I got lucky with the length of my shaft. Wow, that sounds really
wrong! :^)

I think your plan will work. Just make sure the joint is strong, as
it takes a bit of strength to raise and lower, but you shouldn't have
to do it very often.

Mike Brown

On May 31, 7:40 am, Hoosierpopi wrote:
On May 30, 7:24 pm, wrote: I just finished doing the same thing. Here are pictures of the
construction of the bench, mounting the metal frame and crafting a new
adjustment knob. Haven't done the final tuning yet and I don't know
how effective the dust collection will be.

''
That looks good. Nice pictures and descriptions. One thing I may help
with-YOU WROTE

Now that the bench is in place, I can go back and complete the
installation of the Radial Arm Saw. It's a 1960's vintage Craftsman
model, that I bought in Austin for $50 at a garage sale. I switched
the motor to 220V, and installed new round black wire. The height
adjustment shaft just sticks through the front of the bench, but the
stock handle doesn't have enough clearance to turn, so I had to come
up with the different plan. I bought a 2" diameter pulley, a small V
belt and a octagonal-shaped PVC end cap. I cut a section of V-belt
just the right size to fit around the pulley, then epoxied it into
place. I then epoxied the end cap and pounded it down onto the pulley
- the V-belt acts as a gasket of just the right size to make
everything fit tightly. The new adjustment knob then fits onto the
end of the shaft."

I had similar concerns and investigated the shaft. On My (Vintage
Craftsman) it is 1/2" in diameter plain steel rod. It can easily be
removed from the saw. My intention is to cut it underneath the saw
base and add a longer section to it using a steel 5/8" O.D. 1/2" I.D.
bit of steel "tubing" from Lowes' hardware drawers - about 1.25" long
and either sweat it with the brazing torch (or solder it) or drill two
small holes through the (Lowes) sleeve and rod (one in each section)
and use cotter pins to hold it together. I found an old store display
hook thing that employed a fitting designed to hold the 1/2" chrome
hook in the end of the rack's square tubing and will use that fittin
(about 7/8" x 7/8" x 2.5" as a collar/bearing for the adjusting rod as
it comes through the bench frame.

I am torn, now that I see all the benches built on cabinet/drawer
bases! I was using old salvaged (from construction sites) lumber to
build the frame (2 x 10 x 10' and four 4x4's) and, now have to decide
to dismantle and rebuild or try and slip cabinets under!

Thank you again!

I am still working on the base leveling system - I liked that approach
- and have gathered some all-thread and he appropriate nuts.