MAKITA LH1201FL (01) PDF Document

Due to a continuing program of research and development, these specifications are subject to change without notice. Specifications may differ from country to country. Weight is according to EPTA-Procedure 01/2003.

The MAKITA LH1201FL is intended for accurate straight cutting and (only when used as a miter saw on the lower table) miter cutting in wood.

The tool should be connected only to a power supply of the same voltage as indicated on the nameplate, and can only be operated on single-phase AC supply. It is double-insulated and can, therefore, also be used from sockets without an earth wire.

1. Check the blade carefully for cracks or deformation before operation. Replace a damaged blade immediately.

2. Do not operate the saw without guards and riving knife in place, especially after a mode change. Check blade guards for proper closing before each use. Do not operate the saw if blade guards do not move freely and close instantly. Never clamp or tie the blade guards into the open position. Any irregular operation of the blade guards should be corrected immediately.

3. Use only saw blades specified by the manufacturer and which conform to EN847-1. The groove width of the cut must be thicker than the riving knife and the blade body must be thinner than the riving knife.

4. Do not use saw blades manufactured from high-speed steel.

5. Wear eye protection.

6. Wear hearing protection to reduce the risk of hearing loss.

7. Wear gloves for handling saw blades and rough material.

8. Connect the tool to a dust collecting device when sawing.

9. Always store the push-stick when it is not in use.

10. Keep the floor area around the tool level well maintained and free of loose materials e.g. chips and cut-offs.

11. The operator must be adequately trained in the use, adjustment, and operation of the tool.

12. Stop and unplug the saw when unattended.

13. To reduce the emitted noise, always be sure that the blade is sharp and clean.

14. Use only saw blades that are marked with a maximum speed equal to or higher than the no-load speed marked on the tool.

15. If the tool is fitted with a laser or LED, do not replace it with a different type. Ask an authorized service center for repair.

16. Never remove any cut-offs or other parts of the workpiece from the cutting area whilst the tool is running with an unguarded saw blade.

17. The tool should not be used for slotting, rebating, or grooving.

18. Before carrying the tool, always cover the upper part of the saw blade with the top guard and secure all moving portions. Do not use the guard as a carrying handle.

19. Clean and be careful not to damage the spindle, flanges (especially the installing surface), and hex bolt. Damage to these parts could result in blade breakage.

20. Always use accessories recommended in this manual.

21. Select the correct saw blade for the material to be cut.

22. Do not cut metal objects such as nails and screws. Inspect and remove them from the workpiece before operation.

23. Knock out any loose knots from the workpiece BEFORE beginning to cut.

24. Do not use the tool in the presence of flammable liquids or gases.

25. For your safety, remove chips, small pieces, etc., from the work area and table top before plugging in and starting the tool.

26. Keep hands and position yourself and bystanders out of the path of and not in line with the saw blade. Avoid contact with any coasting blade.

27. Be alert at all times, especially during repetitive, monotonous operations. Blades are extremely unforgiving.

28. Make sure the shaft lock is released before the switch is turned on.

29. Before using the tool on an actual workpiece, let it run for a while. Watch for vibration or wobbling that could indicate poor installation or a poorly balanced blade.

30. Wait until the blade attains full speed before cutting.

31. Stop operation immediately if you notice anything abnormal.

32. Turn off the tool and wait for the saw blade to stop before moving the workpiece or changing settings.

33. Unplug the tool before changing the blade, servicing, or when not in use.

36. Replace the kerf board when worn.

37. Use a push stick or a push block to avoid working with hands and fingers close to the saw blade.

38. Make sure that the arm is securely fixed when beveling. Tighten the lever clockwise to fix the arm.

39. Do not perform any operation freehand. The workpiece must be secured firmly against the turn base and guide fence with the vise during all operations. Never use your hand to secure the workpiece.

40. Ensure that the tool is stable before each cut.

41. Fix the tool to a workbench, if needed.

42. Support long workpieces with appropriate additional supports.

43. Never cut a workpiece so small that it cannot be securely held by the vise. An improperly held workpiece may cause kickback and serious personal injury.

44. Do not use the saw to cut materials other than wood, aluminum, or similar materials.

45. Make sure that the turn base is properly secured so it will not move during operation.

46. Make sure the blade does not contact the turn base in the lowest position and is not contacting the workpiece before the switch is turned on.

