier gauge. The smaller the
gauge number, the heavier the cord.
Minimum Gauge for Cord Sets
Volts Total Length of Cord in Feet
120V 0-25 26-50 51-100 101-150
240V 0-50 51-100 101-200 201-300
Ampere Rating
More Not more AWG
Than Than
0 - 6 18 16 16 14
6 - 10 18 16 14 12
10 - 12 16 16 14 12
12 - 16 14 12 Not Recommended
3) PERSONAL SAFETY
a) Stay alert, watch what you are doing and use common sense when operating a
power tool. Do not use a power tool while you are tired or under the influence of
drugs, alcohol or medication. A moment of inattention while operating power toolsmay
result in serious personal injury.
b) Use safety equipment. Always wear eye protection. Safety equipment such as
dust mask, non-skid safety shoes, hard hat, or hearing protection used for appropriate
conditions will reduce personal injuries.
c) Avoid accidental starting. Ensure the switch is in the off-position before plugging in.
Carrying power tools with your finger on the switch or plugging in power tools that have the
switch on invites accidents.
d) Remove any adjusting key or wrench before turning the power tool on. A wrench or
a key left attached to a rotating part of the power tool may result in personal injury.
e) Do not overreach. Keep proper footing and balance at all times. This enables better
control of the power tool in unexpected situations.
f) Dress properly. Do not wear loose clothing or jewellery. Keep your hair, clothing and
gloves away from moving parts. Loose clothes, jewellery or long hair can be caught in
moving parts. Air vents often cover moving parts and should also be avoided.
g) If devices are provided for the connection of dust extraction and collection facilities,
ensure these are connected and properly used. Use of these devices can reduce dust-
related hazards.
4) POWER TOOL USE AND CARE
a) Do not force the power tool. Use the correct power tool for your application. The
correct power tool will do the job better and safer at the rate for which it was designed.
b) Do not use the power tool if the switch does not turn it on and off. Any power tool that
cannot be controlled with the switch is dangerous and must be repaired.
c) Disconnect the plug from the power source and/or the battery pack from the power
tool before making any adjustments, changing accessories, or storing power tools.
Such preventive safety measures reduce the risk of starting the power tool accidentally.
d) Store idle power tools out of the reach of children and do not allow persons
unfamiliar with the power tool or these instructions to operate the power tool. Power
tools are dangerous in the hands of untrained users.
e) Maintain power tools. Check for misalignment or binding of moving parts, breakage
of parts and any other condition that may affect the power tools operation. If
damaged, have the power tool repaired before use. Many accidents are caused by
poorly maintained power tools.
f) Keep cutting tools sharp and clean. Properly maintained cutting tools with sharp cutting
edges are less likely to bind and are easier to control.
g) Use the power tool, accessories and tool bits etc., in accordance with these
instructions and in the manner intended for the particular type of power tool, taking
into account the working conditions and the work to be performed. Use of the power
tool for operations different from those intended could result in a hazardous situation.
5) SERVICE
a) Have your power tool serviced by a qualified repair person using only identical
replacement parts. This will ensure that the safety of the power tool is maintained.
Additional Safety Instructions for Circular Saws
DANGER! Keep hands away from cutting area and blade. Keep your second hand on
auxiliary handle, or motor housing. If both hands are holding the saw, they cannot be cut by
the blade.
CAUTION: Blades coast after turn off.
• Keep your body positioned to either side of the blade, but not in line with the saw
blade. KICKBACK could cause the saw to jump backwards (see Causes and Operator
Prevention of Kickback and KICKBACK).
• Do not reach underneath the work. The guard can not 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, the lower guard may be bent. Raise
the lower guard with the retracting handle and make sure it moves freely and does not touch
the blade or any other part, at all angles and depth 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 be allowed to 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 cut-
ting tool may contact hidden wiring or its own cord. Contact with a “live” wire will also
make exposed metal parts of the tool “live” and shock the operator.
• When ripping, always use a rip fence or straight edge guide. This improves the accuracy
of 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 bolt
were specially designed for your saw, for optimum performance and safety of operation.
