Dewalt Radial arm saw – quick clean up
Here are pictures of a reasonably heavy radial arm saw that I am cleaning up . At first glance all parts appeared present, but the rise and fall was stuck whilst the head travel was also sticky. Basically it was just very dirty.
So I started by pulling apart the main components being the base, vertical column, arm, motor and roller assembly. Inspected the rollers and the guide channels in the arm- no damage but full of gunk.Stripped each of the four rollers and cleaned the ball bearings using an ultra sound cleaner.Noted that the motor never had a terminal block for connecting power-just the 3 phase wires complete with cloth insulation disappearing into the body…. The base was quite difficult to separate from the column because it had obviously not been raised or lowered for about 30years or so.
Decided that it was a worthwhile project and deserved a number two spray job.
I will post more pics tomorrow.
Replies
Ooooo. In the motorcycle world, we call that a "basket case". You've got way more ambition than me, sir. Good luck with it.
Blew,
that is the point I am making: it may look like hell but in fact that sort of machine is almost indestructible. The critical parts being those rollers and their bearings,and their guide ways, are in excellent order. As David Ring has said- it is also fully adjustable for reliable repeatable accuracy, provided it is set up on a sturdy table and fitted with a good fence.Philip Marcou
philip,
Good luck with your project. Haven't seen one like that in a long time. You'll have a fine machine when you're through I'm sure.
They truly son't mak'em like they used to!
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Edited 4/17/2008 4:04 pm ET by KiddervilleAcres
It's not for me , Bob, it is for the guy next door who has "acquired" the tired Pine furniture making business from the former owner and I have a better old British one anyway. (Better because the roller guides are separate from the arm casting.
Here are some more pics, and it is just waiting for a new mag starter and blade coming next week.
The hairy early American/typical wiring connection on the motor was resolved by me soldering the new wires to the old after slipping on some shrinkflex, taping it all up and fitting a new cable grip.
Very little work was required to get a great sawPhilip Marcou
Edited 4/18/2008 5:28 am by philip
Beautiful job on that saw Philip.
Quick clean up ?? Now really, how many hours?? Very well done! As you probably know and remind your neighbor to be very religious about cleaning the throw out switch for the start windings. My neighbor killed the brother to your saw and smoked the start windings to his saw and I nearly cried. Couldn't help but notice the lathe in the backgroung, What kind of Iron is it?Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
Bruce, that was an "after hours " job-took about ten hours. If it were my saw I would have done a #1 spray job and pulled out to at least examine and clean the motor bearings, but since they feel smooth with no clicking noises etc I passed on that.
It is three phase so no worries about start windings etc.
The silver lathe? That is mighty cast iron made in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe in 1972. Similar bed shape to the old Delta but everything beefed up- the spindle threads are 11/2 inch 6tpi with a #3 taper.Philip Marcou
Edited 4/18/2008 4:37 pm by philip
Phillip,
Wow! Wonderful job restoring this beast! It's got to feel good to be able to give a neglected, yet worthy, tool another lease on life. I'll bet it cuts better now than it has in a long, long time.
Did you ever wonder how this saw, made in the US, made it over to the UK? It would be interesting (though probably not do-able) if one could trace the record of where it has been over the years...
ZoltonIf you see a possum running around in here, kill it. It's not a pet. - Jackie Moon
It is actually in New Zealand.
It is possible to trace the details of most industrial class machinery made via serial numbers and import details.
Even if the manufacturer is now non existent one can do this via serial numbers etc- there is always someone somewhere who has a record.Philip Marcou
philip,
Wow, exquisitely done!
In looking at the pics, specifically #27, is there any adjustment for the bearing connection of the saw to the arm?
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Bob, if those bearings are similar to the ones I've seen, then they are each mounted on eccentric shafts. Loosening the lock nut and turning the shaft with a hex key will allow you to finely adjust the tolerance between the bearing and the track in the arm.
regards,David Ring
http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e
Thanks man,
I couldn't see any adjustment in the pic thus the question. My Craftsman has allen bolts that I can use to adjust the cutterhead/saw except they are mounted on the outside of the cutterhead/saw bracket.
