Radial arm vs miter saw

[Chris Schoenthal]

I have an opportunity to get a gently used 10" radial arm saw and was thinking about using it to replace my current 12" (non-sliding) miter saw.
Any pros / cons of doing so?

[Steve Eure]

I don't own a radial arm saw, but some will tell you that it takes up too much real estate in the shop. I'm of the opposite opinion. A "miter saw station" takes up more wall space than a radial does, although most do have storage. Another thing I really like about a radial is that you can turn the head sideways and rip long boards with it. Not so with a slider.
I've heard others talk about kick-back on a radial. Have you ever witnessed one a a miter saw? It can happen. There's pro's and con's to both. Other than the portability of the miter saw, in my opinion, a radial is fine.

[Barry McFadden]

I've had a Craftsman 12" radial arm saw for about 30 years and wouldn't be without it. As Steve said it's great for ripping if you need to as well as crosscutting. As for the "danger" some people like to talk about, maybe I'm just lucky but I've never had any kickback in 30 years. If it's set up and used properly with the anti-kickback pawls in place I don't see any danger.

[Lee Schierer]

You will get better angle accuracy out of a miter saw than you will from a radial arm saw. Radial Arm saws don't stay tuned up and their preset stops aren't very accurate.

Yes you can rip on a radial arm saw. I even managed to launch a board off the saw and through the wall once during a rip cut.

[mark mcfarlane]

Chris, A radial arm saw is useful for wider cross cuts and you can put a dado blade in one. A miter saw is more portable and in my limited experience is faster to set up cuts and can be more accurate if you compare two similarly priced saws.

A few times my retired Craftsman radial arm saw (circa 1979) climbed up on top of some stock during a cross cut, and wow, that is an adrenaline producer. I think it is safer to push into the cut, I was pulling.

The answer to "which one is better" probably depends on the exact saws in question. A HF miter saw probably won't outperform a $12,000 OMGA 1250/7 radial arm saw.

I never ripped any boards on my radial arm saw. The only thing I miss about it is the wider crosscut ability although I could see a dado blade being very handy for cabinet building.

I prefer my grossly underpowered green SCMS for everything I used to do on the Craftsman radial.

[Art Mann]

Unless you specify what brand and model of saw you are contemplating, any opinions on the matter are nothing more than guesses. If you are talking about a Craftsman RAS and a Bosch dual bevel glide miter saw, my experience has been that the Bosch is a much, much better tool.

[Randy Heinemann]

I owned a Craftsman 10" radial arm saw for many years, but never found it to be consistently accurate on 90 degree crosscuts no matter how many times I set it up square.

Radial arm saws do take up a lot of floor space compared to miter saws.

The dust collection, when connected to a dust collector or good vac was much better on the old radial arm saw (with a little tweaking) than on the miter saw.

Whether the radial arm saw will work better for you than the miter saw depends on what you use it for. If you are only crosscutting 90 degrees, the radial arm saw will generally give you a little more capacity (although a high quality 12" sliding miter saw will give you just about as much). My experience has been that, in general, a good quality sliding miter saw will also be more precise and accurate that a radial.

[Brian Holcombe]

There is a fellow near me, does very fine work. He had a radial arm setup next to his miter saw. I thought that was a pretty neat way to setup. I’m moving away from SCMS to miter saw (neither sliding nor compound) and will likely add a Radial arm for long crosscuts.

My experience with SCMS has been that they’re not sturdy enough to make a nice finished cut. There is simply too much room for minor deflection which creates a cut that is placed where you may want it but in harder woods the end grain surface will not be flat. This is especially irritating when you’re fitting something to a knife line, it can be tight and still show a line at the top (visible) surface.

The trouble with having so many adjustments is that when you finally adjust it square you never want to take it out of square. I spent so much time setting up my Kapex that I tilted the head only a handful of times.

[Earl McLain]

I'm on the RAS side of the fence--if it's a good RAS. My first was a 10" Craftsman/Emerson from the mid 1980's that i got square a few times--then i sneezed. On the other hand, my 1956 Dewalt GWI has been spot on since i set it up 3 or 4 years ago...even the presets. Also have an old (1946) Red Star turret that i need to do a little work on, but i think it will be another excellent machine. Both the RAS and miter saws work better and are safer with the correct blade--with miter saws seeming to be a little more forgiving in blade selection. RAS demands proper (negative rake, etc) blade to do its job well.

