Tuning a $125 craigslist radial arm saw; cutting wooden threads

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  • Опубликовано: 20 дек 2024

Комментарии • 57

  • @Roy-ij1wq
    @Roy-ij1wq Год назад +5

    Excellent video and editing. However, you made the job much harder than it needs to be. The best reference on the subject is Jon Eakes book "Fine Tuning a Radial Arm Saw" that is available as an ebook on his website. He discusses the differences between different manufactuers, but the process is identical for all and doesn't require special tools. You also skipped a few steps such as getting the play out of the column.
    One critical error I see is that you have too much play in the carriage bearings. When properly adjusted it should take 5-8 pounds of pull to move the carriage and motor. This is because the saw has a tendency to pull itself through a crosscut and can climb on top of the stock you are cutting.
    Also, the table mounting brackets on your saw are attached with square nuts that lay flat against the flange on the inside of the base to keep them from spinning. A crescent wrench on the flange side bolt will gently lift the flange for a perfect fit. I like to adjust the table flanges before installing the table and use a feeler gauge to get the four corners of the outside flanges co-planar. I then adjust the center support by putting a straight edge between the two sides. I then drill holes next to the bolts and bolt them in place to keep them moving if someone pound on the table. It is difficult to build a perfectly flat laminated table but you can make one flat by securely bolting it to the supports. You can also use T-nuts and/or bolts to raise or lower the center. The Craftsman RAS manual explains this process.
    And last, just because your saw will take a 12" blade doesn't mean that it should be your everyday blade. For best results, you should use the smallest blade you need to make the cut because smaller blades have more power - especially for ripping.. Often missing on the 790 is a bumper that mounts on the rear of the motor arbor. It prevents you from cutting into the column if you are making a bevel cut with a 12" blade. Also frequently missing is the anti-kickback pawl that is essential when ripping. Most users at the Delphi Dewalt Radial Arm Saw Forum find that the Freud LU83R010: 10" Thin Kerf Combination Blade is the best all around blade for daily use.
    Seeing the care that you put into tuning up your leads me to believe that you will become an enthusiast. Have fun using it.

    • @chrisdzisiak7540
      @chrisdzisiak7540 Год назад

      Good review , saved me the time to say the same thing. These saws are gems and finding them out there is such a great deal. Thank you for the video!

    • @JimPudar
      @JimPudar  Год назад

      Thanks for the tips! I’ll definitely mention some of these in the next RAS focused video.
      I did purchase a return reel which pulls the carriage back to the home position - I didn’t want to overload the bearings too much. I got them just tight enough that there is zero play, but no more.
      My saw did come with the anti kickback pawl, but I am not going to do any ripping with this guy so it will sit in the drawer. The bumper is also present (I think).

    • @FIGGY65
      @FIGGY65 Год назад +2

      @@JimPudar. Simply it even further. Google the articles How to rebuild a Dewalt RAS , and How to Fine Tune a RAS, both by Roger A. Hill. His instructions are simple and pure. He also gives a recipe for building a “Frankensaw” which will blow your mind, if you’re inclined to own the finest/strongest budget saw available!

  • @Codemanny
    @Codemanny 8 месяцев назад

    Hey Jim I found your channel through this video searching for information on radial arm saws. The project videos are cool but this one where you share knowledge and experimentation on a tool is the best.
    I’ll be picking up the 10in version of this saw tomorrow thanks to you👍

  • @petermarsh4993
    @petermarsh4993 Год назад

    Dear Jim, welcome to the club of RAS owners. I did my first DADO stack cuts today - very satisfying. Cheers.

  • @FantomWireBrian
    @FantomWireBrian 2 года назад

    Great purchase and previous owner testifying to the contrary of the Safety of a quality Radial arm saw. I have a 12" Delta and love it. I've been using a Radial for 48 years and really haven't had any really close calls for losing fingers. Very close on a band saw a couple times though. The only two stories of finger losses have been from table saws . I've had them and gave them away . Nice saw ❗

  • @EvanDunville
    @EvanDunville Год назад +2

    Great Stuff, I have an older Dewalt 12" radial arm saw that i need to get adjusted similar to how you have done. Using the Dial indicator was a great idea!

    • @JimPudar
      @JimPudar  Год назад

      Thanks for watching! In practice I’ve found that it loses the “super tune” pretty quickly after making any rough cuts. I’ve been using it mostly to rip long stock to width, and then I make the precision cuts on my table saw with a sled. Maybe someday I’ll find an extremely beefy 16” model with the turret design; I think those hold their settings a bit more robustly.

