interesting RAS find

[luteman]

One of the best Ryobi tools I ever owned was their RAS200 which I had for years until they recalled it for some namby-pamby reason. Harbor Freight shows an almost identical saw in their catalog for 249 which is what I paid for my Ryobi. I wish I had my Ryobi back!

[fbrend123]

Nice looking saw, Toolguy. Looks like it's in good shape. Haven't started refurbishing mine, yet. That'll be a wintertime project.

[twistsol]

To clarify, my 9" RAS has a 13" crosscut not 23" as originally posted. Many thanks to Toolguy for pointing out the error in a PM.

[Ed62]

Don't you just love finding an old tool in great shape? Congrats on the find.

Ed

[Turaj]

turaj....if your saw is of a similar vintage to my 2 saws, the recall kit is a bit of a bust. the blade guard will not fit my saws, as the mounting connections are inconsistent with the motor carriages of these saws.

Had not heard of that problem before. Not sure how old the saw is (113.199200) but I am still hoping that the new guard fits the saw. I certainly can use the new table!

[toolguy1000]

Had not heard of that problem before. Not sure how old the saw is (113.199200) but I am still hoping that the new guard fits the saw. I certainly can use the new table!

there's good news and potentially less than good news regarding that saw. i just checked that model number at the recall site and there is a kit for that saw, so the new blade guard will fit (those new guards weren't produced for older saws). the less good news is that the saw dates from the mid 80s (according to the owners manual on the sears website) and employs a bolt up column support as opposed to the CI column support of the older saws. the C-man RASs with the bolt up column supports have been maligned on some forums as being less accurate and more tempermental regarding adjustment and calibration than their older brethren. which always confused me since the c-man model you noted is almost identical to the ridgid RAS of the same vintage, yet there are fewer uncomplimentary comments about the ridgid.

FWIW, consider adding a scarificial table top once the saw is aligned. it prevents potentially damaging cuts in the stock table and, if done correctly once the alignment is spot on, the kerfing cut in the sacrificial top can be used to align crosscuts with great accuracy. and if you ever get tired of looking at the cut up top, it's easily replaced. i left a 1/8" gap between my sacrificial top and the fence for dust relief.

good luck with your RAS. but where are the pics?

[cwsmith]

I think Lorings explanation was an excellent explanation of the RAS advantages in the shop. While I have been a very happy owner/user for most of my life (from high school originally, and then purchased my own in 1974), I must admit that your comments clearly expressed my feelings about RAS advantages to the shop.

I am only a recent table saw guy, having purchased a BT3100-1 about three or four years ago. I absolutely love that saw, but I am not so keen at making cross-cuts with it. I guess you have to have the knack. But for ripping, I like it much better than my RAS, which I've certainly ripped a lot of stuff on.

To address the question of the advantage of an RAS, I guess I would have to further say that it is "cross-cutting". I can't imagine trying to cross-cut anything over a couple of feet on a table saw. I guess that is where one must get out the old hand-held circular saw to accompany the table saw.

But with an RAS, cross-cutting is only limited by the amount of support you have for the piece. In my little basement shop, I routinely cut 10 and 12 ft pieces. For making shelves for the library project, or even for smaller pieces, I can consistantly cut any number of boards with no discernable difference in length. Because the forces of the blade are down and back against the fence, one can cut even rather small parts without risk of having the thrown or kicked, unlike the CMS.

Recently I trimmed out our kitchen and with my CMS, I simply could not get perfect bevel crosscuts. Everything checks out to be square, but regardless, the cuts show a difference. (I think it's blade flex.)

But, even using the same model blade, my RAS bevel cuts are perfect!

Many things I will NOT do on my RAS... among them is using a shaper. Now, that's a bit scary and certainly better left to the router table.

CWS

[Turaj]

... employs a bolt up column support as opposed to the CI column support of the older saws...

Thanks for the heads up! Can you expand on the "bolt up" vs. "CI" column support as I am not familiar with those terms at all ! In my initial checking I have not seen or felt any play in setting the saw.

FWIW, consider adding a scarificial table top once the saw is aligned.

Yes, after seeing the old table I was already thinking about that. I have similar arrangement on my work bench.

good luck with your RAS. but where are the pics?

So far I have only cleaned the saw and its blade. I was waiting for the kit to do the adjustments and the pictures would be after that

[toolguy1000]

here is a pic of a c-man with the bolt up support column, which is comprised of two steel sections, each of which is 1/2 of the support column, that are bolted together. the second pic has a good shot of the support column:

http://www.owwm.com/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=9856

the second and third pics in the following link show a CI column. this column support is a single CI piece as opposed to the two steel halves that are bolted together as shown on the saw in the preceeding link:

http://www.owwm.com/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=11354

the saw you acquired is probably 20(?) years newer than the saws i own. as i mentioned earlier, there are users out there who routinely dismiss all c-man RASs in favor of dewalts, and it is those users who usually support their maligning of c-mans by complaining about the saws from the 80s and 90s (the ones with bolt together support columns).

having become a bit of a RAS fan, i'd like to see pics of yours once it's finished.

[Turaj]

Thanks for the pics. They are very helpful and now I understand the difference! I'll post some pictures when I install the new kit!

Thanks again!