I think every 8 minutes in the U.S., there is an amputation from a table saw injury. Table saws are by far the most dangerous woodworking tool in existence. Most table saws still floating around do not a riving knife on them, and no operators use the factory blade guard. Table saws are always run, 100% of the time, without a blade guard, even if they come with a really nice blade guard, it is never used. A radial arm saw has a permanently (for all intents and purposes) attached guard, that is never removed for any reason during 100% of it's regular operation. A radial arm saw never does rip cuts without the factory blade guard attached. Also, a radial arm saw cannot have a twisting "frisbee kickback" the way a table saw can. You cannot cut small thin pieces easily on a RAS, but for small boards, an ejection of the board won't produce the violent "twisting" kickback that is responsible for table saws sucking your hand into the blade unexpectedly. It's the twisting motion of a table saw kickback which is so deadly. On a table saw, small pieces can twist, hook onto the top of the blade, then be ejected at about 100mph towards your body. This cannot happen on a properly setup radial arm saw, because the blade is buried ever so slightly into the table. On a table saw, even entire sheets of plywood can twist violently, and eject your entire body half way across the room from a table saw kickback. Ripping on a radial arm saw is orders of magnitude safer than ripping on a table saw, they aren't even in the same ballpark in terms of danger. Crosscutting on a radial arm saw is EXTREMELY dangerous, unless you are an expert, because on older radial arm saws, the blade guard does not function in any meaningful way in a crosscut. Cheap, dull blades which are often used to save money, result in a horrendous lurching and climbing of the saw carriage towards your body unexpectedly, which can be very dangerous. Use a modern name brand blade on a RAS, because it won't "climb" at all with a new blade.
You obviously have zero experience with using tools, and are just quoting some gibberish to make yourself sound knowledgeable. I can easily dispute most, if not all of your claims. But who has the time. PS: I'm a journeyman cabinetmaker with easily 35 years experience. No amputations from a "scary" tablesaw.
Did you keep this saw? Does it have any accuracy at all or are the carriage bearings too loose to get precision? I have several older ones, and they have really nice motors, and are in good condition, but I found that the carriage bearings are so loose from the factory, even when tightened properly, you can wiggle the blade back and forth about 0.080" or 1/16th of an inch. The Craftsman saws have all the design qualities to be very good, and the motors have extremely heavy, unnecessarily large sealed bearings, even bigger than the Dewalt saws. But the Craftsman carriage bearings seem to be the single weak point, where there was a massive design flaw in the actual ball bearings that hold the sliding saw carriage to the arm. The bearings are so loose on the older (1975, 1978) saws I have, that the saws are basically trash.
I have this exact saw and I need some help. The nut and the plastic bevel gear fell off of the threaded, shaft elevating rod when I was attempting to raise the blade. Can you remember how I get that thread rod to come back down far enough so I can thread the nut back onto it. Presently, the rod it almost flush to the surface, and I cannot get the nut onto it. Thanks!
You should be able to access the elevation rod (threaded rod ) by removing the cap on top of the post in the rear of the arm. Some of them have a slot but most don't. You can also loosen the post collar bolts and allow the arm to lower itself with gravity. Be careful with this method because SOME of these will simply fall very quickly without the drive arm intact. ( the part you're referring to ) . If you use some type of small jack that will lower as needed , this may work. You can get a PDF for your saw by simply using the MODEL NUMBER for a search. The PDF will have a schematic or diagram of your particular saw. Just click the PDF to download it. I hope you got it fixed by now because these saws can do things that NO OTHERS can do. I have 2 different models of Radial Arm Saws.
Thanks so much!!! I did solve it using the approach you described. I needed it when I posted the question so I just started exploring all the options. Once I had access from the top after removing the cap, I used a makeshift device to make the fix. Now, I am particularly good at checking the threaded nut underneath before and, again, after using the saw. I never again want to see and/or hear that nut hit the shop floor. As you pointed out, this is the ULTIMATE wood shop saw. We have had it for 30 years, and it has done a TON of precise cutting for us on too many projects to list. They should have never stopped making these saws. I use it 90% of the time over our very nice 12" chop saw. The Radial Arm saw is awesome! It does rips, cross cuts, hand held angle cuts with clamps, dado cuts, and more. We love it. My wife uses it regularly for her studio needs. It's a very safe saw to use. I Very Much Appreciate your reply!!!
