Radial Arm Saw User’s Advice?

[Ron H]

I posted a thread on this back in 2019 and given my issue now, thought I’d post a new one. I have a Craftsman 10” saw that’s maybe 45 years old, it’s the model that was issued a recall to obtain upgraded guarding and later, a small payment if you disabled the machine, no longer providing replacement parts.

I rebuilt the guarding for it and has worked well the past few years. Here’s the hassle: I’ve been unable to get a level cut. I had gone through the adjustments and seemed as though I passed, but nope. The table is square, fence square, blade square. Unlevel cut remains; farther travel drops the blade cut.

The arm, far as I’ve checked it so far, isn’t showing level. Yet, there’s nothing about leveling it other than ensuring the column and all screws are tight sifting through all I could find on adjusting these saws. Bought it in 2019 and it had sat for years unused. Don’t know if the arm might have been smacked at one time. Nothing appears damaged. All I can think of is maybe shimming the column post with washers once I figure out what thickness they would need to be.

Yet, after a long search, can’t find anything like this being done or recommended as an adjustment. If anyone has run into something like this finding a fix, would greatly appreciate hearing. Thanks much!

 

[Moms68]

Honestly, radial arm saws are relatively inexpensive to find on Facebook Marketplace. I'd look for a nice old Dewalt (the green ones) and you'll have a good quality machine. People are basically giving them away.

Not to dis your Craftsman, but they were a homeowner quality machine and not that accurate.

 

[Ron H]

Honestly, radial arm saws are relatively inexpensive to find on Facebook Marketplace. I'd look for a nice old Dewalt (the green ones) and you'll have a good quality machine. People are basically giving them away.

Not to dis your Craftsman, but they were a homeowner quality machine and not that accurate.

Thanks. Well, this old sucker has a lot of girth for what I’d ever need, and don’t use it that often. What surprises me is zilch to be read about an unlevel ARM. 12 - ½” bolts for the cast-iron collar surrounding the post tower, yet two of the four base bolts it rests on are rather light gauge brackets, MO. All sorts of info about table and blade adjustments I’ve done. Carriage bearings in good condition.
Could be I’m overlooking something about an adjustment.

 

[Detective D]

Sorry to say Ron, but 30+ years ago when I was in school yet those saws were seen as "old news" and not accurate, and generally "cursed at" by carpenters and even my Junior High shop teacher. Basically all of them. It's why almost everyone went to the miter saws, then the BIG miter saws, and nowdays the miter saws with fancy guide rails so they basically act like an old radial arm.
in my shop teacher's own words: Those were a good idea that didn't work. I can do better setting up my regular circular saw and doing it by hand, those things don't cut straight(as he pointed at the big radial arm)
The flatwork cutting side of things (for large pieces) went to the scroll saws and band saws. People just moved away from the old radial arms after a couple decades of frustrations. Probably why yours sat unused for so long.

Maybe someone has a method to patch them up nice. Personally I wrote them off like many others long ago as one of those rare things where an old tool is actually not built better than new ones and there is no good way to repair them.
You could probably rebuild the entire arm/mount yourself out of heavy stock. You can by linear motion rails/trolly on Amazon to fab a guide rail. But by the time you do that, why not buy one of the fancy new 14" miter saws with the horizontal travel and be done with it? Leave the old radial arm to act as a chop saw of sorts until something goes bad on it. The craftsman ones usually the motor overheated after while, based on what I used to see on CL for sale 10+ years ago.

 

[Moms68]

one of 2 things come to mind that could be the issue.

1. The arm has play in it causing the power head (blade) to drop the further out it travels. This may not repairable.

2. The table is not parallel to the arm the full length.

But like Detective D says, it is old technology and the new compound mitre saws are awesome. I have a Hitachi with the stand and it is light years better than my old radial arm saw.

 

[j-c-c-62]

I posted a thread on this back in 2019 and given my issue now, thought I’d post a new one. I have a Craftsman 10” saw that’s maybe 45 years old, it’s the model that was issued a recall to obtain upgraded guarding and later, a small payment if you disabled the machine, no longer providing replacement parts.