I'd also agree with Steve's comment on footprint, and have built storage under both RAS. My miter saw (12" Dewalt SCMS) lives on a Bosch gravity rise stand, in the upright position--and stored the floor space is probably half of my GWI with a 40" wide table. No question that a good set-up and blade on a miter saw can get the job done--but in my shop i'll take the quiet smooth power of an induction motor and a cast-iron solid feel of my old RAS. I rarely rip with my RAS, but have at times done so (totally different blade. It is nice to clamp a straight edge to a sheet of ply and reference from the front of the RAS table and i feel more comfortable than muscling it on a table saw--but i don't do much sheet goods.

Good luck in your decision--both can work so it's a personal choice.
earl

[John TenEyck]

I have an old Delta GWI RAS. It runs rings around my CMS, in every regard - capacity, accuracy, plus you can put a dado stack on it. Just look at the construction of the two; it's very obvious which is the more robust machine. If I could only have one, the CMS would be gone. To me the only advantage of a miter saw of any type is portability, and the only reason I own one.

John

[Darcy Warner]

Northfield unipoint. Best of both worlds.

[Randall J Cox]

I have both, with that said, I actually bought the RAS long after having a 12" miter saw for over 15 years. Both have their strong points. I rip on my unisaw, dado and crosscut on my RAS mostly. You also have to know that I read a lot. I throughly rebuilt my 54 year old DeWalt RAS (and a 15" Delta planer and 15" Rockwell Delta drill press, etc) and read a zillion posts about using the RAS along with a couple of books on setting it up - that's just me. Most people would not do that, I enjoy it. A RAS can be dangerous if you don't understand the dynamics of what you are doing. But so can a table saw or miter saw. I set up my RAS with a dial indicator and it has been dead on ever since - at least in cross cut mode. There's a lot more to dialing in a RAS than a miter saw, a lot more. If you're the type who doesn't like to read instructions (or follow them), stay away from a RAS. For pure ease of use, a miter saw hands down. Randy

[Nick Lazz]

I worked in a door and window shop when I was much younger and learned how to use a RAS daily. Yes they need tuning once in a while...most tools do. I have mine set up with a Krieg rule and stop for accurate and repeatable cuts. My compound miter saw is set up on the same bench, same as it was set up almost 30 years ago when I was working in the door and window shop.

I do not rip with it but used to notch, rabbet etc. with it for door jambs and other projects. I am comfortable with it's use and adjusting it when necessary. Really do not know a better way to cross cut accurately and repeatedly, or rough size project parts. An absolute must have for me.

[Charlie Velasquez]

I had aDeWalt ras since '78 when I inherited one from my dad.
Started with a 7740, then about ten years ago, moved to a more robust 7790.
I also have a Unisaw. If I could only have one, it would be my ras.

The 7740, like many Craftsman saws, has a spring loaded indent for 90's and 45's.
I first started using it with my dad in '73. My dad was one that thought instruction manuals were for the timid. He set the table and the fence and then moved the saw to 90° and locked it down. Always cussed it for moving.

After his death I disassembled it to transport it from Indiana to Iowa. To reassemble I checked out a couple of books, one was a book by Jon Eakes. Found out we had been doing it all wrong. Our original setup had been a few tenths degrees off. that spring ball bearing indent had been fighting us the whole time. We would lock it down with the indent 80% engaged, then clamped tight. Every bounce and jiggle, the spring would work to try to seat it completely.
Following Eakes's methods I was able to dial it in to within a couple thou or so over a 14" crosscut, and it always returned to this. The 7790 doesn't suffer from this.

I didn't get my unisaw till about 2005 (friend said $300) till then I did all my rips on the ras. Never a problem.
Rips, crosscuts, angles, bevels, compound miters, dados.

As mentioned, study, read, and take the time to set it up right and it is a very accurate, repeatable tool.