@@Tnapvrvideo I'm glad you got it fixed. Suggestion..... Raise it up ALMOST to the point of nut dropping (😲) and use a scratch all or a sharpie to mark that point, then go back down one inch and mark it again at the SAFE limit. Did you know that you can get a JACOB'S CHUCK for the arbor end OPPOSITE of the blade and use the R.A.S. as a drill press or sander ? Northland workshop (?) And BRIAN WEEKLY are the BEST R.A.S. channels on TH-cam if you didn't already know that. I got a laser line sight for mine and it is now VERY ACCURATE.
@@Tnapvrvideo As long as it is a "JACOBS" chuck 5/8 it will work. The saw actually turns too slow to be an efficient or effective router. But it works GREAT as a drill press especially if you have to drill Horizontal or at a specific angle. I Really recommend that you get a laser line sight. I will go look at mine tomorrow and comment the model number, but I believe it is an R-01 from OSHLIN or OSHLUN . Have you looked into the newer blade guard ?
@@brucewelty7684 If you set the table to angle rearward, then as you pull the saw forward your depth of cut WILL GET DEEPER. A radial arm saw table MUST BE LEVEL. If it is not exactly level then you can NOT depend on your cut being accurate.
I agree, RAS are dangerous to use.......for an amateur. Plenty of industrial tools are dangerous, especially for hobbyists. I wouldn't expect a weekend warrior to know how to use a sliding tablesaw, or a shaper, or a 4x8 cnc in a safe manner. But i sure would love a RAS myself, just to have a dado stack in it full-time.
Do her brother proud. One thing, looking at the horizontal cut position…I’m not a nervous nelly, but would it have been too much back in the day to have had some sort of blade protector, people protector really, for the now fully exposed flat blade?🤨 Enjoy the RAS, looks impressive.
Nice saw, I have the same one. Got at a yard sale with stand and table for $70. It can do stuff no other saw can do, so nice to have around.
I've got the same one, my neighbor gave it tp me about 10 years ago, I love the control cut feature, love it!
I think what you are doing for Mary is Wonderful and I enjoyed your video. THANK YOU
Wow that’s a nice one buddy
Wow, what a deal! Sometimes the deals you can find on Marketplace are awesome! Enjoy it!
They do still make radial arm saw, just FYI. They are industrial sized so not many home shops would have it or know about it.
He was referring to the Craftsman saws.
Can you tell me the model number for your saw? I’d like to find one myself and like the slide control you demonstrated.
Just picked one up for cheap, however it won't swing for miter cuts. Something must be unhooked from the lock. Any ideas?
I think every 8 minutes in the U.S., there is an amputation from a table saw injury. Table saws are by far the most dangerous woodworking tool in existence. Most table saws still floating around do not a riving knife on them, and no operators use the factory blade guard. Table saws are always run, 100% of the time, without a blade guard, even if they come with a really nice blade guard, it is never used.
A radial arm saw has a permanently (for all intents and purposes) attached guard, that is never removed for any reason during 100% of it's regular operation. A radial arm saw never does rip cuts without the factory blade guard attached. Also, a radial arm saw cannot have a twisting "frisbee kickback" the way a table saw can.
You cannot cut small thin pieces easily on a RAS, but for small boards, an ejection of the board won't produce the violent "twisting" kickback that is responsible for table saws sucking your hand into the blade unexpectedly. It's the twisting motion of a table saw kickback which is so deadly. On a table saw, small pieces can twist, hook onto the top of the blade, then be ejected at about 100mph towards your body.
This cannot happen on a properly setup radial arm saw, because the blade is buried ever so slightly into the table. On a table saw, even entire sheets of plywood can twist violently, and eject your entire body half way across the room from a table saw kickback. Ripping on a radial arm saw is orders of magnitude safer than ripping on a table saw, they aren't even in the same ballpark in terms of danger.
Crosscutting on a radial arm saw is EXTREMELY dangerous, unless you are an expert, because on older radial arm saws, the blade guard does not function in any meaningful way in a crosscut. Cheap, dull blades which are often used to save money, result in a horrendous lurching and climbing of the saw carriage towards your body unexpectedly, which can be very dangerous. Use a modern name brand blade on a RAS, because it won't "climb" at all with a new blade.
You obviously have zero experience with using tools, and are just quoting some gibberish to make yourself sound knowledgeable. I can easily dispute most, if not all of your claims. But who has the time.
PS: I'm a journeyman cabinetmaker with easily 35 years experience. No amputations from a "scary" tablesaw.