    • @EvanDunville
      @EvanDunville Год назад

      @@JimPudar definitely, I have had the older all cast iron saws and I did have a 16" for a while but electrical issues kept me from being able to run the 16". I think at one time I owned 5 radial arm saws but now I just have one and 12" DeWalt sliding compound miter saw.

    • @Roy-ij1wq
      @Roy-ij1wq Год назад

      @@JimPudar Jim - I don't think the problem is necessarily with the saw losing its tuning. All radial arm saws have multiple moving parts and need "end play" for the parts to move. But unlike many late model saws, your DeWalt is built with very close tolerances. Even so, you still need to account for end play when tuning your saw and setting up for a cut. The most common complaint new users have is that saw doesn't cut a consistent 90 degree crosscut. This is usually a combination of failure to take into account end play during the tuning process and while using the saw. The column may have play, the carriage bearings may be too loose, the motor may not be locked in place and the locking lever for the arm may be too loose. For example, the arm locking lever should be tight enough so that it doesn't fall down on its own. Once the lever is lowered, there may still be a slight amount of play. You eliminate this by applying slight pressure to the arm in one direction (most users apply pressure to the right) as you seat the lever in place. You need to follow a similar procedure when you lock the motor by pushing the locking pin down and applying slight pressure while locking the lever in place. I see that you didn't check the column for play in your video. It seldom develops slack but it still needs to be checked. If you follow the tuning procedure in Eakes' book, your saw is build to stay in allignment provided you follow a set procedure every time you move the arm or motor to a different position.

  • @billmactiernan6304
    @billmactiernan6304 Год назад

    Very nice video. I'm sure that the saw will prove immensely useful in your shop.

  • @Ray-r5j9u
    @Ray-r5j9u Год назад

    Congrats on the new saw. I have a 1963 craftsman with a 9 inch blade. I bought it cheap. I've used it for years. Not better than the new miter saws, but I'd say just as good and so much cheaper 👍. Well done video 👍

  • @HaroldHill76
    @HaroldHill76 2 года назад +4

    This is incredibly well-edited and explained; I have a feeling with more content like this you’ll go far. I count myself lucky to be among your early subscribers.

  • @tonyblanco305
    @tonyblanco305 2 года назад

    I love this and am happy to subscribe. Excellent presentation and some great work. I have a similar vintage 10" version that was handed down to me and I went through a lot of the same processes. I also built a "Mr. Sawdust" style table for it that I'm pleased with. You can't beat a RAS for crosscut capacity which is what I mostly use it for. I found the same deflection in the arm that you did. In the end I don't worry about it too much. I use the saw for 'close' cuts and will true more important dimensions on my table saw sled. If you're looking for other tips on setup I found Brian Weekley's channel and videos to be super helpful. The dust collection style that Tommy Tompkins built seems to work best of the versions I've tried. I embeded some threaded inserts into the chute so that I can take it off for angle cuts. Cheers to breathing new life into a great old tool and thanks for taking us along with you.

  • @HiFiTown
    @HiFiTown Год назад

    Nice work, subscribed! That was a wonderful looking countersink ... will look it up.

    • @JimPudar
      @JimPudar  Год назад

      Thanks for watching!

  • @8Pointbuck
    @8Pointbuck Месяц назад

    I have a DeWalt model 770 radial arm saw. It has only a 10 inch blade, wired 220 v. and is rated 3.5 hp.
    In Northern Minnesota red pines are planted and grow like corn does in Iowa.
    I have owned DeWalt radial arm saws for over 50 years and to see their usefulness diminished over the years is sad. Granted it is a heavy power tool that takes up space and meant to be stationary in a shop or garage can be a problem unless it is more maneuverable and serves a new purpose.
    If you are a woodworker and live in tree country like I do, you most likely live on an acreage.
    I have been wanting a saw mill and have researched many of them only to fined they are more costly to buy and costly to operate do to other equipment needed to load it and a building to store and operate it in. We could be easily pushing costs as high a $50.000 total.
    There was one sawmill I saw on YT that gave me an idea to use a saw I already owned and turn it into a mill... it was the Ecosagen like a rocket video. • Ecosågen, like a rocket...
    Only I created a smaller version, thus the DeWalt Radial Arm Sawmill or an ecojacgen?
    ruclips.net/video/Oq7fOd_O5yM/видео.html

  • @Maker_of_fine_sawdust
    @Maker_of_fine_sawdust 2 года назад

    Nice find and rebuild. I have the 10” version and I use it only rarely, but it’s nice to have in the shop. Take a look at Frank Howarth to view his dust collection for his radial arm saws. While you’re there, take time to marvel at his shop. I built a version for my saw and it works very well. Cheers.

