Can anyone please help me with tests to determine if my radial arm saw is set correctly? It's an early 70's model Craftsman that I've inherited from my dad, I have the original manual and have replaced the table and fence. I think I set it up OK, but would like some advice.
Thanks!!!
If you have the manual, the adjustments are explained in it fairly well (IIRC) I have not read it in twenty years. If you have a good square framing square you can replace the blade with the wrench and then set the square's short leg against the fence and run the saw carriage out with the wrench sliding against the long blade of the square. Watch the gap, you will be able to see any major deviations. That is the best that a craftsmen is expected to be.
Take a 2x6 and make a test cut, leaving the carriage out so that you only move the blade past the wood one time. Turn the switch off and after the blade has quit turning remove the wood and return the carriage.
Check the cut for square and any of the major adjustments will be obvious. The three major adjustments will be squareness of the arm to the fence, vertical angle of the blade, and skew of the blade. If there are teeth marks at the back of the cut, the motor is skewed and needs to be adjusted. There should be adjustments on the motor mounts.
By skew, I mean that the blade is slightly rotated from the line that the blade travels as you pull the carriage out on the cut. The blade should line up exactly with the travel line of the carriage.
The other adjustment is to check that the table is level with the arm . Those adjustments should be obvious.
I never rotate the arm on my old BD/Dewalt saw (was my dad's, rip). If I want an angle cut, I have a big 30/60 degree and 45 degree triangles. I will tack strips down on the table at the angle I want and use them a secondary fence.
Fitted with a 10" 40 tooth carbide blade designed for radial arm saws, my adjusted saw makes consistently perfectly square cuts in all planes. I check the saw before each use and make sure it has not been knocked out of square. If you want to enjoy the use of the saw, it is pretty important to use a proper blade. It will not jamb up on you as often.
Keep your hands on the work away from the cutting area and your other hand on the handle and you should be safe. If you need to flatten a piece of wood as you cut it, make some sort of hold down. I have a 2x2 board anchored behind the saw with one bolt. I can swing that sucker over and hold the wood in place without ever approaching the travel line of the blade.
Enjoy! :-)
Check out Jon Eake's Fine Tuning your Radial Arm Saw, at your local library. It can also be downloaded.
correctly?
I to have a 70's vintage craftman Radial, bought it new, all i use it for now is cross cutting, it was allways hard to keep the swing indexing true but a solid unit. Just follow the manual from the beginning to set up OK!
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