The rollers (4) ride on half round bars connected to the arm. The rollers themselves are designed to engage the bars; must keep the bars/rollers clean for straight cuts.
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Bob,
Looking at #27 you see the roller on the right hand side: this one and the one in front are mounted on eccentric bolts. You can see the hex socket in the end of that bolt. The small hex screw at the top is for locking the bolt and the nut makes sure there can be no movement. So that whole carriage can be made to slide with zero tolerance.
There are two mounted on eccentric bolts and the two on the left side are fixed. Philip Marcou
Edited 4/18/2008 4:16 pm by philip
philip,
Please pardon me for my poor eyesight but I couldn't make out a model number or spec. particulars. Could you provide same for me?
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Bob,
How about this? I presume it is referred to as "model GK"- it takes a 14 inch blade.They must have churned out many of those as I have also seen them in Zimbabwe (but never got hold of one until now).The British Wadkin was the machine of first choice.Philip Marcou
Hope these are handy
A few More, I also have parts lists etc.
Thanks- I have passed them on to the owner of that saw-not the same model but the basics are there for him.Philip Marcou
Here are some useful observations plus some history on Dewalt r.a. saws.
I just love it when I find independent verification of my own findings (;).
Folks should avoid claiming that radial saws are a)too dangerous or b) can't work or hold a setting accurately or consistently-unless they are referring to those diy type disasters that Dewalt and Black and Decker etc made.Philip Marcou
All those points are the strengths and weaknesses of the saws. The more adjustable points you can set and then prevent from moving ever again the more accurate it will be for selected tasks. For instance unless you are weird you will not rip with it, so fix the yoke so the blade is parallel with the rails and so on. Leaving the adjustments adjustable will send you round the bend!
Muft,
I would not want to rip with that unless there was absolutely no other option- even so it can be done safely enough provided one has suitable fences, feed and hold down set ups, but not a ghood option.
All those adjustment facilities are able to be accurately set and remain that way that way- it can't go out of set every time you tilt the motor because you will have zeroed the indicators on that dial and set the adjustment once you have proved that it is cutting at 90 degrees for example.
It is unlike those light weight things that have limited setting facilities, with slop, and flex etc.Philip Marcou
I agree that is the theory, Philip, having a DW 1251, and a mini-rad for small cross cut jobs. Those adjustments just do not stay put if you then change the orietation which is why commercial users keep them set for crosscutting.
Mufti, not to harp on but....
I think you are missing my point: it is those light weight home use saws which have provided the bad reputation of lack of accuracy and safety.
I have had much use of industrial saws such as Wadkin, Dominion and an Italian model whose name I forget now-they were all reliable and easy to to keep that way. I also owned one of those DW 1250's for a short time: The Dw 250 is not much better. The DeWalt I pictured here is of industrial class and I can see that it will stay set-there is no comparison between it and most of those home use items.
I have also known one or two commercial operators who "kept them set for cross cutting"- it was notable that the rest of their machines looked like their product. I like to say that good woodworking machines are designed by folk who are alot smarter than most factory managers.Philip Marcou
Not a true basket case as he might have all the bits! My last M/C basket case looked complete but missing were the little bits tough to find!
I was never a great wrench, and I'm old enough now that I don't want to deal with basket cases. I wanna ride.
I'm in Cumberland County. Where are you?
Burlington, Near cherry hill. I should dust off my old Triumph but so much to do.......
I LOVE Triumphs. A buddy just got a new Thruxton. Awesome machine. I currently ride a Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic. Might pick me up a used Bonny one of these days when cash frees up.
Later.
Great project! Those saws were built to last forever...there's no freeplay that can't be taken up, no angle that can't be adjusted. Tuned up and outfitted with a modern sawblade it'll cut better than any RAS that you can buy today.
regards,
David Ring
http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e
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