Shawn Christ
07-01-2008, 12:20 AM
Hey Creekers. I haven't found much advice on this topic yet.
I inherited from my father-in-law last weekend a 10" radial arm saw. It's a 10-inch Craftsman model 113.29461 (1969, I believe). Seems this is a decent piece of 'old iron'. Yes, I know it's a space hog and unsafe, but hey, it was free and should prove useful.
I'm looking for your advice on setup. I have a smallish shop, roughly 14 x 17. I'd like to use the RAS for 90-degree crosscuts only, mostly dadoes in plywood for cabinets and furniture. Here are a few questions I have at this point:
Should I remove the RAS from the open metal base and build an enclosed plywood cabinet for additional storage?
I hope to have side supports to both the left and right of the machine. I am right-handed, which means board length will be more often to the left than right. How much overhang should I retain on the right?
How about dust collection? I'm limited to a shop vac for at least a few years. Should I bother?
Should I build a new tabletop or continue to use the particleboard top?
I plan to download the saw's manual soon for setup and safety instructions. But I'm curious, how difficult is it to adjust these machines for accuracy?
As always, your help is appreciated.
I inherited from my father-in-law last weekend a 10" radial arm saw. It's a 10-inch Craftsman model 113.29461 (1969, I believe). Seems this is a decent piece of 'old iron'. Yes, I know it's a space hog and unsafe, but hey, it was free and should prove useful.
I'm looking for your advice on setup. I have a smallish shop, roughly 14 x 17. I'd like to use the RAS for 90-degree crosscuts only, mostly dadoes in plywood for cabinets and furniture. Here are a few questions I have at this point:
Should I remove the RAS from the open metal base and build an enclosed plywood cabinet for additional storage?
I hope to have side supports to both the left and right of the machine. I am right-handed, which means board length will be more often to the left than right. How much overhang should I retain on the right?
How about dust collection? I'm limited to a shop vac for at least a few years. Should I bother?
Should I build a new tabletop or continue to use the particleboard top?
I plan to download the saw's manual soon for setup and safety instructions. But I'm curious, how difficult is it to adjust these machines for accuracy?
As always, your help is appreciated.