Dados and Rabbets on the Radial Arm Saw

Theatre Safety Training
Short Video Series
Cal State LA

This video is a supplement to the full Radial Arm Saw Safety Training and Safety Operating Procedures video.

   • Radial Arm Saw – Safety Operating Pro...  

That SOP video covers the most common safety considerations and demonstrates typical cross-cutting on the 14" radial arm saw. The video here demonstrates our second radial arm saw (9" DeWalt model from the late 1950s) that usually has a dado blade installed, for those times when you just need a quick dado!

Cutting Dado and Rabbet Cuts on the Radial Arm Saw with an installed Dado Blade. Demonstrated using the DeWalt GWM-21 Radial Arm Saw. Includes footage of aftermarket retrofit discussions of blade guards and spring returns/spirators. Before and after table and fence replacement. Video Version 1.2

0:10 – Introduction
0:30 – Review of Controls Specific to this DeWalt machine, and review of key operations and controls.
2:21 – Demonstration of Dado Cuts
2:42 – Demonstration of Rabbet Cuts
3:38 – Discussion of important differences between this DeWalt 10" radial arm saw and the Original Saw 14" radial arm saw
4:14 – Close Look at Dado and Rabbet Cuts
4:42 – Dry fit with a piece of 3/4" plywood
5:14 – Review and mention other tools that can cut dado and rabbet cuts

Upgrades and Repairs April 2021
5:55 – OSHA required blade guard
7:05 – OSHA required return device/spirator
7:38 – Where to Get Replacement Parts (see Bradley Tools & Fasteners link below)
8:46 – Table improvements and fine tuning (there are plenty of videos online discussing procedures for aligning the table with the arm, so I do not repeat that information here.)
10:04 – Snag one of these if you can find it cheap!
11:58 – New Dado Blade - Freud negative-degree rake/hook teeth 8" dado set
12:28 – Test Cuts with the new Dado Blade
15:52 – Final Assessment of the new blade and the upgrades/adjustments.

For service and repair parts for vintage DeWalt radial arm saws, and for retrofit guards and spring returns, contact Bradley Tools & Fasteners in Iowa.
Go to the following website and call their service desk. The email links on the website do not generate a response and may not be monitored emails. Message me directly for contact information for their DeWalt specialist.

https://www.teambtf.com/

For an overview of "wobble" dado blades, visit:    • Testing the Wobble Dado Blade -  wood...  

For historical footage of WWII era DeWalt radial arm saws, visit:    • DEWALT SAWS IN WORLD WAR II   PROMOTI...  

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Cal State LA
Department of Theatre and Dance
College of Arts & Letters
A&L Productions

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title and end credit music: https://www.bensound.com