I rebuilt the guarding for it and has worked well the past few years. Here’s the hassle: I’ve been unable to get a level cut. I had gone through the adjustments and seemed as though I passed, but nope. The table is square, fence square, blade square. Unlevel cut remains; farther travel drops the blade cut.

The arm, far as I’ve checked it so far, isn’t showing level. Yet, there’s nothing about leveling it other than ensuring the column and all screws are tight sifting through all I could find on adjusting these saws. Bought it in 2019 and it had sat for years unused. Don’t know if the arm might have been smacked at one time. Nothing appears damaged. All I can think of is maybe shimming the column post with washers once I figure out what thickness they would need to be.

Yet, after a long search, can’t find anything like this being done or recommended as an adjustment. If anyone has run into something like this finding a fix, would greatly appreciate hearing. Thanks much!

So why not adjust (shim) the cutting table to match the blade downward slope?

 

[Ron H]

Yes I have a few other saws and don’t use this one much; but not finding anything on arm adjustments, including some forums on these machines, prompted me to ask here in case anyone of the shop types might have come across this and found a fix. As I’ve been pondering on it, shimming the front bolts might be a trick as I have a level table and the arm isn’t. I’ll see about trying to find an alignment playing with the table before I get into arm. Yeah, I could buy a new saw; I just get stubborn before giving it up, lol. Thanks.

 

[Ron H]

Lol, this will interest nobody; but me. Bugs me when I find posts that never has an ending so I try to have a The End on mine. As mentioned, I found nothing other than a reference to leveling the saw column. Everything is about table leveling and adjusting the arm to the table using the spindle with a gauge. I had done this, though the arm was sagging a good ¼” with the table level. So the deal would be to try to unlevel the table to match the unlevel arm. This bugged me too. I found two washers in my stash of a 1000, and inserted those under the arm to raise the column (where the two bolts have been removed). Not a fast deal given the weight and interference with the table elevation gearing box I had to putz with. Car jack came in handy to elevate the arm to level.

Success, not perfect, close enough for what I needed. Oh, yeah – The End.

 

[Ceedawg]

Not sure what you mean by ‘level’. it’s a cut off saw

 

[j-c-c-62]

Not sure what you mean by ‘level’. it’s a cut off saw

My thinking was OP wanted a consistent and predictable depth of cut over the entire length
of the saw travel on the cutting arm.
"Level" was not intended literally?

 

[YY1]

I assumed he was trying to make a trough, or dado.

Not really the right tool for that, but hey if he got it more right than it was, good for him.

 

[Hey-O]

Lol, this will interest nobody; but me. Bugs me when I find posts that never has an ending so I try to have a The End on mine. As mentioned, I found nothing other than a reference to leveling the saw column. Everything is about table leveling and adjusting the arm to the table using the spindle with a gauge. I had done this, though the arm was sagging a good ¼” with the table level. So the deal would be to try to unlevel the table to match the unlevel arm. This bugged me too. I found two washers in my stash of a 1000, and inserted those under the arm to raise the column (where the two bolts have been removed). Not a fast deal given the weight and interference with the table elevation gearing box I had to putz with. Car jack came in handy to elevate the arm to level.

Success, not perfect, close enough for what I needed. Oh, yeah – The End.

View attachment 1597586

The Craftsman 10” Radial Arm Saw was the third piece of equipment I bought after getting married, Circular saw being the first, then the table saw. I'll bet it's that same one, 45 years ago. I worked on mine more than a few times. Your column fix is about it, if you can't fix it by removing the rear cover on the column tube and adjust. If it's constantly out on every pull the same amount, you could adjust the table as mentioned.

This is just my opinion, you've had it a long time and I'm not here to kick on anyone or anything, but, they should ONLY be used for cross cutting. When they put a Anti kickback pawls on something, I'm done. Mine was like new when I talked someone into taking it. They're the most dangerous pieces of old technology ever made. I replaced mine with my table saw and a dewalt sliding arm miter box. Ones for one use and the other is for another.

I've never replaced torsion bars on a mopar, never had the need. Many GM front ends in my time, down to the frame rails, but I am a master carpenter, by definition. Be safe ..... Ulli........

