The Ultimate Sawsmith Radial Arm Saw Thread

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DLB
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Re: The Ultimate Sawsmith Radial Arm Saw Thread

Post by DLB »

delong94 wrote: Tue Mar 23, 2021 2:37 pm Anyone have a extra 5/8 inch left hand spindle nut and washer for the SawSmith? Mine did not have any with it. It is Part numbers 503306 and 504553 according to the parts list.
Just a thought. If it happens to match Craftsman there are some on ebay. Craftsman appears to be 5/8-12 LH, and I believe it is Acme thread. (Craftsman had many models, YMMV. But I've read a few things that lead me to think this might be standard.) If it does not match Craftsman you might try to determine if there is a more common brand it does match that might at least be easier to find.

- David
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Re: The Ultimate Sawsmith Radial Arm Saw Thread

Post by delong94 »

DLB wrote: Tue Mar 23, 2021 7:19 pm
delong94 wrote: Tue Mar 23, 2021 2:37 pm Anyone have a extra 5/8 inch left hand spindle nut and washer for the SawSmith? Mine did not have any with it. It is Part numbers 503306 and 504553 according to the parts list.
Just a thought. If it happens to match Craftsman there are some on ebay. Craftsman appears to be 5/8-12 LH, and I believe it is Acme thread. (Craftsman had many models, YMMV. But I've read a few things that lead me to think this might be standard.) If it does not match Craftsman you might try to determine if there is a more common brand it does match that might at least be easier to find.

- David
I did order a 5/8 Craftsman yesterday... We'll see if that works. I probably need to get a new blade as well. Thank you.
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Re: The Ultimate Sawsmith Radial Arm Saw Thread

Post by DLB »

delong94 wrote: Wed Mar 24, 2021 8:12 am I did order a 5/8 Craftsman yesterday... We'll see if that works. I probably need to get a new blade as well. Thank you.
My Craftsman has a cheap Talesaw blade in it, probably contributing to why I never use it. Be sure to note blade comments made earlier in this thread by BuckeyeDennis:
BuckeyeDennis wrote: Tue Aug 28, 2018 6:31 am However, you don’t want to use just any blade on a RAS. Using the wrong blade is a major reason that they developed a reputation for being unreasonably dangerous. A typical tablesaw blade has an aggressive positive tooth hook, which on a RAS can contribute to the blade “climbing” the workpiece and running out toward the operator. (This problem is excarbated by poor structural rigidity on some saws — I’m not sure how the Sawsmith compares on that front.) Chop-saw blades typically don’t have enough hook, and perform very poorly for ripping on a RAS.

On the DeWalt radial arm saw forum, the top-rated RAS blade is the Forrest Woodworker I TCG (Mr. Sawdust) blade. This universal blade gives excellent results on every cut you can do on a RAS. You can order directly from Forrest, but they have new sales personnel who will probably try to sell you their standard Woodworker I ATB blade instead. It’s easier to order from Slivers Mill.

https://www.sliversmill.com/category_1_ ... ker_I.html

The next-best, and considerably less expensive, blade is the the Freud LU83R, available from Amazon.

Conventional wisdom says that RAS blades should have a negative hook angle. But testing done in cooperation with Forrest determined that a small positive hook is ideal.
Based on how poorly mine works, I think this is great advice.

- David
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Re: The Ultimate Sawsmith Radial Arm Saw Thread

Post by delong94 »

DLB wrote: Wed Mar 24, 2021 8:51 am
delong94 wrote: Wed Mar 24, 2021 8:12 am I did order a 5/8 Craftsman yesterday... We'll see if that works. I probably need to get a new blade as well. Thank you.
My Craftsman has a cheap Talesaw blade in it, probably contributing to why I never use it. Be sure to note blade comments made earlier in this thread by BuckeyeDennis:
BuckeyeDennis wrote: Tue Aug 28, 2018 6:31 am However, you don’t want to use just any blade on a RAS. Using the wrong blade is a major reason that they developed a reputation for being unreasonably dangerous. A typical tablesaw blade has an aggressive positive tooth hook, which on a RAS can contribute to the blade “climbing” the workpiece and running out toward the operator. (This problem is excarbated by poor structural rigidity on some saws — I’m not sure how the Sawsmith compares on that front.) Chop-saw blades typically don’t have enough hook, and perform very poorly for ripping on a RAS.

On the DeWalt radial arm saw forum, the top-rated RAS blade is the Forrest Woodworker I TCG (Mr. Sawdust) blade. This universal blade gives excellent results on every cut you can do on a RAS. You can order directly from Forrest, but they have new sales personnel who will probably try to sell you their standard Woodworker I ATB blade instead. It’s easier to order from Slivers Mill.

https://www.sliversmill.com/category_1_ ... ker_I.html

The next-best, and considerably less expensive, blade is the the Freud LU83R, available from Amazon.

Conventional wisdom says that RAS blades should have a negative hook angle. But testing done in cooperation with Forrest determined that a small positive hook is ideal.
Based on how poorly mine works, I think this is great advice.

