Radial Arm Saw Dilemma

[GreenGA]

I have have an older Craftsman 10" Radial Arm Saw.  This is from the era when Craftsman meant something.  [cool]  This thing is a beast of a saw and runout, last time I checked was almost nonexistent.

I have not used this saw for years (it's been unplugged for at least three) and with my shop re-org underway, it takes up a lot of space, space that could be used for something else.  What, I do not know, but something else. [unsure]

My dilemma is this, should I keep it or pass it along?  If I should pass it along, what could/should I sell it for?  [scratch chin]  If I should keep it, what would be its place in the current hierarchy.

Inquiring minds want to know.

Thanks.

 

[Kevin D.]

There's not much of a market any longer for RAS.  I'm looking at selling my Ridgid for $200, if I can get that.  I've seen others bring it to a Habitat for Humanity Re-Store, and ultimately get a charitable donation receipt for what it was ultimately sold for.  Typically this will be $300 or less.  Not sure if this is applicable in the U.S. though.

 

[harry_]

I have have an older Craftsman 10" Radial Arm Saw.   This is from the era when Craftsman meant something.  [cool]  This thing is a beast of a saw and runout, last time I checked was almost nonexistent.

I have not used this saw for years (it's been unplugged for at least three) and with my shop re-org underway, it takes up a lot of space, space that could be used for something else.  What, I do not know, but something else. [unsure]

My dilemma is this, should I keep it or pass it along?  If I should pass it along, what could/should I sell it for?  [scratch chin]  If I should keep it, what would be its place in the current hierarchy.

Inquiring minds want to know.

Thanks.

I have a similar dilemma, except that mine came from Montgomery-Ward. Right now it acts as an idle horizontal surface..... we all know what that means....junk table. I had originally thought to convert it for use as maybe a disk/drum sander.

I have seen a lot of crews around here use them for vinyl siding

 

[GreenGA]

I was just on Craig's List.  These things are going from between $55.00 and $200.00.

Guess that's the price of progress.  [crying]

 

[harry_]

which means I would have to pay someone $20 to haul it off!

 

[mouppe]

There is an article in this months fine woodworking entitled something like the death of the radial arm saw. Uh-oh!
[scared]

 

[GreenGA]

Yeah, I saw that headline but did not read it, yet.

At these prices, it would probably be better to let a real fellow woodworker have it for free to get a jump-start on this hobby (profession to some) of ours.  [unsure]

Any lurkers in SJ know if there would be a good home for this beast?  [bite tongue]

 

[peter halle]

If you are going to give it away, or sell it, you may want to check out this site: 
http://www.radialarmsawrecall.com/

I too have a boat anchor such as yours in my old shed.  Mine is on the list, but I have never done anything about it.

Peter

 

[GreenGA]

Interesting find.

Thanks!  [smile]

 

[peter halle]

You are welcome.

And for those who might own a Ryobi 8.25 inch radial arm saw (like me) - here is another recall link:  Ryobi radial arm saw recall

I have two radial arm saws and both were recalled.  Hmm.  Think I'll do without.

Peter

 

[GreenGA]

Speaking of recalls...

Wonder if any will be issued if a couple more table-saw injury cases are won by users of non-Sawstop table saws.  [unsure]

 

[tbellemare]

You might consider Habitat for Humanity. I suspect they could always use working tools. You should get tax consideration also.

Tom

 

[peter halle]

Some Habitat Chapters will take used tools, some won't.  My local chapter would have taken my used tools if another group didn't beat them to them.  A chapter 20 miles away will only take new tools I have been told.

Clarification:  I am referring not to the Restore portion of the Habitat program.  I am talking about the actual building - use tools to do good part not wanting them.

 

[GreenGA]

Another forum member posted the same thing.

Hmmm...  I wonder if they give out gift cards redeemable at Tool-Home for donations such as this?  [drooling]

 

[tbellemare]

If it's the post I read, he's talking about Habitat for Humanity Restore. We have one here, which is where they sell stuff that has been donated or they buy for little.

