Radial Arm Saw - why do I need it?

[Mark W Pugh]

OK, I have a 12" sliding miter saw and a table saw. Why would I need a RAS? Can get my hands on one for a great price. Just wondering what it would do for me.

[Biff Johnson]

For me, I couldn't do without mine! It's a safe way to crosscut wide and long boards and it makes dados so much easier since you are working from the top.

[Mark Ashmeade]

There are Radial Arm Saws and there are Radial Arm Saws (in addition to Biff's point about dadoes).

My first one, a RIDGID RS1000 had a crosscut capacity of 15-16", and would not hold a setting for love or money. It went to the Emerson/Craftsman/RIDGID arm saw factory in the sky. It weighed only a couple hundred pounds max.

It was replaced with a Delta 33-411. A 5HP longarm with 16" blade. It will crosscut 29" and rip 41". It weights 742lbs. The two saws are very unequal. I bought them both used. The useless one was $250, the King Daddy $400, including a 3ph converter, a 12" dado set & a couple of blades.

My experience says if the great price is for a 10" Sears, then I would pass. If it's for a Delta, or DeWalt, then go for it. There are a couple of things to look out for. On the big Deltas, the carriage bearings are very expensive to replace, so make sure they're in good shape, or the price is cheap enough. On the DWs, the bearings run in a machined groove in the arm. If that's got wear in it, then it's an expensive proposition. Failing those two problems, I would say go for it. I use mine all the time.

[Peter Quinn]

Crosscutting rough lumber on a TS is deadly. On a SCMS its between hairy and scary. Pinch that blade, it will reward you with a ferocious kick back. A good RAS will handle rough lumber with ease. Most of my work starts with rough FAS hardwood lumber, typically in lengths 8' and over, widths 8" and over, thicknesses 1.25" up to 16/4. My RAS has no problem with crosscutting parts to rough lengths, the other 2? Not so good. You could do the same work with a good skill saw, just not as fast. If you throw that skill saw on a guide you lose a bit of depth, but gain some safety. Of course they make skill saws in some very large sizes, I'm thinking of your basic 7 1/4" to 8 1/2" models. I know guys that use them to break down lumber, it works. Beyond that basic use a good RAS can be tuned cut very accurately, it can handle a dado which is useful for many things, they can have up to 28" cross cut depending on model (so long miters become possible), the list goes on if you care to get really into them.

So you don't need a RAS, but it can be a very effective tool in the arsenal.

[Roy Turbett]

I have all three and agree that all RAS are not equal. I just swapped out my 1980 Sears Craftsman for a 1957 DeWalt GWI and can't believe the difference in accuracy. It also produces a better cut than my MS because it has a zero clearance fence and the cut is supported from below by the table. I use mine mostly for crosscuts and dados. Its built into the middle of a 16' long bench with an equally long fence so I can also use it to rip a straight edge on rough lumber that is longer than my Unifence.

[Russell Smallwood]

I hate using my SCMS.

It is loud (universal motor), I have no confidence in it when making bevel cuts and I can't adjust it (according to the manual). My RAS, (1950's Dewalt MBC) is a joy to use. Quiet induction motor, deadly accurate no matter what odd contortions I seem to make it do, it is far more versatile than any chop saw I've ever owned and I can spend hours (if I want) tinkering with the myriad adjustments available to sweeten it in the rare occasions when I think it may have wandered from a setting somewhere.

[HANK METZ]

All I use in my shop now are DeWalt radial arms saws, long ago getting rid of my tablesaw as being redundant. In just 4 square feet of floor space I could accomplish the same amount of work while backed up to a wall that I used to with my tablesaw standing in the middle of the shop using not only it’s own footprint but triple that for the outfeed table, plumbing for dust collection, and dropping down electrical.

The reason I use DeWalts exclusively is they were made in a time when make it last forever was the main build ethic. The saws of the ‘50s and ‘60’s were built by the same guys who built the arsenal of Democracy during WWII, and they only knew one way of making things - as if someone’s life depended on it! Once these guys retired or died off, it all changed and the bean counters had the only say.

Do you need a radial arm saw? I never thought I did when I first got into the craft decades ago, now with my focus on quality and efficiency, I can’t be without.

- Beachside Hank
Improvise, adapt, overcome; the essence of true craftsmanship.

[scott vroom]

All I use in my shop now are DeWalt radial arms saws, long ago getting rid of my tablesaw as being redundant.


How do you rip sheet goods and long lumber?

[HANK METZ]

Scott, as a rapidly aging male I do the work smarter not harder approach these days. I use the retailers resources to cut up sheet goods to near- net size, then simply use the precision of my radial to bring to final dimension. A layout program is very useful for this and nowadays there are freebies out there that work quite well.

As to ripping stock, here’s a link (http://community.woodmagazine.com/t5/Top-Shop-Tips/Garage-Door-As-Straightline-Rip-Tool/td-p/245364)to how it gets done in my garage/ workshop. The final image doesn’t show it clearly, but I’m ripping an 8 foot long section, truing up one edge.

- Beachside Hank
Improvise, adapt, overcome; the essence of true craftsmanship.

[Richard Coers]

Like the sayin', "If you have to ask............." I guess you don't need one.

[Scott Wigginton]

I have all three and agree that all RAS are not equal. I just swapped out my 1980 Sears Craftsman for a 1957 DeWalt GWI and can't believe the difference in accuracy. It also produces a better cut than my MS because it has a zero clearance fence and the cut is supported from below by the table. I use mine mostly for crosscuts and dados. Its built into the middle of a 16' long bench with an equally long fence so I can also use it to rip a straight edge on rough lumber that is longer than my Unifence.

