The Radial Arm Saw -- A Guide of Sorts

The radial arm saw is a very versatile machine around which a whole shop can be built.  It is one machine that allows a number of operations normally requiring different specific machines.  Unfortunately, electric miter saws have displaced the radial arm saw.  That is probably because many used a radial as only a glorified miter saw or cut-off saw.  This Instructable will pull together in one place a number of Instructables demonstrating various capabilities of a radial arm saw, as well as some dealing with wear and maintenance issues.  Just click on the hot links in the frames below.

Step 1 Aligning the saw

The radial arm saw has several adjustments that need to be aligned properly for accurate cuts.  These do have indexed settings.  The owner/operator must set these properly.  They include setting the tilt of the motor so the blade is 90 degrees to the table.  The arm can swing and must be set so it is 90 degrees to the table's fence.  The most cumbersome adjustment in my experience is getting the arm 90 degrees to the fence.  But, with a slight revision of the process outlined in the owner's manual and an addition to the table, it is not difficult at all.  In use vibration can change the settings of any saw a little.  The the saw needs to be checked occasionally to make certain the arm is still square to the fence.

Comments

[shinju]

hello. well i would also like to help out on the blade choice for the ras. the best i found that works good is the woodwoker two blade by forrest blades. i use the 60 tooth triple-chip blade.also you can make 8 cuts with the ras.crosscut,miter,rip,blade tilted- bevel crosscut,compound mitre,bevel rip with the blade horizontal-two edge cuts horizontal for slot.tilted for raised bevel.hope this helps out.feel free to aks any more questions will more than happy to help.

[shinju]

hello i have an dewalt ras #1030.dewalt made the best ras made hands down.if you want trya ras,try to get an dewalt model. hear a a few hints.1. find a saw with at least 3/4 or more horse power.2. find one with the adustment handle in the back. 3. and most important start the motor and make sure it runs,if not dont buy it, trust me it can be very costly to repair ar replace a motor.also the best book out there on ras is " how to master the radial arm saw" by mr.sawdust.it is the best book for using and setting up the dewalt ras. hope this helps anyone how would like to try the saw.remember the saw does not have a brain. if something happens it is your fault not the saw.

[jb33]

Thanks for all the good info.

I have a 1950's vintage DeWalt radial arm saw that came from my grandfather. I've had it for 40 years and used it for all kinds of projects. It still works great. A few months ago, I had to replace the original key switch. That's the only repair I've had to do.

[bluesblood]

I have an old DeWalt radial arm saw and a DeWalt scroll saw of round about the same vintage. Both are built like a tank and in great condition just waiting for me to restore them and put them in my shop. The radial saw, hasnt been touched yet but needs a little tlc. The scroll saw I've already rebuilt, but need pulleys and belt to connect a motor. I havent had the time to put into either just yet, but I'm pretty excited to get them running and put them to good use.

[Phil B]

I remember those and always thought they were great. A neighbor had one he had gotten and was just beginning to use; but for general rough work, not for fine work.

[pfred2]

DeWalt invented the draw saw as they called it. What we now know as the Radial Arm Saw. So what you have is not only vintage but the original!

[Phil B]

I remember those. They are beasts! I know a gentleman who has a 1970's DeWalt for home use. It is a very nice saw, too. I wish you many more years of enjoyment with it. Thank you for your comment.

[fretted]

I bought the exact same saw from a freind about a month ago exactly the same one except mine was in very very rough shape i had to rebuild the lailshaft and bearing housing the frontshaft housing was dismantled the angle lever was locked up and would not move ....

It took me 3 days of a weekend to dismantle and repair it but now it runs and works great i still have to make a descent table for it but for 25 bucks im satisfied

It makes me happy to see you have one in such very good condition

Thumbs up for this guide to

Thanks

[Phil B]

Dear fretted,

Thanks for the note. If you scroll down in the comments, you will see I gave dimensions and a hole location diagram for making a saw table. These are based on the factory original I replaced a few months ago.

I think there are a few linked Instructables in my "Guide" that will help you if you find wear in the yoke indexing pin holes and if you need a new switch.

My saw is in good condition because I am the only owner and because it never was taken to a job site, but was always in my workshop.

You should get a lot of enjoyment from it. Different parts sometimes show up on eBay, if you need them.

