That saw was my first woodworking machine and like many others I had trouble keeping it aligned because of the way the positive stops are designed and the stamped sheet metal construction. I took advantage of the recall when new guards were still being offered but found it awkward to use and gave the saw to a friend.

I've since rebuilt a number of older cast iron DeWalt RAS and can attest that they are much more accurate and hold their alignment. In my area you can find older 1950's round arm 9" saws for $20 to $150 that would be perfect for what you have in mind. Larger 10" round arm saws go for $75 to $400 depending on condition, Square arm 10" and 12" cast iron saws from the 60's go for $20 to $200 depending on condition and come with better motors but the castings are softer. Most of the new motors also have brakes.

Bottom line, if you're going to spend the time to restore and tune up a radial arm saw, look for an older DeWalt. You won't be disappointed. Also check out the Delphi DeWalt Radial Arm Saw forum for sound advice from guys that have used these saws for years. As for the hook angle on a RAS blade, the acceptable range from respected authors on the subject is -5 to +15 degrees. I agree with forum users that the best overall blade is the 60 tooth Forrest WW1 blade with a TCG grind. This blade is +5 degrees. Next best for all round use is the 50 tooth Freud LU83R. This is a thin kerf blade with a +10 hook.

Regardless of which saw you keep, buy a copy of Jon Eakes book Fine Tuning a Radial Arm Saw from his website. His book covers how to tune several different radial arm saws including your Craftsman.