"Hoped-for" Gloat -- 1956 DeWalt RAS

[Neil Brooks]

Left message. Sent e-mail.

Said, "I'll take it!"

Sight unseen.

Anybody have any thoughts about this one ?

Never owned or used an RAS, and ... could probably have lived my life without one, but .... I have a feeling about this, and ... it's winter (project time).

$100

http://images.craigslist.org/3me3p53l75V55U65P1b1e9f6149f1dbcb1539.jpg
http://images.craigslist.org/3n33m83o55Y05T25U6b1e43007476608f12d6.jpg
http://images.craigslist.org/3n93m73l15Z25U25P6b1e6853cc32f8b1154c.jpg
http://images.craigslist.org/3kd3od3pe5V55T05Z6b1ede91851d2a1a12f2.jpg

Grateful for any input !

Neil

[Matt Day]

How's this for input - you suck!

Great find - I'll give you $101 for it!

[Neil Brooks]

How's this for input - you suck!

In truth ... I couldn't have asked for better feedback than that :)

He called back. I got it. 10am, tomorrow morning, I squeeze it into the back of my Subaru, and then ... um ... I guess I go over to OWWM to figure out WHAT I bought, and HOW to fix it up !


Great find - I'll give you $101 for it!

I'm gonna' get back to you on that ;)

Even a blind pig finds an acorn, once in a while !

WOO-HOO ! IT'S A GLOAT!!

[the fact that the pictures aren't mine shouldn't detract at all, right ?]

[Aaron Berk]

Your RAS has the harder to adjust table leveling bars, like mine.

I think they are more sturdy than the angle pcs on newer models that bolt to the sides of the frame.

Good score, I'm a new owner of an old DeWalt as well.

Welcome to the club :cool:

[Trace Beard]

Looks like a GP model. They are the strongest of the round arm old dewalts. Nice score. Also, they were considered portable. Lol

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I'm just jealous.....just jealous..... Congrats!

[Paul McGaha]

Looks good Neal. Very Clean. You do suck.

PHM

[Gene Howe]

Hmmmm..... Some guy on another forum bought one just like this. He sucked, too. :-))

[Kim Gibbens]

Looks like a MBF to me.

[Neil Brooks]

MBF it is.

I'll tell ya .... sucking feels pret-ty darned good.

Never had an RAS before.

First leap into The World of Old Arn, too -- a leap I have WANTED to make !

I'm not sure how crazy I'll get in the tear-down and restore stuff, but .... I'm guessing ... we all thought that way ... once ;-)

If I do do a full tear-down/rebuild ... I'll take pics, and do a blog. Always LOVED it when others took ME along for that ride.

Thanks, all. Update pics when she's come Home to Papa :)

[Aaron Berk]

I'm excited to hear what you do with it.

I'd like to FULL resto mine, but I'm just doing the table and motor bearings.

Maybe next yr I'll do a full restoration.

Is yours the 9" blade?

[Cary Falk]

Nice looking saw. I want one but I don't have the room, don't really need one, and generally don't like them. If I were to get one, it would be an old DeWalt. They have class.

[david brum]

Neil

I recently restored a nearly identical MBF over the summer. Lots of fun and not terribly difficult because of the high quality level of the components.

I received lots of help from the Delphi Dewalt Radial Saw Forum. It is specifically dedicated to vintage AMF/Dewalt radial saws. These guys live and breathe old Dewalt and can answer most any question or help you find parts.

[Trace Beard]

Y'all are right, it's an MBF. Hard to tell on my iPhone. Still a nice saw and a nice score.

[Neil Brooks]

Aaron: I figure ... based on its age ... the bearings are a given. We'll have to see how much farther than that *I* go, too ;)

Specs say 9" blade. Already saw that Forrest and Freud make very good 9" blades. Heard I NEED to get a 0 rake blade ... to stop it from crawling. Good thought !

Cary: I couldn't have said it better, myself. I watch CL for *old iron cabinet saws,* but ... when opportunity knocks ....

David: got pics ? Did you blog the restore ?? GREAT lead. Thanks so much !

Trace: thanks much. On MY phone ... I can't tell if its an RAS, or pics of the kids at the zoo, so ... you were a LOT closer than I would have been :)

[Neil Brooks]

Just picked it up, and ... since ... wouldn't you know it -- it's a Creeker ... a shout out to say a big "Thanks" to him :)

Next stop. Accurate Bearings. Then ... more pics !

[Aaron Berk]

Sweet Gloat!

A cool tool and a Creeker visit ta boot!

[Myk Rian]

Here's mine. $100

Then
http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad222/MykRian/DeWalt%20MBF%20RAS/0409001404s.jpg

And now.
http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad222/MykRian/DeWalt%20MBF%20RAS/0423001517.jpg

You'll get better help at the Delphi RAS forums

[Neil Brooks]

Wow, Myk.

Wow :eek:

Just registered over there, this morning (after picking up the saw).

Also bought the Mr. Sawdust book, and found my way to Wolfe Machinery -- "The basics," from what I've heard so far.

You did a REALLY nice job on yours. Thanks for sharing !

[Don Jarvie]

Neil, thats a nice score. Judging from the pictures it doesn't look like it will need a complete overhaul, maybe bearings and a bit of clean up.

