I have been visiting and talking with past work associates, work mates, mechanics (cough)… and noticed one thing in common, that old radial arm saw just sitting in the wall area not being used.
Also, imho, many homeowners buy the lesser expensive model and since it has a blade on it they think will cut anything because they bought it with the saw. Once they see what a 20 tooth steel blade will do to wood, off it goes’ into the corner… and rightfully so.
So, not make make people feel guilty for buying a less-expensive radial-arm, having one given to them somehow, or you found it at the side of the road for trash pick-up, how about a thread where you put your snozzle on and blow the dust off that old lighter weight whirling tomahawk and use it! Feel free to add your own idea’s!
First, let’s talk safety…If you are not that experienced on a radial-arm saw just set it up for a square 90 degree cut and leave it like that. You can still raise and lower the arm for dato cut’s but just KEEP it square. 75% of the working saws that I have seen are in this position at all times. You have your dust collection at max here with the catch directly in back of the cut. Never criss-cross your hands holding a piece of wood to the fence and always stand slightly off to the side not to be in the direct path of the blade.
For the advanced workers, keep in mind what your shop has the most need of and then convert this old radial-arm saw into that, properly of course. Having your guards and collection of debris in place. You can try the following; drill with it* shape with it* sand with it* miter* buff* grind* groove…*
If I had one, I think I would like to change it to a sander / buffer. Not sure I would like to extend the motor on the arm with anything to wild. Wait a minute..- Prota
“many a time have I stood on one side of the counter and sold whiskey to Mr. Douglas, but the difference between us now is this. I have left my side of the counter, but Mr. Douglas still sticks to his as tenaciously as ever“.
Replies
I've got an OLD Chraftsman. You know, back when they still made the overarm and colum housing out of cast iron. This thing is solid as a rock. I use it for production work or anyother time I need a bunch of pieces the same exact length. I love mine.
I too have an old Craftsman and I use it for almost all crosscutting. I have had no problem cutting angles and, if I am using perfectly flat stock, I have no trouble cutting dados. Why have so many sacrificed the wide cutting capacity of the radial arm saw for the power miter saws?
I really like the old cast iron models and rarely, if ever, have I seen that type in the dumpster. Someone usually steps up to take these eagerly and you know what comes with it- expert instructions and someone, somewhere, keeping an eye on you wanting to know what you are doing with it! "yea, that saw was so and so's and look what he/she are doing with it now" lol.
Remember when a Dewalt's radial-arm saw was the buzz and if you had one imediately your skill level went up a notch or two in peoples eyes. I was in charge of a prized "Dewalt Trailor" as a Army Carpentry/Masonry specialist in the Engineers. The thing was brand fricken new when they made me sign for it- a 18yr old 51b10/20 slot opening. Germany thow, I was stationed in Karlsrue, 249th. Sarge are you here-?
I loved this trailer and it was my best escape from drinking and fighting. I personally unwrapped every tool within the lockable side bins, cleaned off the preservative crap, organized, and used the wet stones given to sharpen things, but I was mainly concerned about the hand saw's and saw blades. It did have some kind of dato set but I am not sure what kind, the only catch was I was also assigned a 10kw generator with it... that was my only power. The steel base had a track system where you "rolled out" your Dewalt onto a special extension drop out table, locked in place, ready to cut whatever came twards you. I never smoked any cigarettes when on the job either..
I guess I should give a fianle word about these old saws then. Compared with the very accurite slidding mitre saws on the market, they just can't compete anymore except for the perfectly square 30' backwall cutting of large, heavy, 2 man handling type of thing, the sliding mitre saws have it going on. So much easier to set up in a compound mitre cut situation and one man contrator mobilness to boot. Try putting a parana blade on one of these and respect the cut combined with the sturdy bar struture. Hmmph, if I only knew then ;) - prota
"to never see a fool, you lock yourself in your room and smash the looking glass."
I've got an OLD Craftsman too. Given to my dad when my uncle died, given to me by dad because he didn't have room for it in his shop. It's a good saw, but I've had constant trouble with a bit of runout. Might be due to the table, which was a piece of particle board when it came to me and which I replaced with 3/4" melamine. Should I replace this with MDF? If so, what thickness is best?
The saw works fine for narrow crosscuts but the runout gets noticeable on wider ones. I've adjusted and adjusted and fiddled some more and can't quite get rid of it on a 10-12" wide cut. Varies between 1/32 and 1/64". Any suggestions?
I have a crafstman RAS form the early 90's. I had the problem and worked adjusting the table top. I removed the blade and rotated the arbor in the down position. I then lowered the saw until it is slightly above the table top. I placed a framing square (not a speed square) against the fence & against the arbor and moved the saw out and saw how true it ran. In my case, the arbor would bind against the square as it was pulled towards me. I loosend the screws and lightly tapped the corner with a mallet to slightly move the table. When I got it right, I locked everything down as tight as I could and it worked fine. Mine was only out slightly so this may not work for you.
The widest cut I usually make is a 1x12. I constantly check it to ensure it stays true (test cut's). I only use this for cross cuts & since I do not make my living with the tool I can live with it. When I purchased it I had little money and it did rip and cross cut and miter cuts. It was the biggest bang for little $$'s I had at the time. I have moved up, but it does serve a purpose and would not get rid of it. The cross cut sled does not work form me. I have a work bench area around the RAS to support the work and it makes curring long boards nice. I think it is easer to pull the saw through the wood instead of pushing a long board over the shopsmith.
