Nice saw. Hard to imagine someone doing something similar to repair a modern Ryobi in 60 years.

I used the very same saw when I was an apprentice joiner back in the mid 70's n man that saw looked old then but still performed brilliantly. Good job.

I just bought one for a hundred even. I bought it because it was 62 years old and ran great. It even came with the original owners manual. Illustrated parts breakdown too.

Ahhh! Back in the days when DeWalt was a true quality product. Well built, well designed, serviceable. Perfect. Good work, there, Sir!....

30+ years ago I worked in a sheltered workshop as a psych tech/woodworking instructor. All of our production tools were industrial stuff that had been around for many years before I got there. My absolute favorite was a 16" DeWalt radial arm saw with all the fixin's. I don't need one that large but now that I know they're out there I'll be watching Craig's List and others for "a deal". Great Video!! Thank you!!

Still have my dad's 1951 DeWalt radial arm saw. It has done a lot of work over the years and is still up to the task

I got one a few years ago. Tuned it to within .0015" - .002" runout in all directions. Finest home machine they ever made, from the Golden Age of American machine production. One of the best $100 investments I ever made.

Great Saw. First time I saw yours I liked it. Bought one off Craigslist for my shop. Thank you for all your videos

I am blown away by this video. I just picked up a DeWalt MBF at an estate sale. Was owned by a hobbiest furniture maker. I walked into the garage, saw it in a corner and bought it. I think its in pretty good shape, some of the bakelite knobs are missing and it's got a non original cord, but otherwise it's original. Thanks for this video!

Love those old Dewalts. Nice job with the restoration. Frank Howarth also had a segment on rebuilding one.

Thanks for sharing. I let my Dad's old DeWalt (different model from 1971) go at a yardsale. Wish I still had it. You made it look simple and easy to repair.

@michaelhodgson8272

2 жыл бұрын

I’m in a similar boat but with the same kind of saw he worked on. Was thinking of selling the non working saw but now… I might just fiddle around with it based on this video

So cool to bring something back like that!!

Love it HC :) I inherited a 1963 Delta / Rockwell 9" tablesaw w/ 4"planer (the same yr I was born) from my father. He had given it to my little brother while I was out in California for 15yrs and told him, "you can use this, but, if your brother ever comes back I'd like you to offer it to him since he's a carpenter. If he doesn't want it, then it's yours". Well, I always loved that saw and was happy to have been remembered, so I did take him up on the offer. Especially b/c of the shape it was in. My little brother never used it and left it under a tree that had fallen through the roof of his garage and onto the saw allowing rain to pour and funnel right onto the saw. This created rust and rust pitting like you wouldn't believe. It must have been like that for years. Well, I took it apart at my fathers house where I had grown up. It was spread out on the 2 car driveway like a schematic. My father just shook his head , seemingly disappointed. I removed all the rust , surfaced the table (most of the pitting was on the body enclosure of the saw), changed out every fastener w/ Stainless Steel fasteners, 2 coats of primer, 4 coats of Confederate Blue (closest color I could get to Delta Blue) and then 6 coats of clear poly. I had the motor checked and refurbished, painted the housing the same as the saw and replaced the power cord as well. Then I put all the original cleaned up metal tags back on and got my Pop's out there. :) It really looked like a brand new saw :) He asked how it ran and I told him , I didn't know ?? I wanted him to throw the switch and push the first piece of plywood through. Oh, I should have mentioned, I called Delta and bought a Biesemeyer Fence for it. It is a custom fence because of the 4" planer that fits on the left of the table saw. They had 2 in stock and it was discontinued. The customer service rep. was excited I called after all those yrs. (it was 1997 now) and wanted $330. for it. He said I would never find one anywhere to pressure me into buying it :) I told him, I'll pay 1/2 price at $163. right now and he could get rid of 50% of stock that he would never find anyone to sell to again. He gave in :) So my Pop now had a 50" fence to push a sheet of plywood across :) He turned it on and it just hummed like it was new :) He pushed the plywood and was amazed !! Said it cut better than he remembered :) I wonder if he knew I sprayed silicone on the table and fence ;) Hehehehe Well , I enjoyed watching your video and am happy to see you still appreciate the value in things even if they might be a little beat up :) Sincerely ...........

Has a bearing press...does not have a flathead screwdriver(swiss army knife), ha ha. Nice restore. Great machine!

