To change the blade, first remove the guard. Secure the motor arbor so you can loosen the arbor nut. There may be a hex hole in the end of the shaft for an Allen wrench. There could be two flat sur- faces behind the blade for an open-end wrench. If you do not see a method for holding the arbor, clamp a hand screw to the blade above the teeth. Remove the old blade and place the new blade with the teeth pointed toward the fence. See Figure 23-31. Once the blade is installed, tighten the arbor nut securely. Do not overtorque the nut. This could strip the threads. 23.6.2 Saw Setup The versatility of the radial arm saw comes from its wide range of adjustments. The elevation crank, found on the column or machine frame, raises and lowers the arm. This sets the blade height. The arm pivots at the column to position the blade for miter cuts. The yoke rotates on the arm to position the blade parallel to the fence for ripping. The motor pivots 90° within the yoke for beveling. A locking mechanism is provided for each of these settings. The only machine part that can move during saw operation is the yoke. It slides back and forth on the arm for crosscutting and mitering. This setting, too, is locked for certain procedures, such as ripping. With all of these adjustable features, the radial arm saw must be frequently monitored to check that each adjustment remains true. Crosscutting The radial arm saw is well suited for crosscut- ting lumber and wood products. See Figure 23-32. Lock the arm in the 0° position. Lock the yoke pivot and bevel at 0°. With your left hand or a clamp, hold the material stationary against the fence away from the cut. With the machine off, pull the blade until it touches the workpiece. Align the blade to the excess side of the cutting mark. Then, back the blade off and start the motor. Grip the handle. Pull the saw across the material just far enough to complete the cut. Then push the saw back through the kerf past the fence. Turn the saw off and wait for the blade to stop. Then remove the workpiece and offcut. To determine the maximum material width you can cut in a single pass, pull the saw out to its far- thest travel and measure from the fence to the point where the blade touches the table. This distance may vary from 12″ to 24″ (305 mm to 610 mm). If your saw is not equipped with a self-retracting system, you will need to push the saw back against the column. Retractor systems automatically return the saw to its normal resting position next to the col- umn when the operator finishes the cut. Do not let go of the saw until it has returned to its resting point. Crosscutting Multiple Parts Cut multiple parts to length by attaching a stop. See Figure 23-33. Clamp it to the fence at the desired distance from the blade. Place each workpiece against the stop and make the cut. Turn the stop’s adjusting screw to make minor changes in distance to the blade. If you do not have a stop, you can clamp a block of wood to the fence. See Figure 23-34. Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Figure 23-31. Changing a radial arm saw blade. Patrick A. Molzahn Figure 23-32. Crosscutting with a radial arm saw. Chapter 23 Sawing with Stationary Power Machines 387 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.