47. Hold the handle firmly. Be aware that the saw moves up or down slightly during start-up and stopping.

48. Make sure that the arm is securely fixed in the working position. Tighten the lever clockwise to fix the arm.

49. Make sure that the bench saw table is securely fixed at the chosen height.

50. Do not perform any operation freehand. Freehand means using your hands to support or guide the workpiece, in lieu of a rip fence.

51. Make sure the blade is not contacting the riving knife or workpiece before the switch is turned on.

52. Pay particular attention to instructions for reducing the risk of KICKBACK. KICKBACK is a sudden reaction to a pinched, bound, or misaligned saw blade. Avoid kickbacks by keeping the blade sharp, keeping the rip fence parallel to the blade, keeping the riving knife and blade guard in place, not releasing the workpiece until you have pushed it all the way past the blade, and not ripping a workpiece that is twisted, warped, or does not have a straight edge to guide along the fence.

53. Avoid abrupt, fast feeding. Feed as slowly as possible when cutting hard workpieces. Do not bend or twist the workpiece while feeding. If you stall or jam the blade, turn the tool off immediately, unplug it, and then clear the jam.

The MAKITA LH1201FL should be bolted with two bolts to a level and stable surface using the bolt holes provided in the tool’s base. This will help prevent tipping and possible injury. Also, keep the floor area around the tool level, well-maintained, and free of loose materials such as chips and cut-offs.

When lowering the handle while pushing the lever to the left, the lower blade guard A rises automatically. The lower blade guards are spring-loaded, so they return to their original position when the cut is completed and the handle is raised. The top blade guard falls flat on the top surface after the workpiece has passed under it. NEVER DEFEAT OR REMOVE THE LOWER BLADE GUARDS, THE SPRING, OR THE TOP BLADE GUARD.

For your personal safety, always maintain each blade guard in good condition. Correct any irregular operation immediately. Check to assure the spring-loaded return action of the lower blade guards.

If a see-through blade guard becomes dirty or covered with sawdust, unplug the saw and clean the guard carefully with a damp cloth. Do not use solvents or petroleum-based cleaners on the plastic guard.

If a guard becomes discolored through age or UV light exposure, contact a Makita service center for a new guard.

Loosen the grip by turning it counterclockwise. Turn the turn base while pressing down the lock lever. When you have moved the grip to the position where the pointer points to the desired angle on the miter scale, securely tighten the grip clockwise.

CAUTION:

• When turning the turn base, be sure to raise the handle fully.

• After changing the miter angle, always secure the turn base by tightening the grip firmly.

To adjust the bevel angle, loosen the lever at the rear of the tool counterclockwise. Push the handle to the left to tilt the saw blade until the pointer points to the desired angle on the bevel scale. Then tighten the lever clockwise firmly to secure the arm.

CAUTION:

• When tilting the saw blade, be sure to raise the handle fully.

• After changing the bevel angle, always secure the arm by tightening the lever clockwise.

Power Switch: To start the tool, press the ON (I) button. To stop it, press the OFF (O) button. Before operation, make sure the tool turns on and off correctly.

Lamps: Push the upper position of the switch for turning on the light and the lower position for off. Do not look directly into the light or see the source of light directly. Use a dry cloth to wipe dirt off the lens of the lamp.

Laser Beam: To turn on the laser beam, press the upper position (I) of the switch. To turn it off, press the lower position (O) of the switch. Caution: LASER RADIATION – Do not stare into the beam.

To adjust the up and down of the top table, loosen two levers by turning counterclockwise and then turn the knob. To raise the top table, turn the knob clockwise. To lower the top table, turn the knob counterclockwise. Tighten these levers firmly after the adjustment.

WARNING: Position the top table at the topmost position when using the tool in the miter saw mode and at the desired position when using it in the table saw mode (bench mode).

CAUTION: Always ensure the tool is switched off and unplugged before installing or removing the blade. Use only the Makita socket wrench provided.

1. Secure the top table at the topmost position.

2. Lock the handle in the raised position by pushing in the stopper pin.

3. Use the socket wrench to loosen the hex bolt holding the center cover by turning it counterclockwise. Raise the lower blade guard A and center cover while pushing the lever nearby the handle to the left.

4. Press the shaft lock to lock the spindle, then use the socket wrench to loosen the hex bolt clockwise. Remove the hex bolt, outer flange, and blade.

5. To install the new blade, mount it carefully onto the spindle, making sure the direction of the arrow on the blade surface matches the arrow on the blade case. Install the outer flange and hex bolt.

