How to Replace a Table on a Radial Arm Saw

Disconnect the radial arm saw's power cord from the electrical outlet. Crank the handle in front of the saw table to raise the radial arm as far as it will go.

Loosen the two clamps on the back side of the saw that hold the rear board of the wooden table to the base of the radial arm saw. Lift out the rear portion of the wooden base, along with the fence board. Measure the sizes of both boards with a tape measure.

Lay a sheet of 3/4-inch medium density fiberboard (MDF) onto a work table or across a pair of sawhorses. Measure and draw pencil marks on the fiberboard for the sizes of the rear table board and fence that you measured in the previous step.

Loosen the screws that hold the forward portion of the wooden saw table onto the radial arm saw's base, and lift the piece off of the base. Measure this board and scribe the outline onto the new piece of MDF. Additionally, measure and outline the locations for the bolt holes of the large piece onto the MDF.

Cut out the three pieces of MDF along the lines with a circular saw. Then pre-drill the holes for the bolts in the designated locations.

Align the new forward piece of MDF onto the base of the radial arm saw and attach it to the base by tightening the screws with a screwdriver.

Position the fence board vertically along the back edge of the forward piece of MDF. Then, position the rear section of MDF behind the fence and secure it in place by tightening the two clamps.

Plug in the radial arm saw. Set the radial arm's angle to zero and turn on the saw. Lower the saw arm until the blade is just above the table top. Pull the arm forward, cutting a groove in the fence to accommodate the blade. Return the saw to the starting position on the arm and turn off the saw.