[woodnthings]

How far is the fence from the back? Did you dado the top to accept the fence or is it just screwed in from above?

I located the fence so the saw blade will be safely behind it when sliding a 1 1/2" thick piece along the fence for a cross cut. It is just screwed to the top, no dado, so I can move it if needed. It's actually an "L" shaped assembly of 2 pieces. I used 1 1/2" angle along the front and back of the base to support the added length to the left. I really like this system and use it fro almost all my 90 degree crosscuts. I use a 60 tooth thin kerf Freud Diablo blade designed for miter and radial saws with negative or low angle hook to the teeth.

 

[dodgeboy77]

NetDoc,

I don't think you said what kind of saw you got. If it's a 10" Craftsman, depending on the model, it may be subject to a recall campaign. If so, Sears will send you a new table top and guard for free (or send you $100 to junk the saw).

If that's not the case, in addition to the excellent advice you already got, do a web search for a "Mr. Sawdust' table plans by Wally Kunkel. He used two layers of MDF with metal bracing glued between. A dead flat table is critical to accurate cuts on a RAS.

Bill

 

[jharris2]

...Did you dado the top to accept the fence or is it just screwed in from above?

The fence is two pieces of 1x screwed into the top.

Be sure to leave a substantial gap in the screws to either side of the blade.

 

[NetDoc]

Great info. Yeah, I stumbled upon that recall and ordered whatever they are sending me. Does it really include the table? I got it from here: http://radialarmsawrecall.com/

 

[NetDoc]

You have a big place as compared to my one car garage with a lot of stuff stored in it and some woodworking tools.
I am finishing up a miter saw station and so far, it has worked out great. I put the Kreg precision measuring system on it.

I still have to finish up the cabinets and put the drawer fronts on.

Here are a few pics.

That's beautiful. I see that it's on castors. Can you lock it down so it doesn't move?

 

[NetDoc]

On reading the recall notice from Emerson, it only includes the guard. http://radialarmsawrecall.com/#pressrelease

 

[woodnthings]

they may have changed policy

On reading the recall notice from Emerson, it only includes the guard. http://radialarmsawrecall.com/#pressrelease

I did the recall thing at least 2 times and got the new tables both times as well as the guards. Shipping that heavy particle board may be the issue, I donno?

Here's the official site: http://www.radialarmsawrecall.com/

 

[MT Stringer]

That's beautiful. I see that it's on castors. Can you lock it down so it doesn't move?

Yes sir. It is nice and sturdy.

 

[NetDoc]

I did the recall thing at least 2 times and got the new tables both times as well as the guards. Shipping that heavy particle board may be the issue, I donno?

Well, they don't state that they include it, but every reference I have seen says that they do. Let's hope it's so!

Yes sir. It is nice and sturdy.

So, what's the mechanism entail? Is it a simple castor lock or do they retract somehow?

 

[MT Stringer]

@netdoc...just simple casters with brakes on 4 of the eight wheels.

I built two cabinets and then built a version of the Ron Paulk miter saw station. Then I bolted the three pieces together. The casters make it easy to move around so I can get behind it if necessary. Next up is to route the piping so my miter saw, and a couple of sanders can be hooked up to the shop vac/dust deputy.

Note: The Kreg measuring trak really makes it easy and quick to make repeated cuts without measuring each board or setting up a manual stop block. When I am building one of my coolers, I need several sizes and the flip stop top blocks an the fixed production stop allow me to set up the lengths needed and then I simply choose which one that is needed as I cut then from a board. That lets me quickly use the good parts of the boards and cut out the bad pieces thereby maximizing the wood by using the various lengths available with the stops.

