Radial arm saw

[Travis Conner]

So in school when I took like 5 different shop classes nobody ever taught us how to run a radial arm saw. All I ever heard was it was the most dangerous tool in the shop.

I bought a new table saw with a 52" fence and if I want to just cut a little bit off of a 96" piece of plywood (crosscut) I can't do it unless I have someone support the board on the left side of the saw which you're not really supposed to do. Is this what a radial arm saw is for? How wide of a cut can you do on one?

[Stephen Rosenthal]

Properly tuned and with a bit of experience, a RAS is not the “most dangerous tool in the shop.” I have 3 (set up for crosscutting, dadoing and ripping) but not a table saw, which I consider far more dangerous than anything else unless it is a SawStop. I can do anything with my RAS setup that can be done on a table saw and more.

To answer your question, the amount of crosscut depends on the length of the arm. The longest RAS arm I’ve seen is 30” on a Dewalt GE. Of course you could rip it, but that WOULD be dangerous unless you have the proper setup. I crosscut wide pieces with my Skilsaw or PC 314 trim saw, many others on this forum will recommend a track saw,

[Jim Becker]

Radial arm saws can cut wider boards, but they really can't crosscut full width sheet goods. You may want to consider a track saw to help with cutting down larger pieces of material like that.

[Bruce Lowekamp]

IMHO sawhorses and a circular saw (track if you have it, with a shop-made guide the saw rides on if not) is the right way to cut down plywood. Honestly with a guide (where the saw is against a factory edge glued to a piece of plywood it's riding on so that the blade cut it to exact width) it's zero clearance on the one side and gives a very clean cut.

Even with a 52" fence, I would rather cut a sheet in half on sawhorses than try to maneuver it across the tablesaw. I don't feel like I have enough control of that big/heavy a piece of plywood.

Bruce

[George Bokros]

What all have said. A circular saw with a guide (track saw or shop made guide) is the way to breakdown sheet goods.

[lowell holmes]

I have a radial arm saw.
I put 48"long 1X12 boards attached with door hings.
It sits on a wooden drawer unit with drawers in it.
There are cleats on the wooden base that allows me to prop them up with 2x4 knee braces.
I have no problems ripping long boards with the saw.
I use push sticks ans wear safety glasses as well.

[Ron Selzer]

I believe the answer that you are looking for is that most typical radial arm saws for consumer use. Sears, Delta, Rigid, DeWalt will crosscut approx 15" if fence is set at the middle position. Which will only cut 3/4" and thinner stock. At the front position which will cut anything that fits under the motor approx 11". You can rip up to about 25" with the fence set at the back of the table and motor turned with the blade out to the front.
I used a straight edge clamped to the plywood before I got my first panel saw, still do this occasionally when away from home. Works as good as you can hold the saw against the guide and as accurate your measurements are..
Hope this helps answer your question
Ron

[Jim Becker]

Honestly with a guide (where the saw is against a factory edge glued to a piece of plywood it's riding on so that the blade cut it to exact width) it's zero clearance on the one side and gives a very clean cut.
Do not assume that a "factory edge" is straight...especially with sheet goods sold these days. It's amazingly variable! (which can be frustrating when what one is cutting pushes the limits of a sheet when saw kerfs are taken into consideration)

[Harry Niemann]

The reason people consider RAS saws dangerous is because they use the wrong type of blade. Using a table saw type blade with a positive hook angle can cause the saw to jump forward. You must use a blade with a zero or negative hook angle. A tooth that leans forward into the gullet is a positive angle.

[Bill Dufour]

Dewalt Ge saw crosscut is about 24 inches depending on depth and long or short arm. This is a 16" saw. This is the saw at Hoe Depot in the lumber section.
Bill D

[Ray Newman]

Jim Becker in post #3 and 8 is on to it. Or, invest in a panel saw.

Harry Niemann is spot on about RAS blades. Back in another century and time when I ran one, an old time house framer explained and demonstrated the difference to me.

[Doug Garson]

I think the idea that a radial arm saw is the most dangerous tool is because there are so many different cuts you can make, some of which are dangerous but crosscutting is not one of them. What could be safer than crosscutting on a radial arm saw? You can clamp the workpiece against the fence or hold it with your hand a foot away from the path of the blade your other hand is a foot above the blade on the handle controlling the movement of the saw. Zero chance of any body part touching the blade. Even with the wrong blade what's the worst that can happen? You pull too hard, jam the blade stall the motor maybe mess up the workpiece or throw the saw out of alignment, where are your hands and other body parts? Well away from the danger zone. The workpiece jams against the fence so no chance it gets thrown at you.

[Myk Rian]

How wide of a cut can you do on one?
My Dewalt w/9" blade will crosscut 13". Rip would be about 16", but it's not a cut I would like to make.

[Randall J Cox]

I have a Delta Unisaw and two radial arm saws, an old Delta and an old DeWalt (both that I have totally rehabbed). i think I have read almost everything there is to read about RAS. And yes they can be dangerous if you don't want to understand how they work and their dynamics. Lots of folks won't take the time to read about how to use a RAS (or any tool for that matter) and for those folks, yes its dangerous. But, so is a table saw if you don't understand the physics behind certain cuts. Ignorance will get you hurt, on almost any machine. Take the time to understand any machine's pros and cons and safety issues, well worth your time. Randy

[David Buchhauser]

I have a Delta Unisaw and two radial arm saws, an old Delta and an old DeWalt (both that I have totally rehabbed). i think I have read almost everything there is to read about RAS. And yes they can be dangerous if you don't want to understand how they work and their dynamics. Lots of folks won't take the time to read about how to use a RAS (or any tool for that matter) and for those folks, yes its dangerous. But, so is a table saw if you don't understand the physics behind certain cuts. Ignorance will get you hurt, on almost any machine. Take the time to understand any machine's pros and cons and safety issues, well worth your time. Randy


+1 to that!! I agree 100%!
David