Score!!

[Kelly C. Hanna]

After buying three of these saws I have finally found one I will keep forever. I found a 1975 Craftsman RAS for $165 on Craigslist and it is in PERFECT shape....nothing wrong with it it all. All the settings are tight and true and the saw runs perfectly.

After many I have looked at the the other two I bought with problems I found later on, I knew what to check for and this one has no issues whatsoever.

Now to remodel the shop for my next big project....the RAS bench....13' long with room for the yet to come portable planer [stored underneath until needed] and a few other tools.

This will be a dedicated crosscut/dado unit....no ripping or anything else planned for it. I need a new negative hook blade for it though.

This saw will come in very handy for the new furniture venture I am going to start soon. Some rustic and some exotic lumber pieces. Mostly simple stuff at first, then on to bigger and better pieces as time goes by.

[Nick Clayton]

Kelly,

I've been looking for a RAS on Craigs list in the Boston area and they seem to be giving them away. Any pointers on what to look for to minimize buying a lemon?

[Bryan Cowing]

If you can find a 12" Craftsman, from the 70"s. Very good power and could cut 3.5" . Wish I never sold mine back in 77. When I got back into WW in the 80's, I bought a bottom feeder 10" sears crafsman. Sure lacked cutting power. Put up with it for 25 yrs and now just replaced it with a refurbished 12" Delta turrett 2 hp. Now this is a RAS!:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[Pete Simmons]

Check this out

http://www.radialarmsawrecall.com/


They sent me a new style blade guard and a new saw table free. They even pay the postage.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Nick,

First thing to check is the head. When the saw is locked in at 90* and 45* the head should not wiggle when pushed to one side or the other.

Next up is the carriage....make sure the rollers ride true up and down the rails. One of them I bought had bad rails and rollers...so bad that it would rock back and forth 1/16" from front to back of the rails....make a very strange looking cut in plywood.

Each of the settings should lock down nice and tight without play of any kind. Also check the arbor and make sure there's no wobble at low blade speeds...watch the blade as it spins down and make sure the blade is true the whole time right up until it stops.

One last thing....the motors in these Emerson saws is flawless and rarely ever has a problem, that said it should start up nicely and have a whispering sing to it when running. It won't sound like your TS at all. Anything other than that sound might indicate a problem somewhere internally.

These usually sell for $200-225 in this shape....anything under $200 is a deal!

Good luck and let us know what you find~!