Love it! This. This is why I love the separate channels! Great job homie 👍🏼

I love these saws too. I have one running in my shop and it is major work horse.

Thanks for the video. I've had my DeWalt GWI 10" since 2006. I just made some leveling bars and a new table. I leveled the base, squared the column then set the table to the arm. I also made a 12" blade guard so I can finally cut 4" material. Just finished my first project done almost completely on the RAS, a little blue ray player stand.

Congratulations on the repair! I know the feeling of doing that type and it running so well when you hit the on switch. Looks like it went very well with that hydraulic press. Now the saw will last you longer than you will need it! Great video also!

Love love love those saws!!!! Works of art!!

I just bought one of these saws for $45! Thanks for the bearing tutorial!

I just received an MBF as a gift and intend to replace the bearings and a cracked endbell. Good info here. Thanks.

You're very lucky to have 2 the same. Nice job restoring it too...

Nice video on the restoring! Thanks for sharing it with us.😎👍JP

Great work and great idea for the fence and dust collection.

Fantastic! Very inspirational, thanks.

I have this arm saw. Nice I paint it green color. 1957. Whit diablo blade iam happy

Glad to see some love for the old dewalts. RAS get a bad name and its been a go to for me and my grandpa for 70 yrs.

Great video thanks for sharing. You've got two treasures there. Love seeing guys rehabilitating these saw and USING them. One note - I think you can do better with the dust shroud.

The rule of thumb/technique I was taught regarding bearing condition in these DeWalts is turn the motor off. If it stops spinning within 1-2 minutes, they are fine. If it spins, and spins, and spins, which they WILL do, they need replacing. I need to do my wood saw, and that thing spins for 5-6 minutes! LOL Your press setup and remove and replace is THE way to service the bearings in these motors. I picked up, from a table saw parts guy on eBay, a couple of the switches Craftsman uses on their table saws, and mounted them under the front edge of the table. It makes for a safe, stepping away from the saw, method of shutting it down. It's a nice big, safety type switch, (with a lock, if you have inquisitive little ones around), easy to find. I just didn't like reaching up over the saw head to shut it down, in a hurry.

I love to see the old stuff get refurbished. And your hair cut sure looks cooler than long hair.

awesome work

I'd love to have one... looks like a great tool for making tenons... no need for a jig like you used in the past...

I've got two '50s era RAS in great condition- a Dewalt 925H and a Delta-Milwaukee (the baby brother of the Home Depot version). I got rid of the miter saw after getting these - they do more and do it better - crosscut, rip, bevel, miter. A good blade choice for general use is a thin-kerf blade made for sliding miter saws. Also, digital bevel and protractor gauges really help with setting up for a cut.

lots of useful information thanks and nice music I do love the banjo

Dusty, beautiful castle joint! I found a huge 220v abandoned radial Arm Saw .

That is a really cool saw!

@thehomesteadcraftsman8975

6 жыл бұрын

Two cool saws!

Thanks for sharing. Nice saws.

@thehomesteadcraftsman8975

6 жыл бұрын

Thank you

The only thing better better than a vintage Dewalt RAS? Two vintage Dewalt RAS's!

Good video, excellent topic.

Those radial arm saws are great to have around whether it be in a larger shop for dedicated tasks like cross cutting or dados or in a smaller shop for multipurpose use. They made so many different attachments for some of the models that there ain't alot you can't do with one.

Must be a satisfying feeling restoring something like that. I really like the look of these older woodworking tools over the new moulded plastic/rubber manufacturers go with these days. I was going to ask if you were planning some more permanent dust extraction with blast gates, but you answered my question at the end of the video.

@thehomesteadcraftsman8975

6 жыл бұрын

They are nice, this one, in particular, is pretty much perfect, the paint is in great condition, I just need to clean it off. Everything else moves very smoothly. I may do a total shop dust collection video and include these saws.

A protip I recently learned from my uncle (who used to have a motor winding shop): after you get the motor back together, give the shaft a gentle whack with a dead blow mallet or a 2x4. It'll align the bearings and the motor will spin much more freely.

@thehomesteadcraftsman8975

6 жыл бұрын

That's a good tip. I was wondering if they were aligned properly. I'll give it a try. Thanks

@jenniferbuck2925

2 жыл бұрын

@@thehomesteadcraftsman8975 I have one of these for sale.

