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Craftsman radial arm saw recall

B

BobReeves

Member
Day late as usual, I somehow completely missed that most Craftsman 10 inch Radial Arm Saws have been recalled. For a while they were sending a retrofit kit with a Rube Goldberg guard and new 1 inch table. Now they are only giving you a $100.00 rebate if you send in the motor and carriage making the saw unusable.

I use my saw quite a bit and would have really liked the new table but missed the boat and now my only option is to basically scrap the saw for a $100.00 rebate. I'll keep it as is and continue using it till the motor quits.
 
I was in Home Depot a while back
and while standing in line I was
reading the recall notices. One
one for a circular saw......
laceration hazard!! When mine
stops cutting then it's an issue.
 
You can google it which I just did - complaint is the guard doesn't cover the entire saw blade so I'm assuming someone has hurt themselves and filed a suit. I have a saw bought in 1971 and we have a bit newer one at the RR museum where I volunteer. I can't say I've ever seen a radial arm saw with the blade totally covered but maybe the later models. The rebate plan basically junks the saw and I have no plans to do that with mine. These things are like anything else - you have to take responsibility for your actions. I tell people at work all the time - you do something stupid I'm not the one hurting, you are and suing some one won't bring back a finger or eye or even sometimes eliminate the pain.
 
You got that right which means an awful lot of today's people don't quality to use one. I'm not giving mine up either.
 
I wonder if it includes my 1975 Craftsman? I love the saw but it can get you in soooooo many ways.
 

I'm still using my dads Craftsman RA saw. He had it as long as I can recall, so I'm guessing it's a mid 1960's model. So far, all I've done is replace the on/off switch in the 40 years I've had it!
 
I had an 8-1/4" Craftsman RAS that was too weak to even cut through a 2x6 SPF without bogging down, the only thing it was really useful for was cutting vinyl siding with a reversed plywood
blade. About 10 years ago I was very glad to send in the head for $100 and scrap the rest, although I did keep the stand it was mounted on. I bought a 12" DeWalt RAS for $25 at an auction, it's
from the 40s or the 50s from what I have been told, and I use it for quick cuts that don't require a high degree of precision. It has enough power to cut through 8/4 hardwoods, though it will
sometimes bog down in a really wide cut. For anything at all precise I use a power miter saw or bandsaw, depending on the size, but for rough construction or cutting defects out of boards the
RAS is great.
Zach
 
I never knew this:

"Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission."

So you can't legally sell one of these if you have one.
 
No doubt, the radial arm saw was (and probably still is for some of us) a handy tool for certain cutting
jobs. I've often wondered, does anyone even make them anymore? Probably not, they were even considered a
bit dangerous I think back in the day when they were selling them like hotcakes. I suspect that most people
have gravitated to the mitre cut-off saws these days for that type of cutting. But a good quality radial
arm unit with a sharp blade certainly made certain cuts quick and accurate enough for most projects. Not
sure I would want a newbie woodworker using one though without some good instruction from an experienced
operator.
 
Sliding miter saws have replaced radial arm saws. They can use the same blades as a radial arm saw of the same diameter. It's difficult to sell a consumer quality radial arm saw for anywhere close to $100 unless it includes a lot of valuable blades. I wouldn't count on the $100 Craftsman rebate lasting forever.

Does Delta Tool still sell new radial arm saws?
 
(quoted from post at 09:19:47 05/17/18) No doubt, the radial arm saw was (and probably still is for some of us) a handy tool for certain cutting
jobs. I've often wondered, does anyone even make them anymore? Probably not, they were even considered a
bit dangerous I think back in the day when they were selling them like hotcakes. I suspect that most people
have gravitated to the mitre cut-off saws these days for that type of cutting. But a good quality radial
arm unit with a sharp blade certainly made certain cuts quick and accurate enough for most projects. Not
sure I would want a newbie woodworker using one though without some good instruction from an experienced
operator.
Click to expand...
I've worn out 2 craftman RAsaws I agree with CH on all points.
There are a few cuts they could make no other saw could. Gladly have retired them they were dangerous to use and like anything complacency would bite you! The more wore out they got the more dangerous they got. CH I learned on a wore out old Sears and Roebuck without good instruction and I'm happy to report I can still count to 10 with my hands. Trial was fine the error was remarkably close by many times.
 
