First Post Here- Craftsman Radial Arm Saw

[Robert Palmer]

Greetings. Looking for some help. I have an old Craftsman RAS. There is some wobble in the cutting head, carriage, whatever it's called. I know there is supposed to be a pair of fixed bearings and a pair of adjustable bearings. What I don't know is if it's possible to make the adjustments without too much disassembly of the saw. Anyone? Thanks in advance for any help.

[twistsol]

It really depends on the model you have. On mine, there are two covers on the carriage that can be removed and give you access to the bearings with eccentric screws to to tighten up the slop.

Mine has two bearings on one side and one on the other. The 1/2" bolts are eccentric and move the bearings closer or farther from the arm track. (Clearly I need to do some cleaning on mine.) This is an early 60's Dewalt B&D, but the design is similar for nearly all Radial Arm Saws.

[Robert Palmer]

Thanks for the reply. It looks like all of the screws to get the cover off on mine are near the back of the arm. I guess I'm going to have to bite the bullet and move my bench away from the wall to get to them.

[leehljp]

Welcome Robert! Stay around and join in the fun here!

[cwsmith]

Robert,

Do you have the model number and/or the instruction manual?

I have a circa 1973/4 Craftsman RAS, with the cast iron column. As Twistol stated, the carriage bearings that ride along the arm rails can be adjusted to take out any wobble. It's been quite a number of years since I've had to adjust mine, but I can look up the procedure and post them for you, if you would like. Providing things aren't too worn, the adjustment may do the trick.

Is the wobble just between the carriage and the arm, or in other places too?

CWS

[Robert Palmer]

Thanks. I have begun disassembly. Slowly. Trying to figure out how to remove what appears to be a top cover over the arm. Model #C48KJ-318. Or possibly 079257. Not sure. These numbers are on a sticker attached to the motor.

[LCHIEN]

Sears Craftsman labeled gear usually has a three digit number and a period and a 5-digit number plus often an additional digit.
The three digit number identifies the OEM manufacturer who made the tool for Sears and the 5 digit is a model number and the trailing (usually zero) is an additional suffix designating part of something or a submodel or a promo kit containing that model as a basis
For example the Craftsman full model number for the BT3 clone table saw was 315.228110 or something like that.

[cwsmith]

Bob,

You don't need to remove the top cover over the arm. If your RAS is similar to mine, that cover is purely decorative. What you need to access (if the carriage is wobbly) is the two plastic covers at the top of the carriage, they cover the carriage rollers that will need adjusting.

The nameplate with model and serial number are located on the left front side of the base frame, that the table is mounted to.

If you need a copy of my manual, I believe I have a PDF of it, but I'll have to search my files, so let me know.

Here are a couple of pictures:


CWS

[jannickz]

Yes, it is possible to adjust the bearings on a Craftsman RAS saw without too much disassembly. Here are the steps:

1. Identify the adjustable bearings. The adjustable bearings are located on the carriage, on either side of the cutting head. They are typically covered by a dust cap.
2. Remove the dust caps. Use a screwdriver to pry off the dust caps. Be careful not to damage the bearings.
3. Inspect the bearings. Look for any signs of wear or damage. If the bearings are damaged, they will need to be replaced.
4. Adjust the bearings. There are two nuts on each bearing. Use a wrench to loosen the locknut, and then use a screwdriver to adjust the inner nut. Turn the inner nut clockwise to tighten the bearing, and counterclockwise to loosen the bearing.
5. Test the bearings. Once you have adjusted the bearings, test them by moving the carriage back and forth. The carriage should move smoothly and without any wobble. You can check more at https://en.tradebearings.com
6. Replace the dust caps. Once you are satisfied with the adjustment of the bearings, replace the dust caps.

Hope this helps.