Big cutterhead on RAS now pneumatically operated w/pics/vid

[David Eisan]

Hello everyone,

It looks like my idea of pushing the cutterhead into the workpiece and eliminating the tendency of a radial arm saw self feed is not going to work. It does cut well, but the cutterhead takes minutes to spin down and I would have to put my hands behind the spinning cutterhead to reposition the stock for the bead removal.

I have a 1975 Delta RAS12 in clown paint at the store, so I decided to make it the donor machine. I have mounted at pneumatic cylinder on the turret on the machine and when you push the green button beneath the table, the cutterhead advances at a controlled rate. There are valves under the table to control the rate of cutterhead advancement. Push the button the cutterhead advances, release the button, the cutterhead retracts.

I am also working on an auxiliary guard that encloses all but the business end of the cutter. Should help with dust collection as well. Protective film covers the guard right now, but it is 3/8" clear lexan.

Still not done though. Still need to add the digital height readout and a few other details.

Here is a video of how it stands right now,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTsxNkINJBo

Thanks for looking,

David - Tool Guy

[David Eisan]

Here is another shot,

[Peter Quinn]

David, what is that for? Or what are you trying to make there? What is the desired product you aim to produce?

[Van Huskey]

Very cool. Can't help but think it looks like blood drippings down the cover you have on the guard...

[Jerry Bruette]

Good Luck my friend. I wouldn't want to be in the same room as the saw if you're going to try and control the feed with a pneumatic cylinder. They're not made for that type of service.

I'm not saying you can't make it work with a pneumatic cylinder but a hydraulic system would be much safer. Also I think I'd move my flow controls closer to the cylinder.

Good Luck
Jerry