Did you keep this saw? Does it have any accuracy at all or are the carriage bearings too loose to get precision? I have several older ones, and they have really nice motors, and are in good condition, but I found that the carriage bearings are so loose from the factory, even when tightened properly, you can wiggle the blade back and forth about 0.080" or 1/16th of an inch. The Craftsman saws have all the design qualities to be very good, and the motors have extremely heavy, unnecessarily large sealed bearings, even bigger than the Dewalt saws. But the Craftsman carriage bearings seem to be the single weak point, where there was a massive design flaw in the actual ball bearings that hold the sliding saw carriage to the arm. The bearings are so loose on the older (1975, 1978) saws I have, that the saws are basically trash.
Great find.
I have this exact saw and I need some help. The nut and the plastic bevel gear fell off of the threaded, shaft elevating rod when I was attempting to raise the blade. Can you remember how I get that thread rod to come back down far enough so I can thread the nut back onto it. Presently, the rod it almost flush to the surface, and I cannot get the nut onto it. Thanks!
You should be able to access the elevation rod (threaded rod ) by removing the cap on top of the post in the rear of the arm. Some of them have a slot but most don't. You can also loosen the post collar bolts and allow the arm to lower itself with gravity. Be careful with this method because SOME of these will simply fall very quickly without the drive arm intact. ( the part you're referring to ) . If you use some type of small jack that will lower as needed , this may work. You can get a PDF for your saw by simply using the MODEL NUMBER for a search. The PDF will have a schematic or diagram of your particular saw. Just click the PDF to download it. I hope you got it fixed by now because these saws can do things that NO OTHERS can do. I have 2 different models of Radial Arm Saws.
Thanks so much!!! I did solve it using the approach you described. I needed it when I posted the question so I just started exploring all the options. Once I had access from the top after removing the cap, I used a makeshift device to make the fix. Now, I am particularly good at checking the threaded nut underneath before and, again, after using the saw. I never again want to see and/or hear that nut hit the shop floor. As you pointed out, this is the ULTIMATE wood shop saw. We have had it for 30 years, and it has done a TON of precise cutting for us on too many projects to list. They should have never stopped making these saws. I use it 90% of the time over our very nice 12" chop saw. The Radial Arm saw is awesome! It does rips, cross cuts, hand held angle cuts with clamps, dado cuts, and more. We love it. My wife uses it regularly for her studio needs. It's a very safe saw to use. I Very Much Appreciate your reply!!!
@@Tnapvrvideo I'm glad you got it fixed. Suggestion..... Raise it up ALMOST to the point of nut dropping (😲) and use a scratch all or a sharpie to mark that point, then go back down one inch and mark it again at the SAFE limit. Did you know that you can get a JACOB'S CHUCK for the arbor end OPPOSITE of the blade and use the R.A.S. as a drill press or sander ? Northland workshop (?) And BRIAN WEEKLY are the BEST R.A.S. channels on TH-cam if you didn't already know that. I got a laser line sight for mine and it is now VERY ACCURATE.
I am most interested in the drill press possibility. I will have to explore the option. Thank you!
@@Tnapvrvideo As long as it is a "JACOBS" chuck 5/8 it will work. The saw actually turns too slow to be an efficient or effective router. But it works GREAT as a drill press especially if you have to drill Horizontal or at a specific angle. I Really recommend that you get a laser line sight. I will go look at mine tomorrow and comment the model number, but I believe it is an R-01 from OSHLIN or OSHLUN . Have you looked into the newer blade guard ?
How do you attach the cable that slows how fast you can pull the saw?
The saw came this way when it was manufactured.
So how do I attach the cable?
@@arthurolsen359 you can use a small bungee or lightweight rope with a weight on it to return the saw.
@@c.blakerockhart1128 set the saw up so that the table angles rearward a bit. Self retracting by gravity
@@brucewelty7684 If you set the table to angle rearward, then as you pull the saw forward your depth of cut WILL GET DEEPER. A radial arm saw table MUST BE LEVEL. If it is not exactly level then you can NOT depend on your cut being accurate.
I have one Used a few times in the past-nearly Not not setup.
I can't pull the servo
I agree, RAS are dangerous to use.......for an amateur. Plenty of industrial tools are dangerous, especially for hobbyists. I wouldn't expect a weekend warrior to know how to use a sliding tablesaw, or a shaper, or a 4x8 cnc in a safe manner.
But i sure would love a RAS myself, just to have a dado stack in it full-time.
My is servo Doesn't work anybody have hove repair
Do her brother proud. One thing, looking at the horizontal cut position…I’m not a nervous nelly, but would it have been too much back in the day to have had some sort of blade protector, people protector really, for the now fully exposed flat blade?🤨
Enjoy the RAS, looks impressive.
Blade protectors are non essential when used properly. Big Mike Tuna has a vid. Mainly the "off hand" should be on the work piece away from the blade.