My plan B would have been to attempt some type of shim for the fence. Good luck.
Bought a Dewalt/Black & Decker 12" in 1973. Used it for all types of work long before I bought my first tablesaw. Built a 12 foot straight-edge bench specifically for it five years ago. Keep a Freud 90 tooth cross-cut blade on it. Great saw. Will never give it up. Will never loose my respect for it either. Ken
I've got and still use a late 70's era Craftsman RAS. It was the second tool I bought when my interest in furniture design started to bloom. Been moved from a wet unfinished basement to another wet unfinished basement to a new K-mart building supply dept. to a small garage to a storage closet to another small garage to a large basement shop to a 1/2 4-car garage shop where it now sits. Each time I've set it up again to use I've gone step-by-step through the well-preserved instruction manual. It definitely pays to repeat those aligning steps every year or so too. And that cheap blade it came with was replaced with a nice carbide-tipped one after the first week of life. When I got it to this house I learned there had been a safety "re-call", and that Sears would send me a free new table top/mounts, blade guard, and fence. It's certainly "less scary" to use with the new blade guard, but also less useful. That guard reduces the useful stroke and interferes with cutting thick stock against the fence.
I love it. I use it frequently. It makes the lights dim when it first kicks on, but even that endears the thing to me. I rigged up an effective dust collector behind the blade so am not bothered by blowing-back sawdust any more.
We use three different RAS's in the university shop I teach in. One is a 40's era antique, one a new Delta, and the other an 80's era Poitras center-pivot-point model. None are as nice to use as my old Craftsman.
4DThinker
I have a cheap Ryobi and it's idle status has saved God knows how many fingers and untold pain and suffering. Certainly there is no higher use for this tool than as a monument to the wise retirement of equipment of such MONUMENTally unsafe designs. I would have sold it many years ago but could not bear the thought that some less lucky and less experienced owner might foolishly try to use it and severely injure himself.
The RAS is only as dangerous as its operator.
But I'm not to sure about the Ryobi. Most Ryobi tools I've seen didn't measure up to the more expensive tools.
I have a 1967 Craftsman 12" RAS That was my Dads Construction saw & was used to cut framing material for apartment buildings, custom built homes, Restaurants & schools.
I installed new guide bars & roller carriage bearings & its still going strong today.
I will say I use my 12" CMS for most of my work . But the 12" RAS is the reason I didn't purchase a SCMS. My shop is to small for both the RAS & a SCMS. Lets face it for wide cross cuts I'll never be able to beat my 12" RAS & with the combination of it & a 12" CMS I just don't need the SCMS oh sure I like to have one. But this was was less expensive way to go.
Sucking.......Whoosh.......Yowl........Whoosh.........Thrump putty tat up the DC..
Edited 3/19/2004 1:10 am ET by Original-Bart
My first power tool was a Montgomery Ward RAS bought in 1971 for $200 on credit. It served me well for many years, but was sure a dangerous beast...loud, too. Built alot of pretty cool stuff with it, though, including lots of router work ( came with a shaper head) In the mid 90's I got my first table saw (a Jet Cabinet saw) along with a real router, and haven't looked back. I couldn't sell the RAS, so ended up giving it away. I now have pretty much every power tool a boy could want, but that old RAS has a soft spot in my heart.
Is there a snowball's chance that you might still have the manual for the Wards PowerKraft RAS? Searching for one and willing to pay all costs.
[email protected]
I have an old 9" Delta- cast iron arm with eccentric bearings for adjusting slack in the roller guide. Built a lot of good stuff with it and used it for many years on home construction sites for everything... Used it to trim homes too. Now it sits in my garage waiting for a permanent setup in a shop. I won't give it away .........yet..... First we get good- then we get fast !
I have a 34 year old Rockwell Delta turret arm RAS that I bought new in 1970. For most of the years since, it was my only major power tool. It has built innumerable things from furniture to remodeling. It is still my most prized tool. I do have a fairly complete woodshop now, including a tablesaw. Nevertheless, I still prefer the RAS for most operations. It maintains alignment once set. It's miter accuracy is every bit as good as the TS or the CMS. I guess the point of this reply is just to say I agree with you.
Sincerely,
Moke Narges
I still have the saw. Think I have the manual, Can't look till Sunday. No charge if I can copy it on my scanner.
Janation,
Thank you for your response. This was my first forray into chat rooms for special interests like this. For forty years I've let every other priority keep me from an honest-to-God shop of my own. I bought the Wards 10" RAS to build my first house back in 70's. Have had it ever since, longer than my wives, so when it bit the dust last year, I freaked. Like the "barn blind" farmers, I could not part with it, so I had it completely rewound to the tune of $650! It now runs quieter, stronger and will probably outlast me. Isin't that what it's all about anyway?
Let me know if I can defry your costs of copying!
Deacon
I found it. If you like I can send it as an attachment by email. if you have a dialup connection it may be slow. At any rate send me your email and mailing address
I have made many things with this old saw. Never used it enought to wear it out tho. I recently purchased a Delta turret arm from the same period and will probably sell the PowerKraft (or give it to my son in law) I never liked the noise from the universal motor but other wise it was(is) a good representative of the breed.
My email
[email protected]
I copied it while watching the basketball tournament. May not of offered if I had realized how tedious it was on the scanner. If you will send me your address I will get it in the mail Monday.
JANATION,
Thank you again.
Bruce W. Zahn
1115 Ohio Street
Racine, WI 53405
262-635-0620
[email protected]
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