thanks God ( and Doug ) !

alright dave a new tool in the shop…....now there will be even less sleep…well if it were me i would be out there playin with it…..tool giving friends are great to have…..there kinda like the ones who send wood out to folks…..just good hearted people…well have fun with it…...it looks nice…...grizzman

-- The Grizzone

I had one in my first shop and loved it….and now seeing yours…well, I’m jealous….green with envy…etc…etc….great score…and excellent table. I wouldn’t have room now for one…but I can be jealous If I want….

-- /\/\/\ BarryW /\/\/\ Stay so busy you don't have time to die.

i been out there for a week ,
getting up from 1:30 to 4:00 every night !
i did get my 13” belt sander on wheels ,
and the 13” planer also .
now they are out of the way against the wall .
it opened up a space in the shop floor about 8’ x 10’ .
but i’m still only 1/3 rd through cleaning .

-- david ,new mexico ,allheart

patron, i’m so happy you got a new saw, well new to you, and a sweet table you made. i’ve been anguishing over whether to buy a RAS these past few months. There must be 25 on craig’s list at the moment and seemingly cheap at about $100 to $150 average. i have the room but do i have the need? i’ve read some horror stories about how difficult they can be to keep aligned, but with proper setup, I’d think they can work a good as a TS. maybe i’m naive. are you going to dedicate the RAS to make just dado cuts, or miter cuts on longer boards?

-- david roberts, houston area, "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but that has never been a problem for me."

when i’m in a project ,
the tools may have jigs on them ,
so i will use the RS for crosscuts / rips / dados / miters ,
so i can make any jigs the projects require ,
without messing with the other setups .
as stated ,
i made sure the arm is 90 deg. to the fence ,
and will not ever change that ,
i never cut my fence but once .
that is where a lot of the problems with RS saws came from ,
guys moving the arm for miters and compound cuts .
they never made a dedicated table for them ,
just whacked the one that came with it ,
until they were trashed , and dangerous .
as i make more jigs for it ,
i will post them here .
a radial arm saw is just like any other tool ,
set up right , and used correctly , it’s a joy !

-- david ,new mexico ,allheart

Great Friend, Great Saw, Great Set-up!! Looks like the Shop’s coming along too.
Good for You, David!!

-- Mike in Manchester, NH---Unpleasant tasks are simply worthy challenges to improve skills.

been thinking about tweeking my rad, saw. I really like the fold down part of the table, and the clamp rack behind the saw. i have really got a lot of ideas from joining this site great job and thanks

-- Duane,matt_megan@twlakes.net

Hey David
This is a great table for your new RAS . your shop is looking great. That’s lots of work cleaning the shop but it’s making a big difference. I hope things get better for you in the $ department . It’s no fun when things get tight. Hang in there Bud

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

David: good luck on the new saw. I loved mine when I had it.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

the way i see it ,
i made it this far .

no sense in worrying now !

i do have a lifetime guaranty !

-- david ,new mexico ,allheart

I just love your new setup, particularly the fold down tabletop ! The curves give it sex appeal !
I also like your clamp rack. Handy !

When I saw your RAS I ran into my shop to see if mine was still there. They are identical. Do you have the owner’s manual to set it right? If not I can send you or post the few lines I wrote recently about that for someone.

Keep on cleaning David, one day after the other. Well, it applies to everything I believe !

Best,

Serge

http://www.atelierdubricoleur.spaces.live.com

-- Learn from yesterday, work today and enjoy success tomorrow.

thanks serge ,
i do have the manual ,
and something i just remembered for all the worriers about ripping
with the RAS ,
make shure the guard is down on the work ,
it keeps the work from lifting while it is being cut !

-- david ,new mexico ,allheart

I’m drooling over your RAS set-up. I want to do the same thing, and have a place for a choip saw and a router as well, all built-in. Storage below, dust collection, etc., just like the one Norm built a few years ago.

My RAS was the first tool I bought when I bought this place. A year later I had seven stitches right over my left eyebrow. Didin’t use it for many years, but I got back on that horse and am riding it regularly now (with the blade guard in place and not placing off-cuts on top of the arm anymore).

Anyway, Patron, nice project! Use it in good health.

Rich, in Corinna, Maine

-- Far-North Wood-Works (a fantasy company)

rich ,

glad to hear you are back at it ,

we all get ahead of ourselves sometimes .

i think that is what we are learning ,

slow down , and smell the sawdust !

-- david ,new mexico ,allheart

here is a drawer made with this RAS ,
to hold a 4” toy jointer i got for small inlay parts .
i can pull it out ,
( it will have a lock and vacuum ) ,
and slide back out of the way !

-- david ,new mexico ,allheart

Hey David,
That’s a nice piece of work with some clever idea’s…....looking good man…..power to you.

-- I will just keep doing it till I get it right.

Congrats on your newly acquired RAS David. With your skill and experience I’m sure it’s going to serve you well. The dropleaf table and cabinets look great. I really envy you your little jointer. I’ve never seen one before, but it looks really useful for those small pieces. I expect now with this new machine you will be producing a lot of new and inspiring projects. Your workshop is getting better all the time.