  • @GraemePayne1967Marine
    @GraemePayne1967Marine 2 года назад

    Nice looking saw! That one is about 10 years older than my Craftsmaan RAS. I have been using mine since sometime in the 1970s, with lots of success. And I still have all of my original body parts - which really annoys the gloom-speaders on the interwebs.

  • @Ritalie
    @Ritalie Год назад

    So jealous! A 790! I have never found one of those. Dang. I had to get a Black and Decker T1530 version of the 790, which was made in 1969 and it's not as cool because it's called a "Black and Decker" on the model tag. I've never had anyone to help me with anything, so I loaded mine up myself into my work van by taking it apart, and carrying the arm and motor separately. The only thing stopping me from setting it up is that it's so difficult to move once it's all assembled. P.S., don't make jokes about not being a machinist. You're the most meticulous person I've ever seen on RUclips, and I've watched every radial arm saw video that exists on RUclips. I've never heard of "Way Oil" before, or seen anyone make adjustment screws for the table. Nor have I heard of anyone actually replacing the carriage bearings or even make a mention about how smooth or coarse they are. As far as I can tell, the reason the Craftsman saws are inferior is only because of the VERY coarse sloppy bearings they use on the carriage, and not because they are a poor design (they are a good design overall).

    • @JimPudar
      @JimPudar  Год назад

      Thanks a lot for watching, glad you enjoyed this!

    • @starseeddeluxe
      @starseeddeluxe 8 месяцев назад

      @@JimPudar Are you still using this 790 saw? I am still debating whether I should keep my version of the 12" saw with the 17 amp motor. I am actually really afraid of the 17 amp motor on a radial arm saw. I do daily ripping of boards, including old reclaimed hardwood boards, on my Dewalt 9" saws, and also a Craftsman 10 amp radial arm saw. With the small 10 amp saws, they stall when the blade binds, and they don't kickback the board. I'm extremely nervous about using a 17 amp motor, because it has no margin for error. Are you using the saw for daily shop functions, or is it more of a novelty item? The 12" saws are so big, I'm not sure that I am brave enough to use it.

    • @JimPudar
      @JimPudar  8 месяцев назад

      @@starseeddeluxe Yeah, I use this nearly every day. I wish it had more power - I stall it out every once in a while when cross cutting 12/4 stock, and it does take up a lot more space than a miter saw would, but it’s a very practical and not at all scary tool when you get used to it.

  • @JoseBermudez-h2s
    @JoseBermudez-h2s 7 месяцев назад +1

    Great company. we have an original saw in our shop to cut aluminum

  • @brucewelty7684
    @brucewelty7684 Год назад +3

    Get Wally Kunkel's book

    • @JimPudar
      @JimPudar  Год назад

      You may have noticed, he made a short appearance in my RAS dust collection video. :)

    • @brucewelty7684
      @brucewelty7684 Год назад

      @@JimPudar ah, I am new to the channel and have not dived that deep yet.

  • @texanleons
    @texanleons 10 месяцев назад

    THat's a steal man.

  • @markhaas8938
    @markhaas8938 Год назад

    One "improvement" you can add to your table system is to add a 1/4" layer of plywood or hardboard as a consumable surface. That will preserve the integrity of the table over time. Another improvement might be to remake the table in the "Mr Sawdust" fashion. Brian Weekly has a set of youtubes which detail the process (including how to handle the back table sections' thickness).

  • @Martinonskis
    @Martinonskis 2 года назад +1

    Hello Jim - I noticed you have an extra deep MFT torsion box/table in the background. What were you trying to achieve when you made it so deep and how did it work out?

    • @JimPudar
      @JimPudar  2 года назад

      Hi, I wanted this to be a very flat assembly table in addition to being an MFT. It’s a torsion box with less than the typical number of inner beams because the beams interfere with the Festool clamps. Overall I’ve been very pleased with it, but I don’t normally use any MFT accessories which must be screwed down from under the table. I don’t have access to the underside of the top with this arrangement.
      I’ll admit it’s a pain when I drop a screw in one of the holes :D
      I don’t think a table this big would work well without some kind of structure supporting the middle as the MDF would bend if it were just a single layer.