Would really appreciate pics of your bench/setup.

[David Winer]

OK, I have a 12" sliding miter saw and a table saw. Why would I need a RAS? Can get my hands on one for a great price. Just wondering what it would do for me.

The comments to the effect that all RASs are not equivalent are your most important advice. For many years all I had was a 12" Craftsman and it served me well for everything from furniture to deck building. This included much ripping. But it required a lot of attention to keep it tuned for high accuracy. Now I have a 14" Delta and there is a huge difference.

Radial arm saws seem to have acquired a reputation as unsafe, likely because of bad practices, especially in not ripping with a splitter. Always use a splitter in ripping!!

They also are so effective as cross-cutters that they are often thought of only for that purpose. The famous woodworker, Sam Maloof, once visited my garage workshop and, noting the big Craftsman, made the comment, "I see you have a cut-off saw."

[Erik Christensen]

all excellent advice on the value of a good RAS. One thing I want to add is this - the correct blade will make any RAS significantly safer. Almost every RAS cross cut is is done by pulling the saw towards the user which means a climb cut. Most blades have a positive hook angle which means that you will have to constantly fight the RAS's tendency to want to rapidly pull itself into the stock - swap that out with a negative hook angle blade made for RAS use and you will be amazed at how the entire character of the tool is changed - from barely controllable monster to docile servant.

I think a negative hook angle blade for a RAS is like a power feeder on a shaper - if you care about safety is is a requirement not a luxury. My 2 cents.

[Rich Tesoroni]

Hank,
Is that a fan pointing at the RAS in the ripping pic?

Rich

[HANK METZ]

Hank,
Is that a fan pointing at the RAS in the ripping pic?

Rich

It is Rich, perspective doesn't show it too well, but it's back a bit and set up to cool off the operator (me).

- Beachside Hank
Improvise, adapt, overcome; the essence of true craftsmanship.

[Myk Rian]

I don't own a miter saw, just a DeWalt RAS. Love it. Most used tool in the shop.

[HANK METZ]

Beautiful restoration Myk! I'm currently redoing an MBF myself. These saws weigh a ton and certainly don't need to be bolted down, just 3 men and a whip to move it is all.

- Beachside Hank
Improvise, adapt, overcome; the essence of true craftsmanship.

[Sam Layton]

My good friend, Rick Potter, kept telling me how much I needed a radial arm saw in addition to my SCMS. Well, I found and purchased a Dewalt GWI that needed a rebuild. Shortly after that I ran across an Original Saw Co 14" radial arm saw for a good deal. So I purchased that. Shortly after that, I found an 18" Delta radial arm saw for another good deal.

Thanks Rick, I now have three radial arm saws, almost as many as I think Rick has. Now that Rick got me started, I like all three saws. I am in the process of restoring all three. I am installing new bearings in all three motors first. Then, on the the rest of the saws. I am going to put them in a long table that will house all three. I am thinking that between the three saws, it will eliminate any cross cutting on my table saw.

Sam

[glenn bradley]

RAS folks seem to fall into two camps; "gotta have it" and "why bother". I'm sure the value of any tool fluctuates with what you do and how you do it. I don't use one and my CMS only comes out once a year or so to do trim work for some friend or relative. I haven't missed either while making tables, dressers, chests, picture frames, hutches, blah, blah, blah. Someone else would be just as correct in asking how could you build any of that without your trusty old RAS?

[Rick Potter]

Hee, heee,

I am waiting for Sam to finish that Rockwell, and get tired of it. Then I will do him a favor and store it for him.;)

Rick Potter

PS: Yes, I do have 4. I use two. A DeWalt 7790 I cannot live without, & a craftsman for dadoing shelving units (I have a bunch to do). When they are done, it's gone. I picked up another DeWalt to replace the Craftsman, then the very next day found a deal on an OMGA 14" that has a 36" or so crosscut. I could not turn it down. That's why the DeWalt is on the classifieds list now. Gonna put it on Craig List when I get around to it. Gotta make room for Sam's Rockwell. I know he will get tired of it. He will. He will.

[Bryan Cramer]

I agree with the above posts, but I had to add that a radial arm saw is a good production machine. I have my dad's 10" Craftsman form the early 90's. I is not as acurate as an older, cast iron saw, but it is good enough for my occasional set building and construction. The induction motor enabels you to run it non-stop for along time. I some times use my saw for hours at a time (with a stop block). No I don't cut non-stop, but I have never needed to shut the motor off. Try doing that with any mitersaw. I think an ideal cross cut set up (along with a table saw) would be a 12" compound miter saw for odd angles and job-site work paired with a large old radial arm saw.

[Joe Angrisani]

.....I think an ideal cross cut set up (along with a table saw) would be a 12" compound miter saw for odd angles and job-site work paired with a large old radial arm saw.

Yep. I love my combination of a Dewalt 12" Dual-Bevel non-slider, and my 12" OMGA. Perfect pair in my mind.

[ken carroll]

I have two tablesaws - PM66 and an old Oliver and I still won't get rid of my DeWalt 790. I agree with all of the positives that others in this thread have mentioned.

Buy it!

[AL Ursich]

I have 2 in my shop. One is a old Flake Green DeWalt I Rescued in San Diego in my Navy Days and brought back to PA. The other is a Digital Sears in need of New Start Capacitors when I get time to install them.

A note on Sears... They have a Safety Upgrade Kit for almost ALL RAS that includes a new Blade Guard and a NEW TABLE just for the ASKING if it matches the Model and Serial Number Range.... A nice kit... FREE....

AL