6. Use the socket wrench to tighten the hex bolt (left-handed) securely counterclockwise while pressing the shaft lock.

7. Before mounting, ensure the correct ring (25.4 mm or 30 mm) for the blade’s arbor hole is installed onto the spindle.

8. Return the lower blade guard A and center cover to their original positions. Tighten the hex bolt clockwise. Raise the lower blade guard B as far as it will go and tighten the clamping screw firmly. Lower the handle to ensure the guards move properly.

9. Make sure the shaft lock has released the spindle before making a cut.

1. Before adjusting, loosen the two levers and move the top table to its lowered position by turning the knob counterclockwise. Secure the top table by re-tightening the two levers.

2. There must be a clearance of about 4-5 mm between the riving knife and the blade teeth. Adjust the riving knife accordingly by loosening two hex bolts counterclockwise with the hex socket wrench and measuring the distance.

3. Tighten the hex bolts securely, and then check that the top blade guard works smoothly before cutting.

CAUTION: If the blade and riving knife are not aligned properly, a dangerous pinching condition may result. Ensure the riving knife is positioned between both outer ends of the blade teeth when viewing from the top. Do not remove the riving knife.

Installing the Rip Fence:

1. Install the rip fence on the table so that the rip fence holder engages with the guide rail. Tighten the clamping screw (B) of the rip fence firmly clockwise.

2. Loosen the clamping screw (A).

3. Slide the rip fence so the far end is aligned with the point where the front edge of the saw blade just appears from the workpiece surface. This reduces the risk of kick-back. After adjusting, tighten the clamping screw (A) firmly.

Note: The rip fence must be mounted on the left side of the saw blade when in miter saw mode.

Adjusting for Parallelism:

The rip fence is factory adjusted to be parallel to the blade surface. To check this:

1. Lower the table to its lowest position so the blade is at its topmost position.

2. Mark one of the blade teeth with a crayon.

3. Measure the distance (A) between the rip fence and the marked tooth at the front, and the distance (B) at the back after rotating the blade. The measurements should be identical.

4. If not parallel, turn the adjusting screws counterclockwise, shift the back edge of the rip fence slightly until it becomes parallel, and then tighten the adjusting screw firmly.

CAUTION: Ensure the rip fence is parallel with the blade to avoid a dangerous kickback condition. Make sure it does not contact the top blade guard or saw blade.

Dust Bag:

To attach the dust bag, fit it onto the dust nozzle. In miter saw mode, always insert the dust bag into the back nozzle only. When the dust bag is about half full, remove it, pull the fastener out, and empty its contents, tapping it lightly to remove adhering particles.

Vacuum Cleaner:

For more efficient and cleaner operations, you can connect a vacuum cleaner to your saw. When using the MAKITA LH1201FL in table saw mode, connect a vacuum cleaner.

Whenever possible, secure the workpiece with the optional vise. If you must use your hand to hold the workpiece, it must be done firmly and securely. Your hand and arm must be kept well away from the blade area (100 mm minimum). Squeeze the workpiece firmly against the guide fence with your fingers held over the top of the guide fence. The workpiece must also rest steadily on the turn base.

WARNING: Never use your hand to hold a workpiece that requires your hand to be any closer than 100 mm from the blade area. Always use the optional vise in this case. After any cutting operation, raise the blade gently and only after it has come to a complete stop.

When cutting long workpieces, use supports that are as high as the top surface level of the turn base. Do not rely solely on the vise to secure the workpiece. Support thin material over its entire length to avoid blade pinch and possible KICKBACK.

General Miter Saw Cutting Procedure:

1. Secure the workpiece against the guide fence and turn table.

2. Switch on the tool without the blade making contact and wait until the blade attains full speed.

3. Gently lower the handle to the fully lowered position to cut the workpiece.

4. When the cut is completed, switch off the tool and WAIT UNTIL THE BLADE HAS COME TO A COMPLETE STOP before returning it to the fully elevated position.

Miter Cutting:

Follow the general procedure after adjusting the miter angle as previously described.

Bevel Cut (Fig. 39):

1. Loosen the lever and tilt the saw blade to the set bevel angle. Retighten the lever firmly.

2. Secure the workpiece and switch on the tool, waiting for it to reach full speed.

3. Gently lower the handle while applying pressure parallel with the blade.

4. After the cut, switch off and wait for a complete stop before raising the blade.

Compound Cutting:

This is a process where a bevel angle is made at the same time as a miter angle. It can be performed at a 45° bevel angle and a Left/Right 0° – 45° miter angle. Refer to the instructions for press cutting, miter cutting, and bevel cutting.