[Bill Space]

I have four (gasp) radial arm saws at two locations (3 Craftsman and one Ryobi), and one cheap HF 12” SCMS. Frankly I would not be without each. I faintly remember ripping on the RAS in the distant past, but use my table saw exclusively for ripping now.

Both the RAS & SCMS are useful. I would not dump one for the other. For me they are complementary tools.

That being said, I suppose I would keep the 4 RAS over 1 SCMS. But if it were 1 to 1 choice, I would keep both. I would not dump one in favor of the other.

[Alan Rutherford]

I had a 10" Craftsman and replaced it with 12" when that was stolen. Loved them both but sold it when we moved. The RAS will do everything the miter saw will do and do it better, except for easily carrying it to a job site. It will also rip, cut moldings and plane, sort of, with the 2-degree beveled sanding disk. I now have a good table saw and a mitre saw and a bunch of attachments for a RAS I can't use any more.

[Chris Schoenthal]

Wow, some really good information here. I guess I should have included more on the saws in question and intended uses.
I currently have an old Delta 12" miter on a Rigid stand that folds up like a 2 wheel dolly. It does have extension wings that slide out and are pretty handy on longer cuts.
It was just what I needed many years ago when I had to take it out to a jobsite, but now I don't do that any more. Now I usually use my tablesaw for miters on small pieces.
A friend offered to sell me his 20 something year old Craftsman RAS (with stand) for $100, and I figured that I could get more space in the shop that way.
I too, used my dad's 1970's RAS when I was just starting and looking back, can't imagine today doing the things on it like ripping and using a molding head.
Primary use would be to crosscut longer pieces with the occasional miter. I figure if I find the need for portability again, I can always get a cheap HF SCMS.

[Matt Day]

Northfield unipoint. Best of both worlds.

Equally portable as well! 😉

[Matt Day]

For general construction and site work, the SCMS or CMS is my pick. For shop work, I’d take the RAS every time. I setup a Bosch Glide for someone and definitely prefer my 12” Delta turret.

Bigger capacities, more versatile, much better dust collection.

[Phillip Gregory]

It depends on what miter saw and what radial arm saw you are talking about. An excellent miter saw will be notably more solid and accurate than a typical homeowner RAS such as a late-1960s and later B&D or Emerson-manufactured radial arm saw (Craftsman, Ridgid, Ryobi, and probably others). But, those mediocre RASes will be at least as accurate but be easier to use and more capable, particularly with width of workpiece being cut, than a typical mediocre to poor mass-market miter saw. If you compare the best of each, such as a cast iron DeWalt/Original Saw Co., Delta/Multiplex, Monarch/Northfield, or OMGA RAS vs. a top quality miter saw, the RAS is a far better tool. A radial arm saw can cut a much wider workpiece, some are able to cut a much thicker workpiece, can use a dado head, is often grossly more powerful, and is more solid/sturdy than a miter saw.

Radial arm saws do not take up all that much room. They take up about as much room as a miter saw on a stand and can be placed along a wall/near a corner just like a miter saw can. They are however generally harder to transport to a jobsite than a miter saw.

I use a 1950s DeWalt GE for essentially all of my crosscutting, mitering, and dadoing, it is an excellent piece of equipment and is easily my most-used circular-bladed saw. I do have a miter saw that I got well before I acquired my GE but today the only person that uses it is my wife for cutting pressure-treated stock outside, since she finds the GE somewhat intimidating to use. I find the miter saw to be messier, noisier, and much less accurate than the GE. If I'm doing any rough carpentry, I just carry my stock inside and cut them with the GE. I've cut everything from popsicle sticks to railroad ties on that saw.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

In December, I added a RAS to my collection of tools just for dados. I have a Dewalt 12" CMS that I really like.

[Steve Schoene]

Except for the mortgage needed to buy the unipoint.

[Phillip Gregory]

Except for the mortgage needed to buy the unipoint.

These saws are available used for a much more reasonable price than buying one new from Northfield. There is one on a famous online auction site for $1350, for example.

[Darcy Warner]

Except for the mortgage needed to buy the unipoint.

I have paid anywhere from 40 bucks to 1250 for a unipoint.

Sure you can buy a new one for about 10k or so.

