RAS Versatility

[vanguard]

I have a Rockwell Delta Super 900 RAS that I found via Craigslist a month or so ago. After bringing it home and installing a new 8 1/4" Irwin 40T blade I was impressed with a saw that's a lot older than I am.

I called Delta and they were happy to reproduce the original manual for me from microfiche. It arrived on Sunday. I've since had a chance to read it and am amazed by all the things they show the saw doing. Obviously, they have the saw cutting wood with regular and dado blades. But beyond this the saw originally had attachments for grinding wheels, sanding discs, routing, molding cutters etc.

I was very impressed. Enough so that I'm thinking about searching and/or making for some of the accessories that would allow me to perform some of these operations. At a minimum, since my saw was missing its anti-kickback rod/pawls, I need to find those and a splitter seems like a good idea as well.

Are these types of operations safe? Does anyone have any advice?

I did pick up this guide on eBay and am waiting for it to arrive.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWN%3AIT&rd=1

[Wood_workur]

Do only what you feel safe with. Don't do stuff such a routing that you already have the PROPER tools to do the work with, and don't get a molding hed, as those are (giant) router bits for a radial arm saw. But if you are laking a grinding wheel, or a disk sander, those might be something that you want to try to get your hands on.

[just4funsies]

Alex's advice is sound. Let me add to that by saying that many of the attachments and operations advertised with RAS's are NOT viable. One example is using a molding head to create raised panels and whatnot. The saw doesn't run fast enough, and you're gonna get tearout and snipe like you won't believe. Also, many of the "alternate" operations require a machine configuration that is UNSAFE (blade guard removed, etc.), or just takes too much time to set up, especially if you also need to use the machine for those uses for which it's better suited, like sawing.

Bottom line: An RAS is not a Shopsmith (which ain't that great, either). Don't plan on using it like one.

[cwsmith]

I've been an avid fan of the RAS since I was in highschool, back in the early 60's. I bought a Craftsman RAS in 1974 and it has been my favorite tool. The RAS is a great tool, but honestly I am amazed at some of the accessories and applications that some of these manufacturers suggested.

As the previous two posters mentioned, there are some things that the RAS is very good at, and then there are things that really should NOT be attempted. While I believe that Ryobi made a universal motor'd RAS for awhile, most RAS manufacturer's employed induction motors and with an RPM of around 3650, that's simply not a speed that you can successfully use for routing or molding. Sear's still makes a molding head (same 3-blade device as for the table saw), but I'm not sure how well it works and I think a good router would provide you will far superior results. Besides, that things gives me the "goose-bumps" just thinking about it and that's with a table saw where it's mostly under the table... now picture it with the entire head above the table with only the wood fence and thin metal guard between it and you!

For cross-cutting and compound angles, it's really hard to beat the RAS. Compared to crosscutting on a table saw, you'll wonder where the RAS has been all your life! For ripping, don't even attempt it unless you get those anti-kickback pawls and the riving knife (on my RAS they are the same assembly). Now I've done a lot of ripping on my RAS and never had a single problem, but I keep those pawls in place and sharpened.

If your RAS has an accessory drive off the opposite side of the arbor, then you might like a drill-chuck. With an auxiliary table, it does a good job of horizantal boring. Likewise, you can try a sanding disk, but frankly a sanding disk on a table saw works much better; primarily because with the RAS, you can't lower the blade into the table!

Using a grinder? Well, a bench grinder doesn't cost that much and you'd have to do some building of a aux table or something to support the tool to be sharpened. Not worth the effort in my opinion.

The two big things with the RAS is straight and compound crosscutting and cutting dados. With the blade on top, you can see exactly what the dado is doing! Above all, learn to use the RAS correctly, and make sure things are properly set-up. The RAS can be a marvelous tool, but don't expect it to be a miracle worker with a lot of add on gadgets.... they are all too often too dangerous for use.

CWS

[brumere]

If your looking for parts for old Delta (Rockwell) tools look here:

http://www.acetoolrepair.com/home.asp

I see they have the schematic for your RAS online.

[tfm37]

Vangard
Make dang sure you understand which way you feed wood to perform a RIP operation. You always feed the wood so that it wants to push it back. If you feed it the other way it lauch the board like a missile.

[jobucks]

My two cents worth/experience with a RAS, sorry if it's a little long.

Same as cwmith stated above, I also started using a RAS back in the early '60s, my dad's. He taught me most of the best things about how to use one and especially the "safe" way. In the late 70's I bought my own Craftsman. About every other week would buy some new accessory for it.

The "typical" cuts, as already stated in the above posts, just make sure when ripping that the pawls are aligned and sharp and the riving knife is aligned. When they occur, and it wasn't often at all if the RAS is set-up and adjusted properly, kickbacks can be fierce.

You'll find that in any of the "how to books, for RAS's," the first thing is build aux.tables. Each usually takes up half of the main table. Usually you'll need them for sanding, drilling (both disc and drum), routing, planeing, molding etc.

Things you'll find out; when using the sanding disc remember that the portion of the wood or whatever stock will go quicker in towards the middle of the disc, quickly, then it does out near the edge.

When routing, planeing, molding etc., this is usually done with the head turned, with whatever appropriate guards in place. And the stock sliding along the fence on the aux. tables. With hold down clamps, spring tension type to hold wood in place, and featherbaords etc. Always using push stick or blocks. As far as routing, the finish isn't quite as good as my routers, but a lot is determined by the quality of bits being used and type/speciman of wood. The molding head that I've used for years is the Craftsman 3 bit per set type. Molding is usually always done with the aux. tables or with molding head parallel with the main table fence. My saw has a cast guard for the blade, came that way, and pretty much covers whatever is mounted in the fashion of the blade. There is some room on the exit side of the feed, away from the operator. I molded many many pieces thru the years and only had one incident. I didn't make sure the wood was square, flat and no loose knots or imperfections. (Always make sure of that). The molding head hit a loose knot and shattered the 2x4 that I was doing. The circuit breaker on the saw motor kicked and the molding head trapped the wood. Trouble is it broke/shattered the 2x4 and the section on the outfeed side went flying across my shop. Directly from the outfeed side in a straight line to the shop wall. If someone had been standing around, in that path, they would have been injured. But again, this was my fault. I realized the board was a little warped and saw a small loose knot, but was in a hurry and didn't think it would "hurt anything."

Thru the years I've used my RAS with no problems. As each year went by I bought the routers, planer/jointer, stationary belt sander, the drill press, sliding compound miter saw, etc. And finally last x-mass the BT 3100. Of course I used the RAS for everything until I could purchase each specialty tool. It has served me well and done the job faithfully as long as the operator kept it in alignment and operated it in a safe manner. It is a great tool for the person who wants to do all these operations and can't afford to start out buying all the speciallty tools at once.

Read the books, be safe, and have fun making dust with your RAS.