Your advice to other RAS owners is really a good idea. I’ll bet it would be greatly appreciated by a lot of members if you did a blog on RAS safety, set-up and general usage.

-- Mike, American in Norway

Good deal David, makes me smile to hear your story, there is good in this world.
I also have a RAS, rare that I use it but every now and then, its more convenant that moving my setup on the ts so I leave it there, LOL I could use a set up on mine to make it work better though. As a side story , my brother bought it and gave it to me, its a digital sears, he bought it cheap because the digital didnt work, no problem can live without those working.I was at a customers shop. saw my same saw and made a comment about that. he asked does your digital work, I said no. He asked have ya replaced the battery? battery, huh, it runs on 120, well After a 7 or 8 bucks for a battery I didnt know it had, digital works great. I guess the orignal owner didnt know it either.

-- Randy, Fla http://www.kelleyscabinetsupply.com

Nice set up for the saw and great use of space under it. I need to think of something like that for mine. I use mine on every project I make in the shop. Could not do with out my Radial Arm saw. With that very nice top you made for the saw, I would want to add a 1/4” piece of hard board just to keep that looking nice.

budget stopped me ,
maybe someday ?

-- david ,new mexico ,allheart

David, Congratulations on the saw. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. I have always used a RAS, and would hate to be without one. Your shop is looking good. Come clean mine and I might give you some wood! LOL

By the way, I like your clamp rack. I need one—Good idea.
Kent

Keep on cutting, we need to see another great project.

-- Kent Shepherd * The goal is-----More Tools!

my clamp rack is a result of working in different cab shops
over the years ,
they all had a mismatch collection of worthless clamps ,
and they were always jambed up with glue and the screws hard to work .
stop and clean the shafts , and un crank the screws ,
by the time i got the clamps ready , the glue was allmost dry .
so i made myself a hanging rack , where all the clamps are allways ready ,
i leave 1/4” of thread open , and run the screw down the shaft ,
so they are ready to slide into place and tightened without wasting time .
i set them up before i put them in the rack , when i got lots of time to work them .
the rack is on casters , so can be moved to the work if needs be .
they are in slots , and can just be grabbed quickly.
for the pipe clamps , i got couplings to make them longer as needed ,
i had to make a 40’ one once , and it sure helped !

-- david ,new mexico ,allheart

David….Are you sure this is the same saw that came out of my little shop. Looks like a totally different creature. Wish I had the ability to come up with the creative ideas like you. Of course you know that I have trouble laying out a straight line and even worse cutting one. As I told you, the saw was gathering dust in my shop and after considering all, it would be never be utilized the way it was intended. Better to have it in the hands of a competent craftsman.

Enjoy and don’t wear it out in the first few days

-- Doug, New Mexico.......the only stupid question is one that is never asked!........don't fix it, if it ain't broke!

hey doug ,
i thought that was you ,
but wasn’t sure .
so hope you approve ,
and thanks for the saw ,
i’m still working it out
with jigs and such .

-- david ,new mexico ,allheart

David

Hi, fun projects here. Ho do you support the right side in the”up” position? The clamp rack is the best I’ve ever seen. Have any other cool space saving tips in your shop?

-- Bob A in NJ

right now it has a stick under it .
when i get further along ,
i might make a swing out ” knee ” for it ,
or a diagonal brace on stops .

-- david ,new mexico ,allheart

here is a mitering board jig ,
all my jigs have dowels ,
to register them .
these have corresponding holes in the table
for that .
this board i left enough room behind it for
a dressed 1×6 ( 5 1/2 ) to cut stock ,
without moving the miter .
you can make a series of table holes ,
front to back for wider miters .

-- david ,new mexico ,allheart

That is looking great David, you are making a great shop.
This is a great saw and a very nice clamp rack.
We are both building a new woodworking shop, we are on the ride track.

Thanks friend, for showing us.

Henrie.

-- Greetings from the Netherlands.

Hey David,

Quote “something I just remembered for all the worriers about ripping with the RAS, make shure the guard is down on the work, it keeps the work from lifting while it is being cut!”

I would like to add to your precious advise of making sure the guard is down on the work, make sure that the anti-kickback is also down behind the saw blade, as shown on the pictures. I remember in the ‘70’s went a 1X2 cutoff got kicked back by the blade and went right through the 1/4” hardboard that I used as wall paneling in my small workshop. Since that day, mine is always set up (I mean down) properly, each time.

Work safe with that saw. And as usual, don’t work when tired or distracted.

Best,

Serge

http://www.atelierdubricoleur.spaces.live

-- Learn from yesterday, work today and enjoy success tomorrow.

good advise , serge .

we always have to work safe with all the tools ,

look what they can do to wood !

-- david ,new mexico ,allheart

David,

As already mentioned, I recently relocated my RAS in the shop. Finally I completed the dust collection at this new location. I’m sure you’ll be glad to take a look at it. Not 100%, but I’m satisfied so far : 3” PVC pipes and a piece of cardboard box as a shield.

Best,

Serge

http://www.atelierdubricoleur.spaces.live.com

-- Learn from yesterday, work today and enjoy success tomorrow.