Radial Arm Saw Recall

[Fins59]

I just became aware of this a few weeks ago.  If you own an older Sears Craftsman Radial Arm Saw, your saw may be involved in a recall.

I purchased my saw in 1975 (give or take a year). I was surprised to see my saw was involved.  It came without a blade guard (lower half of blade is exposed).  Due to many injuries the maker of the saw (Emerson Tool Co) will send you a complete blade guard, new handle, and new table, free of charge, including shipping, if your saw qualifies.

Google "Craftsman Radial Arm Saw Recall" for complete info.  They list model #'s of the saws that qualify.  If your saw does not have guard and does not qualify they will send you $100 if you send them certain parts of saw.

My saw qualified and my kit is on the way.  Note:  I've had my saw for over 30 years and never had a safety issue with it, but can't become careless, gotta be careful as with any saw.

Some guy made a nice YouTube video of installing this kit.

[Jay Boutwell]

Jason, I have to agree with you about craftsman and Wards being dangerous saws and because of the large number of them out there the threat of injury is high.  When I first started, I learned the hard way. With the saw being a new purchased one and set up according to the owners manual, it was still something that almost cost me some injury.  My fix was one that has made the saw safer to operate in the sense of the creeping saw carriage.   As with any saw there is still some potential danger however common sense will prevent most accidents.  My mistake was when I did not take into consideration that the carriage could creep ahead.  I guess the point here is to realize that anytime a cutting tool is free to move in any direction at its own will, without any controls or lock and do so without operator intentions is like looking down a loaded gun barrel with the gun cocked and the safety off. 

In simple terms the radial arm saw needs to be fixed so that the carriage is fixed to prevent movement without the operators intent.  Another situation that needs to be considered is that if the operator has loaded material onto the table with the saw turned off and then turns the saw on the sudden start up of a motor can in some instance cause the carriage to move forward.  Again here unless the operator has his hand on the carriage handle it can suddenly move rapidly into the material and you get a kick back with the blade climbing the material.  This is particular true if the saw is fitted with a dado head or other molding head simply because of the air resistance on the blade pushing the carriage ahead.

If the danger was not there then why is the company doing all the retro fits to make the saw a safer one to use.

It is true that the new retro fit now requires you to squeeze the control handle to release the carriage and is a much better fix that the other retro fit  did years ago using a spring to return and hold the carriage in the back position. (pictured in my original post of table vs radial saw)

It is not my intent to scare everyone with the radial arm saw dangers but everyone needs to know of the potential danger and do something to control that carriage.

Any time a tool bit, where it be a router bit, lathe bit, drill bit  or saw blade is introduced into  material by human hand the rate it will cut depends on how much the human hand introduces it into the material.  The amount also has a resistance force to it's cutting.  Too much and the reaction becomes such things as kick backs and other uncontrolled reaction.

In the early 90's saw smith introduced a table saw in which the saw carriage could either be locked and used as a regular table saw or one in which the carriage could be unlocked and the material held stationary on the table and the saw blade pulled through the material by a simple pull on a carriage control.  This was popular for a short time until too many accidents from kick backs and blade cuts to the hand lessened the popularity.

Basically this saw cost around a thousand dollars in the 90's and was like a radial arm saw turned upside down in a table. 

We can agree and disagree on this radial arm saw topic but until that blade is controlled in its parked position as well as controlled through out its cut through its material it is more dangerous that a table saw.  On a table saw you are concerned about the fence being properly set and use of push sticks and safety devices.  The blade is set and held secure in the saw table and your big concern is to keep your fingers out of the blade. 

The radial saw you are concerned with the material being held down on a table and against a fence and pulling a blade towards you that reacts to such things as wood density, wood wetness and thickness and other sudden changes in the wood from such things as knots and cracks and defects unseen by your eye.  All or any of these will determine how fast that blade is moving towards you.  In other words you have to think a lot more when using a radial arm saw.

The reasons I have cited in this post and others I wrote are the concerns that I have and why I still have the opinions I have with the radial arm saw.

Yes, I still use mine but mostly for cross cutting lumber into smaller sections.  The difference is I have the carriage controlled when it is in the rear position behind the fence.

 

 

 
Jason Watkins said:

There is a lot of misinformation that because it is so widespread seems to have become common knowledge about radial saws. 

A well tuned/aligned radial saw is one of the most versatile tools in your repertoiré. 

You want to put a Forrest WW1 TCP 8" blade on it. Call Forrest blades and order direct from them. Around $100 or so. Worth every penny, as it rips and crosscuts smooth as glass. This is the ONLY blade you will ever need for your RAS, and will probably outlast you.

