SpudFiles

Craftsman 10" Radial Arm Saw Conversion - Upside Down Table Saw

[youtube][/youtube]

This is a Craftsman 10" Radial Arm Saw converted into an upside down sliding table saw.

I consider it to be a very safe way to cut wood because I stand in line with the axis of the blade. I do not 'see' the spinning blade teeth when cutting; I see the side of the blade.

Kickbacks, sawdust, broken teeth cannot travel in my direction.

I always use the homemade clamp for small pieces.

Safe, simple, effective, and very cheap, .

See my previous videos for additional details.

its pretty cool but you could just use a table saw with some type of extended grip to hold your work, or the stopsaw
and you should be wearing the correct ppe no need to worry about dust and wood chips

and really its teh same a band saw with a big table

Any reason to post this:

[youtube][/youtube]

I'm not quite sure I understand the reason for this conversion over using a simple hand circular saw mounted to the underside of a table. You could still orient the blade perpendicular to your line of sight.

Note to watcher's of Stu's video, Take the safety goggles off the side of the saw and use them as intended...

Is it just me or does Stu sound just like Duke Nukem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKV87994GH4

jrrdw wrote:Note to watcher's of Stu's video, Take the safety goggles off the side of the saw and use them as intended...

Safety glasses are needed if you are ripping stock and standing in front of the blade.

(My eyeglasses are polycarbonate and are pretty safe)
--------------------------------
I'm not quite sure I understand the reason for this conversion over using a simple hand circular saw mounted to the underside of a table. You could still orient the blade perpendicular to your line of sight.

Try cutting a piece of plywood 1/2" wide by 2" long on any other saw and you will see why I designed it this way.

Another go at re-invent the wheel eh?

You need to find a hobby that doesn't involve solving non existent problems.

I'll stick with my industrial table saw and its 52" Biesemeyer rip fence.

A common problem many people have with table saws is the common misconception that a lower blade will reduce kickback when the opposite is true. Raise the blade high and the direction of the cutting is perpendicular to the surface of the table and not along the face of the table.

Learn from bandsaws. They don't kick back.

This error is shown in the video as the blade is set for a shallow cut in the wood greatly increasing the chance of kickback.

There is a good reason sawmills cut lumber with the log passing as close as possible to the shaft of the blade. Binding is greatly reduced and the direction of the bite of the teeth into the wood is perpendicular to the log.

A common way to lose fingers on a table saw is from a lowered blade so the teeth above the cut are nearly invisible. A high blade is visible. The common comment to amputees is, I only got this close as they slice off the next finger. Many table saw accident victims have two fingers missing.

Use the guard and the anti kickback device. The best guard I ever used was a metal ring around the blade. The top was completely open to view. It was never blocking the view with static cling and dust.

Gippeto wrote:Another go at re-invent the wheel eh?

You need to find a hobby that doesn't involve solving non existent problems.

I'll stick with my industrial table saw and its 52" Biesemeyer rip fence.

Problem:

Obtain a safe and accurate saw for under $100.

Have you ever cut/split a piece of plywood 1.2 cm x 5 cm lengthwise on your industrial table saw?

I can easily do it on my saw.

Problem solved.

This scenario is similar to my homemade elevator.

I could have spent $15,000 for a commercial elevator.

I chose to re-invent the wheel for $100.

Personally I would have opted for a fireman's pole, but nonetheless cool.

mark.f wrote:Personally I would have opted for a fireman's pole, but nonetheless cool.

A fireman's pole is a diode, only one way.

It would work if you had stairs to go up; I don't.

Actually Stu...When I built the cabinets for my house, I used splines to join the stiles and rails of the doors. The splines are 1/4" x 1/2"...and cut on my table saw. Easy stuff....if you know how.

Radial arm saw around here? $300+ for a good used Rockwell or older (iron) Dewalt...Good used Rockwell or Craftsman (9") table saw?...$75 or so.

Have made hundreds of feet of molding using a portable table saw that I bought at a garage sale for $30...it just didn't "cut it" when it came to cabinet work.

Gippeto wrote:Another go at re-invent the wheel eh? :roll

It's only an "Upside Down Table Saw" to the person standing on their head while viewing it.

velocity3x wrote:

Gippeto wrote:Another go at re-invent the wheel eh? :roll

It's only an "Upside Down Table Saw" to the person standing on their head while viewing it.

A table saw has its blade coming from below.

To rip, I remove the slide table and use a rip fence.

Ripping with a radial saw is VERY dangerous.

The blade is rotating in the perfect direction to create kickback.

I went to great lengths to make kickback almost impossible.

(That is another story).

[youtube][/youtube]

The mods were not made when this video was made and it was unsafe for ripping.

No clampdown, no kickback brush/featherboard, etc.

If you stand on your head and view the video you will see a right side up table saw.

Hint: View the slit in the original table saw top and notice that the blade is going down into it.

Craftsman Radial saws in the U.S. were considered so dangerous that there was a recall and a everyone was given a free retrofit for a new blade guard, etc.

Due to its unsafe reputation, people give them away or sell them for $50 -$75.

I don't believe that there is a safer saw out there that you could own for less than $100.

(Being a cheapskate is my hobby)


"The splines are 1/4" x 1/2"...and cut on my table saw. Easy stuff....if you know how. "

It might take a few fingers to learn how to cut tiny pieces on a table saw with a stock fence. My friend Bart has 4 fingers on his left hand; the table saw owns his other finger.

It might take a few fingers to learn how to cut tiny pieces on a table saw with a stock fence. My friend Bart has 4 fingers on his left hand; the table saw owns his other finger.

Not rocket science...rarely is.