- David
Thanks. I do have one of the original general purpose blades with it, but it needed a good cleaning. I did not do any cuts with it yet. I am in the process of breaking down the stand and repainting it. Slow process for me because of other competing things. Life happens. Lol.
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Re: The Ultimate Sawsmith Radial Arm Saw Thread

Post by chapmanruss »

Earlier when you asked about the LH Nut you also asked about the washer P/N 504553. It is still available from Shopsmith under that part number. Apparently two of them are still used on the Idler Drum of the Belt Sander. It is a thick 5/8" ID and 1-1/2" OD flat washer. Is this washer to be placed next to a saw blade mounted directly on the spindle? If so machined washers like the ones found on the 5/8" Arbor P/N 505506 could be used to go next to a saw blade mounted directly on the spindle. In one of heathicus' earlier posts on this thread he shows a picture of the RH and LH nuts along with two machined washers. That's what makes me curious about the use of the washer P/N 504553. If that is its use than the machined washer may be a better one to use.
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delong94
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Re: The Ultimate Sawsmith Radial Arm Saw Thread

Post by delong94 »

chapmanruss wrote: Wed Mar 24, 2021 2:40 pm Earlier when you asked about the LH Nut you also asked about the washer P/N 504553. It is still available from Shopsmith under that part number. Apparently two of them are still used on the Idler Drum of the Belt Sander. It is a thick 5/8" ID and 1-1/2" OD flat washer. Is this washer to be placed next to a saw blade mounted directly on the spindle? If so machined washers like the ones found on the 5/8" Arbor P/N 505506 could be used to go next to a saw blade mounted directly on the spindle. In one of heathicus' earlier posts on this thread he shows a picture of the RH and LH nuts along with two machined washers. That's what makes me curious about the use of the washer P/N 504553. If that is its use than the machined washer may be a better one to use.
Thanks. The P/N for the recessed washer is 501451 and is no longer available. Those are the ones in the photo with the RH and LH nuts. I also found that the RH nut is available too... It is P/N 503305. The washer P/N 504553 goes next to them in the parts diagram. That Heathicus posted in the first part of this thread.
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Re: The Ultimate Sawsmith Radial Arm Saw Thread

Post by delong94 »

Received the craftsman recessed washers today. Does anyone know the correct thread size for the spindle?
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Re:

Post by delong94 »

heathicus wrote: Mon May 20, 2013 1:31 pm Each end of the motor spindle is threaded. (I haven't checked the thread size.) The spindle is 5/8" diameter, and has the tapered flat just like the Shopsmith spindle. It's just threaded in addition. I think the earlier model had a non-threaded spindle just like the Shopsmith. Even threaded, it is still a nice tight fit with the attachments I have put on it with absolutely not slop at all.

Image

The left spindle has left handed threads. The right spindle has normal right handed threads. A typical saw blade with a 5/8" bore can be mounted directly on the spindle with the addition of washers and a nut that threads directly on the spindle. The two nuts are clearly labeled for left and right. This allows mounting of the saw blade on either spindle. The blade guard can also be mounted on either side and there's a rubber boot that can slip over the unused spindle to keep it from grabbing anything.

Image

An arbor allows use of Shopsmith blades with a 1.25" bore.

Image

The 1.25" arbor attaches to the spindle using a set screw on the tapered flat as is typical on the Shopsmith. Each side is labeled with an arrow and how it should be mounted on the spindle.

Image

Shopsmith attachments that mount to the spindle can be mounted on the Sawsmith. Such as the sanding disk, dado/shaper arbor, Jacob's chuck, etc.

Image
Does anyone know what size the spindle and thread are? Thanks.
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Re: The Ultimate Sawsmith Radial Arm Saw Thread

Post by gavinthegregarious »

delong94 wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 3:24 pm
heathicus wrote: Mon May 20, 2013 1:31 pm
Does anyone know what size the spindle and thread are? Thanks.
Did you ever get an answer on this. The threads are 5/8-11 UNC but normal 5/8-11 attachments are not fitting. I think the threads on the arbor are extra long/tall which is preventing the normal 5/8-11 nuts and attachments from fitting. I'm not sure though. I really want to get a sanding disc on there.

CORRECTION: the arbor is 5/8" but the threads are ACME. Still trying to find the threading size but ACME nuts are still available. This might solve this issue for all Saw Smith owners once and for all.
Last edited by gavinthegregarious on Mon Jul 05, 2021 5:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The Ultimate Sawsmith Radial Arm Saw Thread

Post by Danriffle »

gavinthegregarious wrote: Wed May 26, 2021 1:58 pm
delong94 wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 3:24 pm
heathicus wrote: Mon May 20, 2013 1:31 pm
Does anyone know what size the spindle and thread are? Thanks.
Did you ever get an answer on this. The threads are 5/8-11 UNC but normal 5/8-11 attachments are not fitting. I think the threads on the arbor are extra long/tall which is preventing the normal 5/8-11 nuts and attachments from fitting. I'm not sure though. I really want to get a sanding disc on there.
No reason that you can't mount a standard SS sanding disc to either arbor.
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