Two lines from the one maker reviewed
| Feature | 12 in Contractor Duty (3512) | 14 in Heavy Duty (3531/3536) |
|---|---|---|
| Crosscut | 21-3/4 in (page); 24 in in 1 in stock (manual) | 16 in or 24 in by model |
| Depth at 90° | 3-1/4 in (page); 3.06 in (manual) | 4 in |
| Depth at 45° bevel | 1-3/4 in (page); 1.25 in (manual) | 2-1/2 in |
| Motor | 3 HP, single- or three-phase | 3 HP single-phase or 5 HP three-phase |
| Voltage | 208, 230, 460 or 575 V | 208, 230, 460 or 575 V |
| Weight | 440 lb (page); 425 lb (manual) | 580 lb |
| Daily use | Up to 6 hours | Up to 8 hours |
| Ripping | With the rip kit (page); not applicable (manual) | With the rip kit |
Original Saw Company's figures; where its page and manual differ, both are shown. Not a ranking.
Matching a saw to the shop
| Situation | What suits it | Why, from the documents |
|---|---|---|
| Single-phase power only | A single-phase model | Both lines offer one; the machines are voltage-specific |
| Thick stock | The 14 in line | 4 in depth against about 3 in |
| Wide crosscuts | A 24 in crosscut model | Offered in both lines |
| Ripping | A saw with the rip kit and its anti-kickback assembly | Rip kit listed as an add-on |
| An older saw | Check it against the federal guarding list and the recall | OSHA's hood, guard, return and stop; CPSC recall 01-031 |
Built from the makers' and agencies' statements. Not a ranking.
What to compare
- Capacity. Crosscut width and depth at 90° and at a 45° bevel, from the maker's table.
- Power supply. Single- or three-phase, and the voltage; Original Saw Company says to consult an electrician before ordering.
- Guarding and return. A fixed hood, a floating lower guard, a return spring and an arm stop, which both lines list and the federal rule requires.
- Duty. Original Saw Company rates its 12 in line for up to 6 hours a day and its 14 in line for up to 8.
- Weight and size. 425–580 lb on a stand at a 33 in table height: plan the floor space and how it will be moved in.
- Dust. A 5 in extraction adapter is optional equipment on the 12 in saw.
Safety— Buying an older radial arm saw
Many radial arm saws for sale are decades old. In 2000 the CPSC and Emerson recalled about 3.7 million Craftsman saws with model numbers beginning 113, sold without a guard covering the whole blade; the remedy changed in 2019. Check any older saw's model number with the recall first, and check that it has every guard, return device and stop the federal rule lists — and its own manual.
Before choosing a radial arm saw
- Crosscut and depth for your stock
- Phase and voltage your shop has
- Hood, lower guard, return spring and arm stop present
- Floor space and weight planned for
- An older saw's model number checked against the recall
How the saw cuts, and why it is pulled where a miter saw is pushed, is in the radial arm saw guide; sliding miter saws are compared in choosing a miter saw, and explained in the miter saw guide.
Sources
Specification-based: every figure is Original Saw Company's own. Its 12 in product page and manual give different capacities — 21-3/4 in or 24 in crosscut, 3-1/4 in or 3.06 in depth, 440 lb or 425 lb, rip with a kit or 'not applicable' — perhaps for different model types; both are shown and neither is chosen. No saw was tested and none is ranked.
- 1.
12″ Contractor Duty Radial Arm Saw. Original Saw Company.
Used for: The 12 in Contractor Duty saw (3512): 21-3/4 in crosscut, 19 in at full depth, 3-1/4 in depth at 90° and 1-3/4 in at a 45° bevel, 15 in miter on 3/4 in stock, 30-1/4 out-rip with the rip kit, 3 HP single- or three-phase at 208–575 V, 33 in table height, 440 lb, use up to 6 hours a day; HDPE lower guard, automatic brake, E-stop; bevel, compound miter, crosscut, dado, miter and rip (with rip kit) cuts.
- 2.
12 in Radial Arm Saw Manual, Type 9 — Models 3512-01, 3512-03. Original Saw Company.
Used for: The 3512 manual's specification table: 12 in blade on a 1 in bore, 3400 rpm at 60 Hz, 3 HP (2 HP on one 230 V model), 3.06 in depth at 90° and 1.25 in at 45°, 24 in crosscut and 16 in at a 45° miter in 1 in stock, rip width 'not applicable', a 5 in dust adapter as optional equipment, 425 lb; blades rated at 3600 rpm; carriage return spring and adjustable arm stop.
- 3.
14″ Heavy Duty Radial Arm Saw. Original Saw Company.
Used for: The 14 in Heavy Duty saw (3531/3536): 16 in or 24 in crosscut, 4 in depth and 2-1/2 in at a 45° bevel, 3 HP single-phase or 5 HP three-phase, 208–575 V, 33 in table height, 580 lb, carriage return spring, adjustable crosscut stop, automatic brake, E-stop, HDPE lower guard, use up to 8 hours a day; machines voltage-specific, with an electrician consulted before ordering.
- 4.
Machine Guarding eTool: Saws — Radial Saws (29 CFR 1910.213(h)). U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Used for: The guarding a radial saw needs under 29 CFR 1910.213(h): hood, floating lower guard, return device, forward stop, ripping guards and a rotation label.
- 5.
CPSC, Emerson Tool Co. Announce Recall of Craftsman Radial Arm Saws Sold by Sears, Roebuck (Recall 01-031). U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 2000.
Used for: Recall 01-031 of about 3.7 million Craftsman radial arm saws, model numbers beginning 113, sold from 1958, with a remedy changed on July 23, 2019.
About this buying guide
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