CanuckBeaver

I "inherited" (the price was right anyhow ) one of those old Craftsman Radial Arm Saws. Yup the old killler made by Emerson . While it isn't beat to death by far I'm sure it has seen a better day or two. I have a (cheap) TS but I'm thinking about using the RAS as a dedicated Daido unit (I have a 1/2 decent stack set). I would appreciate your thoughts, or experiences on RAS's and especially on use for daido's.
BTW the RAS (at least mine) really sucks for ripping.

TIA
CB

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Mike

CB, I am sure you will find that the radial saw is out of adjustment. If you have the original paperwork go through the set up proceedures. If not get a copy from Sears. As far as poor ripping, good chance that is because of your blade. The cross cut blade that is used most with the saw has too many teeth and not enough chip clearance for quality ripping. If you want a decent blade for both cross cutting and ripping try the Freud 50 tooth combination blade. This thin kerf blade amazed me when I first tried it. Fast clean cuts either way. I bought this blade from the bulk stack at either Loews or HD for $27. You just have to spend a moment to be sure there are no chips in the teeth if you buy a bulk blade.

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Mike

CanuckBeaver

While I will agree with the adjustment part of your post I have a new 40 tooth carbide ripping blade on the RAS. Trust me you had best not be in any rush the way it is.

Thanks
CB

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Woodnut65

Hi Canuck:
I also have one of those old Craftsman RAS, about the same vintage . I have used it
for years, I set it up as Cross cut only, I added a good fence. It's also used for datoes
with a stacked dato set, and it does a decent job. Since you have nothing to lose
that's what I would do with it.

Woodnut65

CanuckBeaver

Thanks Woodnut! It's great to hear about first hand experience. I called around about the recall and finally found a lady who knows what's going on in, get this ... Craftsman shop vac's . Mine was not part of the recall and Sears is sending me an owners manual in the mail (no charge WOO HOO!). Hey for a 10+ year old saw that's pretty good! I'll give it the tune up recommended and see how the old girl does after that.

As for the daido use really how often do you dado more than 2 feet? If need be I'll just spin the saw if it's only 15 or 20 feet of run. I also think I'll add fold up "wings" to the sides of the table to get 7 or 8 feet of support (total) when needed. It's a lumbering beastie, but I think I'll keep'r.

Thanks for the input,
CB

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reible

I've used simular craftsman saws but I'm guessing yours is newer then those. When I worked as a carpenters helper back in the late '60 that was what we had on the job sites. We did everything with it including ripping...... that thing would cover you in sawdust. The thing was always out of adjustment and a real pain to square/level and keep that way.

My brother still has one of about that same age, and I think he still uses it. At least as a storage bench. No just kidding, he does use it and it still works and he has cut a lot of wood with it.

One think that the old saws lacked was a restrant so when the blade contacts the wood it pulls the saw into the wood, YOU the user had to push back. This is much worse with dado blades doing wider cuts. It is easy to get in trouble so make sure you are extra alert when playing with this type. I don't know if this applies to your model??

Ed

CanuckBeaver

Ed wrote "One think that the old saws lacked was a restrant so when the blade contacts the wood it pulls the saw into the wood, YOU the user had to push back. This is much worse with dado blades doing wider cuts. It is easy to get in trouble so make sure you are extra alert when playing with this type. I don't know if this applies to your model??"

Mine is a model 27362 BTW. I haven't noticed any "pulling" in either rip or cross cut to date, it all seems pretty normal with exception of ripping being really slow (about 5 feet per min. on 1 1/2" spruce) with a fresh 30 (I think?) tooth ripping blade. Good thing I'm not in prodution huh? I'll be extra careful when I put the dado stack on this old girl though.

Thanks for the heads up!
CB

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lnjaustn

I have the same control problem, especially with a aggressive combo blade. If I am cutting narrow material I just pull the saw out, set up for the cut, and push through the wood to make the cut. It is a little hard to feed the wood behind the blade, but if you are making dados in shorter pieces of wood, it seems to do very well. And the rotation of the blade pushed the material tight against the fence. My father gave me the same saw you are speaking of, and yes I did have to go through the entire tune up process - I found the information on a really great set up in an old Shopnotes magazine listed as "Radial Saw Tune Up".

pmspirito

I've got a 70's vintage Craftsman RAS with a seven foot wide table. I cross cut in the push mode with the wood between the fence and the blade. I mounted it on top of a Craftsman 12 drawer metal workbench on casters. It has a dedicated shop vac connected to the blade guard for dust collection. It handles all of my 2x pressure treated lumber like a champ and I wouldn't be with out it. If you are not happy with your RAS...you are doing something wrong..... I also have a Grissly G1023ZX with the sliding table and a original Shop Fox fence for finish work.

reible

"When croocutting, the saw should always be started while in back of the front fence---and should be returned there before the work is removed. Never feed work to the (stationary) blade for crosscutting as the blade will"hog" the work unless it is against the fence."

Ripping ".... feed work to the blade along the fence-- from your left to right (never from right to left)."

Or so says the good book.... Now get out there and be safe.

Ed