    • @Martinonskis
      @Martinonskis 2 года назад

      @@JimPudar Thank you!

  • @StevenAbbott
    @StevenAbbott Год назад

    Years ago I met a carpenter that was missing half his hand. (He was our union safety representative) He told me he was going to make a cut on an industrial radial arm saw that was cranked down with the blade in contact with the table. He had his hand on the table when he pressed the on button. The saw ran forward and cut off his hand

    • @JimPudar
      @JimPudar  Год назад

      Yeah these things are no joke, that’s for sure. I always make sure my other hand (and all other body parts) are well outside the path of the blade before I press the On button 😅

  • @reinaldoperdomo1638
    @reinaldoperdomo1638 Год назад

    1:17

  • @NWMT
    @NWMT 2 года назад

    Where should I look for any links for tools, etc.?

    • @JimPudar
      @JimPudar  2 года назад

      I’m just a regular guy in his garage, I don’t have any kind of sponsorships or affiliate links. I get the majority of my used tools on Craigslist and I try and get the new ones from Tools For Working Wood, Highland Woodworking, or Woodcraft. If you have any specific questions on a particular tool let me know and I can try and answer them for you!

    • @NWMT
      @NWMT 2 года назад

      @@JimPudar Thanks. Understood. Wasn’t looking for affiliate links, just any general URL site info as I, too, am a garage guy. You mentioned the Beal(sp?) Tools countersink?

    • @JimPudar
      @JimPudar  2 года назад +1

      You can find that here: bealltool.com/products/threading/countersink.php
      I find that it works much better than any multi-flute countersink I’ve tried. The chamfers it leaves are extremely clean and uniform even when using a hand drill. The major downside is that there’s no depth stop, but you can work around that by feel or with a drill press depth gauge.
      I also really like the carbide countersinks from Amana Tools, but I use those more when I’m trying to make 20+ identical countersunk holes that all look perfectly uniform. The Beall one is really cool because it’s big enough that you can countersink very large holes with it just as easily as tiny ones.

    • @Jetdiesel
      @Jetdiesel 2 года назад

      Looks like a nice find. I didn’t see you adjust the horizontal/vertical heel?. Those rollerhead bearings I’m sure are nice now, but they can almost always be rehabbed. The Jack screws and king bolt set screw were on older saws, these “upgrades” were brought to you by B&D, trying to save a penny or two.

    • @JimPudar
      @JimPudar  2 года назад +1

      The heel was actually dead on in both directions when I measured it after putting the motor back on. The cut quality is seriously amazing, it’s better than my Festool tracksaw!
      I did soak the original bearings in simple green and tried to get some grease in. I got them working far better than they came to me, but they still felt a little crunchy. The new ones are just phenomenal, I’m super glad I made the investment! After splurging on the blade and stiffener new bearings just made a lot of sense.

  • @Rubin5342
    @Rubin5342 Год назад

    Dam it, I have a RAS (Craftsman) but I want one of them engine hoists.
    I have a mini lathe and mini mill and that engine hoist would be great. //ji

    • @JimPudar
      @JimPudar  Год назад

      It’s a great help when the legs can fit under whatever you’re trying to lift, but more often than not I end up using blocks and a long metal lever. A gantry crane would be way better for the types of things I move a lot, but that takes up way more space.
      Matt on Next Level Carpentry has a great video about his “sky hook” which is another good option I’ve been meaning to try out.

  • @HaylonWoodworking
    @HaylonWoodworking 2 года назад

    I have been wanting to achieve this sort of project for a long time. If you're ever in Vermont and want to work together on something, hit me up.

  • @woodworksbygrampies1284
    @woodworksbygrampies1284 Год назад

    👍

  • @tableshaper4076
    @tableshaper4076 20 дней назад

    I thought you were going to cut threads using the radial arm saw lol. I'm sure it can be done, but not by me.

    • @JimPudar
      @JimPudar  16 дней назад

      Now you have me thinking… 😄

  • @rickknapp8319
    @rickknapp8319 2 года назад

    Excellent job Jim but the table is to low for a big guy like yourself

    • @JimPudar
      @JimPudar  2 года назад

      Thanks! I’m actually planning on lowering it to the same height as my table saw soon, as the current location causes it to interfere with longer cross cuts. It’s definitely not optimal, but I spend a lot more time at my hand tool bench - I really feel a small height change there!