used - 20" Radial Arm Saw

Charlotte Wood Middle School, Danville, California

It was 1991, and our company was framing the entire middle school. The Charlotte Wood Middle School was built out of Douglas Fir Lumber, Pressure Treated Plates, and different kinds of Plywood. I negotiated a contract with a lumber mill in Oregon to provide all the dimensional lumber for the project. I had lumber being delivered from their mill for months. GREAT PROJECT! Rick Aguilar - Senior Cost Estimator

🛠️ The Original 3579 20M 20" Metal Cutting Radial Arm Saw, Auto Feed/Return.

This heavy-duty saw is built for serious framing contractors and industrial projects. Perfect for cutting beams and large stock, it’s a proven workhorse on big builds like schools and commercial facilities.

• Used Price: $19,500

• Financing Available: As low as $936/month

• Features: 20" blade, auto feed/return, precision cutting for steel beams and framing materials

Reliable, durable, and designed for high-production environments—this saw gets the job done.

🏭 Background & Capabilities

• The 3579-20M is part of Original Saw’s Super Duty Metal Cutting Series, designed specifically for industrial metal cutting.

• It’s built for durability and heavy usage: cast and ductile iron frame, powder-coated steel, vibration control.

• Key specs:
    • 20" blade size
    • Able to cut 7" deep in a single pass on heavy stock
    • Various crosscut capacities depending on model variation (e.g. 24", 26½")
    • Often equipped with automatic feed & return, powered elevation, pneumatic clamps, variable speed feed, safety features like auto blade brake, etc.

• The saw is marketed as being capable of running 2 to 3 shifts per day in industrial settings.

• As per listings, used 3579-20M machines sometimes show up with those features—powered feed, pneumatic clamps, elevation systems.

👍 Let’s look at what the Original 3579-20M (20" metal cutting radial arm saw) can handle and whether it’s suited for cutting large timbers like 12×12 posts or beams.

🔹 What This Means for 12×12 Timbers

• A 12×12 timber is ~11¼" × 11¼" (actual dimensions).

• The saw’s maximum depth of cut (7") is not enough to cut through a 12×12 in one pass.

• You could cut a 12×12 in multiple passes, by flipping or rotating the timber:

  • First cut 7" deep from one side.

  • Flip or roll the timber to finish the cut from the opposite side.

• While possible, it is less efficient and more cumbersome than using a dedicated beam saw, large band saw, or chain mortiser designed for heavy timbers.

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