[Terry Therneau]

There is a lot of discussion about radial arm saws on the owwm site. The simple summary is that there are good ones and bad ones, the good ones are very good and the bad ones can be very bad. It takes a certain amount of mass and rigidity to hold a motor and blade steady on the end of along arm, and the mass market RA saws from Sears, Montgomery Ward, etc just don't have it. This goes for the later Dewalts too. Around here (Minn) there isn't much price difference between the good ones (about 1 in 20 of the ads) and the bad ones (19/20), i.e., the good ones are easy to find but you have to do your homework to create a list. Then get a negative hook blade and you are set.

[Cary Falk]

20 something year old Craftsman RAS



This is not considered a good one.

[Phillip Gregory]

There is a lot of discussion about radial arm saws on the owwm site. The simple summary is that there are good ones and bad ones, the good ones are very good and the bad ones can be very bad. It takes a certain amount of mass and rigidity to hold a motor and blade steady on the end of along arm, and the mass market RA saws from Sears, Montgomery Ward, etc just don't have it. This goes for the later Dewalts too. Around here (Minn) there isn't much price difference between the good ones (about 1 in 20 of the ads) and the bad ones (19/20), i.e., the good ones are easy to find but you have to do your homework to create a list.

A list of the good ones I can think of:
- Monarch or Northfield Unipoint
- Most all of the cast-iron arm DeWalts (MMB/MBC/MBF, most of the 1030s, saws with 'G' and another letter, Timber Cutter)
- The B&D badged ex-DeWalt 34xx/35xx series, and the Super Duty square-arm saws
- The Original Saw Company 3xxx and Super Duty saws, based on the B&D/DeWalt units. Also available new, bring lots of money.
- Red Star/Delta Multiplex 20/30/40/50 series
- Later xx-yyy numbered series cast iron arm Delta units which are similar to the old Multiplex models with the center-hinged arm
- The heavier OMGA RN series saws. Also available new, bring lots of money.
- There are also some lesser-known saws such as those made by Walker-Turner and Wadkin that are reputable.


Then get a negative hook blade and you are set.

There is a big debate as to what blades are best on a RAS. Some of it depends on what you want to do with the saw, a good blade for ripping on a RAS is going to be different than a pure crosscut blade, and a blade for cutting deep compound miters will be somewhere in between those two- this is identical to any other kind of saw.

In general the RAS aficionados tend to go with a slightly positively hooked (5-10 degrees) combination or TCG blade. The slightly positive hook allows the saw to be used for ripping and compound miters but without being too grabby on a well-adjusted saw. They also will use a smaller than rated diameter blade on the 10" and smaller saws as these tend to be low-powered (generally no more than 1 1/2 hp running HP, and often less than 1 hp) and the smaller blades put less strain on the saw.

I use a -5 degree blade that was actually made for a SCMS. I got it due to local availability, appropriate tooth count, appropriate size, and moderate cost, although no blade larger than 12" is exactly cheap. It works reasonably well for me but I do not rip with my RAS and my RAS has a 7 1/2 hp motor so a less efficient hook angle is no problem. The saw has never tried to climb at me.

[Martin Siebert]

A list of the good ones I can think of:
- Monarch or Northfield Unipoint
- Most all of the cast-iron arm DeWalts (MMB/MBC/MBF, most of the 1030s, saws with 'G' and another letter, Timber Cutter)
- The B&D badged ex-DeWalt 34xx/35xx series, and the Super Duty square-arm saws
- The Original Saw Company 3xxx and Super Duty saws, based on the B&D/DeWalt units. Also available new, bring lots of money.
- Red Star/Delta Multiplex 20/30/40/50 series
- Later xx-yyy numbered series cast iron arm Delta units which are similar to the old Multiplex models with the center-hinged arm
- The heavier OMGA RN series saws. Also available new, bring lots of money.
- There are also some lesser-known saws such as those made by Walker-Turner and Wadkin that are reputable.



There is a big debate as to what blades are best on a RAS. Some of it depends on what you want to do with the saw, a good blade for ripping on a RAS is going to be different than a pure crosscut blade, and a blade for cutting deep compound miters will be somewhere in between those two- this is identical to any other kind of saw.