Cutting Aluminum Extrusion (Fig. 40):

When securing aluminum extrusions, use spacer blocks or pieces of scrap to prevent deformation. Use a cutting lubricant to prevent buildup of aluminum material on the blade. Never attempt to cut thick or round aluminum extrusions, and never cut aluminum in the table saw mode.

Setup:

1. Place the blade cover on the turn table so that it is centered over the slit for the blade entrance.

2. Ensure the two small bosses on the underside of the blade cover fit into the semi-circular slit in the periphery of the guide fence.

3. Lock the handle in the lowest position by fully pushing in the stopper pin. If the blade cover is not fixed, the table cannot be lowered.

Ripping:

1. Adjust the depth of cut to be a bit higher than the thickness of the workpiece. Loosen two levers and lower or raise the top table to do this.

2. Position the rip fence to the desired width and secure it by tightening the clamping screw (A).

3. Turn the tool on and gently feed the workpiece into the blade along with the rip fence.

• For rips 40 mm or wider, use a push stick.

• For rips narrower than 40 mm, the push stick cannot be used. Use the auxiliary fence and a push block. Feed by hand until the end is about 25 mm from the front edge, then continue feeding with the push block on top of the auxiliary fence.

CAUTION:

• Always use “work helpers” like push sticks and push blocks when there is a danger of your hands or fingers coming close to the blade.

• Hold the workpiece firmly with the table and rip fence. Do not bend or twist it while feeding.

• NEVER withdraw the workpiece while the blade is running. If you must, first switch the tool off while holding the workpiece firmly and wait for a complete stop.

1. Make sure the tool is unplugged.

2. Fix the table at the top position.

3. Secure the blade at 0° bevel angle and the turn base at the left miter angle fully.

4. Lower the handle fully and lock it in the lowered position by fully pushing in the stopper pin.

5. Carry the tool by holding both sides of the tool base as shown in the figure. Removing holders, dust bag, etc., can make carrying easier.

CAUTION: Always secure all moving portions before carrying the tool.

CAUTION: Always ensure the tool is switched off and unplugged before performing inspection or maintenance. This tool is carefully adjusted and aligned at the factory, but rough handling may have affected the alignment.

1. Miter Angle Adjustment:

– Loosen the grip securing the turn base and turn it so the pointer points to 0° on the miter scale. Tighten the grip.

– Loosen the hex bolts securing the guide fence using the socket wrench.

– Lower the handle fully and lock it in the lowered position.

– Square the side of the blade with the face of the guide fence using a triangular rule or try-square.

– Securely tighten the hex bolts on the guide fence in order from the right side.

2. Bevel Angle Adjustment:

– 0° Bevel Angle: Lower and lock the handle. Loosen the lever at the rear. Turn the 0° bevel angle adjusting bolt clockwise two or three revolutions to tilt the blade right. Carefully square the side of the blade with the top surface of the turn base using a square, then turn the 0° bevel angle adjusting bolt counterclockwise to align it. Ensure the pointer on the turn base points to 0° on the bevel scale; adjust if necessary.

– 45° Bevel Angle: Adjust this only after performing the 0° adjustment. Loosen the lever and tilt the blade fully to the left. If the pointer on the arm does not point to 45°, turn the 45° bevel angle adjusting bolt on the left side of the arm until it does.

Remove and check the carbon brushes regularly. Replace them when they wear down to 3 mm in length. Keep the carbon brushes clean and free to slip in the holders. Both carbon brushes should be replaced at the same time. Use only identical carbon brushes.

Use a screwdriver to remove the brush holder caps. Take out the worn carbon brushes, insert the new ones, and secure the brush holder caps.

The typical A-weighted noise level determined according to EN61029 is:

Model LH1201FL 220 V – 240 V

• Sound pressure level (LPA): 93 dB (A)

• Sound power level (LWA): 106 dB (A)

• Uncertainty (K): 3 dB (A)

Model LH1201FL 110 V

• Sound pressure level (LPA): 95 dB (A)

• Sound power level (LWA): 108 dB (A)

• Uncertainty (K): 3 dB (A)

Wear ear protection.