1945 Dewalt Radial Arm Saw.

[L.S.Barker1970]

I picked up a Dewalt RAS last year, now that the holidays are here I've had some time to get it in the work shop and clean it up.
Its a real neat old thing, really big too, 16 inch blade, 7 1/2 HP motor very well made in the US.
Every thing seems in order, good bearings on the slide, motor is quiet, no cracks in the cast or striped out threads on locking levers, good condition for its age.
I have liked these saws ever since I was a young apprentice carpenter & Joiner, the first one I ever saw was at Mordialloc Timber near the station, all gone now..
Its nice to have my own after lusting after one for so many years.

http://i982.photobucket.com/albums/ae301/matty355/matty355149/image-145_zpsxmhusn0l.jpg
http://i982.photobucket.com/albums/ae301/matty355/matty355149/image-149_zpshmlcsrq7.jpg
http://i982.photobucket.com/albums/ae301/matty355/matty355149/image-146_zpsunvlieth.jpg
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http://i982.photobucket.com/albums/ae301/matty355/matty355187/GE%201_zpsg67r43bt.jpg
http://i982.photobucket.com/albums/ae301/matty355/matty355187/GE_zpsspf1hy8k.jpg
Melbourne Matty.

[hiroller]

Looks like new. And how were the ball bearings?

[DaveTTC]

Nice education. I did not know dewalt was that old.

Great work

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

[L.S.Barker1970]

Looks like new. And how were the ball bearings?

Bearings were very good in the motor, quiet as !
Bearings in the sliding carriage were just ok, most spun, one I had to free up a little.
The whole track system benefited from a good clean out, the previous owner had been making red gum out door furniture and the red dust was every where.
The track it self had very little wear, there is a tiny amount of play when the motor and carriage is in the start position but no play or side movement during the cut.
For an old 1945 machine I was pretty happy with the condition, the only thing I was disappointed with, and it was purely cosmetic, was the frame had taken a hit on the L/H side front, possibly from a fork lift or something, it had been repaired well enough, just the steel is not flat there any more, a few ripples.
My plans for now are to just get it cutting with a brand new blade, see what it can do, the track bearings I will replace some time soon and see if I can get the upper cast iron arm track re machined at some stage, very tricky job, Wolf over in the US offer this service, I'm not sure who can do something like that over here, I'll talk to a good mate who runs an engineering shop in Dandy.

Melbourne Matty.

[L.S.Barker1970]

Nice education. I did not know dewalt was that old.

Great work

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

Dave, you'd be surprised, Dewalt have actually been going since 1924.
The first radial arm saw they made was called the "Wonder Worker"
Here are some catalog cuts from a 1925 Catalogue.

http://i982.photobucket.com/albums/ae301/matty355/matty355188/jointer307_zpsrmzue2mv.jpg
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http://i982.photobucket.com/albums/ae301/matty355/matty355188/jointer309_zpsf5ktolrk.jpg
Melbourne Matty.

[DaveTTC]

One of them would go nice in my workshop when its up and running

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

[sion.dovey]

Lovely machine Matty, and that early catalogue is a treasure, what power machine is it describing? I'm not sure about plugging 7 1/2Hp into an ordinary light socket.

[L.S.Barker1970]

Lovely machine Matty, and that early catalogue is a treasure, what power machine is it describing? I'm not sure about plugging 7 1/2Hp into an ordinary light socket.

Hi Sion, its great to see you posting here when you can, its a nice slow pace on this side.
The Dewalt saw is three phase power, so yea, not a little light socket.

Moved it all in position, started welding up a side bench and cleaned up (or more so rebuilt) the saw stop set up.
Just have to work out now what type of material to use on the tops the for timber to slide across on, traditionally timbers such as Vic Ash were used in sawmills for docking bench tops.

http://i982.photobucket.com/albums/ae301/matty355/matty355189/IMG_20160108_184827_360_zpsn5jsjpgj.jpg
http://i982.photobucket.com/albums/ae301/matty355/matty355189/IMG_20160108_184704_467_zpshykmixy2.jpg
Melbourne Matty.

[camoz]

Matty,

That has come up looking really nice, with 7.5HP she is a beast, looking forward to a video of it cutting (if you get a chance). I really like those stops, are they original to the machine?

For the table top, perhaps some MDF, I know how you like that stuff:p

Cheers,

Camo

[China]

Nice machine, nice clean up, most people think I'm behind the times when I tell them I have a radial arm saw, (been trying to find a set of stops like that for yonks)

[V2rocketeer]

Just lovely !!

[KBs PensNmore]

My plans for now are to just get it cutting with a brand new blade, see what it can do, the track bearings I will replace some time soon and see if I can get the upper cast iron arm track re machined at some stage, very tricky job, Wolf over in the US offer this service, I'm not sure who can do something like that over here, I'll talk to a good mate who runs an engineering shop in Dandy.
Melbourne Matty.

Matty, put up a thread in the Metalwork Forum, several members have grinding machines that will handle this type of job, if your mate can't do it.
Kryn

[tomartomau]

The Delphi forums they would be in awe of that beast, what a find. I have a 1960's 12" model and it is great.

Something that worked for me is a solid rubber bung strap attached to the shed bearer and the saw carriage to stop any chance of the saw climbing towards you with bigger stock.

Very nice.
Well done

[L.S.Barker1970]

Matty,

That has come up looking really nice, with 7.5HP she is a beast, looking forward to a video of it cutting (if you get a chance). I really like those stops, are they original to the machine?

For the table top, perhaps some MDF, I know how you like that stuff:p

Cheers,

Camo

Thanks Cam, I'm just not so sure about MDF, just not a big wrap for that stuff, it doesn't like water for some reason...lol
I will probably go a traditional hard wood ladder frame construction, I have seen this in some timber yards many years ago, the spaces between make it easy to move the timber because you can place your hand around and under the stock easily.

Melbourne Matty.

[L.S.Barker1970]

Nice machine, nice clean up, most people think I'm behind the times when I tell them I have a radial arm saw, (been trying to find a set of stops like that for yonks)

Hi China, thanks for your comments !
China, those stops believe it or not can be made up quite easily, I have a pattern/design of one that could easily be laser cut, plasma cut the shapes out (inexpensive these days) and assembled.
Its a very simple design and there is not much to it. I can provide some pictures if you like ?

Melbourne Matty.

[L.S.Barker1970]

Just lovely !!

Thanks Rocketeer, its been a real thrill to work on such a nice old machine, there is something about the styling I just can't look past.

Melbourne Matty.

[L.S.Barker1970]

Matty, put up a thread in the Metalwork Forum, several members have grinding machines that will handle this type of job, if your mate can't do it.
Kryn

Thanks Kryn, I appreciate the thought, I'll have a chat with my mate, but yes that may be the way to go if I get stuck.

Melbourne Matty.

[L.S.Barker1970]

The Delphi forums they would be in awe of that beast, what a find. I have a 1960's 12" model and it is great.

Something that worked for me is a solid rubber bung strap attached to the shed bearer and the saw carriage to stop any chance of the saw climbing towards you with bigger stock.

Very nice.
Well done

Thanks tomartomau for your kind comments, I post occasionally on OWWM, but mainly here down under, the rubber strap sounds interesting as these machines do have a tendency to climb over big stuff.
I'm hoping for a nice clean cut with this brand new blade I have put in.

http://i982.photobucket.com/albums/ae301/matty355/matty355190/IMG_20160111_163803_621_zpsym9lndrj.jpg
http://i982.photobucket.com/albums/ae301/matty355/matty355190/IMG-1452475661275-V_zpsh4jyygic.jpg
Melbourne Matty.