Photo Index - DeWalt Products Co. - 7790, Type 8, Radial Arm Saw

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
DeWalt Products Co.
Leola, PA; Lancaster, PA; Towson, MD

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Radial Arm Saw
Machine Size:	12", 300mm
Submitted By:	Tim Baker

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	7790, Type 8, Radial Arm Saw
Date of Manufacturer:	01/1985
Serial Number:	85390158 (View SN Registry Entry)
Last Updated	9/6/2009 2:05:40 AM

Comments:

I found this machine on C/L and bought it August, 2009, from the original owner in Omaha, NE. It was brand-new-in-the-box, never been out of the box, never assembled. The owner had bought it in 1985, and just a few days later got transferred to California. He left it and other personal effects at his parent's home. He was in California for nine years and got transferred to Houston, TX. The saw was still in Omaha at his parent's home, pretty much forgotten.

Fifteen more years passed during which time his mom passed away, then in August '09, his dad passed away and the owner came back to settle his dad's estate and clean out his parent's home. He found the DeWalt 7790, still in the box, and listed it on C/L, but the description had no photo and no model number. I had been looking for a good 12" DeWalt RAS, 7790 or older, for a while and had missed several good deals, so when I found this one, I immediately emailed him.

When he returned my email a few nights later, and I verified that the saw was what I was looking for, we struck a deal, I took off work the next day and drove the 5 hours to Omaha and brought the saw back with me. It wasn't going to live in the box any longer. But, to me, it was like opening up a time capsule, so I documented the saw's assembly with photos. Thankfully, there was no rust or corrosion anywhere, not even on the factory supplied combination blade.

The saw was NOT aligned from the factory, in spite of what the owner's manual stated and I had to set all alignment adjustments except rollerhead bearings to arm tracks, base to column gibs, and crosscut travel parallel to arm tracks. I decided not to run the factory blade and installed a 44 tooth Diablo. I threw together a homemade mobile base for it. Started my first project using it today: rebuilding my deck. The saw runs and cuts smooooth as chicken lips, and I'm getting better accuracy out of it than my CMS. I love it.

Photo 1:

Comments: "New" 1985 vintage Dewalt 7790 immediately after assembly and alignment on Aug 30, 2009.
Source: Tim Baker

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Photo 2:

Comments: 7790 still in the box. Box was 41"x36"x25"H and weighed 242 lbs. Made a good perch for the dawgs.
Source: Tim Baker

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Photo 3:

Comments: Closeup of 7790 box info. The machine number is NOT the serial number and doesn't show up anywhere else.
Source: Tim Baker

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Photo 4:

Comments: The owner registration card. The "00" after the catalog no. designates the motor voltage as 1-phase, 120v or 208/240v, 60 hz. The Mfg Week number "500" designates 1985, week 00 (first week of January). Owner's manual was printed 01/85.
Source: Tim Baker

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Photo 5:

Comments: Opened box. Those are 2 of the legs on either side of the arm. The motor/yoke/roller-head ass'y, with the factory-supplied blade, all paperwork, guard parts, and tools are in a parts box under the arm. The arm crank was loose in the main box.
Source: Tim Baker

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Photo 6:

Comments: The 7790, complete, aligned, mounted on a homemade mobile base, and ready to make sawdust. Smooooth machine!
Source: Tim Baker

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