Look over at OWWM.com and get a copy of the manual. Then you can peruse the .org site and get more info on what others have done.

It will take a little getting used to, but I love my RAS. I have a Delta 900 and use it for 90 percent of my crosscuts. I still use my tablesaw occasionally.

[david brum]

Here are a couple of photos of my restored MBF. Mine is retrofitted with a bigger motor and yoke, thanks to a little help from my friends. I also mounted mine to a torsion box table in order to gain the space underneath. Works great so far and gives 48" of fence on either side of the cut.

These saws are really undiscovered jewels. I just sold my sliding miter saw, realizing that I won't be using it anymore. My RAS is so much quieter and cuts more cleanly.

Have fun!



http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa463/cycl/ras2.jpg

http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa463/cycl/ras1.jpg

http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa463/cycl/ras3.jpg

[Neil Brooks]

Thanks, Don ! I've already posted there, and have been browsing the wealth of knowledge that exists over there.

David : That is an ab-so-lute-ly beautiful restoration. I've bookmarked your pics. Just fantastic !!! Thanks for sharing !

[Neil Brooks]

If anybody's interested, I did a pretty thorough photo documentation of the "before," even though I'm not SURE I'll do anything more than replace bearings and clean it up.

Cosmetically, it actually looks REALLY good :)

http://picasaweb.google.com/neil0502/1956_DeWalt_MBF_Radial_Arm_Saw?feat=directlink

[John Bailey]

I had the MBF and think it's one great machine. Don't worry too much about getting a 9" blade. They work even better with the more common 8" blade. I've moved to a 10" GB model. It's more versatile because of the extra capacity, but I think the MBF was, probably, a more accurate machine.

You are going to love it.

John

[Neil Brooks]

I had the MBF and think it's one great machine. Don't worry too much about getting a 9" blade. They work even better with the more common 8" blade. I've moved to a 10" GB model. It's more versatile because of the extra capacity, but I think the MBF was, probably, a more accurate machine.

You are going to love it.


Thanks very much, John !

Did you post pics, anywhere -- either of the MBF or the GB ??

As to the blade ... consensus (if there ever IS one !) seems to be that the Super-Duper Top Secret 8" blade that Forrest makes, as a WWI ... is as good as it gets. Allegedly, it's called the TCP, and ... one must speak to Charles, directly, in order to gain access to it ;)

But ... first ... the Mr. Sawdust book.

I'd love to see pics, though. These resto's that you folks have done are awesome, and inspirational !

[david brum]

I don't know Neil. I bought the 8" TCP WWI and hated it. It made the saw self feed and stall like crazy, and didn't make the clean cuts I was expecting in plywood. Maybe I got a bad one? Anyway, I returned it to Forest and got a Chopmaster, which is what the guys at Forest recommend. They told me that the TCP blade was a marvel when it came out, but there is newer thinking and technology available now. The other, cheaper option is reportedly the Freud LU83. It's more of a combo blade and can be had for under $50. I think both blades are ATB + FT, so you get two sharply angled teeth to sever the fibers, then a flat tooth to clear the chips and eliminate "bat ears".

Maybe others have had better luck with the TCP design. There was a similar discussion in Sept or Oct where most guys were using the Chopmaster on their RASs.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?145254-Good-Radial-Arm-Saw-Blade&highlight=radial+arm+saw

[Neil Brooks]

I don't know Neil. I bought the 8" TCP WWI and hated it. It made the saw self feed and stall like crazy, and didn't make the clean cuts I was expecting in plywood. Maybe I got a bad one? Anyway, I returned it to Forest and got a Chopmaster, which is what the guys at Forest recommend. They told me that the TCP blade was a marvel when it came out, but there is newer thinking and technology available now. The other, cheaper option is reportedly the Freud LU83. It's more of a combo blade and can be had for under $50. I think both blades are ATB + FT, so you get two sharply angled teeth to sever the fibers, then a flat tooth to clear the chips and eliminate "bat ears".

Maybe others have had better luck with the TCP design. There was a similar discussion in Sept or Oct where most guys were using the Chopmaster on their RASs.

David,

The minute I hit the "post reply" button ... I found myself uttering ... "Oh, no. What have I done ?" ;)

I saw two Freuds that get high marks -- higher tooth count and lower tooth count (IIRC, something like 54t and 22t).

When I get to that stage, I'll do a little more homework. I like the notion of the Chopmaster, anyway, since I'm sure this thing will also knock my CMS out of use.

Thanks !

[david brum]

No prob Neil. Have fun with your project. I just found a shaper guard for mine, so looking forward to trying some unusual cuts. I've already made some cuts which I can't image how to do with any other saw. There is a great little video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUnZpUDvzgs
which initially intrigued me to get the saw.

[Mike Johnson]

You have a really terrific saw. For a book that will tell you how to make it perform better than you ever thought possible, google "Mister Sawdust" and buy the book called "Mastering the Radial Arm." I have been using the setup and adjustment guides in the book to improve my RAS and it has made a world of difference.

[Neil Brooks]

Thanks a bunch, Mike.

Before I picked UP the saw, I ordered the book. I've heard nothing but great things about it !

[Jim Davenport]

I just bought its twin brother yesterday. MBF release 221, 1956.