Table Of Content'I
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--,15yJon Eakes
Contents
Introduction 9 Chapter 3
Adjusting the Radial Arm Saw 23
Chapter I
Table Saw vs. Radial Arm Saw l.~ Procedure 1 Stabilizing the Stand 24
Chapter 2 Procedure 2 Assembling and Covering the
The Principles of Precision 17 Table 24
Principle I Snug xtovemcru 18 Procedure 3 Cleaning Your Saw 27
Principle 2 Positive Clamping 18
Principle .~ Use of the End POilU of Slack 19 Procedure 4 Adjusting the Clamps 29
Principle 4 Squaring to Actual Work 4.1 TIle Arm-to-Column Clamp
Surfaces 20 Adjustment 29
Principle 5 verification on Cut \...'ood 20 Craftsman
Principle 6 Definition of Entry Before DeWalt
Cutting 21 Rocku'ell
.t.z The Yoke Clamp
Adjustment 31
Craftsman
f)eW'alt
Rocku'ell
4.3 The Bevel Clamp
Adjustment 33
Craftsman
DeWalt
R(X'ku'eJi
4.4 The Rip Clamp Adjustment 35
'1.5 Fence Clamps 35
5
Procedure 5 Adjusting Sliding Tensions 36 Procedure 9 lied and Toe 58
5 I Roller Head to Arm 37 9.1 Hertz.ental Hl"CI and Toe 60
Craftsman Craftsman
DeWalt DeWalt
Rockwell Rockwell
5.2 Arm-to-Column. Verticil 9.2 Vertical IIeel and Toe 62
Piver 39 Craftsman
Craftsman DeWalt
DeWalt Rocku'ell
Rocku'ell
5.3 Column-to-Base: Rise, Fall and Procedure 10 Travel Square to Fence
Pivot 41 (Precision) 63
Craftsman 10.1 Precision Testing 64
DeWalt 10.2 Precision Adjustments 66
Rockwell 10.3 Miter Scales 67
5.4 Column-to-Base: Rotation 44 Craftsman
Craftsman DeWalt
oewau
Rock/Deli
Rocku'elJ
5.5 Crank Control 46 Procedure 11 Blade Square to Table (Precision) 69
11.1 Precision Testing 69
Procedure 6 Table-to-Arm: Parallel Planes 47 11.2 Precision Adjustments 70
6.1 Locking Tongue Open 48 11.3 Bevel Scales 71
Craftsman Craftsman
DeWalt DeU"alt
Rockwell poceu-eu
6.2 Positioning Table Ibils 50
6.3 Flattening the Table 51 Procedure 12 Rip HL"CI and Toc 72
6.4 Planing Table Plat 52 12.1 Causes of Heeling 72
12.2 Precision Testing 74
Procedure 7 Blade Square to Table (Rough) 53 12,3 Rip Scales 74
Craftsman Craftsman
DeWalt DeWalt
Rex:ktcell Roceuett
Procedure 8 Travel Square to Fence (Rough) 55 Procedure 13 Adjusting Splitters 76
Craftsman Craftsman
oewau
DeWall
Rocku'ell Rockwell
Procedure 14 Kerf Cutting into Table 78
6
I
Chapter 4
Quick Daily Check 79
Check for Heel and Toe Alignment 80
Check for Blade Square to Fence 80
Check for Blade Square to Table 81
Chapter 5
Inaccuracies Induced by Operation of the
Saw 83
lin
Blade Causing Bevel Angle Change 84
Blade Lift Causing Raised Dado Cuts 85
Rip Pivoting 86
.\liter Sliding 87
Chapter 6
Accessories Related to Precision 89
I
Portability 90
Table Extensions 91
Hold-Downs and Hip Guide; (Commercial) 93
Feather Boards 94
Raised Hip Table 97
Push Sticks 98
Splinter Back-Up 100
End Stops 102
Specialty Fences 104
Electricity 104
Lower Blade Guards 105
7
Introduction
This hook isnorageneral manualon hoy,"to work with There isno one perfect machineon the market today
3 radialarm SJ.w. Nor is ita fancy list ofallthegadgets andevery woodworker willfindhisorherown reasons
you Gin attach to a radial with a compilation of fifty to choose one brand of machine over another. Many
ofyour "favortte" projects in theappendix. It issimply find important differences in the height of the (able;
a very detailed look at how to gel the notoriously and the ace..-.ssibiliry ofthe cranks.. In thishook I have
sloppy radial arm saw to work dead square and to a tried to avoid showing my own preference. More
cutting toleranceofone 12Hlhofan inch with asimple importantly, a radial arm saw is a radial arm saw
sa?' blade. It covers the line-up procedures and tricks whether itismade by Craftsman, DeW;l1t, Rockwellor
that the manufacturers don't include in their owners' someone else. Thenutsand holtsarc indifferentplaces
manuals and that the flashy text bookssidestep forfear and the publicity departmentssingdifferent tunes,but
of boring you. lt covers the first hour of my radial basically the machines are quite similar and generally
arm S;l\V seminars thai students across Canada have have thesameinherent qualities,positiveand negative.
demanded I put down in writing. \X'hen Ipoint outaspecificproblem,ili'; not inaneffort
Af:.l(lial armsaw is awonderfuland versatilemachine, to criticize rhat machine but rather to face up to [he
but in talking with woodworkers across Canada, shortcomings and to demonstrate how to overcome
amateur and professional alike, I find that the radial is (hem. In this text, I have tried (0 show how all three
rarelyusedto itsfullpoteruul. Icancounton the fingers of the major IOmch radial arm saws can he kicked,
of one hand the number of machine; I haw found coddled and cajoled into providing perfection in (he
properly lined-up in the lastseveral years.Iconstantly cutting of wood. Other brands. models and sizes of
find salesmen, manufacturers' representatives and even machines can profit by the nppllcation of these same
school teachers who are unaware that certain adjust principles although you may have to find the location
mentsexist. Store personnel who aim at the handyman of the proper nuts and holts yourself.