DO NOT turn on the saw with the teeth engaged in ANY material. The "parking area" behind the fence should be lower than the surface of the table. Your table should be topped with a thin layer of plywood so that when the blade is fed through the cut, the teeth actually cut an eighth inch or so into the thin layer of plywood. This also serves as a zero clearance slot for your blade to run in, which will reduce splintering.

I thought the recall program also offered $100 if you sent in some portion of the motor that renders the machine inoperable. If so, take that money and buy an old solid cast iron DeWalt or Delta Turret Arm RAS. 

Craftsman, montgomery ward, et al are deathraps in my mind.

[Lorrie]

Thanks everyone for your knowledge of the RAS.  I feel better about the problem being fixed when I install the new kit (when I get it).  I don't ever turn any saw on until I am ready to make a cut.  I make sure that I have the board where I want it and when I get ready to cut, I turn the saw on with the carriage behind the board and move it until the cut is made.  I turn the saw off and I don't move the carriage until the saw blade comes to a complete stop.  I then move the carriage back to its position in the back.  I then move the piece of wood I just cut. My dad told me never to stand in the line of any saw.  I always stand to the side of the saw blade in case the blade kicks back (which I never want to happen!)  Scary!!  Is that the correct way to cut a board to length?  I haven't even tried to make any angle cuts.

[Jay Boutwell]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgjxwvHf9To

The above is a You Tube with last part showing the retro fit of the craftsman saw.  There are two parts on the same video showing the parts to the retro fit.  Of particular interest is the method of how the carriage lock works with the retro fit.  Looks good to me. 

[Lorrie]

Thanks Jay for the link and all of your concerns with the RAS.  I appreciate getting the "dos and don'ts" on the tools.  I do try to stay safe.  Like you said, if you don't think about it or don't know of the problem, you won't be looking for it.  Thanks for looking out for us beginners. :)
 
Jay Boutwell said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgjxwvHf9To

The above is a You Tube with last part showing the retro fit of the craftsman saw.  There are two parts on the same video showing the parts to the retro fit.  Of particular interest is the method of how the carriage lock works with the retro fit.  Looks good to me. 

[Ken Darga]

I'd suggest replacing the RAS with a miter slide saw, and use it in conjunction with a table saw.

I made that decision many years ago, and haven't looked back.

[Gary roofner]

Here is a picture of my retrofitted Radial arm saw. If you look close at the picture you can see I added 1/4 hardboad over the new top for added protection.

[Lorrie]

Hi Gary,

I just received my radial arm saw retrofit kit.  I ordered it on May 4th and got it on May 24th.  I haven't tried to put it together yet.  I just opened the box to see what they sent me last night.  I hope to try to put it together this week or next week.  I haven't read the instructions yet.  Was it hard to put together?  Why did you add the hardboard?  just to protect the new top?  I hope you are enjoying the new retrofitted RAS.  Thanks for the photo.  I will post a photo when I get mine done.  Thanks again for the information on the recall!
 
Gary roofner said:

Here is a picture of my retrofitted Radial arm saw. If you look close at the picture you can see I added 1/4 hardboad over the new top for added protection.

[Jason Watkins]

The hardboard top serves as a replaceable surface so that you are not sawing up your tabletop.

[Lorrie]

Thanks Jason.  That makes sense.  I'll make sure that I do the same.
 
Jason Watkins said:

The hardboard top serves as a replaceable surface so that you are not sawing up your tabletop.

[Ken Darga]

Applying "Seal-Cote" (shellac sealer) to the surface, 

will protect/preserve the hardboard, and reduce chipping.

Put a couple coats on the ends.

 

[Lorrie]

Thanks Ken.  I will apply the sealer as well.
 
Ken Darga said:

Applying "Seal-Cote" (shellac sealer) to the surface, 

will protect/preserve the hardboard, and reduce chipping.

Put a couple coats on the ends.

 

[Gary roofner]

Yes I am very glad I purchased this saw. I think I lucked into one of the best purchases in a while. The craftsman saws are known for their sloppy radial arm tracks but this saw is as good as my rockwell  nice and tight . I have been practicing making drawer joints using my dado set .Dado set works well with the saw however I need to find a spring to do Jays fix because  I must take the guard off to use the dado head which brings back the safety issue with the craftsman saw. The hardboard is to protect the new top. If it becomes beat up just take it off and put another piece on. I had a project that used the hardboard . I had a lot left over so made sense to use some to protect the saw table. If you can remember where you found the spring you used let me know. The main reason I bought the saw is to use with dado head for half lap joints. However I got to admit it cuts better than my sliding chop saw. Because its zero clearance cut . I haven't tried it on plywood yet.