I have a Craftsman that I bought new in 1976 and I still get good use of it. Unlike most, I don't pull mine through, but push it like a circular saw.
I have a Craftsman that I bought new in 1976 and I still get good use of it. Unlike most, I don't pull mine through, but push it like a circular saw.
There's an idea...
ken
If I recall correctly, the saw looks like the first one Jeff Miller posted. I am going to call my uncle and see if he has the manual for it as well. My grandfather was very meticulous in keeping everything so it should be there (assuming my uncle is as meticulous).
If he does have the manual then I'll probably drag it home and see if I can squeeze it in the garage somewhere. Even if he doesn't have the manual I'll bring it home. More for sentimental reasons than anything but after reading through the responses I can recall a few times where it would have been nice to use the RAS instead of messing up a setup on the TS.
Where can I go to find out about the recall that several people mentioned?
Thanks for all of the responses
Just another voice weighing in here. I've had a Craftsman RAS of the vintage you're talking about. HATED it, absolute hatred. It was impossible to set up with the needed precision to make it a fine woodworking machine. Fast forward to today - I have 3 (though selling one) older DeWalts. I don't own a table saw (lack of room) and don't really miss having one. I probably will someday when I get a shop with enough room, but that's not going to be for a while. That said, my machine is set up correctly (a time-consuming procedure) though this doesn't have to happen more than once a year or so. It is also made with a quality that allows it to stay precise. I rip, bevel, dado, plough, miter, bevel-miter and even mold with it. I love my RAS. An older DeWalt can be had for about $100-$300 and is well worth the money. The Craftsman really is only useful as a crosscut machine.
I have to disagree with the comments about accuracy of a RAS and that pull cuts are hard to master and that you can't have a zero clearance insert. I have a Dewalt MBF that is more accruate than any miter saw I have owned. If I do a 5 sided cut to check squareness(as you would do when making a cut-off sled for a table saw), I cannot measure the variance on the 5th cut. As for using the pull stroke to crosscut a piece of wood, if you have the correct blade which is designed for a RAS with negative hook, pulling a crosscut is never a problem. As for the zero clearance insert, if your main table is covered with a piece of tempered hardboard, you create zero clearance with your first cut.
You can probably find the manual at OWWM.com.
I wanted to say thanks to everyone that offered up advice and opinions. this truely is the best site out there. I did find out that my uncle has the manual for the saw and he said the date on the manual says 1969. the model number is 113.29410. According to the recall site, this saw already has the upgrade kit on it. That doesn't sound right but I'll check it out once I see the saw again. He said that there are a bunch of attachements and extra blades for it as well. Now I am pretty excited about this.
Again, thanks to everyone.
Here's a bit I didn't know until recently: the 113 in that number can be used to trace the saw back to who built the saw for sears:
Link
So 113 would be Emerson Electric Co. This was helpful to me as I could not find a good manual reprint on a craftsman bandsaw I am tinkering with but once I found out it was built by Skil I found a good owners manual...
I think I'm correct on this - ?
ken
If you decide to use this saw, once the table is tuned up, don't use it (the table) for pounding, beating, or otherwise bashing things. You'll have to tune it again if you put any big work on it.
Art
Jimmy, I looked up a photo of that saw (http://www.owwm.com/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=5130) and if I got it right, it is considered one of the best C'Man saws out there. This one is reputed to hold it's settings, and be reliable on the angles. I think you really latched onto something.
BTW, my F-I-L had one of those, and it belongs to my son now.
Last edited by Fred Hargis; 02-27-2009 at 12:09 PM.
I'd def keep it.
Also, am I the only one cutting dado's on my SCMS???
PS
I think the one point about using a RAS that doesn't get enough emphasis is the absolute need to use a negative hook blade. Since a RAS is basically making a climb cut, using a conventional blade with a positive hook angle just increases its natural tendency to self-feed and can actually be unsafe, especially for someone not familiar with using a RAS. I had the same problem myself with my first RAS before I knew anything about using the correct blade and I was constantly fighting the saw's tendency to cut aggressively. Once I installed the correct blade the difference was like night and day. Now, it cuts accurately and effortlessly with zero tendency to self-feed. I only use it for cross cuts and it's a pleasure to use.
I've been reading all the comments regarding the radial arm saw and agree with most. I couldnt get along without mine. I have had the same 9" Craftsmen for 40 years and use it almost daily. When I was learning woodworking in my neighbors professional woodworking shop I was instructed to never move the saw from 90 degrees under pain of death. My RAS is used for crosscutting and for crosscut dados ONLY Eg. bookstacks
As for accuracy its pretty darn close to 90 degrees. The RAS sits in a continuous 16 ft. bench utilizing a 2X2 extruded aluminum fence. I find the RAS invaluable for cutting work to length and my UniSaw for all the rest of my needed cuts. Ed