seem to take the attitude that "woodworking doesn't All photographs in the text showing various adjust
need to he all that precise" (they love selling plastic ments onaspecific machine are brand-name identified
woodand sandpaper).Manufacturers have to convince as Craftsman, DeWaltor Rockwell. Since I wrote this
people that their machines are simple to set up and hook, Rockwellhaschanged itsname to Beaver/Delta.
simple 10 usc (at ICJSIsimpler than thoseofthe COlTI So ifyou have a Beaver/Dena saw, you should follow
petition). 11 appearsthatinherent problems in the nature the instructions in this book for Rockwell.
of a radial arm saw cannot be admitted to and dealt
with by manufacturers because competitors would of
course claim that their machines are problem-free.
Publicity isconcentratedongadgets. not on mastering
the all-important basic saw c-urs.
Insum, few understand how to line the machine up
and how 10 use iton its "precise silk", and fewerstill
teach how this is done. As a consequence, the radial
arm S:IW has the reputation ofbeing an interesting but
imprecise, or even dangerous, woodworking tool. With
proper alignment, the radial can become the most
trusted machine in your shop.
9
Craftsman
10
I
•
-t
DeWalt
11
Rockwell
12
Chapter 1
Table Saw vs, Radial Arm Saw
TIlequestion I urnmost frequentlyaskedaboutstation
arv saws is this: "Should I buy a table'53W or a radial
arm SOlW?"
The tablesaw is the preferred machine ofalmost all
professional woodworkers.hut thisis1;lrh'Cly due to the
fact thattheir radialsare not properly lined up and they
have never received any training in the usc ofa radial.
Hence,for the professional. the radialisusually hiscut
offs:.IW usedonly to shorten boards,with allhisdetailed
work being done on the table saw,
Properly set up, the radial arm :'\J.W can he as pre
cise and safe in cutting wood as the table saw. Both
are good machines which can accomplish much ofthe
same work. I have and usc both machines, but for
someone who doesn't haw the money or the space
for the two, lei's look at the characteristics of each.
13
[The Table Saw ] [The Radial Ann Saw ]
On the one lund, the table saw is a simple machine Once correctly lined up.the radialarm saw isasimple
with few moving parts.hence veryeasy to set upand tool to use for making simple or complex cuts. It
maintain. II is a stable machine which maintains its requires few jigsand.when necessary,theyare simple
adiustmerus, making it excellent for production runs. to make. 1111..' complications arc in the machine itself.
Also,itcan be purchased for less than a radialbecause It requires little floorspace:IS itisgenerallyset against
it can be obtained without a motor, switch or guard. a wall. The left and right wings can have cupboards
On theother hand, the tablesaw requires consider over them and storageSp:KCunderthem.The machine
ablefloorspace,asyou mustbeableto workallaround can be quickly dunged over from one operation or c
it and have wood sticking OUl on allsides.Moreover, adjustment to another and can cut a wide variety of
know-how, construction time and experience are miter and bevelangles wnhsaw blades,dadoheadsand
required to build specialized jigs for almost all opera shaper heads.It can provide the smallshop with many
tions other dun ripping. In a professional shop, most secondary functions which work reasonably well such
ripping isdone on ;I band saw anyway.These jigsare as sanding,drilling and scrollsawing. In addition, itis
usually complex lx."CIUSCoftheir need to slide across cosr-cornpetinve if an equivalent motor. switch and
the table and because ofthe limited adjustmentsofthe guard arc counted into the table saw price.
saw blade with respect to the jig. TIle table saw has On the other hand. the radialarm saw Isa complex
a theoretical advantage in precision v....hich isusually lost machine to set up and to line up and requires frequent
in the imprecisionofthe jig5nnd their movement across checking and minor realignment.Italso needsconstant
the table.As well, the table saw is limited in its use of cleaning of the roller head tracks and is more subject
bevel angles. especially with dado or molding heads. to damage ormisalignmentin transport thana tablesaw
Itcan also beadangerous machine becauseofa hidden and hence less portable. It is less reliable in repeated
and often forgotten blade.cspcdatlywhen making dado production-run accuracy than a table saw.
curswith the guard n.-movcd. Lastly, the table saw is Finally, it h:1S no effective lower blade guards and
rarely used with itsguard or itssplitter, as they are too can be dangerous if used improperly.
much trouble to remove and replace and arc rarely In my own shop, where I have both the radial and
manufacturedwith an yseriousthoughtaboutactualuse. the table saw, IlISC the radialarm S:IW for allone-of-a
These guards arc the first victims of manufacturers' kind custom work. Itisquicklymovedfrom oneadjust
cosr-cutnngs. ment 10another. With the blade on the top it is easy
to make eyeballcuts and minoradjustments achieve
(0
dose fits. It is quickly and accurately displaced from
one rip dimension to another, whereas the table saw
fence is usually OUI of line with the blade. I also use
the radial for all cut-offs, cutting lumber to rough or
finished lengths.
Iuse the tablesaw when Iwant make numerous
(0
repeat cuts in production work. The number ofIdcn
ticalcuts justifiestheset-up time required to adjust the
14
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