In general the RAS aficionados tend to go with a slightly positively hooked (5-10 degrees) combination or TCG blade. The slightly positive hook allows the saw to be used for ripping and compound miters but without being too grabby on a well-adjusted saw. They also will use a smaller than rated diameter blade on the 10" and smaller saws as these tend to be low-powered (generally no more than 1 1/2 hp running HP, and often less than 1 hp) and the smaller blades put less strain on the saw.
I use a -5 degree blade that was actually made for a SCMS. I got it due to local availability, appropriate tooth count, appropriate size, and moderate cost, although no blade larger than 12" is exactly cheap. It works reasonably well for me but I do not rip with my RAS and my RAS has a 7 1/2 hp motor so a less efficient hook angle is no problem. The saw has never tried to climb at me.

.....of "the good ones". I am in the market and scouting out RAS's now. Back in the 70's there was one of the not so good ones in every garage. I kinda like the fact that you can do more with a RAS than a miter saw. I guess the reasons to own one over the other are more personal than anything, but I like versatility as much as possible and a miter saw really only does one thing...crosscuts boards whether angled or not. Thanks again for posting!!!

[Paul Schaefer]

I would take a pass on a 20yo Craftsman for $100. If you want something that has the crosscut depth, dado capability, and repeatability of a good RAS (and those are all things that make the RAS well worth having), hold out for an older DeWalt or Delta.

In a major metro area, you should be able to easily find one of the smaller cast iron DeWalts or turret Deltas for $50-75. They're a little underpowered, but once you dial them in, they'll absolutely stay there. Rock solid. In the $125-$200 range, you should be able to find a bigger DeWalt, like the 12" 7790 if you're willing to wait - I see them at that price point 3-4 times a year in the Colorado Springs/Denver area. Any of these will require some work (cleaning, adjustment, maybe new motor bearings), but no more than a 20yo Cman RAS will require anyway.

For perspective, I had one of the Cman RASs for eight years. I loved deep crosscut capability, long dadoes, and better dust collection. It held adjustments better than my 10" Cman CMS, but I still had to re-adjust it every time I was doing a project that required precision. The Cman RAS did good work, but it was a pain in the but to set it up every time. Two years ago, I bought a small DeWalt (MBF) for $75. Took about $25 in parts to rebuild it and put a new table on. While I sometimes wish for more power, it's a dream in terms of precision and holding adjustment one it's set.

Today, I still have the DeWalt RAS and the CMan CMS RAS. The DeWalt lives in the shop and gets used for precision jobs. The CMan CMS lives on the shelf and gets dragged around for rough jobs (framing, decking, fencing) where I don't want to have to go back and forth to the shop.

[Darcy Warner]

I usually run a 5 degree positive hook blade.

[Rod Sheridan]

As others have said, the commercial cast iron models are powerful and accurate. They’re mostly 3 phase as well.

I’ve used them commercially, I think they were 16 lunch models, they were accurate and reliable.

I don’t have a use for a miter or RAS as I have a format saw.

If I were to have one, a SCMS would be nice to have for portability.....Rod

[lowell holmes]

It's just me, but I have a table saw, miter saw, band saw, radial arm saw, and the one used least is the radial arm saw.
The miter saw is mounted on a wooden base and sits 36" above the floor. I have wings attached to the radial arm saw table
with hinges, allowing eight feet of saw table . The band saw is the second least used.
I also have "skilsaws". If you take a 12" speed square, you can cross cut a board with "skilsaw" faster than any other way.

[Chris Schoenthal]

It's just me, but I have a table saw, miter saw, band saw, radial arm saw, and the one used least is the radial arm saw.
I too have a table saw that I use for accuracy and final cuts and a 12" non-sliding miter saw that I primarily use to help break down long stock to close to final dimensions. My thoughts on trading the miter saw for a radial arm is to 1) get more x-cut capacity and 2) potentially use with a dado stack for any half laps. I will still probably use the table saw and sled for accurate cuts and final dimensions.