I use to like my radial arm for making all sizes of dental mouldings as well as the usual cutting operations

I have one of these saws made in 1954, it was given to me by a client ten years ago, I use it just about every day, I put a new power cord on it and fixed the motor start circuit other than that nothing else. The 9 inch blade is kind of hard to find but Freud makes one. I saw a 12 inch version of this saw that is a monster.

great job

Nicely thought out!!!!💡💡💡 Just SO Cord!!👍👍👍👍 I have a craftsman RAS but I paid 100 bucks for mine but I love it 😍

@thehomesteadcraftsman8975

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks

I have that same saw with different bits and a sanding head . It’s pretty cool,

@thehomesteadcraftsman8975

6 жыл бұрын

That's cool, I don't have any of the accessories. I most likely would not use them, but I'd like to have them.

About three or four years ago I bagged a 12" that was made in 1945...did the blade side bearings and cleaned it up....put on a Oshlun blade....way better than the Craftsman 12" I lost in a fire! I was cutting rabbets with it today...what a fine saw!!!

@thehomesteadcraftsman8975

5 жыл бұрын

The cast iron dewalts are wonderful, I'll buy every one I find for a decent price.

Thanks

Love these old radial arm saws. Just make sure you have those negative rake blades! I want to restore one, but the paint job recreation would be difficult.

@thehomesteadcraftsman8975

6 жыл бұрын

The blades I use are not very grabby, as long as they are sharp. I've never had any dangerous issues happen.

@BobBlarneystone

6 жыл бұрын

I use thin-kerf blades made for sliding miter saws- good performance at a good price.

@littleshopofsawdust1157

6 жыл бұрын

There's a DeWalt radial arm saw forum and they've identified a paint color that's a virtual match to the original color. They're also useful on the proper blade to use. The Mr Sawdust book is the bible for these saws

@nicholaslacovara2381

5 жыл бұрын

I did it with a yellow base coat and a speckled green spray paint. It came out pretty good.

@dblood8529

5 жыл бұрын

LittleShop OfSawdust what is the name of the forum?

Nice work amigo

My brother-in-law has one of those radial arm saws, one of those types, in his workshop. He's not really a woodworker, it came with the property bought. It is a great looking tool.

@thehomesteadcraftsman8975

6 жыл бұрын

I bought one of mine from an old man that got it from his father in law and the second one from a guy with way too much stuff in his basement. I buy houses and get some cool stuff most of the time left by the owners, lots of tools..chainsaws, ladders, hand tools, etc.

Act6ually use an older version of this saw, and it's rock solid!

Yep. i love tools. Although I don't have a hydraulic press. I've the same Jet air cleaner; they're great.

Good job on that saw 👍

I just realized after starting your video that if a person wants to get into radial arm saws, you also have to go and buy a bearing press and some bearing removing tools before you start haha. I have a collection of radial arm saws now, and only one out of the lot of them has relatively quiet bearings, the rest sound terrible, and the grease has dried out.

@thehomesteadcraftsman8975

Жыл бұрын

Mine are very quiet with the new bearings. It’s not a bad job.

Love all your videos. Your a talented young man . i just got a 10" craftsman radial arm saw tonight for $50 . theres a recall on them due to no blade guard . im not giving it up. Its callled common sense and being aware of your surroundings . god bless

Great and very interesting thank you

STILL USE MY RAD. ARM OFTEN, I HAVE USED SHORT SCRAP PIPE ON MY PRESS. KEEP IT UP.

I need to pick me one of these up, would be good to just have it set up for dedicated dados. Nice work. I'm off to do some craigslist hunting.

I Like talking tools too...keep up the good work!

good job

Nice!

first time to watch! very good, i would really like to have one of the old dewalt saws. i have 2 miter saws, so its need it is Want!

Between you and frank showing off how good these are, the market for these is getting pricey!

@davekimball3610

6 жыл бұрын

Was going to say the same, he and Frank keep these old machines in the public eye, as they are forgotten in the current woodworking power tool world, but in the hands of skilled craftsmen, work like a dream.

