Craftsman Radial Arm saw problems

[Robert Wolff]

I have a late to mid '90's 10" craftsman radial arm saw.  The only problem i really have with this saw is its ability to travel on the arm smoothly when making a cut.   

I'm guessing the bearings/track the saw travels along on the arm are either gummed up with dirt, debris, rust, dust or old grease.  I Cannot find my owners manual so I am at your mercy. 

As the weather cools into winter in my unheated shed, it is harder to pull the saw across the workpiece.   So i'm guessing it is gummed up with old grease on the track the saw travels on.

Is there a way to clean the components and what is used to lubricate the track??

thanks very much

Robert W.

[Ken Darga]

You can obtain a manual by contacting Sears-Craftsman, with the model number and serial number, from the nameplate on your machine.

Old grease gums up and hardens, making some mechanisms difficult to function properly.

Use a solvent degreaser to remove all the old lubricant and apply applicable suitable lubes.

You can obtain the degreasers from an auto supply store.

[Robert Wolff]

Thanks Ken

Ken Darga said:

You can obtain a manual by contacting Sears-Craftsman, with the model number and serial number, from the nameplate on your machine.

Old grease gums up and hardens, making some mechanisms difficult to function properly.

Use a solvent degreaser to remove all the old lubricant and apply applicable suitable lubes.

You can obtain the degreasers from an auto supply store.

[Jay Boutwell]

Robert, when you contact sears check in to see if the upgrade kit is still avaliable.  They were sending  an upgrade kit that contained some safety features that keeps the blade from running ahead and cutting your fingers or hands off.  It contained a table and new trigger control that lifts up the blade guard only when you squeeze the handle.  Other wise the radial arm stays in a locked position behind the fence.  It also contained a new table.

 

check out the many reference to the radial arm saw on the kreg community by typing in "radial arm saw" in the search box in the upper right hand corner.  They are dangerous and many times will come forward when you are not prepared and cuts off finges adn hands.  If they do not supply the safety kit anymore then use a bungi cord and attach it to prevent the blade from crawling forward.  I know I have a post on there telling about a near accident that happened to me and what I did about,  There is also a spring would reel type attachement that pulls the blade to the rear and keeps it there until you pull it forward.

 

By the way Ken is 100 percent correct on the grease and care of the saw.

[Jay Boutwell]

WgjxwvHf9To

This was the link to the retro fit of the craftsman radial arm saw/

https://youtu.be/WgjxwvHf9To

Here is the recall infor that I have:  http://radialarmsawrecall.com/

[Jay Boutwell]

Robert here is the article I wrote:

Comment on: Topic 'table vs radial saw'e magazine, world wide. Thanks for your outstanding post.                         DaveJay Boutwell said: The table saw vs the radial arm saw is a good topic for discussion. I have owned both for several years and can say the there is a use in the wood shop for a radial arm saw.  I have it near the front of the shop where all lumber that enters passes by it on its way into the shop.  I use the radial saw to rough cut the lumber down into lengths that are easily managed on the table saw.  Although I own a miter saw and a chop saw I perfer to use the radial as it has a larger table that makes the lumber easier to cut.  I also perfer to use the radial as on my miter saw I keep a sharp and high priced blade that I perfer to keep for making high percission miter cuts and not run rough lumber through the blade.  Once I begin building cabinets or furniture most of the work is then done on the table saw. Another use that I have for the radial arm saw is making moldings.  I have a molding head that I install on the radial saw and in the head I install different profile to cut moldings.  This allows me to make several profile when I use it in the rip positon.  In the cross cut position I install a dado blade and make several feet of dental moldings and other molding that require a series of cross cut type action using either a dado blade of a molding cutter. When it comes to safety the radial arm saw is the most dangerous saw of the two.  The reason is that you do not have to stick your finger or hand into the radial arm saw blade.  That saw seeks flesh to cut and when you least expect it.  This is because the blade in not alway in the locked position and has to be free in order to cross cut lumber.  Because of this and, the least little bump with either lumber or your hand while positioning the lumber on the table and even viberation on the saw and it is a run away blade headed straight towards anything in the path of the blades travel. I have been working wood many years and have been lucky becasue I practice safety and think everything through before I do it. Fortunately I still have all my fingers and have never been cut by a saw blade or other power equiptment. I stated above about the radial arm saw if the most dangerous of the the two saws.  I am living proof of this shortly after begining woodworking.  I was cross cutting some lumber stock into shorter lengths and was in the process of placing lumber on the table.  For unknown reason the saw carriage rapidy came across the lumber  missing my fingers by fracions of an inch and slambed into its forward stop.  From what I still believe today is that it was because of the saw blade grabbing ahold of the lumber as I was placing it on the table. Since there was on hand holding the saw carriage in the rearward positon it was free to do as it wanted and this was towards the front of the saw where my hands were. If you thing that a radial arm saw will not climb on top of lumber, please think again. This taught me a lesson and I fixed this saw problem by attaching two springs to the saw carriage to keep the carriage in its back position and required a pull of the hand to make the cross cut.  It was a new top of the line 10 inch craftsman saw with all the attachments except the one that It needed.  Something to keep the saw carriage in it's back position and prevent it from moving forward without being pulled forward.  Within a few months of this incident Craftsman came out with a spring loaded reel attachement that attached to the right side of the saw carriage that returned the carrigage to the rear position and held it there until pulled froward by the opeartor.  I am here to tell you that if you own a radial saw and that unless you have done something to hold the carriage in its rear position to prevent its accidental movement forward, then you are flirting with danger. It could be as simple as a bungie cord attached to the carriage  and fastened to the frame is a manner that it will return and hold that carriage may save you from injury and or loss of a hand or fingers.  i was just lucky or I would have lost some fingers or my hand. Radials like all saws are dangerous in ways you least expect.  Otherwise the radial has its place in the shop. …Added by DAVID CZUPRYN at 1:43pm on January 21, 2013

[Robert Wolff]

Thanks Jay.  very good information and read.  I did not know of a recall on this unit.  I will check it out for this saw.  I have never had the misfortune of the saw coming forward on me by accident, thankful for that...

You guys are wonderful, thanks again!!

[Robert Wolff]

In doing a search for the recall on my specific saw (113.197250) Emerson tool company would like me to send in my motor and carriage assembly (rendering my saw useless) postage paid by them.  In return i'd get a $100 check in the mail.    Apparently the retrofit is no longer available.  

Saw originally sold for $450. in 1991.  By no means is it used and abused, unsafe maybe...after all I've read today.  Other than cleaning up the track and adding some new grease, it would continue to serve me fine as long as I am as careful with it in the future as I have been in the past 24 years.  

Take the $100.  or continue to use it as is??????  The smart thing to do would be to take the money and invest in a new miter slide saw maybe.

[Jay Boutwell]

Hi Robert I am glad you have the option rather than get nothing and still have a dangerous saw.  I did the retrofit but did it about 2 years ago.  I did it even though I fitted my saw with some bungie cords, just to be certain that the saw was safe in accordance with their recomendations.  I also got a better blade cover and a new table top. 

 

In your case it is a toss up as I also have the Hitachi 12" slide saw and now about the only thing I use  the radial any more is for building custom molding like the dental molding that is common but expensive to buy.  

Robert Wolff said:

In doing a search for the recall on my specific saw (113.197250) Emerson tool company would like me to send in my motor and carriage assembly (rendering my saw useless) postage paid by them.  In return i'd get a $100 check in the mail.    Apparently the retrofit is no longer available.  

Saw originally sold for $450. in 1991.  By no means is it used and abused, unsafe maybe...after all I've read today.  Other than cleaning up the track and adding some new grease, it would continue to serve me fine as long as I am as careful with it in the future as I have been in the past 24 years.  

Take the $100.  or continue to use it as is??????  The smart thing to do would be to take the money and invest in a new miter slide saw maybe.

[Tom Moores]

another thing to check is the travel lock, if it is just barely loose it might cause some dragging, good luck and be careful

[Robert Wolff]

thanks Tom; never thought of that.  

and thanks again Jay.  

You guys and this forum have been very helpful.  Thanks Again.