Radial Arm Saw usage

All,

I've owned my 1970's vintage Craftsman radial arm saw for about six years now, injury free (other than splinters, and whacking my elbow once on the blade when adjusting it :). The table top (not original) is designed such that you push the blade forward:

blade --> material --> fence --> supporting post

The blade spins clockwise as you face the blade from the left side, so the wood is pushed into the fence by both the forward motion of the saw and spin of the blade. Any sort of kickback will result in either the board being pushed harder into a 2" thick fence or the radial arm saw pushed back along the rail toward me (no danger since I keep my hands well away from the plane of rotation).

Today I looked at a better radial arm saw that had a different setup, where the blade is pulled backward:

material

Reply to
Michael White
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| I've owned my 1970's vintage Craftsman radial arm saw for about six | years now, injury free (other than splinters, and whacking my elbow | once on the blade when adjusting it :). The table top (not | original) is designed such that you push the blade forward: | | blade --> material --> fence --> supporting post

This is the way I've used my ToolKraft RAS since 1972 (without injury). You can follow the link below to see my table setup.

-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA

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Reply to
Morris Dovey

Pulling encourages self-feeding and climbing in the saw itself.

Pushing allows lifting of the material as the saw makes contact.

The first will get the saw out of adjustment if it's severe, second won't. Against this, the kickback protection is sometimes unusable.

Reply to
George

I guess I'm unclear how the design of the table affects whether you push or pull the blade. In any event, the proper use of the RAS, at least according to the instructions that came with mine (1972 Craftsman), and the supplemental aftermarket book I have, as well as Wally Kunkel's book (How to Master the Radial Saw, which you must have) is that the carriage (motor/blade/guard assembly) remains back by the column while you position the work, set stops, etc., and then you pull the carriage toward you, through the work. When you complete the cut, you push the carriage back against the stop near the column.

Starting with the carriage out beyond the work, even with the motor off, requires you to have to work around the assembly to position the work, set stops, etc. Even if it weren't dangerous (which it shouldn't be with the saw off), it's decidedly inconvenient.

Note that every safety conscious piece of writing I've seen concerning working around power tools advises to unplug the tool when changing bits, blades, adjustments, etc. Having that big chunk of motor/blade sitting in the middle of your setup area while plugged in seems utterly counter to that safety protocol.

Yes, RAS work is climb cutting. No, it's not particularly dangerous. Yes, there is a technique to develop of simultaneously pulling the carriage while resisting the push of the carriage with the same set of muscles. No, I can't describe it any better than that.

I fear that your idea of technique has evolved from what I see commonly done with sliding compound miter saws (SCMS) wherein they position the work, pull out the carriage, plunge the carriage down into the work, and push it forward to make the cut. It makes me gag whenever I see it because it's counter to how a RAS is operated. But at least it's justifiable because the carriage can be brought out OVER the work before plunging into it, unlike a RAS which has a relatively zero vertical component of carriage travel (I say relatively, because, of course, the arm can be raised and lowered, but that's a setup function, not an operational function).

Reply to
LRod

Yep, you've got the fence misplaced relative to the carriage--

When the carriage is in the furthest position towards the rear (post) the blade should be the fence.

A RAS is designed to be used for cross-cutting in a "climb-cutting" fashion, not pushed. For ripping, of course, one rotates the head and adjusts the blade guard with its integral hold down to feed material into the blade from the front, the rear.

It takes some practice to get used to operating a RAS smoothly, but it does become second nature w/ practice. Here's a case where size matter--the less under-powered the saw, the less the type/size of the cut piece affects the tendency of the saw to either bog down or "grab"...

Reply to
Duane Bozarth

I agree with everything LRod said. One thing worth adding is that a blade with a negative hook (mine is -5 degrees, I think) substantially reduces the climb cut phenomenon. Since I installed mine, I am MUCH more comfortable using my RAS.

-John

Reply to
John Girouard

And it can be minimized by a blade with the correct tooth geometry.

Reply to
dadiOH

================= Ghee..

I am in my 60's and have owned a RAS since the mid 60's and honestly I always pull the blade thru the lumber .... Maybe I have been doing it wrong for almost 40 years....oh well it always worked just fine...

Post...> Blade >...fence..> Material..> ME !

Bob G.

Reply to
Bob G.

Thanks for all the input. Seems like most (but not all) people think I've got my fence wrong. I may try moving the fence to the other side of the saw to see what sort of results I get.

Reply to
Michael White

Why would you have to move the fence (couldn't anyway)? Your fence isn't wrong, you are using the saw wrong...start cuts with the saw

*behind* the fence (post side).

-- dadiOH ____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06... ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at

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Reply to
dadiOH

I'd like to see a photo of how you have this saw set up. Can you post one?

Reply to
Rumpty

Well, if his RAS is anything like mine, you can swap the location of the fence and an ~4 inch strip of the table, effectively moving the fence 4" further back than 'normal'. In such a scenario, there is no room to place your stock when the carriage is all the way towards the post. I believe the intended purpose of the fence swap is to extend the width of the widest rip that your RAS can do, and it involves swiveling the motor 180 degrees from its normal rip position when looking at it from above (in rip vs. out rip, though I'm not sure which is which).

To clarify, when crosscutting the fence should be as close to the operator / fixed front table as possible.

-John

Reply to
John Girouard

John you are correct. Many times a previous owner doesn't know why there is a need for a back board, nor do they understand the correct operation of the RAS and the make a replacement table wrong. You need a back board behind the fence for various cuts, rips and safe operation.

Reply to
Rumpty

In rip=sawblade is "inside" the motor with respect to the column Out rip=sawblade is "outside" the motor with respect to the column.

You referred to one as "normal" but I don't believe one is preferred over the other except insofar as rip capacity is concerned. If you need to rip a 4x8 sheet in half, then outrip (and fence at the rear position) is your *only* choice, making it "normal."

Similarly, if you're ripping 2" wide pieces, then outrip is contraindicated regardless of where the fence is; inrip is the only way to do it, and is thus arguably "normal."

As I reflect on it, save for the two special circumstances cite above (both of which relate to capacity) I think I'm fully ambidextrous with regard to inrip vs outrip. I think I'm equally balanced in swinging the motor--in other words, I don't have a "normal" position I use.

Reply to
LRod

You bring up some good points, as usual. Reading your reply also made me realize that in-rip and out-rip configurations can be completely independent of the fence position, though I certainly implied differently in my earlier response. Thanks!

-John

Reply to
John Girouard

dadiOH ( snipped-for-privacy@wherever.com) wrote on Tuesday 16 August 2005 08:57 am:

support post. I can barely get the front of the blade past the fence. The table is a pair of 4'x 2', 3/4" plywood pieces glued together back to back. Perhaps I need to plop a couple of photos out there on a web site to clear things up, as Rumpty suggested.

Thanks.

Reply to
Michael White

Here it is:

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Reply to
Michael White

probably should be to try to squeeze a little more capacity out of it. this doesn't mean it's proper to cut from the outboard position. looks to me like it's time to make a new table...

Reply to
bridger

This is the typical setup:

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with the saw resting behind the fence.

Dave

Reply to
David Bridgeman

Countertop maker?

It's a sheetgoods specialist of some sort.

Reply to
George

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