I was thinking about the people who actually build things, affordable housing units.

I've bought some stuff at the Restore here and was pleased. You have to be pretty selective, it's kind of like a big garage sale. When I built a storage shed, I wanted to incorporate as much reused stuff as possible. The floor is a deck that was too ugly but still sound. The windows are shelves from a kaput refrigerator. The floor paint and metal doors are from Restore. The shelves and shingles are left over from multiple other building projects. Some of the cinder blocks that are used for foundation piers were unearthed in my yard when doing some landscaping - I guess the builder buried them.

I'm not fond of "throw away" mentality. I think your radial arm saw can find a use in someone's tool arsenal during its twilight years. If there's an issue of safety and or fear of litigation, you could get them to agree to and sign a waiver of liability.

Tom

 

[Holzhacker]

After my dad died, I looked long and hard at the same saw sitting in his basement. Not all that long ago, I cut the cord off and gave it to the junkers. Never liked that saw all that much anyway, at least not as much as I like my fingers.

 

[Kevin D.]

I got an odd feeling I'm goingto be Mr. Generous, and offer it for free to first come first serve one day.  The reasons (somewhat) I had for getting one, are really no longer since I started buying the Festool stuff last fall.  I couldn't crosscut anything with a length over what my 12" miter saw or anything more than 36" to the left of my Unisaw, due to my being in a one car garage and is why I thought of keeping it before, but now, other than cross dadoes in long stock, I don't see the point in keeping it.

Never felt 100% comfortable using it either.  Always had a fear of the stock flying in my face no matter how safe I thought I'd proceed.  Never used it for ripping.  It's really now starting to be a real estate liability in the shop.  A few more systainers coming into the shop are going to force the issue.  Thought about throwing it in the new shed, but really, what's the point.  Besides, I gotta build the stupid shed in the first place as the existing one is filled to the brim.

 

[bonesbr549]

good luck trying to sell.  I had mine listed twice in craigs list with a forrest blade only wanted $150 (reall just the blade cost) no bites not even a call.    She's in my garage. 

 

[Loren Hedahl]

I picked up a nice turret top Delta several years ago.  I added large casters to its stand and lowered the table to my satisfaction.  I love that saw.  With a top quality sharp combination blade installed it crosscuts and rips equally well.  Its greatest shortcoming is its habit of spewing sawdust everywhere.  It also is limited in the cross cut mode to about 18 inches.

Where I have a lot of cutting such as making trim mouldings of various shapes, it is the 'go to' saw.  For breaking down ply you can't beat the Festool TS-55.

My dad had one of those old Craftsman RAS.  It was also an excellent performer.  I'd keep it.

 

[Rick Christopherson]

This is from the era when Craftsman meant something.  [cool]  This thing is a beast of a saw and runout, last time I checked was almost nonexistent.

I have a similar dilemma, except that mine came from Montgomery-Ward.

Radial arm saws have a bad reputation due to the number of crappy ones out there, especially with Sears flooding the market with crappy model Craftsmans. I don't know if the original poster's Craftsman saw was made by DeWalt, but I do know that Harry's was. If it has the Montgomery Ward name on it, then it is the old Powercraft from DeWalt. If the original poster's saw has a cast iron carriage, then it too is likely one of the old DeWalt saws.

These are hard to find, and you guys are talking about throwing them away?  [scared]

When people say that a miter saw is better than a radial arm saw, they are drawing this conclusion because they are comparing a low-end radial arm saw to a high-end miter saw (or worse, have never bothered to calibrate either type). The difference between a good radial arm saw and any miter saw is the ability to calibrate all axis of motion to a very fine degree. With saws that are approaching 30, 40, 50 years old, you need to go through and adjust them to achieve their true potential. There are those that claim their radial arm saws won't hold their adjustment. Well that's because they didn't know there was more to adjust, such as the column gibs and carriage eccentric rollers.

Miter saws were created to be a portable version of a radial arm saw, so comparing the two is like comparing a cabinet tablesaw to a benchtop tablesaw.