Hope this helps.
Mike

 

[NetDoc]

Ok, I will have to do more than just add a table to make this saw work. The mechanism to make it go up and down is not functioning. On disassembly, I was able to determine why:

 

[NetDoc]

All the parts are soaking or in the vibratory cleaner right now. I'm about finished with lunch, so I am going back downstairs to rinse off the soaked pieces and dry them off with compressed air. The stuff going through the vibratory cleaner will be taken out in the morning. I was very happy that I was able to break the raising screw loose. I wire brushed it on the bench grinder and will be doing the same for the shaft that goes forward to the crank as well as the cylinder that moves up and down. The bevel gears look to be in great shape, so I should be OK when it's all cleaned up.

I have to make a decision at some point. Do I raise the radial arm saw or lower the chop saw? I really, really like the chop saw on top of that cabinet. It's been there for years, and the steel legs for the RAS are missing the levelers and two of them are missing the plate to even put the levelers into. My initial thought is to build a base that raises it and that gives me some of the functionality as MT Stringer's set up.

 

[NetDoc]

BTW, I am thinking about using a moly grease or an anti-seize like coppa-slip for the raising screw. There were no woodchips down the tube that protects it, so I don't think I have to worry about accumulating crud. Most of the other sliding parts will be getting a coat of the teflon spray we use on Scuba Gear: Sail-kote. Anyone see any problems with that?

 

[MT Stringer]

That looks like a job for a Ford mechanic! :icon_smile:

Just kidding of course.

 

[MT Stringer]

@NetDoc - I now have my router table attached to the left end of the miter saw station. Wow what a pleasure it is to be working at a raised height...no more bending over to operate the router. And that gives me an additional 32 inches for boards to rest on when using the miter saw.

 

[MT Stringer]

Here is the router table setup. I used some metal angle fro HD to make a bracket so I can remove it if needed.

I just mounted the start/stop switch. It was on clearance at Lowe's for less that $4. I couldn't pass it up. And it has two places to plug in tools so you can start you router and the shop vac with the paddle switch. The only drawback I see with the switch is it is made to be bolted to the thin metal leg of the Kreg router table stand. Fortunately, I had a piece of aluminum angle that fit just right. Four holes later and it was a done deal.

Note: The pull out tray is for my air compressor which is being used in the back yard today.

 

[NetDoc]

That looks like a job for a Ford mechanic!

Thirty years in automotive come in handy. I found myself stamping the caps so I can get them back in the same order. Probably overkill since there are no revolutions involved, but you can't be too careful. Shining up the pole is taking a lot of effort, but you guys already knew that. fortunately, it seems to be cleaning up down to the metal fairly nicely. I'm sure I'll have a stain or two, but maybe not. I just cant afford to reduce that diameter or I'll introduce slop.

I did a few other projects today in the shop. Made a couple of holders out of oak for my t-handle hex wrenches.

 

[MT Stringer]

I have no doubt that it will look good and operate like a new one when you get finished.

 

[Pirate]

NetDoc.
Imho you would be far ahead of the game if you trashed that ras. I've had quite a few CM ras's and I rate that model at the bottom. The best ones were made in the 60's and 70's. It's a shame the 60's and 70's models are some of the ones they don't make a recall kit for, and give people $100 to send the motor in. They are well worth keeping, without the extra safety guard, but many are being trashed for the $100 recall.

If you find one that has a motor that looks like this, it's one of the best ones. Btw, the motor has a flat bottom, with a threaded holes, and is perfect to attach a router to the end opposite the blade.

 

[NetDoc]

Well, I've got a lot of sweat equity in this one so far and I'm not even sure I'll like a RAS. I'll finish this one up and see what comes up. For $20 and a third of a tank of gas, I got this and a generator. The one thing I really don't understand is how people on Craigslist say something is "perfect" and it's covered in rust. That wasn't the case here, but most of the saws people wanted money for were just in horrible condition. When I lived in a small house I had my tools stored in a warehouse. Sure enough, they all had a light coating of rust. You would be hard pressed to find a rusty tool in my shop after a month out of storage. Yeah, there is one drawer of "crap tools" that have some rust on them. These are my beater, open to be modified tools. That's one reason I put in AC in the Grotto: to keep rust at bay.