Radial arm saw arbor question

[Frank Castleberry]

I have an old Original Saw Company 3512 with a 5/8" arbor. I would like to use a Forrest Chopmaster 12" blade for the cross cut capacity but it requires a 1" arbor. I see that Freud has a "saw blade bushing" to mount 1" blades on 5/8" arbors. Has anyone used a blade busihing on a radial arm saw? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Charles McCracken]

I have an old Original Saw Company 3512 with a 5/8" arbor. I would like to use a Forrest Chopmaster 12" blade for the cross cut capacity but it requires a 1" arbor. I see that Freud has a "saw blade bushing" to mount 1" blades on 5/8" arbors. Has anyone used a blade busihing on a radial arm saw? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Frank,

Bushings are intended to adapt the bores to match non-standard arbors. In other words, if it's a 10" saw do not try to mount a 12" blade. However, if it's a 12" saw with a 5/8" arbor then using the BL71MEA9 Bushing is the way to go.

[Peter Quinn]

I am guessing you want to use the chop master vrs the WWI because its an 80TH vrs a 60TH? Forrest makes the WWI blade in a 12" 5/8" arbor format if that works for you. Original saw lists your saw as a 12" saw with a 1" arbor standard, so you are sure about the arbor size as 5/8"? Must be custom arbor size?

My guess is that the reducer bushing would be fine. We had a few 1" TS blades bushed down at work, no problem. Not to counter Charles from Freud but my search indicates that the bushing you would need from Freud is BL71MCE9 1" OD x 5/8" id Saw Blade Arbor Bushing.

Amana also makes a very good reducer bushing for saw blades if that is your preference, part number Amana BU-100. I think those are the ones I have used before.

Another consideration is contacting Forrest to get a custom chop master made in a 12" X 5/8" format or having them press in a permanent bushing on a stock blade.

[Frank Castleberry]

It's an older Type 1 model that had a 5/8" arbor. The newer versions do have a 1" arbor. You can replace the motor for $1000 but I just use it for cross cuts and dados. I will call Forrest and talk with them -- thanks for the suggestion.

[Tim Sgrazzutti]

When you call Forrest, ask for Charles Bazikian, and speak only to him. Great guy to deal with, and he's very knowledgeable about RAS blades. They can make you a 12" Chopmaster with a 5/8" hole, but they also make the WW1 with a triple chip profile and +5 degree hook specifically for RAS's. I have the WW1 TCP for my RAS's, and it's an excellent blade. The ATB teeth of the chopmaster are fine for a vertical crosscut with a RAS, but when you start to bevel the blade, and/or cut miters, the TCP blade is superior, IMHO.

Neither 12" blades with 5/8" arbors, or TCP grinds can be ordered from catalogs or online, you must call Forrest directly for them.

[Loren Hedahl]

My Delta 12 inch turret top RAS has a 5/8 inch shaft. Most of the time I use 10 inch or smaller blades.

However, occasionally I need the depth of cut that a 12 inch blade offers, so I have a 12 inch blade with an insert bushing to reduce the center hole to the arbor size of the RAS. It works fine and has never been a problem.