A question to DeWalt radial arm saw owners.

[powertools]

I have a dw125 ras that I have owned from new and am very happy with. The only issue I have with it is that the rise and fall knob on the top has a lot of backlash in that if I for example raise the blade and then want to for example lower it by 1mm the knob goes 1/4 turn before the blade lowers therefore making the scale on the knob totally useless.
Is this normal or is there a cure for it.

 

[Noel]

I have a dw125 ras that I have owned from new and am very happy with. The only issue I have with it is that the rise and fall knob on the top has a lot of backlash in that if I for example raise the blade and then want to for example lower it by 1mm the knob goes 1/4 turn before the blade lowers therefore making the scale on the knob totally useless.
Is this normal or is there a cure for it.

Normal I'm afraid PT, at least in my experience. Not sure there's a lot you can do.
Personally I would never use scales, either measure before putting the work piece on the table or lower the blade beside a mark on your work piece.

 

[Distinterior]

I have the Elu 1251 version (1993) of that saw and mine does the same thing but to a slightly lesser degree. There is a small amount of backlash, not quite a 1/4 turn though.
Mine has had a very gentle, easy life so its not as though the thing has worn due to a lot of use.....

 

[Sideways]

Had a DW1501 RAS and this was absolutely standard.
When setting a height, I liked to drop down below the target height first then wind upwards so I could be certain that the weight of the arm was sitting solidly on the thread. Then apply the locking lever when I was happy.
As an aside, I found "kityspeed" machine wax (same thing as "silbergleit") worked OK to provide some lubrication on the main column.

 

[AES]

I don't know this machine at all, but what Sideways has suggested, is pretty much standard practice on any machine with backlash on a control - i.e. go beyond the setting you need, then come back to the setting you need, thus ensuring that the backlash is "nulled out".

BTW, lots (most?) machines have at least some backlash on controls, though without knowing that particular machine I must say that quarter turn sounds like quite a lot. Isn't there any way to adjust that at least a bit - e.g. shims, disconnect a rack and move the scale then reconnect, etc, etc?

 

[powertools]

Thanks for the replies.
I have lived with it like this for years it may well have been like it when I purchased it new some 30 odd years ago. At moment I've more time on my hands than projects to do and was going to see if I could fix it but if they are all like it I won't bother.

 

[MikeG.]

I've had two, and they were both the same on this. It isn't a big issue.........you simply get used to it.