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Converted RAS to a RAR

1651 Views 9 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  Bigkahunaranch, 
Bigkahunaranch
I picked up an older Craftsman Radial Arm Saw, had a dadoe blade attached to it and used it just for rabbits and dadoes.
Never really happy with the space it took up, nor with the cuts I was getting.
So I took the motor off and mounted a router on the arm.
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It works great, perfect flat bottom dadoes. Easy to make stopped dadoes. It can
do dadoes at an angle. I can put a pin in the table and make it a pin router.
The whole head assembly can rotate, so I can have the router bit 45 degrees from the table.
I next want to add T-tracks to the table for a moveable fence. And build an X-Y sliding jig
made from drawer slides. I will then be able to do all kinds of mortise and tenons.

Thanks for letting me share.

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wapakfred
I've seen a few versions of that, and yours is one of the nicest ones…well Done! You did send the motor in for the $100?
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hairy
Nice one! You said you weren't happy with the cuts as a saw, but it's accurate as a router. I wonder if the reduced weight is the reason. The rest of the saw looks original.
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ScottKaye
An awesome idea and solution. I could have used this over the weekend when I needed to cut half blind spline (dado) slots on 45 degree miter cuts for a carcass I'm putting together. Tilt the head to 45, set the depth and place a stop and all the cuts will be exactly in position.

Scott
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CharlesA
it's like a manual CNC machine . . . or something like that.
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hhhopks
I got my RAS for $60 and has been sitting around for couple years now and have never made a cut with it. All my cuts have been made by TS, Slider and hand power saw. My concern on the RAS has always been the set up.

The idea of mounting a router is intriguing. I have seen a pin router, I could see how that will work too. I could see that there may some real possibilities for the RAS. I guess the depth of cut consistency is no different than before. This could give me the real incentive to get my RAS setup.

Thanks for sharing.
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MT_Stringer
That should make a great router planer for smoothing out rough stock if you need to.
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C
There have been several methods of converting a RAS to a RAR including an L bracket that attached to the back end of the saw motor to mount the router. In fact, I think Craftsman once even offered a replacement complete carriage for mounting a router. I saw one that looked manufactured while going through a shop in Waikiki about 15 years ago. They had a round table on top of the standard RAS table and were routing edges on circular parts clamped to this round table using a router mounted in a saw carriage with it. The next time that I was there the saw was a standard RAS again. I've never been back again and have wondered if the router carriage was an actual Craftsman accessory or if it was something that the shop owner had made. At the time that I saw it I wasn't much interested, but have wished that I had learned more during those visits. The company may not even be there now and I can't remember the shop name or exact location so I can't even call to ask about it.
Does anybody know about this accessory or the location of this company?

Charley
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WhyMe
Craftsman did have a router attachment for the RAS. It clamped on the motor in place of the blade cover. I have one but never really used it much.

Here it is ….. http://lumberjocks.com/topics/52505
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Bigkahunaranch
Thanks for the compliments folks.

Played with it alittle this morning. It really makes doing inlay alot easier. I just freehanded some stuff in cedar and it worked really good.

I did not send in the motor, had a buddy that wanted to do something with it so I swapped it for some wood.
He was happy, and I am happy.

Thanks again.
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