Jose Kilpatrick
08-26-2008, 9:47 PM
A few years back when I was trying to rebuild a tool collection, I was in search of a used table saw. I didn't have to look too much, I lucked out when I was speaking with a co-worker about what I Was looking for. She told me that her husband had some old saws in storage that she was interested in getting out of the way. She said that she had bought him a new table saw after countless complaints about 'the old one' that he was always using.
I made the trek over to the storage building where these 'old saws' were stored and met her husband there. They turned out to be a craftsman 10" contractors saw and a craftsman 10" digital radial arm saw. At this point we had not even discussed price because I wanted to see them first. They were both in decent condition, the table saw needed the top cleaned and the table on the RAS needed replacing. Apparently the digital readout on the RAS had not worked for years. I ended up scoring both of the saws for a mere $50. Though I was not interested in the RAS at that time, I couldn't pass it up for $25.
The RAS sat in the corner of the shop for a while before I had any desire to replace the top and get the thing in working order. After a bit of TLC and a squared up table top, I fell in love with the ability to do multiple cross cuts with ease and the ability to nibble away dadoes and rabbits.
Out of curiosity, I removed the electronics to see if they could be reconditioned and found out upon first inspection that the battery in the unit had corroded the contacts and after a mild cleaning and battery replacement, the digital guage fired up after reassembley.
I've read 101 opinions about RAS and their safety (or lack thereof) and have not had any real incidents to speak of. Ripping was tricky at first until I devised a clamping method to keep the stock against the fence and in full contact with the table. I found that if everything is aligned right and setup properly, the only way to back stock out of an aborted cut is to readjust the kickback device or raise the blade.
For the reson of this post:
I have had my eye on the accessory shaft, or auxillary spindle for quite a while, after some discussion with fellow carpenters and some reading in the manual, I realized that a 1/2" 20TC drill chuck could be fitted on the end.
After purchasing one, and the ease of which it was to attach, I began to fall in love all again with the ideas of what I could do with the Radial Arm Saw.
Now, my research took on a whole new level. I've been on a quest to find out what accessories are out there and how I Can use them.
A quick search on ebay revealed rotary surface planers, sanding drum attachments and shapers.
My first thought was to utilize the accessory attachment to use router bits to do over-arm routing. This would be a great addition to my tool arsenal since I don't have a dedicated router table at the moment. However, searching for data on utilising the RAS as a router only turned up a couple of items.
1. It can be used as an over arm router
2. The motor really isnt fast enough to be used as a router.
After speaking with some people on the subject, all I came up with is that
A. People have been known to use the RAS as a router.
B. They make great sanding stations.
So, I Guess my question is, does or has anyone here utilized the RAS in this fashion and are there any tips you can provide in my quest for utilizing my RAS saw in it's entirety. I have found the book and forum out there by Mr. Sawdust and am considering purchasing his material.
Thanks
I made the trek over to the storage building where these 'old saws' were stored and met her husband there. They turned out to be a craftsman 10" contractors saw and a craftsman 10" digital radial arm saw. At this point we had not even discussed price because I wanted to see them first. They were both in decent condition, the table saw needed the top cleaned and the table on the RAS needed replacing. Apparently the digital readout on the RAS had not worked for years. I ended up scoring both of the saws for a mere $50. Though I was not interested in the RAS at that time, I couldn't pass it up for $25.
The RAS sat in the corner of the shop for a while before I had any desire to replace the top and get the thing in working order. After a bit of TLC and a squared up table top, I fell in love with the ability to do multiple cross cuts with ease and the ability to nibble away dadoes and rabbits.
Out of curiosity, I removed the electronics to see if they could be reconditioned and found out upon first inspection that the battery in the unit had corroded the contacts and after a mild cleaning and battery replacement, the digital guage fired up after reassembley.
I've read 101 opinions about RAS and their safety (or lack thereof) and have not had any real incidents to speak of. Ripping was tricky at first until I devised a clamping method to keep the stock against the fence and in full contact with the table. I found that if everything is aligned right and setup properly, the only way to back stock out of an aborted cut is to readjust the kickback device or raise the blade.
For the reson of this post:
I have had my eye on the accessory shaft, or auxillary spindle for quite a while, after some discussion with fellow carpenters and some reading in the manual, I realized that a 1/2" 20TC drill chuck could be fitted on the end.
After purchasing one, and the ease of which it was to attach, I began to fall in love all again with the ideas of what I could do with the Radial Arm Saw.
Now, my research took on a whole new level. I've been on a quest to find out what accessories are out there and how I Can use them.
A quick search on ebay revealed rotary surface planers, sanding drum attachments and shapers.
My first thought was to utilize the accessory attachment to use router bits to do over-arm routing. This would be a great addition to my tool arsenal since I don't have a dedicated router table at the moment. However, searching for data on utilising the RAS as a router only turned up a couple of items.
1. It can be used as an over arm router
2. The motor really isnt fast enough to be used as a router.
After speaking with some people on the subject, all I came up with is that
A. People have been known to use the RAS as a router.
B. They make great sanding stations.
So, I Guess my question is, does or has anyone here utilized the RAS in this fashion and are there any tips you can provide in my quest for utilizing my RAS saw in it's entirety. I have found the book and forum out there by Mr. Sawdust and am considering purchasing his material.
Thanks