First post on this website; looking for some help/advice on using an old PowrKraft radial arm saw to do some routing with. The model # of the RAS isTPC-2610C and it has an aux. spindle turning at 20,000 rpm. To mount the router bit you need a collet with part #84-2613, which I don't have. Really odd-ball thread: 15/32-20 (!!??) So, for my first post, two questions: (1) does anybody out there have such an item they no longer need, or any suggestions about where to obtain one? (2) has anyone had experience with routing using a RAS? Comments on advantadges/disadvantages solicited. Hope I get some responses from the membership; I'm new not only to the forum but to the "art" of routing although I have ruined a few pieces of wood with my efforts. tom in vermont
powrkraft radial arm saw routing
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Hello Tom! Welcome to the Router Forum I have a radial arm saw. Mine runs at the same speed as the saw blade does. I have a 1/4 in. Collet for the router bit, but I haven't had any good results for routing. If Yours runs that much faster than Your saw blade, You must have a speed up control of some kind, as in a chain, or gear drive. My thoughts are that ;it would make a nice pin router, or free hand unit. Some one may have a Colet. I would try E-bay to see what they have. I wish You well on Your routing.
Hello John: Nice to see that people DO read these posts! Anyway, my saw has two spindles opposite the blade; one runs at 3450 for using shaper bits, and the other runs at 20,000 rpm for using it as a router. All I am missing is the collet for that spindle, at it has a 20 tpi thread on a 15/32" diameter shaft (???!!!). 20 tpi is pretty common, but that 15/32" shaft diameter is strange, to say the least. I am hoping that someone has one kicking around, but I am getting a little discouraged. Besides, I am not sure if, even if I do find one, the results will be satisfactory. Maybe someone in this venue has experience with using a RAS as a router. Hope to get some much-needed information out of this forum. Again, thanks for the reply. tom
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It has a gearbox.
Hi Tom
Try the links below, I don't recall who on the forum had one but someone posted a picture of his, the forum for the ereplacementparts is a good place to start looking..you can always have a machine shop make a new one..not to big of a job for a good shop..
( by the way it's old Wards RAS)
Part Finder
find parts for your power tools
eReplacementParts.com : Power Tool Parts and Tool Repair
Need some help replacing the parts
Tool Repair Help - eReplacementParts.com Power Tool Repair Forum
http://www.routerforums.com/tools-woodworking/606-radial-arm-saws-still-used.html
Do a search on the forum for Wards it may popup..
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Try the links below, I don't recall who on the forum had one but someone posted a picture of his, the forum for the ereplacementparts is a good place to start looking..you can always have a machine shop make a new one..not to big of a job for a good shop..
( by the way it's old Wards RAS)Part Finder
find parts for your power tools
eReplacementParts.com : Power Tool Parts and Tool Repair
Need some help replacing the parts
Tool Repair Help - eReplacementParts.com Power Tool Repair Forum
http://www.routerforums.com/tools-woodworking/606-radial-arm-saws-still-used.html
Do a search on the forum for Wards it may popup..
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1 Posts
Aguy could make that part in a machine shop, if you can't find it anywhere else.
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2,881 Posts
H Tom:
I googled "PowrKraft" and came up with this:
Toolkraft Parts
P.O. Box 80777
Springfield, MA 01138-0777
Tel: 413-737-7331
[email protected]
"PowerKraft" was one of ToolKraft's brand names. The people above advertise that they have parts on their web site, toolkraft.com .
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Possible Help on your Powerkraft RAS
TOM:
I think this is the very same RAS that I have, and I have some accessories for my RAS so tomorrow I'll go out in my shop and see what I can find. I have the adapter that fits the high speed shaft that works with shaper heads and I've made some very good molding and trim. I had difficulty using the router bits and holding any degree of accuracy, to much chatter.
The next problem may be finding the Powerkraft adapters. I have made some pretty nice stuff with this saw though. By the way I purchased this saw about 40 years ago from Wards at a purchase price of about $200.00 with stand.
TOM:
I think this is the very same RAS that I have, and I have some accessories for my RAS so tomorrow I'll go out in my shop and see what I can find. I have the adapter that fits the high speed shaft that works with shaper heads and I've made some very good molding and trim. I had difficulty using the router bits and holding any degree of accuracy, to much chatter.
The next problem may be finding the Powerkraft adapters. I have made some pretty nice stuff with this saw though. By the way I purchased this saw about 40 years ago from Wards at a purchase price of about $200.00 with stand.
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Wards Powr-Kraft RAS Accessory Parts
Tom:
I had a little un-needed help from my grandson spilling the box that contained the Powr-Kraft RAS parts down in back of my very large and heavy workbench. The next door neighbor came over tonight and helped me retrieve the parts so I could photograph them for you. I certainly hope this is of some help to you.
Mike, Sr.
Tom:
I had a little un-needed help from my grandson spilling the box that contained the Powr-Kraft RAS parts down in back of my very large and heavy workbench. The next door neighbor came over tonight and helped me retrieve the parts so I could photograph them for you. I certainly hope this is of some help to you.
Mike, Sr.
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Tom, I do not think you will find the collet adapter for your machine. I think your best option is to have a machine shop make you a sleeve to fit the spindle on one end and make the other end to fit an old style PC collet.(which looks like the collet for your machine) My reasoning is these collets are readily available in 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" sizes and inexpensive. The adapter shouldn't cost too much and then you are in business. I followed this route with an old wood lathe; I had an adapter made to use #2 Morse tapers on a 3/4"-10 pointed spindle. To give you an idea of the cost about $40. Good luck on this.
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Vintage:
Did you try the toolcraft vendor?
Toolkraft Parts
P.O. Box 80777
Springfield, MA 01138-0777
Tel: 413-737-7331
[email protected]
They advertise that they still carry parts for Powercraft.
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1 Posts
I have the Wards RAS with the 20K router/shaper spindle (15/32-20TPI). I do have the ¼" router collet and the shaper adapter w/1 bit. I used this saw from the early 70's through the 80's and absolutely loved it - albeit as a very young, novice woodworker. I lost the saw and a couple of weeks ago went on a 400 mile quest and picked up a pristine unit (no scratches on the original tables which were covered by a thin overlay).
I built a 4' table with an 8' extension and getting ready to adapt a Rockwell router fence so I can interchange from crosscutting to routing/shaping quickly.
At this point I'm resigning myself to accepting the ¼" router collet because I can still use shaper bits for heavier work and have a ½" table router set-up as backup.
I loved this machine 40 years ago and still love it today!
I built a 4' table with an 8' extension and getting ready to adapt a Rockwell router fence so I can interchange from crosscutting to routing/shaping quickly.
At this point I'm resigning myself to accepting the ¼" router collet because I can still use shaper bits for heavier work and have a ½" table router set-up as backup.
I loved this machine 40 years ago and still love it today!
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