• Avoid cutting nails. Inspect for and remove all nails from lumber before cutting.
CAUSES AND OPERATOR PREVENTION OF 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 operator.
• Kickback is the result of tool misuse and/or incorrect operating procedures or conditions and
can be avoided by taking proper precautions as given below:
• Maintain a firm grip with both hands on the saw and position your body and arm to
allow you to resist kickback forces. Kickback forces can be controlled by the operator, 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 elimi-
nate the cause of blade binding.
• When restarting a saw in the workpiece, center the saw blade in the kerf and check
that the saw 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.
• Support large panels to minimize the risk of blade pinching and kickback. Large panels
tend to sag under their own weight. Support must be placed under the panel on both sides,
near the line of cut and near the edge of the panel.
• Do not use dull or damaged blade. Unsharpened or improperly set blades produce narrow
kerf causing excessive friction, blade binding, and kickback.
• Blade depth and bevel adjusting locking levers must be tight and secure before mak-
ing cut. If blade adjustment shifts while cutting, it may cause binding and kickback.
• Use extra caution when making a “Pocket Cut” into existing walls or other blind areas.
The protruding blade may cut objects that can cause kickback.
WARNING: ALWAYS use safety glasses. Everyday eyeglasses are NOT safety glasses. Also
use face or dust mask if cutting operation is dusty. ALWAYS WEAR CERTIFIED SAFETY
EQUIPMENT:
• ANSI Z87.1 eye protection (CAN/CSA Z94.3),
• ANSI S12.6 (S3.19) hearing protection,
• NIOSH/OSHA/MSHA respiratory protection.
WARNING: Some dust created by power sanding, sawing, grinding, drilling, and other
construction activities contains chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Some examples of these chemicals are:
• lead from lead-based paints,
• crystalline silica from bricks and cement and other masonry products, and
• arsenic and chromium from chemically-treated lumber (CCA).
Your risk from these exposures varies, depending on how often you do this type of work. To
reduce your exposure to these chemicals: work in a well ventilated area, and work with approved
safety equipment, such as those dust masks that are specially designed to filter out microscopic
particles.
• Avoid prolonged contact with dust from power sanding, sawing, grinding, drilling,
and other construction activities. Wear protective clothing and wash exposed areas
with soap and water. Allowing dust to get into your mouth, eyes, or lay on the skin may
promote absorption of harmful chemicals.
WARNING: Use of this tool can generate and/or disburse dust, which may cause serious and
permanent respiratory or other injury. Always use NIOSH/OSHA approved respiratory protection
appropriate for the dust exposure. Direct particles away from face and body.
WARNING: Always use eye protection. All users and bystanders must wear eye protection
that conforms to ANSI Z87.1.
WARNING: Always wear proper personal hearing protection that conforms to ANSI
S12.6 (S3.19) during use. Under some conditions and duration of use, noise from this product
may contribute to hearing loss.
• The label on your tool may include the following symbols. The symbols and their definitions
are as follows:
V ....................volts A ....................amperes
Hz ..................hertz W ...................watts
min ................minutes .................alternating current
.............direct current no ..................no load speed
..................Class I Construction ...................earthing terminal
......................(grounded) ..................safety alert symbol
..................Class II Construction …/min ............revolutions or reciprocation
......................(double insulated) .....................per minute
BPM ..............beats per minute
FEATURES
WARNING: Never modify the power tool or any part of it. Damage or personal injury could
result.
A. Brush inspection cover E. Shoe
B. Trigger switch F. Blade clamping screw
C. Cutting depth adjustment
D. Bevel angle adjustment
Motor
Your D WALT tool is powered by a D WALT motor. Be sure your power supply agrees with e e
nameplate marking. 120 Volts AC/DC means your saw will operate on alternating or direct cur-
rent. As little as 10% lower voltage can cause loss of power and can result in overheating. All
D WALT tools are factory-tested; if this tool does not operate, check the power supply. e
If you have questions or comments, contact us.
Pour toute question ou tout commentaire, nous contacter.
Si tiene dudas o comentarios, contáctenos.
1-800-4-D WALT • www.dewalt.come
