Radial arm saw for over arm router?

[Dick Brown]

Hi,

Had a Power Kraft RAS given to me which has the 20,000 router spindle on the other side of the motor from the saw blade. Don't need this thing for a RAS but would like to try it as an over head router. Would welcome any input from you guys about pluses and minuses of this and also where I can get the router bit adapter to fit this saw. Have one around that you don't use that you would sell????? Saw is Power-Kraft model TPC2610B

Thanks,
Dick

[Rick Lizek]

It will never come close to a real overhead router if one wants to use the pin function for pattern copying as the standard pin router lowers and raises by either an air cylinder or mechanical linkage to allow one to do internal cuts. Unfortunately there is little published on the complete workings of overhead pin routers. It's one of those industrial machines you learn from other operators in the industry. The radial arm router can do limited pattern work and is more like using a dado head for straight cuts. Toolcraft in Springfield MA still carries parts for this company that went out of businees years ago.

[james gerus]

Dick, I have the router collet for your Power Craft, FREE if you want it. Jim Gerus

[Stephen Edwards]

I'm building a pin router right now using the arm of the old RAS for the support mechanism. Mine won't be using the saw motor. It will simply support a router.

Like the OP said, it'll be more useful with a plunge mechanism but there's still a lot that you can do without the feature, dados, pattern cutting, etc. I have an idea for working out the plunge mechanism, too. But that'll come later.

Good luck with your project. I think it has potential.

[Charles Lent]

Running a router bit on the back shaft of a RAS motor doesn't work very well. The motor speed is about 3450 and you really need about 10,000 for a router bit to cut properly.

Several saw options have been offered by Craftsman and others over the past 60 years that allow you to attach a router motor head to a RAS. One is an L shaped bracket that attaches to the rear end of the motor and the router is mounted on it. I found another version in use in a shop in Honolulu that was a complete saw carriage assembly, only with a router motor instead of the saw motor, and it appeared to have been made by Craftsman or was a very expertly done modification of another identical saw carriage to the one with the saw motor in it. To use the router they would remove the whole saw carriage and replace it with the router carriage, then install a Porter Cable barrel style router motor in it. This was a superior design, because it had all of the original capabilities of the RAS, but with a high speed router motor instead of the saw motor. I once had a need to do this (several years after seeing the one in Honolulu) and searched through Sears archives and old catalogs, old woodworking textbooks, etc. but was never able to locate any further information about either of them. I've also never found one in old tool sales, auctions, etc. over the past 10 years or so (wish I could remember the name of the shop in Honolulu). Both seem to have only been offered for a short time and were likely discontinued due to an inadequate demand.

Charley

[Randy Rose]

I'm building a pin router right now using the arm of the old RAS for the support mechanism. Mine won't be using the saw motor. It will simply support a router. .

Please keep us updated on this project and post pics if possible. I`m considering the same modifications and would like to see your ideas before I start.
T.I.A.

[Dick Brown]

Charlie,

This old Power-Kraft has two spindles out the back of the motor. One is 3,450 RPM (motor speed)for shaper or other operations and the other is 20,000 RPM for router bits. You are 100% right that the motor speed would be to slow. As far as I have seen, the Power-Kraft is among the few if not the only one that is configured this way. Really odd ball thing is the router spindle is 15/32 x fine thread and the shaper spindle is 1/2 x fine thread. Guess they didn't want anyone to make a mistake with the shaper and turn it 20,000 RPM. Probably a good idea. Who ever heard of 15/32 shaft size tho?

Dick

[Charles Lent]

Dick,

Although I knew someone who owned a Power Kraft RAS, I never got to see it and I had always thought that it was similar to the Craftsman. If you can find the needed router bit adapter for your Power Kraft you might just have something very useful. Maybe you could get the one that's available for the Craftsman and have a machine shop modify it or make an adapter for it to fit the shaft on your saw.

That RAS that I saw in Honolulu was being used to make KOA bracelets and rings the day that I was there. They had a shop made turntable clamped to the saw's table so they could rotate the work as it was being cut.

Charley