RAS Benchtop size and layout ??

[chris ormsby]

I am in the process of putting my grandfathers 1977 ras back into use. I will be using it in place of my chop saw. It has not had a top in it for some time so i need to make a new one from scratch. not sure exactly where to position the edge of the 'fence". (back edge of the table top). I don't want to waste any travel of the saw but want to be totally behind the fence when cross cutting i guess 2x dimensional lumber. The outboard mounting holes are easy enough to layout, but the other direction is my question. I looked but could not find anything on line regarding hole locations or overall dimensions. Thanks in advance. Chris

[Aaron Berk]

Your lacking a little bit of information here bud.

Brand of the RAS

Size of the RAS

My thought would be to retract the blade carriage to its full reward position, then place your 3/4" thick fence board just in front of the blade. Now butt the back edge of your table up to the front of the fence.

And that is your main table position.

The rest is a bit foggy, your back table and clamp board would be a slight trial and error.

Now pony up with some pics and info on the RAS your working with.

[Chip Lindley]

Generically speaking, most all RAS main tables are bolted to the levelling frame. The rear of the table must be adjusted at an exact 90 degrees to the blade. Then narrow pieces of the same table material (MDF, particle board, ply) are added behind the main table. The fence is sandwiched between two of the slim pieces at the exact distance you need to leave the blade behind fence. You need a fence 1.5" tall, above the table surface. The blade, when pushed back to it's travel limit toward the column, would not protrude past the 1.5" fence. The table piece behind the fence is snugged up with the table clamps, depending on make of saw, at rear or front of the table. Drawing you a picture would be worth 1000 of my words...

[chris ormsby]

sorry, floor model 10" craftsman. 18" max crosscut capacity. will post some pics.

[Jeff Bratt]

If your saw was covered by the recall - http://www.radialarmsawrecall.com/ - they could ship you a whole new blade guard plus table assembly...

Otherwise, the front of the fence (in it's "regular" position) is just about under the front of the blade when the carriage is in the fully retracted position. There are other possible positions for the fence (further back) when cutting thin stock or ripping wide pieces.

[Joshua O Lilburn]

Take a look at the Mr. Sawdust Book on radial arm saws. He has plans for a table top that has worked out well for me.

[John TenEyck]

I took a rather different approach when I rehabed a vintage Dewalt RAS. I essentially threw away the base and mounted the saw column on a welded steel frame which was bolted under a new built benchtop. The benchtop was supported on both sides of the saw by two cabinets. The benchtop extends 5 feet to the left of the blade and 4 feet to the right. I can cut really long boards without support problems. I made the back fence out of an aluminum extrusion, 1.5" square, in which rides an adjustable cut off stop. The fence is bolted to the benchtop, through over sized bolt holes that allowed me to square the fence to the blade. I positioned the fence far enough forward that I could put a 2" piece of stock against the fence w/o the blade hitting it. If I need to cut something thicker I put a spacer behind the stock to shift it forward. My primary goal was to have a saw that would cut perfect 90 deg angles in two planes, and it does beautifully. When I do have to make angled or mitered cuts I raise the blade and place an auxillary table on the benchtop, with a wooden fence. This gets the blade above the aluminum fence.