​

 

[Don Frelier]

They're the most dangerous pieces of old technology ever made

A chainsaw is the most dangerous tool ever made.

 

[Hey-O]

A chainsaw is the most dangerous tool ever made.

Like everything, use with caution. I've used a chainsaw, a bunch in my live and yes, they are the most dangerous!! Have you ever built a log cabin, I have, the chainsaw was my best friend.

 

[Ron H]

they should ONLY be used for cross cutting.

Agree. In my work I was a safety engineer, trainer, related consulting. Contracted to worked on large construction projects as required safety supervision and with all sorts of mfg companies. Had to bug people about osha compliance, investigated accidents for insurance companies, and law firms as an expert witness. My earlier work had me repairing, setting up, and operating all sorts of machinery, lol, some ancient-beastly machinery, before CNC’s came along. Saw a huge change with safety on large construction sites, post-Miller Park disaster.

Got into safety when the shop I was at was inspected by osha in the early ‘70’s. Company owner put me in charge of ‘safety’. Lol. What the hell is this about, I asked? He was like my 2nd dad, taught me a bunch about running the shop. He said not sure Ronney, but you can figure it out. Look up any local safety training conferences and I’ll send you there. At the time, with osha being around just a few years, looked in the job ads finding all sorts of companies were looking for safety engineers. Found a tech-school nearby having a two-year program on it and enrolled. Good choice I came across by some fate? At the time had no clue about any career. Made a good living doing it; but some osha chit would even irritate me. Had some battles with osha people near and far and with others. Too much BS. Do-over, nope, not my cup-a-tea.

I’ve digressed, sorry. Your right – I’ve futzed with radial saws and never liked doing anything but cross cutting and notching. I have a miter I use most often, among other saws, router, jointer, etc. No doubt, you could run (cut) circles around me, with your background. Still, I find using the radial convenient, it’s a quality machine, MO right there in my shop, I went through the hassles repairing, setting it up. Thanks.

 

[Hey-O]

Agree. In my work I was a safety engineer, trainer, related consulting. Contracted to worked on large construction projects as required safety supervision and with all sorts of mfg companies. Had to bug people about osha compliance, investigated accidents for insurance companies, and law firms as an expert witness. My earlier work had me repairing, setting up, and operating all sorts of machinery, lol, some ancient-beastly machinery, before CNC’s came along. Saw a huge change with safety on large construction sites, post-Miller Park disaster.

Got into safety when the shop I was at was inspected by osha in the early ‘70’s. Company owner put me in charge of ‘safety’. Lol. What the hell is this about, I asked? He was like my 2nd dad, taught me a bunch about running the shop. He said not sure Ronney, but you can figure it out. Look up any local safety training conferences and I’ll send you there. At the time, with osha being around just a few years, looked in the job ads finding all sorts of companies were looking for safety engineers. Found a tech-school nearby having a two-year program on it and enrolled. Good choice I came across by some fate? At the time had no clue about any career. Made a good living doing it; but some osha chit would even irritate me. Had some battles with osha people near and far and with others. Too much BS. Do-over, nope, not my cup-a-tea.

I’ve digressed, sorry. Your right – I’ve futzed with radial saws and never liked doing anything but cross cutting and notching. I have a miter I use most often, among other saws, router, jointer, etc. No doubt, you could run (cut) circles around me, with your background. Still, I find using the radial convenient, it’s a quality machine, MO right there in my shop, I went through the hassles repairing, setting it up. Thanks.

I, in no way think you don't know what you're doing and I do believe you have mastered how to use it. They're just a scary thing to use when ripping...... Ulli

 

[toolmanmike]

If I had a saw that wouldn't cut straight and couldn't be adjusted I would just scrap it. THe new cut off saws have replaced the old radial arm saws.

 

[YY1]

You've not had fun until you've ripped a 6 inch section from a 40 pound, 50 inch by 1 1/2 inch particle board with wood face and ends with a 65 year old radial arm saw.

 

[YY1]

...or done this-

 

[toolmanmike]

...or done this-

View attachment 1597884

That's pretty thin slice there. About a kerf wide.