Need advice on restoring a radial arm saw

[Louis Brandt]

I’m in the process of restoring my 1960's Craftsman RAS, model 113.29401. I’m going to paint the cast iron and other metal portions black, with Rustoleum, but I can’t decide whether it should be flat black or gloss black. Does anyone have an idea of whether that Craftsman RAS, when it was new, would have had a gloss black or flat black finish? I suppose that you could say that it doesn’t matter, but I know that a lot of you like to restore old machines, and I’d like this one to be as close to the original finish as possible.
Louis

[Gary Lange]

I would use a Gloss Black on it as that would clean up better when the time comes. Here is a picture of the saw I think you mean 29410 not 29401 but I could be wrong. http://www.owwm.com/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=5130

[Louis Brandt]

Gary,
Thanks for sending me that photo. I had seen the photo some time ago, but I forgot where it was. My Craftsman RAS does have the number 113.29401 clearly stamped on the side, even though the person who wrote the article says that his has number 113.29410. I have never been able to figure out whether that number is a model number or a serial number. If it's a model number, it could be that the photo represents a slightly newer model than mine. If it's a serial number, then mine would have to have been built just nine machines before his.
Louis

[Russ Hauser]

I recently restored a Craftsmam RAS model No. 113.19771. it was painted a gloss charcoal gray. I couldn't find any of that color and wound up using Rustolium gloss black instead.

Russ

[David Klug]

I just looked at the RAS I bought in 1966. It has black 1 in. stripes on the top sides with ruler measurements on it. Never did figure out how to use them. It also has pin striipes going across the top. I've run a ton of lumber through it. I helped build pews and hymnal racks for the church It was my work horse for about 10 yrs. Then I bought a TS and nowI use it mainlly for crosscutting.

DK

[Peter M. Spirito]

I thought my 1973 Craftsman RAS was an Old-Timer. Recently I went to the Sears (Emerson Electric) parts site and purchased new bearings for the motor carriage. Now its as good as new.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=79034&d=1200026593