I have a radial arm saw, Sears Craftman with 10 inch blade. I also have a Ridgid 10 inch table saw. I purchased my ras used from a friend. The blade appears to be dull now because the cut isn't sharp and clean. I now understand that I will need a certain blade or it will be dangerous to use. Can someone explain the blade choices to me? Thanks Lorraine
Radial arm saw question please
- Thread starter lwhughes149
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I know there must be someone out there with a RAS. Chime in please
Lorraine, unfortunately, I know nothing about them
Lorraine, unfortunately, I know nothing about them
Ok Dave, I am learning a few new things today. Rockler has a saw blade with a negative face hook. Kind of pricey! $100 to $130. Is that what I can expect to pay? I have 80 tooth on it now. I have seen 80 tooth in Lowes but didn't see them this expensive. Guess I have a little homework to do. The blade on my tablesaw ran me around $50. Hughes
M
McRabbet
Whatever you do, don't put a rip blade on it, and do not try to turn the head and rip boards even with a crosscut blade -- if you think pigs can fly, boards ripped on a RAS can go into orbit .... DAMHIKT... I've used 10" miter saw crosscut blades safely with mine -- Why don't you check with your local Sears store for their suggestion?
I have had this ras for about six months and have used it right much. I don't have a rip blade on it at this time and of course will not put one on it. The blade I have on now is one that came off my tablesaw. It is one that my brother had on the tablesaw when he gave it to me. I use my tablesaw for rabbets and dado's mostly so I found myself using that blade when the existing one started to splinter my walnut. I have a teacher nearby that I will consult with before buying this new blade. Thanks for all the info. Lorraine:-D
I thinl Charles M will be back after the holiday and I'm sure he'll have some ideas.:lol:
Mc Rabbet is right, never try to rip on a RAS. My Dad used to do that when I was young and I remember it scaring the cr*p out of me. Dadoing on a RAS is also scary but a necessary evil sometimes. The main thing is to keep a sharp blade on your RAS, otherwise it will grab and climb (come after you) like Dave O said and that's dangerous. Any good 60 or 80 tooth crosscut blade will probably suffice, sharp is the main thing. I generally go with a carbide tip blade, I have the hot rod (expensive) blades, but I think there's Craftsman or low end Freud (from Lowes) on my RAS now and it saws fine with very little splintering.
My Best
Randy O.
My Best
Randy O.
Thanks to all for the information and knowledge. I sure is good to have someone to turn to when you have a question you can't answer. As some of you may remember I have a mentor close by. Consulted with him last night. Yes the expensive blade would be best but the 60 to 80 tooth will also do for what I need. The one I have on there was fine until it became dull. I work alone for the most part and don't have many distractions except for the dog which helps me to always pay attention to safety. When I get tired I stop and call it a day. I purchased the ras because me mentor uses one so I followed his example. Thanks again for the help. Will be posting my latest creations shortly. Lorraine
Lorraine,
There has been good advice so far. For RAS (and SCMS) low or negative hook is recommended. On a RAS the blade tries to self feed and come toward the operator and the low hook angle counters this effect. Thin kerf also reduces the effect. The best we offer is the LU91R010 - 10" X 60T with -5° hook. HTH
Charles M
Freud America, Inc.
There has been good advice so far. For RAS (and SCMS) low or negative hook is recommended. On a RAS the blade tries to self feed and come toward the operator and the low hook angle counters this effect. Thin kerf also reduces the effect. The best we offer is the LU91R010 - 10" X 60T with -5° hook. HTH
Charles M
Freud America, Inc.
Just my two pen'th worth - in the US it seems to be the convention to pull the saw through the wood starting from the back (rest) position. In Europe it is much more common and IMHO safer to pull the saw right to the front, load the wood to be cut, turn on the saw and push. Any tendency to come towards the operator is counteracted by the push of the operator
M
McRabbet
David, I'm from the same school -- climb cuts are dangerous as it tends to grab the wood -- but the operator must be sure the wood is secure and his/her arm free of the saw before cutting.DavidF said:
Re: Radial arm saw question please-Ripping on a RAS
I used a 1970s Dewalt 10" with rip blade to rip 14" strips from 3/4" - 20 foot port orford and red cedar for a 17 1/2 foot strip built kayak. The major problem was dust and getting someone to help push. Used long inboard and outboard tables and lots of feather boards on the inboard side. Also seperated the cut strip from the board with a finishing nail behind the blade. Took lots of precautions as I had heard that RAS ripping was dangerous but had no other option, I thought. About 10% of the strips had thin sections that made parts of them useless.
Would I do it again? No, too hard to push. Also turns out I didn't need that length. And a Gilbuilt table saw kit with a 3/4 horse motor works as well in the same setup. Have cut all the strips for a 20 foot tandem, the Great Auk. On that setup.
See http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/Building/Guillemot/Designs.html
Point is, had more problems with cross cuts than ripping.
I used a 1970s Dewalt 10" with rip blade to rip 14" strips from 3/4" - 20 foot port orford and red cedar for a 17 1/2 foot strip built kayak. The major problem was dust and getting someone to help push. Used long inboard and outboard tables and lots of feather boards on the inboard side. Also seperated the cut strip from the board with a finishing nail behind the blade. Took lots of precautions as I had heard that RAS ripping was dangerous but had no other option, I thought. About 10% of the strips had thin sections that made parts of them useless.
Would I do it again? No, too hard to push. Also turns out I didn't need that length. And a Gilbuilt table saw kit with a 3/4 horse motor works as well in the same setup. Have cut all the strips for a 20 foot tandem, the Great Auk. On that setup.
See http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/Building/Guillemot/Designs.html
Point is, had more problems with cross cuts than ripping.
Bill, welcome to the site. We would love to see some photos of your work. There is also another fairly recent member to this site from Cumberland county that is looking at building a Kayak. With your permission I would like to pass on your name to him so he can contact you if he needs some advice or has questions about a Kayak.
D L
D L
I agree there can be kick back issues, but are more controllable than the climb cut problems as when pulling the saw the operator is helping to bring the saw his way! to stop the saw he must change the muscle action of the arm from pull to push. With the push method the operator just has to apply more pressure in the same direction. As McRabbet said, one assumes that the work piece is secure and the operator is ready to make the cut.
here is a picture of the kayak I built at its launch point off Corolla beach when I turned 60.
(if I did this right).
The kayak is 17.5 feet long made from port orford and red cedar strips ripped from 3/4" boards and the edges beaded and coved with 3/8" router bits. The strips were then selected for placement, formed to fit ;-) , edge glued with elmers and stapled (ok, sometimes nailed at the stems) to forms a foot apart on a strongback. The whole was then fiberglassed inside and out and varnished with uv protective spar varnish.
It was a lot of fun as directions at that time were sparse and I got to "invent" a lot of "tools" to make things work.
I would be happy to help anyone building such a project as I have another underway.
I should say it takes a while to do the first time.
(if I did this right).
The kayak is 17.5 feet long made from port orford and red cedar strips ripped from 3/4" boards and the edges beaded and coved with 3/8" router bits. The strips were then selected for placement, formed to fit ;-) , edge glued with elmers and stapled (ok, sometimes nailed at the stems) to forms a foot apart on a strongback. The whole was then fiberglassed inside and out and varnished with uv protective spar varnish.
It was a lot of fun as directions at that time were sparse and I got to "invent" a lot of "tools" to make things work.
I would be happy to help anyone building such a project as I have another underway.
I should say it takes a while to do the first time.
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