I have one in my shop that I use when building cabinets. It can be very handy. I have always been respectful of it and yes it did have some cautionary tales even in
the old days.
 
Well lets see, I've been using my Craftsman radial arm saw for 46 years without issue. Must stem from idiots suing sears because they don't know how to operate the saw. Shoot, I used to operate a Delta arm saw the saw would come off the arm while you were using it and didn't get hurt. I was young then though and don't move as fast today.
 
Yes they do but are very salty. I have my dads DeWalt with cabinet like one in photo.
a268021.jpg
 
Yes, they still make radial arm saws although I've stopped buying newly manufactured equipment. The old machinery is so much better. I have a Dewalt 16" radial arm saw that was used by a defense contractor in WWII.

Any piece of equipment can cut you and if you don't know what you are doing you leave yourself wide open for a major accident. You can't blame the machine if you stick your hands in it.
 
I just wished I had got in when they were sending the retro kits. A new free table would have been nice.

Link to the recall site, enter your model number to see if your saw is covered.
http://radialarmsawrecall.com/determinemodels.aspx#search

They also have instructions on how to remove the carriage for the recalled saws.

I may have just broke the law. Thought I would see what was on Graigslist and found a saw just like mine. 10 inch electronic for $50.00. Called the guy and it is now in my shop ready to be taken apart. Kinda feel bad that I didn't tell the guy about the rebate but now I have (or will have) $100.00 and spare parts.

On top of that this saw has the full cabinet base and mine just has legs. Not sure if I will change out the stand or not but now I have the option.
 
Yes, I have used mine for 45 years without a problem, I will just keep on using it. What made Craftsman's more dangerous than say a Dewalt or Power-Craft? There were a lot of them sold too!
 
I have the one my dad bought in 1969 and use it often. I really like it for making dado cuts when I'm doing cabinet work.
Like other have said, the tool is only as safe as the guy using it.
a268023.jpg
 
I also have and OLD Craftsman radial arm , i have repaired rebuilt and now on my third table and fence . as with any piece of equipment one has to be careful with it's usage. Before bought my table saw i did everything with it . Making it cut accurate took a lot of tinkering ,l and set up to do a job requires checking before you turn it on and make termite food . Guess all them years in high School shop classes paid off learning SAFE OPERATION of wood and metal working tools and equipment . Now if i just had a better place to work in i would be a happy camper.
 
Used mine yesterday. Crosscuts and the RAS and rips on the Table saw.
Some people would not be happy if a chain saw had a full wrap-around guard.
 
Interesting article below on the RA saws. DeWalt invented them in the early 20's apparently but they quit
making them in '87 according to this information. Some new ones are still being built and sold but they're
pretty much extinct for a variety of reasons.
Poke here for more information
 
I'm not sure. You know everything judged today has to be idiot proof. I think the main objection is the saw doesn't have a guard surrounding the blades.
 

This seems to come up every few years. A couple years back some guy was on here saying people fell into RA saws and decapitated themselves on a regular basis! Come on!

No, radial arm saws are not outlawed and they are still readily available new. They are no more dangerous than any other power cutting too. Regardless of the tool, you have to engage your brain before turning it on. The RA saw is an extremely versatile wood working tool that simply scared the cats out of some people. That's fine, fear is what tends to keep us from doing stupid things. But lets stop branding a tool as "man killers" when hundreds of thousands of people have used that same tool for decades without incident.
 
I've never owned one but see them come up for sale pretty often at the local auction. Always think I'd like one in my life but then look at the ordeal of loading it in the truck, getting it in my shop, etc. Table saw and chop saw will have to do for now. I will say that my safety consciousness always goes up a notch when I hear experienced carpenters or woodworkers tell me how they lost a finger or similar through a moment's inattention.
 
