Radial Arm Saw

moggymatt · Post by **moggymatt** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 1:14 pm

I have to agree with Ed in Tampa & Billdit about the blade. Until I put the proper blade in my RAS a few years back I had a tendancy to use anything but the RAS, even after spending all weekend tuning it. When that blade grabbed, it made me nervous as anything. I've got a late '80's craftsman and after putting the blade with the proper hook on it, it cuts like butter and now I use it for almost all my cut to length cuts.

burkhome · Post by **burkhome** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 8:23 am

Years ago as the owner of a couple of Craftsman RAS's, I had nothing but contempt for them. I ended up giving both away. About 10 years or so ago I ran accross a 10" Dewalt for $100 that looked like it wasn't used much so I bit. Turns out to be one of the best buys I have made. Very accurate. Holds accuracy well. It gets used on most projects for one thing or another. Excellent for dadoes.

rlkeeney · Post by **rlkeeney** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 8:51 am

I have a Sears Craftsman radial arm I got cheap with the idea of installing it in a permanent location with a dado blade. I've never got around to this yet but I have use it a lot building my garden beds. I don't know about accuracy yet because I haven't used it much on anything that close isn't good enough. I have made cuts with it O could not do with a Shopsmith or a table saw. Half lap joints in the end of an eight foot 4x4 for example. It was worth what I paid for it for this one project.

I have a good negative rake saw blade for it that cuts very smooth.

Now I'm lusting after a 12 inch Dewalt.

robinson46176 · Post by **robinson46176** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 11:13 am

burkhome wrote:Years ago as the owner of a couple of Craftsman RAS's, I had nothing but contempt for them. I ended up giving both away. About 10 years or so ago I ran accross a 10" Dewalt for $100 that looked like it wasn't used much so I bit. Turns out to be one of the best buys I have made. Very accurate. Holds accuracy well. It gets used on most projects for one thing or another. Excellent for dadoes.

I hope I didn't leave the impression that I dislike them entirely... The ability to move the blade side to side a bit when fully extended did bother me on stuff needing high accuracy (but I seldom did / do that tight of work anyway) and if I had the money I would give a nice old DeWalt a good home.

For that matter I will also be keeping my Craftsman. I just need to set it up more handy with 2' X 8' side tables.
When I had my Rockwell (Pennys') I had a 2' X 8' long table w/long back fence mounted on each side and I did really love it for ripping sheet goods and crosscutting long stuff.

.

mgbbob · Post by **mgbbob** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 12:52 pm

I had a 12" Craftsman RAS and had big plans for it. Lack of room made me realize that my power miter box on wheels takes up a lot less room and the room made my getting rid of the RAS made space for my first SS. OK, now I have two SS so I am not sure I gained a lot.

If I had a wall to dedicate to a RAS I would be all in but each must find a design for the space available.

PS......right now my greenie is in the spare downstairs guest bedroom. I would like a SS in my bedroom if I was visiting!

Bob

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:18 am

One thing I would suggest is instead of using the RAS table remove the table and mount the RAS in a work bench using the top of the work bench as the RAS table. That would require building a holding shelf below the actual bench top and some way to adjust the RAS. However if you do it this way you adjust the RAS to perfect alignment to the bench top and then no matter what you do this adjustment won't change.
You can drop a 4x4 on the bench and RAS will stay in perfect alignment.

I used a threaded rods and nuts and washers to mount my RAS to the bench shelf. I then adjusted the nuts up and down until I got the RAS horizontal arm perfectly parallel to the bench top in all directions. Locked down my adjusting nuts and the RAS never moved.

I had to move the RAS back to its own cabinet so I built a new table and fence for it. It works but it is nowhere as good as a when it was mounted on the workbench.

pinkiewerewolf · Post by **pinkiewerewolf** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 1:42 pm

Ed, your workbench soultion might be THE solution for the RAS alignment issues.
I already have the proper Neg rake blade for the saw. Used Mr Sawdust like a good informed internet junky.
In my RAS' case, it is too late. I already replaced it's duties with other tools.
But... someone in my area will be able to tinker til their heart's delight with the old boy and I won't even charge them for the pleasure.

Seriously, I'd keep it but I'm running out of room. My gal can't park her RAV in the garage so the RAS has to go.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 9:42 pm

pinkiewerewolf wrote:Ed, your workbench soultion might be THE solution for the RAS alignment issues.
I already have the proper Neg rake blade for the saw. Used Mr Sawdust like a good informed internet junky.
In my RAS' case, it is too late. I already replaced it's duties with other tools.
But... someone in my area will be able to tinker til their heart's delight with the old boy and I won't even charge them for the pleasure.
Seriously, I'd keep it but I'm running out of room. My gal can't park her RAV in the garage so the RAS has to go.

BTW Good to see yer alive and well!:)

pinkiewerewolf · Post by **pinkiewerewolf** » Tue May 01, 2012 2:04 am

JPG40504 wrote:BTW Good to see yer alive and well!:)

Same here! I really like the plains hat in your avatar.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Wed May 02, 2012 12:53 am

pinkiewerewolf wrote:Same here! I really like the plains hat in your avatar.

Got a pair of those at a Mennonite store. Quite practical and large enough for my 7"+ noggin. Liked the first so much, I went back to get another. They apparently went to a stiffer black straw hat and I got the last extra large they had. The new one is being hoarded.

During your hiatus, my avatar was a more active one that involved constant bashing of my forehead against a computer. It got on some folks's nerve so I changed to a more serene scene!