Radial Arm Saw

[Louis Rucci]

I like a opinion on this RAS I found in Caraigs List.
http://orlando.craigslist.org/tls/597708748.html

The label says Black & Decker, but being advertised as a 1969 Dewalt.

Additionally, how good were these RAS's of this period.

Any advise is most appreciated.

Thanks.

[Greg Hines, MD]

I like a opinion on this RAS I found in Caraigs List.
http://orlando.craigslist.org/tls/597708748.html

The label says Black & Decker, but being advertised as a 1969 Dewalt.

Additionally, how good were these RAS's of this period.

Any advise is most appreciated.

Thanks.



I am sure that others will pipe in on this, but generally, radial arm saws became poor in the late 70's and 80's, so yours is probably a good buy. However, if the owner does not know which saw he is selling, who makes it, etc, he may have the decade of manufacture wrong too. Look at it and see.

Doc

[Richard Gonzalez]

That is a DeWalt saw (looks like a 7740), built after they were bought by Black and Decker. If you want specific advice about this saw, try the very active Dewalt Radial Arm Saw forums http://forums.delphiforums.com/woodbutcher/start. A "Mr. Sawdust" table is based on the book by Wally Kunkel available at http://www.mrsawdust.com/ that is considered the RAS Bible by those on the forum.

[Shawn Honeychurch]

I have this exact saw, though the one in the pics is in better shape and I love it. Very accurate, powerful and quite quiet. I have done some based rebuilding/cleanup on mine, but next winter will be a complete rebuild as the hear/turret unit has a bit of slop in it.

I would grab it if I needed it. ;)

[Roger Lance]

Louis...I have a DeWalt 7740 RAS that I bought new around 1975 which I used to build my house...it was very handy in building the trusses with all of their angled cuts...I still use the saw in my shop as a rough cross cut tool and a dado option tool...and there is the occasional situation where I'll use it to make compound angled cuts...it is a "good" tool...not "great" tool...its is better IMHO than the 10" Delta or any Craftsman...it is not as good as the 12" Delta and up or the bigger/older DeWalts...it does hold its settings and I don't have to fuss with it...that is not a big hp motor, so you have to treat it a little respectfully and not force it when cutting 8/4 maple etc...where I to sell it, I'd be talking about the DeWalt name and downplaying the Black&Decker aspect also (can't blame the guy for that)...mine has black handles where this one has orange but it appears very similar...the 7790 saw was a 12" I believe and is more prized...the price is more than I paid for new but that's up to you

[Charlie Velasquez]

I agree. That sure looks like a 7740. If so, $450 is kind of steep. You can buy those on ebay almost any week for $150 or less. However, a Mr. Sawdust table, the pictures, and his text about the adjustments leads me to believe that this was a RAS knowledgeable person.

If you buy it, the last $300 is paying for the table and short shipping expense. After transporting this saw home you will need to readjust anyway.

Personally, I would hold out for a "humpback" Dewalt.

[Dan O'Connor]

Even the best round arm earlier dewalts shoudn't cost you more than 200. Pass on this.

[Roger Lance]

Just a comment on the price issue...I would not sell my saw for $450...it is worth more to me than that...it may not be worth that to you...but I know that I have a competent tool...I know what it can and cannot do...what would I do with the $450?...buy a CSMS?...which I know cannot be used to make dados...the Delta 10" RAS, last I looked, was selling new for over $700 - $800 or more and is not IMHO as good a tool and the Delta 12" ( a better tool) is selling well north of $1500...so this guy on CL may have a tool that he really could keep and use and has little need to be rid of...thus the asking price...you could tell him $150, but I think that will hold little interest for him.

[Rick Potter]

Another comment on the price. I had a 10" DeWalt (1982?) that I was pretty happy with. I had inquired about the 12" turret Delta at my local tool store, and a few months later the owner called, and told me he had a buyer for my DeWalt if I was still interested in the Delta. He gave me $600 for my saw, and sold it for $750 to someone else. I bought the 12" Delta from him, and spent a lot of time setting it up, but never could make it fit where I wanted it (long story).

Well, I called him back, and since I hadn't used it he took it back and sold me one of the new Delta 10" saws. I hated it too. It was hard to change blades, since the guards were so safe you could hardly remove them. It also was not made for a dado set. I kept it a couple years, and sold it to a private party, since I had found a humpback DeWalt for $200. Hard to believe, but I didn't like that one either, and it had a new motor. Sold it.

A friend had a 12" DeWalt just like the one I started with, except bigger. He had bought it new in 1982, and used it sparingly for a year, then it sat in his garage for the next 15 years or so. He complained that it wouldn't hold a setting, and was innacurate. I paid him $300 for it and took it home.

Turned out every adjusting bolt on the saw was just finger tight. I adjusted it, made a nice new table top and have been using it for about 7 years now. It never has gone out of adjustment yet. Even after moving, I just tapped the arm a bit and it is perfect.

It has dado capability, I have never bogged it down, and I can crosscut 16 1/4" with it.

I would have saved a lot of time and money, if I had just kept the first one.

Rick Potter

[Louis Rucci]

Thanks Guys,
That's why I love this forum.

I'e taken your advise in consideration and will apss on it.

To be honest, I've been looking at the "Original Saw' and rebuit DeWalts, but they're in the $3000 range, and is why I wasnted your input on this one.

I'll keep looking.

BTW I'm in Jacksonville, Fl and if anyone here's about a good deal, pls let me know.

Many thanks again