My New Radial Arm Saw Table #1: First Stage of Design

I like the looks of the new design, but I’d be worried about one saw getting in the way of the other.

-- "Give me your poor tools, your tired steel, your huddled masses of rust." Yep, I ripped off the Statue of Liberty. That's how I roll!

Blake,
I have seen several designs like this and everyone says they are the cats meow after getting them completed. I am looking forward to seeing yours complete.

-- Grant...."GO BUCKEYES"

I’ve just completed a similar style setup for my new shop. You’re absolutely correct about the adjustable base. A couple years ago I built a mobile miter stand from plans that I believe were from a FWW mag publication that included an adjustable “floating platform” and it worked so well I copied the design for my new setup. The original plan calls for large stove bolts for the platform to “ride” on but since I was unable to find any I used carriage bolts instead. Apparently within the last couple years they’ve stopped selling carriage bolts threaded their entire length (ugh!) so I used threaded rods and hex caps this time.

I don’t have the details in SketchUp but here’s a cropped closeup:

Hope you find this useful.

-- Patrick, Chicago, IL www.TenonAndSpline.com

Nice job on the restoration Blake, it looks very retro. I also have a Radial Arm Saw Dilema. About a year ago I got an old siezed-up Craftsman 10” at an auction and have since restored and installed it. It works like butter. I installed a whole wall of cabinets around this saw. My dilema is this, I’ve been thinking about getting rid of it and replacing it with a 10” sliding CMS. All I use the RAS for is cutting things to length. I keep seeing everyones thoughts on radial arm saws being dangerous and how you should get rid of them. I can’t help but agree. I feel like this thing is going to jump right into my chest sometimes. I figure I can cut things to length with a Sliding CMS just as easy with much more control. I would like to hear everyones thoughts on this.
-T

-- Tony, Ohio

Looks good Blake.
I would think a replaceable top (or top section) and fence on the RAS would be needed also.

-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon

Patrick: That picture is such a bit help! It’s just what I needed to see because that is basically what I was planning on doing. It’s nice to be able to see that someone else has actually done this before… much less that it was published as a method in FWW mag. Perfect… that just solidified my idea.

SPalm: I probably will make some portion of it replaceable if not all of it. I haven’t settled on a material for the top yet.

What do you think I should use for the table tops? Maybe two layers of birch ply (for rigidity) topped with replaceable MDF? It’s gotta stay flat and true since the table won’t actually be adjustable (just the saws). I think the Formica would be too slippery anyway.

-- Dust collectors suck.

Cool…glad you found it helpful.

As for the tops…mine are only a couple months old, but so far I’m happy. I considered Norm’s half-lapped 2×4 method but decided it was too much trouble to pick through 2×4s and find enough straight ones. I wound up doing something nearly identical to what you’re thinking for the tops. To keep costs down I laminated 3/4” OSB – two layers of the full size and then a 3rd partial layer composed of 4”-wide strips along the edges and everywhere it “met” the cabinets – mainly to save on full sheets and keep the weight manageable for install. I then installed maple edging and tacked a piece of 1/4” tempered hardboard on top for a total thickness of ~2-1/2”. Rock solid. There’s no visible play even when I walk around on them.

-- Patrick, Chicago, IL www.TenonAndSpline.com

Have you gotten the issues with your bandsaw straightened out?

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

My radial arm saw (yeah a Craftsman) was the first power tool I bought for my shop many years ago and some may chastise me for it but I still rely on it. There’s no better way of cross cutting wide planks. I have even used a wobble dado on mine, but thats another story/blog. It was nice to see the fine restoration job you did on your DeWalt. The biggest problem is with the big footprint the tool makes due to the widely flared metal legs and have pondered how to change this many times. A sliding CMS would be a nice alternative but don’t have the 5 bills to drop on one at the moment. I think Patrick has the right idea with the adjustable base for your CMS. My change is: since you want most of your table to the left of the RAS (which makes sense) I would put my CMS to the left of the RAS. You might be able to cut down on the overall length of the table, if your’re trying to save space. I’d definitely look at buiding in a Kreg Trak and Stop system also. (KMS-8000) http://www.kregtool.com/products/pms/product.php?PRODUCT_ID=40 As for the top I’d use MDF and a sacraficial top layer of 1/4” masonite applied with contact cement.

-- DocK, WV

I’ve got nothing of value to add here, but I will be keeping a close eye on the ideas and your final resolution so I can mimic it when I set up my shop. Good luck Blake! I’m sure once you hash it out it’ll be awesome!

-- Fritz Oakland, Ca http://www.muegenburg.com (dedicated to my other hobby)

Gary: I am waiting on parts for the bandsaw.

Fritz: I’ve got some clever ideas up my sleeve which I will unveil later. Yea, It’ll be awesome.

-- Dust collectors suck.

Blake – I have a somewhat different take on it.

I ahve an old DeWalt 925 similar to your MBF…
I have the table more of a Mr Sawdust style thaht is sittiong on teh RAS, and I put threaded insrts on the underside of it that allwo me to adjust it on the four corners of teh RAS frame and get it just right. Then on the left side of the table I mountadjustable roller supports to teh bench that I ahve on teh left of it, and rais ethem to where it is just rigth and clamp ‘em in… On the riogth side I am goign to put my sliding compound miter and put it on bolts much like that other commenter did, and have it adjust to the table of the RAS table…

kinda a hybrid approach.