Dewalt Radial Arm Saw

[lowell holmes]

Are they made anymore? I have one, I mounted on a drawer base on coasters.
I do not use it much.
I attached hinges and have 1x12x36" arms on the hinges. It is about 96" on the arms when they are up.

[Alan Schwabacher]

Original Saw Company bought the rights and still sells radial arm saws based on the Dewalt design. https://originalsaw.com/products/

[lowell holmes]

Wow, I think the value of mine just went up.

Hey guys, keep your eyes open, if you run into one, you might want to consider it.

[Matt Day]

Somehow I doubt your saw is in the class of the ones of OSC. Those are the beasts that get abused at Home Depot and keep on ticking. My Delta 12” turret pales in comparison.

[ray grundhoefer]

Older dewalt radial arm saws typically sell for cheap money . 50-250 dollars maybe depending on saw and how badly someone wants it . Which is good for those of us that like them

[Stephen Rosenthal]

I’ve got 4, 3 Dewalts and an OSC that I recently purchased at a used tool auction for $50. Yes I have a RAS problem. The 3 Dewalts are set up for dedicated ripping (790), dadoing (MB), crosscutting (GE). The OSC is 3 phase, which I don’t have, but couldn’t pass it up at $50 (I was the only bidder). It’s in near mint condition (even came with some blades) and someday I might get a VFD for it. Right now it’s being stored in the barn. The 3 Dewalts are set up along one wall of my shop, a la Frank Howarth. I had an older Craftsman table saw with an excellent Vega fence but sold it as I feel that, with the exception of SawStop, they’re the most dangerous tool in the shop. Always felt nervous using it and it was taking up an awful lot of space. On the rare occasions when I need to break down sheet goods I use my Skilsaw or PC trim saw with an edge guide. One thing I don’t understand is how the RAS developed a reputation as an unsafe tool. Finely tuned and with the proper blades they’re extremely safe.

[Charlie Velasquez]

.... One thing I don’t understand is how the RAS developed a reputation as an unsafe tool. Finely tuned and with the proper blades they’re extremely safe.

Your last sentence explains it all.

The RAS has been my main tool for decades. Thousands of hours on them. With that background, I have often been asked by others to help troubleshoot their machines. Invariably it has been poor set-up or the wrong blade.

The RAS yoke is adjustable in two planes... three planes... infinite planes.... I am not even sure how to describe it... perpendicular to the fence, parallel to the fence, perpendicular to the fence while perpendicular to the table, perpendicular to the fence while oblique to the table, parallel to the fence while oblique to the table... and the arm/column is adjustable in two planes so take all the those other aspects and compound it.
There are a multitude of adjustments that need to be made to be properly tuned. Deficiencies in any of them can affect the saw’s effectiveness and safety. Most of the people I have helped didn’t even really know you could make that many adjustments- just put in a blade and cut.
And the blades I have seen; a 10” 20 tooth ripping blade, cause that is what they wanted to do, -rip.

Without a doubt, the worst tuned RAS I worked on was the one in our high school’s industrial arts shop. The instructor had zero experience with a RAS. Said he told his students a RAS was only good for rough framing on construction sites (as if a framing carpenter would have accepted those cuts). When I was finished it could crosscut a 12” board within a few thou of 90° or 45°, dado consistent depths, and rip and bevel accurately.

And knowing how to use it. A friend needed to cut a couple of boards; he had watched me rip on my RAS. He asked if he could stop by and make a couple of cuts. Told him I would be home about 6:00. Said not to worry, it was just two cuts, he could stop by and get done in a couple minutes, wouldn’t even know he had been there. Said he knew all the safety steps I used: blade guard lowered to act as hold down, additional feather board on the fence as hold down, kick-back pawls dragging on the wood just a little, feather board on the table in front of the blade to keep the stock tight to the fence, and use my 16” pushboard to feed the stock through the blade. I said ok....... I get a call from him and he tells me there is a dent in my garage door.
-He had fed the board through in the direction of the blade rotation, making it similar to a climb cut on a router. It grabbed the board and shot it across the garage.

There is a lot to understand with a RAS. Many did not take the time to do that.

[lowell holmes]

I agree completely.

[ray grundhoefer]

i also have used them for years. bought my first one when I was a teenager. Cheap craftsman but I built a lot of nice furniture with it. Now 35 years later I have 2 dewalts a 925 and a GW1 . They are no more dangerous than any other tool if used correctly. Gave my brother the craftsman for building decks

[Rob Charles]

I also use my 16" Dewalt almost daily. Interestingly, it is the saw I give most respect to (probably because of its' size) & is amount the most useful.

[Myk Rian]

It's the most accurate saw I own.

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[Matt Day]

Myk, you clearly have no idea how to adjust that saw. You must have terrible tearout and cut quality setup like that! ;-)

[Myk Rian]

Myk, you clearly have no idea how to adjust that saw. You must have terrible tearout and cut quality setup like that! ;-)

Yeah. It tends to make a trough instead of a clean cut.

[Charlie Velasquez]

It's the most accurate saw I own.

0423001517.jpg

Wow! I would be afraid to use that, I might get it dirty. I would end up putting in my living room. Outstanding restoration.