The miter saw is mounted on a wooden base and sits 36" above the floor. I have wings attached to the radial arm saw table with hinges, allowing eight feet of saw table.
Mine is on a Ridgid mobile stand that has sliding extensions on both sides that have rollers, stop blocks and supporting legs. I've thought about building a base / cabinet structure that would allow more storage and work space. The only issue with that is that I'd have to get my hoard of lumber under control to find the room. Out of a 20'x20' shop, I probably have 8'x10' of lumber storage.

Chris

[Phillip Gregory]

It's just me, but I have a table saw, miter saw, band saw, radial arm saw, and the one used least is the radial arm saw.
The miter saw is mounted on a wooden base and sits 36" above the floor. I have wings attached to the radial arm saw table
with hinges, allowing eight feet of saw table . The band saw is the second least used.
I also have "skilsaws". If you take a 12" speed square, you can cross cut a board with "skilsaw" faster than any other way.

I have those too, and the one that gets used the least is the miter saw. It's a cast iron and relatively decent non-Chinese unit. I only ever use it outdoors for cutting rough construction lumber, but even then, its lack of power, capacity, and accuracy generally leads me to haul my rough lumber into the shop to cut with my RAS.

The circular saw is the second least used. I use mine for initial breakdown of sheet goods with a clamp-on guide, and that's it. I can crosscut a board with my RAS far faster than a circular saw as all I need to do is put the stock up on the RAS's table, get it lined up with the kerf in the fence, turn the dust collector on, and then pull the saw through the stock. With a circular saw, I need to get the circular saw out, get an extension cord, set up sawhorses, get the speed square, make the cut, then get the shop vac out and suck up the sawdust mess I just shot all over the place. The actual cutting also goes faster with the RAS as a 7 1/2 hp RAS cuts much faster than a typical 7 1/4" circular saw does.


I too have a table saw that I use for accuracy and final cuts and a 12" non-sliding miter saw that I primarily use to help break down long stock to close to final dimensions. My thoughts on trading the miter saw for a radial arm is to 1) get more x-cut capacity and 2) potentially use with a dado stack for any half laps. I will still probably use the table saw and sled for accurate cuts and final dimensions.

Chris

A RAS will give you much more crosscut capacity than a SCMS and they work well with a dado stack for half laps and dadoes, much easier than using a tablesaw or router for that work. A good RAS is every bit as accurate a a good cabinet saw with a good crosscut sled for making final dimensioned cuts.

[Myk Rian]

My DeWalt RAS is the most accurate saw I own.
You can find these for under $100, then spend some time cleaning it up.

402347

[Jim Andrew]

My opinion of a RAS is that they are a good rough cut crosscut saw. Great mounted on a trailer for construction. Would not use one to rip, although I have done so. A SCMS is more of a finish cut saw, at least if you have a good one.

[lowell holmes]

Your saw is much beefier than my radial arm saw.

It is just easier to make precision cuts on my Delta 2000 contractors saw

402348D

[Kevin Beitz]

I have two and one half (one for parts) Craftsman commercial cast iron models and I think they are one of the best tools you can have. I've had one for 60 years. I wont have a wood shop with out one. They are getting harder to find. Sears offered $100.00 if you returned just the motor. They was trying to get them off the market. I would not pass up on a good one for $100.00. First rule... Just never put your hand in front of a running blade.

[Monte Milanuk]

So... if the RAS is *sooooo* great, why is the market for them effectively dead, outside of sifting thru crap on Craigslist and hoping that a few hundred dollars later it actually works? :rolleyes: ;)

[Brian Holcombe]

It isn’t, look at Graule, Omga, and Northfeild.

[William Hodge]

So... if the RAS is *sooooo* great, why is the market for them effectively dead, outside of sifting thru crap on Craigslist and hoping that a few hundred dollars later it actually works? :rolleyes: ;)

Radial Arm saws were over sold as being capable of all kinds of stuff, like a Shopsmith. The were supposed to cross cut, rip, miter, dado, and make moldings. I have one with a 3/8-24 arbor coming out the end of the motor for a drill chuck.

