Is this Dewalt a GWI?

[Greg Urwiller]

Just bought this for $75. From the picture I THINK it's a GWI model??? Seem right? Picking it up tomorrow. Greg

http://grandisland.craigslist.org/tls/2013460667.html

http://grandisland.craigslist.org/tls/2013460667.html

http://grandisland.craigslist.org/tls/2013460667.html

[david brum]

That looks just like my '57 MBF. You'll be able to tell for sure by reading the plate on the vertical column. There will also be a plate on the motor which will tell you date of manufacture, HP, etc. I just finished renovating and painting mine (it was uglier than yours). It works great but definitely different from my old sliding miter saw. I'm still climbing the learning curve. I love the quiet operation and incredibly efficient dust collection (it sends a stream of sawdust straight out the back, where it is easily contained with a dust shroud).

These are great saws and a bargain as well. There is a site specifically dedicated to renovating and using older DeWalt radial arm saws. Just google it. Tons of useful info there which will help you get it set up.

David

[Greg Urwiller]

Is an MBF only a 9" blade then?

[Ken Whitney]

Greg,

Looks like an MBF to me too.

GWI's often (though not always) have attached legs.

MBFs can use a 9-inch blade, but I use a WWI 8" in my 925 (successor to the MBF).

Ken

[ken carroll]

Looks like an MBF to me too.

There's one on CL near me for $75 also, if I didn't already have a 790 I'd buy it.

It's a very nice saw, you'll be happy with it.

[Greg Urwiller]

Yes, it is an MBF. Picked it up this afternoon after work. Decent overall shape, everything seems tight enough. Cords could probably be replaced, they're splitting at the grommets. Sounds decent, sure takes a long time to run down to a stop when you shut it off, compared to the newer ones w/brakes! Anyway I hope this didn't have a brake originally!! It's still in the pickup with a tarp over for the night, I'll unload it tomorrow. I've always been hoping for big, heavy, beast of a machine. But now that I see this one, I really like it. It should make a great built in saw in a long bench setup. A good blade and dado set and I think it will fit great. And if it doesn't work out, for only $75, I'm not out much. Greg

[david brum]

Hey Greg

I'm sure you'll like that saw. It's a really carefully crafted machine from an era before plastic. It takes a bit of effort to get the alignment right, but once done it will cut beautifully.

That saw will accept up to a 10" blade, although most seem to prefer the 8" WWI from Forrest. You have to call them to ask for the one made specifically for that saw.

If you want to know everything about that saw as well as all the cuts it's capable of, there is a book called "How to Master the Radial Saw" by Wally Kunkel. He was a marketing director and demonstrator for DeWalt in the '50s, then later ran a woodworking school (he recently passed away). He describes how to set your saw up and how to do the cuts which are unique to RASs. It's the gold standard for vintage DeWalt RAS set up. You can google the book title and read the first section of the book on his site.

Have fun with your new saw. It's a beaut.

David

[Don Jarvie]

Head to OWWM.org and .com for tons of info for the RAS. The .com site will have the manual.