Problem w/Sears Radial Arm Saw

[Bill Clifton]

I am a newbie and hope this post works.

My problem is that my '76 10" Sear Radial Arm Saw won't adjust up or down any more (or any less for that matter). I have the repair parts diagram and don't really see where the problem might lie. Before I do more damage I thought I'd ask if anybody else has encountered and resolved this problem.

As a newbie I have a couple of comments:

I have no idea where I am in relation to Steve Schlemp.

I reside in Paducah Ky. If I get to the eastern part of the state I am going to look up Mike Fuson in Siler - he does good looking work.

For us newbies, sometimes writing it out might help.

Thanks

[Art Kelly]

I have probably just about the same saw and it gradually got harder and harder, then impossible to raise or lower. This was quite a while ago--many years.

I took the column apart and totally cleaned it up with mineral spirits, then "lapped" the column with some fine valve-grinding compound. (Do they even make this stuff anymore?)

Anyway, I did this by smearing some abrasive and M/S on the column and rotating it as I pushed it back in the base. Did this for probably a half hour, pulling it back up and "spinning" it back down into the base over and over.

Finally, I took it back out and totally removed the abrasive by rinsing in clean M/S, oiled it with some light oil and put everything back together. I was never able to discern anything that would have caused the problem. Guess the column grew.:rolleyes:

From then on, everytime I jack the column up high, I spray WD-40 on the column before I lower it. It has worked perfectly for the last 20 or so years.

Do you have the manual? I can scan the appropriate pages if you need them.

Hope this helps, and hope nothing's broken. Last time I tried to get a part, it was out of stock. Pretty good saw though, so don't give up easily. You can probably find those bevel gears at MSC or someplace like that if they're broken.

Art

[CPeter James]

I thought you might like to get $100 for it. There was a safety recall on all Sears Radial Arm Saws. Sears/Emerson Electric will buy it back from you and pay shipping. They send you box, you put the motor and carriage and motor in the box. UPS picks up the box and they send you a check for $100. Easy money.

http://www.radialarmsawrecall.com/

[BOB OLINGER]

Bill,

I have a Craftsman RAS of about the same vintage, maybe a few years newer. I don't use the saw a lot but works for certain applications. I had trouble raising and lowering and found out the inside hub of the crank assembly (made out of plastic) was split and resultingly, the crank was just spinning around the hex head adjustment screw/bolt. So, I removed the crank and started using a rachet to raise and lower. When I get to it, I should break down the column assembly and lubricate it good as one of the previous posts. Then, I should order a replacement crank assembly.
This may/may not be your problem, but if the column isn't lubricated properly, you may end up where I'm at. Take care.

[Joe Scharle]

I've had to apply liquid wrench to the column and swing side to side on occasion.

[Bill Clifton]

Thanks guys - I proceeded on and as Art Kelley described I didn't find anything definate. The column had some light rust. I cleaned it up with steel wool and wd 40 and it is much better.

I really don't understand why I would be better off with a $100. I use this saw for cross cutting and the table saw for ripping. I don't have a chop saw. I was raised using a RAS.

Again, thanks for the input.

[Kevin Godshall]

Glad to get the tip on the recall. I have an older Sears RAS that is covered under this. Always glad to get something for free. Now I will prolly install it, and then find out I liked it better without.....

BTW... just where is that guard for my tablesaw.......???

[Brad Patch]

I thought you might like to get $100 for it. There was a safety recall on all Sears Radial Arm Saws. Sears/Emerson Electric will buy it back from you and pay shipping. They send you box, you put the motor and carriage and motor in the box. UPS picks up the box and they send you a check for $100. Easy money.

http://www.radialarmsawrecall.com/

Read the web site carefully, not all Emerson made Craftsman radial saws are eligible for the recall.

[Lee Schierer]

As I recall the owners manual says to apply some light lubricating oil around the top of the outer (lower) column periodically. This area also accumulates sawdust so it needs to be wiped off periodically.

[george scarlett]

Yeah, but if you actually want to KEEP the saw (I paid $569.00 for mine, 1996), this is not only worthless, but insulting as well, (IMHO). What happened to the "FREE" safety Guard upgrade kit that they, (Sears) are purportedly sending to the saw owners??????? Gb bg

[Tom M King]

I'm still using a 12" that I bought new in 1974. I put oil on the column every few years, and it goes up and down fairly easily. Another thing you might not know is the rollers that the motor slides in and out on have eccentric centers. You can play with rotating them, and get it to cut perfectly. I use mine only for precise 90 degree cuts, including tenon shoulders. I haven't touched those rollers for many years after spending probably an hour fiddling with them. With a good blade on, it still makes flawless, burn free, finished cuts.

[John Gustafson]

I had a similar issue with a Powerkraft RAS (At least Sears still exists) In my case, the saw was set up in my un-conditioned garage and was used sporadically. It had some issues but generally worked OK until it wouldn't crank up or down. Pulled the column assembly off and had it pressed out of the housing. Saw some markings on the column where the housing was but no obvious rust. Then looked at the housing (cast aluminum or some some alloy) and saw a thin film of corrosion. Aluminum when it corrodes expands so it closed up the gap enough to lock the column. My machinist friend honed it out enough to just clean it up. No further problems over the next 25 years, still works though parts are hard to impossible to come by.

[Jim Andrew]

I bought a new 10" Sears RAS in '76, used it for years, and if I remember right, paid 129$ for it. Still ran, although it had been moved into the machine shed, when I found out about the recall. Emailed them the numbers, they said it was the right model, and I sent the carriage with the motor on it in, got the box and a check for 100$. Must have used it for 30 years for 29$.

[Earl McLain]

After i sent my carriage in, i dismantled what was left. Got some great 3/8" brass bars, a pair of miter gears (perfect for a remote crank for my drill press table), assorted machine screws. Kind of cool stuff.
earl