The one thing my Sears radial arm saw is best at is preserving the accuracy of my miter saw. I can slam a 16' board on the radial arm saw and rough cut it, then mill it, and cut it to length on the miter saw. I don't like levering a 200 pound rough board on to my miter saw. It's hard to justify having a rough cutting saw set up unless you cut up carts full of rough lumber. I do cut up carts full of rough lumber, and the saw cuts to within 1/4" over a 12" wide piece. The radial arm saw also saves my miter saw blade from getting dull, cutting up dirty wood from the wholesaler. (I also have a junk planer set up to remove grit from wood before I mill it.)

The more accurate radial arm saws are a different discussion. For accurate cuts in big lumber, like post and beam work, the industrial saws make sense. I used to do that work, using old DeWalt cast iron saws.

[Monte Milanuk]

It isn’t, look at Graule, Omga, and Northfeild

Yes, because 5+ HP industrial machines are totally what we were discussing here :rolleyes: Pretty sure no one is buying those monsters with expectations of the kind of accuracy people are claiming here.

Fine... the *consumer* market for RAS, outside of Craigslist, is effectively dead.

[Bradley Gray]

Pretty sure no one is buying those monsters with expectations of the kind of accuracy people are claiming here.


But they do have that kind of accuracy. My Delta 14" turret saw leaves a mirror surface at a perfect 90 degrees every day.

Why would "people here" lie about it? My suggestion would be if you don't believe it, don't buy one.

[Doug Walls]

I have a Craftsman RAS that I added some T-track to the table https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?253204-Radial-Arm-Saw-Table-Modifications&p=2720332#post2720332

With the T-track added, I'm always finding new ways to use my RAS!

Doug

[Phillip Gregory]

Yes, because 5+ HP industrial machines are totally what we were discussing here :rolleyes: Pretty sure no one is buying those monsters with expectations of the kind of accuracy people are claiming here.

Speak for yourself, my 7 1/2 hp DeWalt GE is at least as accurate as a typical Unisaw or clone thereof.


Fine... the *consumer* market for RAS, outside of Craigslist, is effectively dead.

The market for cheap, poor-quality homeowner RASes is effectively dead as cheap, poor-quality homeowner miter saws can butcher a few warped 2x4s once every few years just as poorly as a cheap, poor-quality homeowner RAS could, and it takes up less space in the corner of the garage and costs less.

[Brian Holcombe]

Yes, because 5+ HP industrial machines are totally what we were discussing here :rolleyes: Pretty sure no one is buying those monsters with expectations of the kind of accuracy people are claiming here.

Fine... the *consumer* market for RAS, outside of Craigslist, is effectively dead.

I've been told I have the ability to turn any discussion into a discussion about industrial machinery, so...you're welcome :D

[Doug Walls]

I've been told I have the ability to turn any discussion into a discussion about industrial machinery, Well then here's one for you!

Not really a RAS, But it's probably what happens when a large CNC & RAS get mixed together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RZuxnXnJkQ

Doug

[Gordon Stump]

I have both a RAS and a 12" miter saw in my shop. Both with long extended tables. I use the Radial Arm Saw exclusively for 90 degree crosscuts. I improved cross cut accuracy by drilling larger holes through the table into the steel supports and tapping both for bolts. Keeping that table from moving when tightening up a fence is critical. Then locking down the arm to 90 and never moving it. I use the miter saw station for angles. I bought a really nice flip stop system years ago from American Design and Engineering. They also made the Phaedra Fence System for my miter saw. They are unfortunately out of business. If I only had room for one I would probably get a large sliding miter saw on a cabinet type miter station. Bit I am still a RAS fan!

[Phillip Gregory]

I've been told I have the ability to turn any discussion into a discussion about industrial machinery, so...you're welcome :D

Industrial-grade RASes are certainly germane to a general woodworking forum discussion as unlike some industrial equipment, they are very appropriate for a hobbyist woodworker. They are widely available, can easily be used for smaller work, quite inexpensive if they are used, have about the same footprint and weight as a typical 10" cabinet saw, and VFDs and static converters have largely solved the 3 phase "problem" inexpensively. Thus, there are quite a few people out there like me who have an industrial-grade RAS sitting in their shop and find it very useful.

Now, if you were talking about a gang rip saw, a multi-headed molder, a 60" wide belt, or a $100k CNC machine, those would not be terribly germane to a typical home shop.