[fizzox]

Hi Phil, I wanted to thank you for providing some great information. I just got into woodworking having worked mainly with steel and electronics in the past. To help me out, my family members were nice enough to give me their extra woodworking tools including a thirty year old craftsman radial arm saw. I am very comfortable working with table saws, mitre saws etc, but have no experience with this beast of a tool. Having found this post, I can't wait to make the most of my radial arm saw now that I've discovered such a great guide. To those who find any sort of woodworking tool less safe than getting in their car everyday are simply ill informed. I am confident that with your guide and a unique ability called common sense I will not lose any fingers. The only problem I currently have is that the original sheet metal table for the saw was damaged while being moved across the country and I had to scrap it. Could you give any tips on building a new one?

[pfred2]

The biggest unknown safety trick with RAS is blade selection. You want a blade without positive rake to it, and a small gullet too. It keeps the tool from self feeding so much. Read they make special blades for these things, and you should try to make sure you use one, or one as close as you can get to one. I don't know how they get away with such aggressive blades on the new chop saws, but those aren't good on RAS. Do some research and make sure you are running the correct type of a blade.

[Phil B]

You will get dizzy reading my responses in order. The topmost is the most recent and should really be read last. But, here is information from a guy replacing the table top on his Black & Decker radial arm saw  Be aware the dimensions on a B & W table are not the same as a Craftsman table.  But, the process is very similar.  Here is another more brief description for replacing a radial arm saw table.  Here is another description, although without any photos.

[Phil B]

In my response below I forgot to address your saw table. Do you have the original manual? It tells how to do all of the alignment procedures, including leveling the table supports. I recently added a new table surface to my saw. I used a 3/4" composition board that was pretty straight and level. The old table was 19" x 36", but the new one is 19" x 48" to give me a little more support for various things. Countersink four holes for bolting the table to the leveling supports. Get the heads far enough below the surface that the blade will not run into them when you are cutting odd angles. I have never seen a sheet metal table. When finished and the table is aligned with the fence securely in place, raise the saw and put it in the rip position. Start the motor and lower the blade about 1/8" into the table. Gently pull the blade across the table to make an indentation for the blade later. Shut the motor off. Raise the motor and turn it to the crosscut position. Start the motor. Lower it about 18" and pull the motor out as far as you can. (This cut should be 90 deg. to the fence. On my soft composition board I screwed some extruded aluminum from an old storm door to make a durable straightedge guide at the front end of the table. That is about it.

[fizzox]

I do have the original manual, unfortunately the original table is gone. I'll have to find one I can buy somewhere or build a new one from scratch before I have to worry about alignment.

[Phil B]

Here are the dimensions on the original table for my Craftsman saw: 3/4" x 19" x 36". You need four 3/8" dia. holes. The first pair are set back from the front edge of the table 1 1/8" on center. The second set are set back from the front edge 11 1/8" on center. Each hole is 8 1/4" in from the outer edges of the table (on center--See the graphic below). In addition to the basic table you need a fence 3/4" x 1 1/2" x 36" and a support piece behind the fence that is 3/4" x 5" or 6" x 36". This should help. I converted my manual to a PDF. Send me a private message and I will send the manual to you by e-mail.

[Phil B]

Dear fizzox,

Congratulations on acquiring some good woodshop equipment. If I could give a handful of advice, safety rules you learned with the table saw will serve you well on a radial. When in doubt, use pusher sticks. I keep my body parts at least 6 inches away from the blade or cutting device and I am careful about how I am leaning so my body does not move into the blade's path in the case of losing balance, etc. Always think about what would happen if the blade caught a knot or pitch in the wood and propelled the motor carriage backward toward you on a crosscut. (On rips the motor is locked down and does not move.) I use a carbide blade and try to keep most of my body out of the cutting line in case the blade would throw a tooth. As I mentioned to someone else, keep the saw aligned so the blade does not heel, increasing the likelihood the motor could be thrust toward you or the blade could throw a workpiece. When pulling the motor for a crosscut, keep your elbow locked and pull with your shoulder. Use plenty of roller supports when ripping large sheets. Have an assistant to pull the sheet off of the table while you are pushing it onto the table. This advice is free and worth every bit of that. Thanks for your comment.

[dpapas665]

So, much has been made of the danger of this tool. But is it statisitcally any more dangerous than a table saw?

[pfred2]

Well a Radial Arm Saw does have a tendency to self feed. And the blade moving as opposed to being fixed can present more of a hazard than a fixed blade does too. I run my RAS with no blade guard on it at all. I don't count on junk like that to protect me, and it gets in my way of seeing what I am doing. I can still count to 10 without taking off my socks ...