@maxfedor1

5 жыл бұрын

Hightower I just picked one up from son of original owner of saw. Son is 63 and said he remembers the saw as a child. Mines mbf 251 mfg Jan or February 1959, excellent shape 60$ Canadian so that like 40$ US, one popped up on Kijiji and hour after I got home for 80$

DeWalt, (and AMF; B&D changed the process), made those like milling machines were made, back then. They cast them, then left them outside for a year or two, letting them heat & cool, so they would 'settle'. Then machined them. They were designed to be a precision wood working tool; if you learn the specs, you can use them as DeWalt, intended, without needing a rule. For example, one rotation of the blade elevation moves the blade 0.125". I have two DeWalt MBF's I use daily, a green speckled one, like this for wood & plastic, and a teal one, (+ - a year of manufacture), I built a T-slot table for, and use it for ferrous and non-ferrous metals with either a 1/32" abrasive blade, or a carbide steel blade. The arm is not rigid enough to pull the blade through metal, it tends to climb the material and get squirrelly. I fab's an inverted V shape plate, attached it to the front of the T-slot table. I mounted 4 concave outer face guide bearings on it, and between the end cap of the radial arm and the arm, I put a 0.375" plate, with half edges, which rides in the bearings, allowing height adjustment. I also came up with a lock to lock the end of the arm, at any given position. Between the arm bracket, and pushing the saw head, rather than pulling it, I came up with a great, precision metal cutting saw, for not much money, or work. I can make cuts precision enough, for most stuff I do, and not need to finish the joints, or mill anything. You can still pick these saws up for

@flashgordon6238

4 жыл бұрын

@ George Dennison: I have three radial arm saws (2 DeWalt, 1 Powr-Kraft) and I've wanted to make one into a metal cutter. I'm trying to visualized what you are describing. Would you send a picture of your set up to: flashgordonzeus(at)yahoo(dot)com?

@georgedennison3338

4 жыл бұрын

I'll do you one better. You being interested in it is just the motivation I need to do the last step in relaunching my website after a virus got into some back side files, and I had to nuke everything. I just need to reload the data, and you'll have access to a photo/article I wrote I did 10+ years ago, (more?) about the conversion. I had it on my mental list of things to do this week, and it slipped my mind. I'll shoot you an email with the URL this weekend. The saw and I continue to get used to each other, as I discovered ways tto dial in the accuracy. I just used the saw to rough cut a tailstock base for my lathe. I planned on milling the dovetails to accuracy, and touching up the horizontal flat contact surfaces with an end mill. Turned out the dovetail cutter I ordered was too small. Rookie mistake, literally, it was the first one I'd ever ordered. I sized it on the diameter, and didn't think about the length of thr slope, and the shank hits the material before the dovetail is to depth. SO, I cut them dovetail with the saw, and nailed it. It really was as difficult as I thought. The edge of the dovetails in relation to the horizontal surface was only off by 0.001" in about 2", so it will be easy to clean up with a single pass of the end mill. Not bad for a 70 year old wood saw! LOL I'm also venturing into regrinding carbide wood blade into the small geometry as the new carbide steel saws, which will be a bonanza, if it works. I have access to dozens and dozens of carbide blades, cheap. They are going to scrap, now. later, GeoD

@flashgordon6238

4 жыл бұрын

@@georgedennison3338 Sounds good! I just picked up a DeWalt MBF in nice shape. It was on a hand-built 4x4 wood stand.Even had the saber saw attachment, accessory guard, and wobble cutters. I'm taking it apart right now to clean up and grease/lube the Acme screw. The rest just needs a tune up tomorrow. There is DeWalt model 1030 I've got my eye on for the larger motor...

@georgedennison3338

4 жыл бұрын

Check the half circle groove in the arm, (very carefully, if there is much wear, the edge can become razor sharp). This groove determines the smoothness of the saw head as it rolls in the arm. Replacing the bearings in thr head, (they have bearings with convex outer races, to match the grooves. The motor bearings are easy to diagnose. Fire up the saw motor, then shut it off. if it rolls to a stop in less than a minute, they are fine. If the saw spins, and spins, and spins, it needs new bearings. There's a place in the mid-west, Precision Bearings, which keeps the bearings in stock for DeWalts, and have great prices. A Google search will turn them up. I've never seen any of the attachments in person, nor no anyone with any. I used my metal saw for something a bit different last year. I had a 12" x 30" piece of 0.75" steel I needed to derust. I put a 6" knotted wire wheel from the bench grinder in place of the blade. I then put a 1.25" thick piece of aluminum down on the right side of the arm, then locked the motor and radial arm in place. I fired up the saw motor, then stood at the left side of the saw, lifted the steel into the wire wheel, and moved it around while controlling the pressure on the wire wheel with my hands. It worked like a champ, knocked the scale and rust off in record time. I've considered making an adapter and mounting a collet chuck on the motor shaft, and try using it as a router/mill head... later..