Last time I tried to use mine it would not run. I think I need to evict a bunch of mud daubers out of the motor housing. It is probably not going to be turned in for a rebate.
 
I had a 12" Craftsman RAS that I bought used for $100 when I got married in 1973. Was a very nice saw. Over the years it got used less and less until it got to be just a "horizontal surface" that stuff collected on. Sold it last year at the garage sale prior to selling our house for $45 IIRC. In the 80's I bought a Delta Unisaw that became my "go to" tablesaw. Crosscutting was mostly done on sawhorses as it just seemed like too much trouble to clear the RAW table for an occasional use. Bought a Dewalt chop saw which I love.
 
(quoted from post at 10:10:00 05/18/18) I've never owned one but see them come up for sale pretty often at the local auction. Always think I'd like one in my life but then look at the ordeal of loading it in the truck, getting it in my shop, etc. Table saw and chop saw will have to do for now. I will say that my safety consciousness always goes up a notch when I hear experienced carpenters or woodworkers tell me how they lost a finger or similar through a moment's inattention.
Click to expand...

I've seen far more people injured with skillsaws and power drills than RA saws. Good friends son ran his hand through a tablesaw and there was guy not far from here last year that almost cut his hand off with a sliding miter saw. Point is you gotta engage the brain with any of them.
 
(quoted from post at 17:34:53 05/17/18) I will keep using mine. How many know
you are to push the saw into the wood
and not pull it.
Click to expand...

Boy I didn't know that!

Are you sure on that?

I don't think I'll try that either, it just sounds dangerous to be holding a piece of wood that the blade is trying to lift.
 
(quoted from post at 10:54:42 05/19/18)
(quoted from post at 17:34:53 05/17/18) I will keep using mine. How many know
you are to push the saw into the wood
and not pull it.
Click to expand...

Boy I didn't know that!

Are you sure on that?

I don't think I'll try that either, it just sounds dangerous to be holding a piece of wood that the blade is trying to lift.
Click to expand...

That's very confusing. I've got several factory RA saw manuals and books around here and not one says we're to pull the saw out to the end of the carriage, put the wood against the fence and push the saw backwards into the wood. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what Southern Ray means?
 
If you pull the saw into the wood and don't have a firm grip on the handle it could try to jump over the wood.
Pushing gives me more control.
 
In my mind a firm grip and a straight arm are what it takes to use a radial arm saw properly.

I may try pushing just to see how it works, but if I lose a finger I'm not going to be happy. If it decapitates me I will not report back.
 
Well I started out pulling the saw into the wood, but with my clumsy arms I had difficulty holding it back.
I them went to pushing it into the wood. I have much better control. Never had an issue with 'lifting' the wood.
In pulling the saw the clean edge will be on top and the jagged edge will be on the bottom.
In pushing the saw the clean edge will be on the bottom.
In pulling the saw the wood chips are brought down and under the blade between it and the deck and then flung out he back.
In pushing the saw the chips are kicked straight up into the collector tube.
I brought this up in a safety meeting years ago and after a demonstration I convinced the safety officer it was a safer way.
 

Sorry Ray, I'm sticking with the tried and true method as instructed in every owners manual and RA saw book I've ever read, not to mention 10's of thousands of cuts successfully made with RA saws up to 20" in a truss plant I worked at. If your method works for you, have at it. But it's not the way the saw was ever designed to be used by the makers of the saw in general cut off practice.
 
(quoted from post at 22:34:17 05/19/18) If you pull the saw into the wood and don't have a firm grip on the handle it could try to jump over the wood.
Pushing gives me more control.
Click to expand...
A RAS is just a circular saw mounted on an arm. No one would try to pull a circular saw backwards.

I think the reason they come set up to pull the carriage back is to make it easier to load and unload the pieces being cut.

Either way, the work piece needs to be held firmly against the fence.

The safest and most versatile RAS set up I've used has a 12' long table with the fence mounted close to the column. That set up will cross cut over 24" and rip 26".
 
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