[Moore. Matt Moore.]

The day I'm not terrified of my shop machinery is the day I need to give them all away.

I've been using my table saw and radial arm saw for nearly 20 years, and they scare the hell out of me. Even my drill press has the potential to hurt me badly. This forces me to do one of two things: use them very very carefully or not use them at all.

Great write-up, Phil. I rarely use the radial arm saw outside of crosscutting because getting it square again is such a pain. Will try your stuff soon. Thanks.

[pfred2]

Your best bet with an RAS is to square it up and leave it square and use axillary tables for any other kind of a cut. I think they put all them adjustments on RAS just to screw people up! Since I've gotten mine perfectly square I just leave it that way. And yes it was a pain!

[Phil B]

My father-in-law had one of these Craftsman saws from the mid-1950's forward. When I bought mine he told me very little on it would be accurate or precise. But, I never had a lot of trouble doing accurate work with mine, and built some decent furniture with mine. Perhaps something was not properly setup on his. I do not know.

I never forget what could happen if my flesh gets in the way of a power tool, especially a power saw. A friend recently failed to use a pusher stick with a table saw when he should have, and now has a bad cut in the end of a finger. He says he knew better, but became sloppy.

[Phil B]

The only way to be completely safe around machinery is never to buy it, or, if you do, never turn it on. (I know a guy who has had a used Lincoln "tombstone" arc welder for probably ten years, but he has never turned "on" because he is afraid something inside might be shorted, even though it almost certainly is not.) I know no one who injured himself with a radial arm saw, but I know at least two people who received bad cuts on a table saw. The fact the radial arm saw motor slides on a carriage while running probably spooks a lot of people. As I said in another comment, I have given mine fairly regular use, even wearing out a set of motor bearings and three switches, during 38 years without a scratch. (A few times I have come too close to a wire brush wheel I was using on my radial arm saw and scuffed skin on my fingers, but that hardly counts. It reminds me each time to wear gloves.) Thank you for your comment.

[bike_geek]

Hi Phil;

You are obviously a good craftsman and I respect the time you have taken to pass on your knowledge.

However gloves should never be worn when using any power tool, that scuffed skin could have become a broken wrist or an amputated finger if you had been wearing gloves. Where skin will cut a tougher glove may catch and draw in.

One of the first lesson you learn at a trade school is when using power tools, no gloves, no jewelery, no rings.

Cheers
Joel

[Phil B]

Thank you.

[jeff-o]

See, now I wish I had room for one of these. Do you think it would be OK to keep it in the (unheated) garage, or is that asking for trouble?

[neffk]

Cold is fine.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Radial-Arm-Saw-Overhaul-Modification-for-Low-Pro/

[Phil B]

Mine has been in an unheated garage for years at two different places where we have lived and it always did just fine. If you have high humidity where you live, you might want to smear a little motor oil on the column to protect it from surface rust. You will also want to check it regularly to make sure its settings are square. The unheated garage will not affect accuracy as much as vibration from use.

[pfred2]

Motor oil contains a detergent that attracts water, which is fine in your motor because cylinders firing flash it off, but isn't so great for metals that aren't in combustion chambers ... Get a quart of chainsaw bar oil it is a far better general shop lube. One car product that isn't too bad for metal protection in a workshop is paste wax. Though some say the silicone in some waxes can adversely affect wood finishing. I've personally never had a problem with it. Leave motor oils in motors which they were engineered to be in. Another trick for humid shops is to run a fan in them. It stops water from condensing on cold metals. My RAS doesn't vibrate when I run it, if it did I'd change the blade to a better balanced one and check the bearings and brushes. Possibly repack the gears as well.

[jeff-o]

Good to know. I want to get a radial arm saw and a table saw, but the garage is the only place where I'd have room to store or use them. I was worried they wouldn't survive -20 celcius winters and humid summers, which is why I haven't bought either one yet. Radial arm saws are dirt cheap on Kijiji, too - plenty for under $100, and really good ones with all the accessories for $200-$300.

[Phil B]

The winters where we lived at the time my saw spent winters in an unheated garage were much less cold than what you are talking about. Although unheated our garages were attached to the houses and not as cold as a separate garage would be. I do not know what you have. At -20 Celsius it will be difficult to feel your fingers well very long without gloves. The motor bearings may be a little stiff from cold grease. Still, if a person worked carefully, a lot of work with a radial arm saw could still be done safely while wearing gloves.

