Anyone who has owned/used one of these models, I'd love to hear what your experience with it was like.

 

I've owned/used/bought/sold a number of Sears RAS models. I once had an antique/collectible store and had an area set aside for tools of all kinds, for the guys accompanying the wives on shopping trips. The absolute best at accurate setting and holding those settings is the older ones, I think first model 100. All cast iron column and arm, ways ground into the cast, not screwed on steel rods, and depth adjustment crank on the top of the column.

Not a lot of power or fancy features, just runs and cuts accurately.

In general, as they added marketing features they become less accurate, and more trouble-prone. Just like cars!

Some think the RAS has been replaced by power miter saws. And for some uses, like trim carpentry, they have been. But, for general shop use there are some things they excel in.

Dados for one. Ripping can be done, and safely. I've ripped literally thousands of feet with then with no injuries. There is a technique, but they work well.

That said, if I were in the market for another, I wouldn't buy a Craftsman but search for a Delta or Rockwell turret model. I've had 10, 12 and 14" models and they were all excellent. The 10" uses commonly available blades and other attachments such as dado heads while the larger ones have bigger arbors.

 

I know several carpenters that use them on job sites.

Be careful with this type of saw (extra precaution when cutting small peices). If you want to keep your fingers or thumbs.

But there good for cutting larger or wider peices.

 

Is there a reason you're sold on Having a Craftsman? I personally blame their brand to a large extant for the death of the RAS. I've had 2, and both went back to the recall.

 

I have one. As accurate as a wrecking ball. Look for an old ugly green DeWalt with burgundy knobs. Accurate as a swiss watch. I have a 10" and a smaller one. Whatever ras you buy , get a negative rake blade. Not a standard table saw blade.

 

I know the model numbers starting with 113 have safety recalls.

 

I see old DeWalts on FB marketplace in the $50 range. It will outlast you.

 

If you can find a Delta, it will be the last one you’ll need..

 

Thanks everyone. No, I'm not sold on the Craftsman models, there are just a whole lot of them close by. There are also a few Rockwell, Delta, and DeWalt. I'll start a separate topic thread about those, though, to keep this thread just on the Craftsman models.

 

If the one you’re looking at is in great shape, with tight bearings and no slop in the arm, you’ve probably found a solid machine. Just be sure to check that everything locks down firmly and that the motor runs smooth and quiet. Replacement parts can be a little tricky, but lots of folks keep them running for decades

 

Funny you should say that about being in good shape. Someone just posted a Craftsman "Professional" model (315.220381) that literally looks like it's hardly ever been used and was kept indoors—no rust, grime, dirt, sawdust...nothing. He's asking $200.

 

I have both Craftsman (2) and Ward's Powr-Kraft (3) saws, and appreciate them both for different reasons. I would say the Craftsman are easier to run, but the Powr-Kraft is more tune-able. Also the Powr-Kraft has two accessory spindles, a 3450 rpm as well as a 20,000 rpm. In addition, the Powr-Kraft gear induction assembly makes it very friendly to deal with when things go awry and bind up.

 

I have owned a craftsman, labeled the professional model and posted a question on table measurements on this site a couple years ago. RAS used to be the solution for crosscutting until the sliding crosscut saws came out. The biggest problem I had with the craftsman RAS was making a square cut. It cut fine for construction lumber purposes but not for woodworking. I could get it square, make a few cuts and it would be out of square enough that I went back to my sliding crosscut which holds square.

 

Just a comment, you seem to be overly focused on newness, "looks like it's never been used". That shouldn't be that important in your search, look for a reliable brand (back to Dewalt and Delta/Rockwell) and give the appearance thing a second of 3rd point in the search. My Dewalt looks terrible, but yet after tuning it's dead accurate, I swing the arm back and forth all the time and it returns to zero, but it's probably the ugliest thing in the shop (excluding me). A bad RAS (Craftsman and maybe a few of the others you've asked about) will make you cuss the day you heard the acronym RAS and abandon the forever....like so many others have done.

 

The RAS was replaced by tye slider, but people buy them because they are cheap now.

 

Hmm --- I know you're excited about it but .... don't. IIWY (if I were you) I'd save up $$ if I had to and get a sliding compound miter saw. They are somewhat safer and a lot more accurate.