@georgedennison3338

4 жыл бұрын

@Flash Gordon Haven't forgot you, my life got sidetracked on Tuesday when I was diagnosed with cancer, with no warning. Been a bit pre-occupied with doctors, and such. Good prognosis, depending on what the full body scan I had on Friday finds. If there's no spread, it should be complete recovery after surgery, and some minimal radiation. What really surprised me was the presumed cause: HPV, human papiloma virus, (genital warts). Never had them, but 80%, (I think), of us have the virus, and there's been an increased incidence of it causing lymph/tonsil cancer in middle age, and older men. I got what I'm 99% sure was covid-19 in Jan. First symptom was a pain in my throat then I hit the full range of covid symptoms. As I starting getting better in 2-3 weeks, I noticed an extremely swollen lymph node in my neck, it was about the size of 25% sliced off a ping pong ball. Never expected it might turn out to be cancer, sure effed my week up. I hope to get the saw stuff up tonight. I'll post the URL, here, when I do. GeoD

Well, looks like the craigslist price of these old saws just quadrupled. I regret not buying a pair earlier. Thanks for the video!

@thehomesteadcraftsman8975

6 жыл бұрын

They vary, some sell (or are priced) for a lot, some not...I see them for $50 - $100 and then way up there.

Nice old saws.Thank you for giving us a price.

@thehomesteadcraftsman8975

6 жыл бұрын

No problem, thanks.

10:24 [displaying finished dust collector] ==> NEAT and SIMPLE idea. DEFINITELY making one for mine. ESPECIALLY desirable since MOVABLE from one saw to the next. (eg. One with finish crosscut blade, another with rough crosscut combo blade, third with dado stack and fourth with metal-cutting abrasive disk.)

I have a line with a pulley and a weight. I attached it to the carriage, and it keeps that behind the fence unless I draw it out. It’s a good safety feature and easy to make.

Here in Germany, these saws seem to be really unknown. I allways think, they look like some kind of alien technology.

I was not expecting to see the Swiss Army knife

Not sure why these types of saws ever went out of style. I have two that are set up for Dado cuts and Large cross cuts. Great video!

@thehomesteadcraftsman8975

6 жыл бұрын

I think it would be their weight and construction...plastic and aluminum are lighter and easier to make.....but as far as woodworkers with shops, they are great. I use mine probably more than any other tool in my shop.

This video was very informative. I just came into possession of a older, very very( heavy) duty DeWalt radial arm saw and not sure if I'll use it or sell it. Oh by the way, be very careful using the harbor freight press. I've had several people bring me there's to weld in gussets, make plates (the plates that come with them either break if dropped, or crack when using. Anyway keep eye on nuts/ bolts, they tend to loosen. Just be careful. Great video 👍👌👍

I still need to replace the bearings on my dewalt GE, but the thing is a monster.

I just bought a Dewalt deluxe powershop Serial numbers says it's from 1965 it a great saw

Wow, really quiet saw when you finished the refurb. I happen to be no fan of Radial arm saws, but certainly you'll get the best use out of a DeWalt and those older ones are the best. Nice!

@BobBlarneystone

6 жыл бұрын

They're so quiet (with a good blade) that it's easy to forget that they're running. The old Dewalts were (are) extremely well balanced and constructed.

I have one exactly like that. My dad bought it years ago and it's been sitting in the basement unused for 50 years.....guess I should drag it out and put it back in service.

My granddad had two of these exact saws. Later on I had them & moved them to a shop which was let go and the saws were lost. These might actually be them... I dunno. But yes, great saws.

I have my dads 1947 Dewalt radial arm saw. I got lucky the only thing I had to replace was the wiring.

I have two of these saws, one identical, was my fathers. I once got my butt whipped for using it before I could reach the switch, BTW, I am 68 years old. I also have the 10" version which I bought recently at my summer home. Great machines. Not long after my dad passed in 1979, I bought a book written by the product manager for these saws! The book got trashed in a flood unfortunately. Lots of detail on tuning and maintenance, lots of photos of huge housing developments with literally a mile long production line of these! Many of us Baby Boomers were raised in a home built with these saws.

