How would you use a router bit on a Radial Saw?

[Bill Rogers]

A friend of mine was cleaning out his garage and he found this box and part of an old Craftsman router bit. The box states that it is "For Router, Drill Press, Radial Saw".

So, how would you use a router bit on a radial saw? It sure seems like an unsafe operation to me.DSC00956a_zpsdd0bcfb0.jpg

[Charles Bjorgen]

I had a Montgomery Ward radial arm saw that had a high-speed accessory spindle on which a chuck could be screwed that would accept 1/4" router bits. I recall using that function to restore a boat ladder for my old 1948 Chis Craft 24-footer. Both the boat and RAS are gone but at the time during the seventies I did a fair amount of work with that saw.

[John McClanahan]

At one time radial arm saws were sold as a do-all machine. They run too slow for all but the biggest router bits. I have an old Sears planer head for a RAS somewhere. Bet that was fun to use! DeWalt made jigsaw heads to fit their saws.

John

[glenn bradley]

You mean a RAS isn't a ShopSmith!?! But the guy demonstrating it said . . . .

[Charles Lent]

At one time Sears sold a special router collet attachment for their radial saws. It screwed onto the tail shaft of the motor and was designed to hold 1/4" router bits. I bought one, tried it once, and then it went into the tool box. The saw motor speed was way too slow to get good results with it. When I sold my RAS that collet and the very scary molding head and guard went with it, but I cautioned the new owner about using them. I understand that the Montgomery Ward RAS had a second "high speed" output shaft for using it as a router, but I've never seen one.

Charley

[david brum]

Just as scary, imagine using that on a drill press. If you didn't actually catch the wood on fire, the spindle would surely fly off while you were cutting. It's hard to imagine what the marketing guys at Sears were thinking.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Years ago I had a Ryobi that had an "accessory" spindle opposite the blade end. Literature said a router chuck could be attached there.

[Ole Anderson]

I had a Montgomery Ward radial arm saw that had a high-speed accessory spindle on which a chuck could be screwed that would accept 1/4" router bits. I recall using that function to restore a boat ladder for my old 1948 Chis Craft 24-footer. Both the boat and RAS are gone but at the time during the seventies I did a fair amount of work with that saw.

I had one too. The motor spun at 20,000 rpm as did the router spindle, and it was geared down to about 3500 rpm for the saw and other spindle. Loud saw due to the gearing, but I used it for 20 years until I ran out of room and I gave it to my son who ran out of room and gave it away.

[Jim O'Dell]

I used the molding head on my original RAS (you can use it on a TS too) to cut round overs on 1X2 Ash for the kitchen at the other house. WHAT WAS I THINKING????? Scares the crap out of me just thinking about it. I've had offers to sell the molding head before, but I refuse to just because of how scarey it is. I fear one of the cutters come flying off. Can you imagine the damage it would do? I also had the chuck for the accessory end of the shaft. It was a 1/2" chuck IIRC. Guess it would allow the RAS to also double as a drill press!!! Jim.

[johnny means]

It's hard to imagine what the marketing guys at Sears were thinking.

There's one born every minute?