Replies

1. 
   dgreen | Nov 06, 2007 09:37am | #1

   Those horsepower are from when men were men and smelled like horses, I think it will be fine.

   ------------------------------------

   It would indeed be a tragedy if the history of the human race proved to be nothing more than the story of an ape playing with a box of matches on a petrol dump. ~David Ormsby Gore

1. 
   Rehabhog | Nov 06, 2007 12:22pm | #2

   Original reply! it will be some time though before I can test this pair of horses but I hope your right.

   Thanks,

                Rehab.

2. 
   woodhacker | Nov 06, 2007 02:59pm | #3

   I had a 16" GP, don't recall the motor HP rating, but I know that it never lacked for power when cutting. I was using it as a mini sawmill, and did a lot of ripping of 4" hardwoods.

   Updated 11/9
   My mistake on the model. Just checked through some old emails, discovered that it was a "GE".

   
   

   ---

   Edited 11/9/2007 9:59 am ET by woodhacker

3. 
   JMartinsky | Nov 06, 2007 03:05pm | #4

   What's a GP?

   John

1. 
   Rehabhog | Nov 07, 2007 07:52pm | #14

   It's the model of an old all cast-iron radial arm saw maid by Dewalt decades ago. There are also GE, GA, MBF, MBC among others. Heavy machines.

   Rehab.

1. 
   JMartinsky | Nov 07, 2007 07:56pm | #15

   OK, Thanks!John

4. 
   Knotscott | Nov 06, 2007 04:08pm | #5

   Assuming you're talking about 16 circular saw blade, the perception of motor power will depend partly on the material, the tooth configuration, the kerf width, and the overall setup. You should be able to use a smaller diameter blade too....

5. 
   mudman | Nov 06, 2007 05:49pm | #6

   I didn't think that the GPs came in a 16". I thought they were all 12". Will a 16" blade fit in the gaurd? Remember that there is also a 14", though even that seems too big for a GP. You don't have to put a 16" blade on the saw. I have a 3 phase, 3 horse, 14" GA and I use 12" blades and a 10" dado. It will spin a full inch of Dado with no problem.

   A 12" regular kerf blade will run just fine on a 2 hp RAS. To realise the best results avoid using the thin kerf blades meant for miter saws. 

   Pardon my spelling,

   Mike

   Make sure that your next project is beyond your skill and requires tools you don't have. You won't regret it.

6. 
   JohnWW | Nov 06, 2007 06:03pm | #7

   You're talking about a 16 inch radial arm saw?  It doesn't seem likely that it has a 2 horse motor, it would be way underpowered.

   Looking at old Dewalt catalogs, at the OWWM site, the 16" models were sold with 5 and 7 horsepower motors, 230/460 volt, both single and 3 phase.  My guess is that you are misreading  a 7 for a 2 on the motor's spec plate.  Two horse motors were used on the 9 and 10" saws.

   John White

   Yestermorrow School, Waitsfield, Vermont

   FWW Experts column contributor

1. 
   mudman | Nov 07, 2007 01:12am | #8

   Hey John don't forget that it is a GP. That was the smaller hobby/light comercial model. It didn't come with a large motor. The GA and GE were the big ones that have 14" and 16" blades with up to 9 horse motors.Pardon my spelling,

   Mike

   Make sure that your next project is beyond your skill and requires tools you don't have. You won't regret it.

1. 
   JohnWW | Nov 07, 2007 01:24am | #9

   The original poster didn't say he had a GP, that model was mentioned by another poster.  I stand by my original comment that it seems very unlikely that a 16" saw would have only a 2 HP motor and that a quick search turned up 3 HP minimum on the 16" saws.

   John W.

   Edited 11/6/2007 5:29 pm ET by JohnWW

1. 
   dgreen | Nov 07, 2007 01:47am | #10

   The original poster mentioned the GP.------------------------------------

   It would indeed be a tragedy if the history of the human race proved to be nothing more than the story of an ape playing with a box of matches on a petrol dump. ~David Ormsby Gore

1. 
   JohnWW | Nov 07, 2007 04:36pm | #12

   Sorry, you are right, it was in the last sentence.

   John W.

2. 
   Rehabhog | Nov 07, 2007 05:17am | #11

   Thank you to All for the replies.

   I will check again tomorrow to see but from memory I'm pretty sure it said GP and 2 HP. I think I might have bought a "frankeinsaw". A small saw with a huge garde ( There's about 8 1/4" from the center of the arbor to the interior of the guard). I can very well live with that because it still looks like a quality saw and 2hp should be adequate for a 12'' blade.

   Again thank you All for shedding some light on this problem,

   Rehab

1. 
   mudman | Nov 07, 2007 04:51pm | #13

   Dewalt actually sold all kinds of "franken-saws". They made odd models of plastic and metal as well. You will be fine with a 2 hp motor. Remember that most modern RAS have 1.5 hp motors, and miter saws even less. I would even sujest that running a dado would not be out of the question. Running even a large dado stack dosent seem as hard on my saw as cutting large lumber. Unfortunately Dados for 1" arbors are $$$, so it is expensive to find out if the saw is up to it.Pardon my spelling,

   Mike

   Make sure that your next project is beyond your skill and requires tools you don't have. You won't regret it.

1. 
   Rehabhog | Nov 07, 2007 07:58pm | #16

   Thanks for the reply,

   I've checked it out once more and it is a 2 HP GP but it take in 12 amps, so it should be an honnest 2 HP. I think your right and a should be fine with it.

   Rehab.