Great vid, I love my Dewalt Ras I have a large selection of Dewalt accessories if you need something drop a line..

@dblood8529

5 жыл бұрын

Frank yazzetta I need a few decals, cat claw, and cord for mine if you don’t mind sharing. :)

My son in law bought a DeWalt radial arm saw at auction, it was a door company they used the saw to cut aluminium, it is big, the motor is 5 hp, the cut is 48 inch it has 20 inch blades, I don't know how old it is, they had the motor rebuild not long ago, it takes about 5 minutes for the blade to stop after you turn it off

Frank Howarth has a few videos on RASs. One is about dust collection. It is really informative and effecient. You should look it up

Nice saw, I also cut tenons with the radial arm saw. I had a fellow say these saws are unsafe and he referred to them as radial HARM saws. I don't see them being unsafe at all if the blade guard is used.

@keithhartman9946

2 жыл бұрын

Don't fool yourself. They can run right at you if you get careless. Great tools, but respect and understand how they can be dangerous.

I have an older RAS (dewalt) pick it up for $75 cdn and that included a 4 by 8 work table. I've come to use the RAS and have stop using my chop saws. Nice video on how to change bearings.

@thehomesteadcraftsman8975

6 жыл бұрын

In my shop, I use it more than my dewalt sliding miter unless I need to cut something bigger than it can handle..thanks.

Take a look at Frank Howarths Dust extraction for his Radial Arm Saws, it works great.

After 33 years of using them, I'd like to make a couple of safety comments about using radial saws. It is quite dangerous to use a blade designed for a table saw or handheld circular saw - the tooth angles are far too aggressive. Second, the saw must be aligned properly, especially so that the plane of the blade is perfectly parallel to the track arm or fence. If the blade is heeled, then it will kick back during ripping, or while crosscutting it will rapidly self-feed and pull to one side while also lifting the stock from the back on the other side. They're great machines when properly set up. >There are no safe machines, only mindful and cautious operators.

@jimlepeu577

5 жыл бұрын

And ones with no fingers 😏🇬🇧

I have one of these saws. One feature is that I can rotate the head 90 degrees and lock it down at a set dimension away from the fence and rip cut with it. But I am careful the direction I feed my stock.

I don't know why, but I'm kind of addicted to your accent. :D Though English is not my 1st language and I'm still struggling but I fully understand your speaking. :) Thanks for the video.

@thehomesteadcraftsman8975

6 жыл бұрын

Well, I'm pleased that I can be of lingual assistance, thanks.

Very nice! I'd love to have room for a RAS.

@thehomesteadcraftsman8975

6 жыл бұрын

I'd like to have room for a few more. I'd like to get a 14 -16 inch saw for big stuff.

i love my two dewalt ras. i have the 7790 type and i got both for 75 dollars it’s crazy how cheep people give them away for.

Need a new motor for mine, but man I love the radial arm saws.

@thehomesteadcraftsman8975

6 жыл бұрын

You can find them, but you'll probably pay as much as a whole saw cost. I see them on ebay being parted out.

94 K almost there for the next series! 👍

Normally I always heat the bearing in a bearing heater, oven, heat lamp or heat gun then slide them on. Use a temp stick or a digital thermometer and warm to 200F. Bearings are normally a shrink fit and not pressed on. You may want to check on this.

@Ritalie

Жыл бұрын

So can you place the armature in the freezer, and then heat the bearing, and then just slide them together quickly? A lot of the old bearings can be regreased, by just repacking them. I wonder if 200F would ruin the rubber seals?

retired woodworker here i have this very same saw. i just cant sell it its too cool but cant repair the cord anymore need to replace it

I recently acquired one of these saws and it too needs bearings. Do you have part numbers you can share for the two bearings? Thanks!

Frank Howarth has a video about dust collection with his two radial arm saws that you should check out.

I have an old Craftsman RAS that some guy was giving away because he didn't know how to use it. It has been my "go to" saw for nearly 20 years. I wouldn't trade it for any modern miter saw due to the versatility and durability.

Something you seldom see it do is it makes a sweet horizontal boring machine. something even a regular drill press can not do without some serious jig work. A radial arm DP will do it but not as easy or fast.