[jeff-o]

Well, it's not like I'd be using it when the temps drop that low -- no, when it drops to -20 I bury myself in a blanket and watch a movie, hot chocolate in hand.

But, the saw should survive the winter and be ready to go when my fingers thaw!

[Phil B]

I am confident the saw will be fine at -20 Celsius. Mine was never exposed to temperatures that cold because the attached garages we have had were always warmer due to heat leaking from the house portion of the building. A friend has lots of woodworking equipment in a free-standing unheated garage, which he heats for an evening when he wants to do woodworking. The coldest temperatures I have experienced here in SW Idaho (USA) were -15 Celsius (+5 Fahrenheit) for a week or so. One of his tools is a slightly different Sears Craftsman radial arm saw he uses mostly for cutoff work. He has never complained about effects of cold on his tools, and he does quality furniture woodworking. I would think he might have problems with his tools because the air in the building can be brought up to a reasonable temperature for working in a coat and hat, but the metal in the equipment will lag behind and be much colder for quite a few hours after the furnace goes "on."

[jeff-o]

I've been thinking of installing a heater in my garage. But before I do that, I'll need to update the wiring in there. Currently the power consists of an overhead wire that stretches between the house and the garage, that looks like it dates back to the late 60s... Fine for some lights and a garage door opener, not so great for power tools pulling 15 amps! I actually want to install both 120V and 240V, in case I ever get my mitts on a welder.

[Phil B]

When you are one person, you can run only one tool at a time. My radial arm saw draws only 10 amps. when configured to run on 120 volts. It can also be configured to draw 5 amps. at 240 volts. A 240 volt service is nice. But, in January I used some Christmas money to buy a factory reconditioned Hobart Handler 125 EZ wire feed welder (flux core, not MIG). It draws 15 amps. at 120 volts. I had been using a 240 volt Miller Thunderbolt stick welder. I find if I do a little preheating with a MAPP gas torch and chamfer the edges on bigger pieces for multiple passes, I can weld some amazingly heavy stuff with only a 120 volt wire feed welder. A 120 volt welder might suffice for you. The Handler 125 EZ is not even the largest output 120 volt wire feed welder available from Hobart. And, some guys run 240 volt stick welders from 30 amp clothes dryer circuits. They just do not crank up the output on the welder too high.

[jeff-o]

Yeah, a 120V welder would probably be enough for me, as I wouldn't be doing any heavy welding. But, 240V would be nice to have, and if I'm running a line from the main fuse panel to the garage then it may as well be a big, fat line!

[pfred2]

Big fat lines cost big fat dollars. When I ran a #6 220V line to my garage it cost a couple hundred. But the right way to go would be to install a subpanel with a fairly decent feed cable to it.

[jeff-o]

Yeah, I figured that's how much it would cost. I figure I'd need a subpanel just to split up the 220 to 110 as well, since most of the tools being used in the garage would need that.

[pfred2]

Yes copper is pretty expensive, just the cable wire was a couple of hundred. You seem to have the right idea to me. I've a different attached garage workshop now. I made a video of sorts about it recently:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkgFQa5lzzM

My Radial Arm Saw pops up in it with fair regularity. It was the first machine tool I moved.

The video goes along with an Instructable I made with my lost account here:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Design-a-workshop/

[wingnuts]

Please be aware -Sears has recalled 3.7 million radial arm saws ... Free repair or $100 if it is too old to fix -
http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/prhtml01/01031.html

[Phil B]

I went to your link and watched the Emerson Electric video on alleged safety dangers with these saws. The video shows someone with his fingers on the cut line directly behind the blade. No one in his right mind places his hand or any other body part in line with any sawblade's line of travel. 300 owners of 3,700,000 owners have been injured in that and similar ways. That is less than 1/10 of one percent (1 in 1200). Please forgive my sarcasm, but I am surprised they do not warn me not to use the saw while taking a bath in a bathtub. According to the video, Emerson would give me one hundred of today's devalued dollars if I cut the electrical cord and mail my perfectly good saw motor to them, but I get no replacement for destroying my perfectly good saw that has never injured me in the slightest during 38 years of fairly regular use. Would you destroy a good saw for far less than the cost of replacing it, if you can replace it, all because of injuries incurred by people who violated the most basic safety practices?