Cheap RAS blade and table

"Rob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I scored a decent gloat the other day. Got a Craftsman RAS for 30
bucks.
> However, it did not have a tabletop and had a 7" blade (it takes a
10"). I
> have a TS so my plan is to just use RAS to rough cut lumber.
>
> I figure I would just make a table out of 3/4 mdf and glue up a mdf
fence.
>
> I need to get a cheap blade for it, I know that the RAS blades have 0
hook
> or even a negative hook. What is a source for a cheap carbide blade
for a
> RAS? Local Borg just have TS blades these days.
>
> Rob


Check the Craftsman RAS blade guard retrofit. If you're eligible,
they'll send you the new blade guard, table etc. for free. As for the
blade, I just have a Freud crosscut on mine.

<<the great part for the OP is that they send the guard
_and_ a new table with brackets. (Haven't figured out why, yet, because
have not yet done install -- it just arrived.) >>

The reason they send you a new table is that the somewhat bulkier blade
guard won't fit behind the fence in the old configuration. So they give you
a new, slightly narrower front tabletop and a comparably wider rear
tabletop.

Lee

RAS tops are usually thicker than 3/4", you might double layer the mdf.

I've just used chopsaw blades in my RAS which doesn't get much use, I do like to
keep my stacked dado setup in the RAS. Saves a lot of setup time.

David



In article <[email protected]>, "Rob" says...
>
>I scored a decent gloat the other day. Got a Craftsman RAS for 30 bucks.
>However, it did not have a tabletop and had a 7" blade (it takes a 10"). I
>have a TS so my plan is to just use RAS to rough cut lumber.
>
>I figure I would just make a table out of 3/4 mdf and glue up a mdf fence.
>
>I need to get a cheap blade for it, I know that the RAS blades have 0 hook
>or even a negative hook. What is a source for a cheap carbide blade for a
>RAS? Local Borg just have TS blades these days.
>
>Rob
>
>

Rob wrote:

>I scored a decent gloat the other day. Got a Craftsman RAS for 30 bucks.
>However, it did not have a tabletop and had a 7" blade (it takes a 10"). I
>have a TS so my plan is to just use RAS to rough cut lumber.
>
>I figure I would just make a table out of 3/4 mdf and glue up a mdf fence.
>
>I need to get a cheap blade for it, I know that the RAS blades have 0 hook
>or even a negative hook. What is a source for a cheap carbide blade for a
>RAS? Local Borg just have TS blades these days.
>
>Rob
>
>
=======================
My "sears" Radial Arm Saw is too old to quility for the NEW guard and
top and is worth more then the 100 bucks (plus the effort to remove and
return the guts for the saw)...ANYHOW
another poster told you the reason for the new top...(slightly wider
behind the fence and slightly narrower in front of the fence...

On the Blade... I use a Freud cross cut blade with a stabilizer on my
saw and it cuts fine...
I still have the original table supplied by Sears on my saw...(purchased
it in the early 60's) it still
does not have a single saw mark cut into it... I use a 3/8 in piece of
plywood on top of the table Sears supplied.. BUT with a 2 inch
replaceable insert that I can replace in 10 seconds .so my actual
working table is 3 pieces...the left and right sections are 30 years old
the 2 inch wide replaceable insert gets flipped and replaced quite
frequently.... Plus I paint the replacements RED
...the saw blade thus makes a very handy anfd very visible alignment
mark for me to use as
a reference... My saw is never moved off 90 degrees however..as I only
use it for cut off work...

So If I were you I would get a good blade and place a sacrificial top on
top of your NEW table that Emerson is sending you...and make that
sacrificial top in 3 sections...

Bob Griffiths
. .