I worked in a door plant years ago and the RAS would send more workers to the ER than any other piece of equipment. Posted March 23, We used it to cut custom lumber to length. We lost at least one temp a week which is pretty sad considering these were only temporary employees. Garbage blade Is A Radial Arm Saw Worth Having Game in is a radial arm saw worth having account saw makes it an accident waiting to happen not to mention the damage it can do to your material! Most critical is the precision of cutting carpentry pieces, as it will decide the quality of the workmanship.

On a miter saw with rails that allow blade to travel back towards operator the correct way to use it when crosscutting anything, is to pull it back over the material ,then lower it and push it forward making the cut. Once that is done one releases trigger and blade stops immediately.

On a radial arm saw one pulls the saw through the cut rather than pushing it. A variety of factors can create what is called "fly-back" where saw climbs over material towards operator. All radial arm saws that I know do not have a "trigger" switch allowing it to instantly be shut off.

Even when you get to the switch most do not have a brake and blade keeps rotating for a while. Your instinct at that point many times is to move your left hand holding the material. Bad idea. Radial arm saw, also has unlike the miter saw the capability of being used to rip. Also a very bad idea. Whole assembly is not rigid enough to perform that function safely and blade is pulling material up from table rather than pushing down into table.

Not recommended to use it for that function but I see it being done all the time many times with a bit of drama involved. I could go on forever. Although I have gotten hurt plenty of times, always due to my own stupidity, after spending all my life in this profession I still have all my fingers and have learned what not to do.

For your purpose you need a miter saw. Learn how to use it properly and always remember that that tool is not your friend. Treat it accordingly. Every single one of the above responses is exactly what I was looking for and also exactly why I love this website. I want to give a big whole hearted thank you to everyone who has brought up multiple points throughout all of the posts above.

We both also do understand that every tool has its capabilities and limits and particular uses. I do have two antique table saws already and we would be doing zero ripping if we had a radial saw. I posed this same basic question to the guys at work this morning and the couple people that have worked with wood quite a bit expressed the same concerned that has been mentioned above about ease of moving the unit. I do actually have a dedicated space where I could leave the radial saw and it would be permanently set up in position to accept longboards for miter cuts when needed.

Issue there is, we do occasionally bring our current miter saw over to the back of the house if we are working in the basement Workshop. For that reason in particular, I would be leaning very much towards a sliding compound miter saw. The other thing that leans me towards a compound saw is the direction of the cut. I've run a radial arm saw in the distant past and I had forgotten that they can be challenging to handle once in a while such as when they grab a knot in the wood.

Looks like I'll be doing some poking around on the internet and keeping an eye at the pawn shops for a few days. I had a radial arm saw and got rid of it because it was a big pain to adjust for angles.

I have a Bosch 10 inch compound miter saw which I would not trade for anything. I purchased a portable stand when I got the miter saw. That way I have a permanent set up in the shed or I can move it outside if needed for on site use.

Try to increase your budget if possible. If you have a blue box store in your area you can check out Dewalt and Craftsman at one location. If you have the space then a radial saw can be nice when set up within a long permanent bench. You can have mine as I just don't have the space for it and you can spend the money on a good compound saw.

Both have their place. I have a 8" Hitachi slide compound mitre saw that I use for the custom home builder that I work for. I use this saw for so many different types of projects almost hard to mention them all.

From trim work to siding to framing. Any brand of this type of saw would work for you, a good used saw for you should be fine. I have my saw because I make my living with it.

So for me a high quality brand pays for itself over time. I've had this saw for some 15 years and because I don't abuse it to much, it still works great. Good video John. At first I thought it was you, and I said "God he moves fast". I may very well take you up on that. I'm going to be down in Massachusetts in a month or two to pick up a tractor for Trina. If you have space for a long bench then it will get used more if set up in it. Dado and rabbit joints on longer pieces is easier than a table saw.

Unless you have the table saw set up in a large bench too. Take John up on his generous offer. Now that I'm nearly done with a sq ft home rebuild I plan on doing things to the garage down the hill and utilizing the single stall side as a woodworking shop.

Finding another radial arm is something I hope to do. Fortunately I won't have this dilemma but if I had to choose to own only one of the three types of saws mentioned it would be a radial arm. It can crosscut wide lumber, set up right a quality saw is precise, as John mentioned, dado and rabbit try that with a miter saw like a champ and I think perform those functions safer than a table saw, accurately rip, just about everything a miter and table saw but some functions just not as easily.

Remember, all three saws have their strong points as well as weak. Again, I want to mention setting up a radial arm correctly. It can be a bit tedious but not bad once you figure it out. It's not just getting a square cut. The arm must be perfectly parallel to the table and there's skews and angle of dangles that need to be set for precision work. Hopefully you'll get or can fine a manual to go through it all for the particular model. It may take a bit but once you have it a quality saw will hold it well.

I've ripped 's of feet precisely when I had my old radial arm and it's very simple to set the guard up to totally avoid any tendency to lift. I've had 'oops' and fortunately never anything serious but I can attribute every one to pilot error. One more thing about my post I DON'T recommend removing the blade guard. Bad me I did that on a saw that only I use. After all, they are my fingers. You need to be a member in order to leave a comment. Sign up for a new account in our community.

I used a radial arm saw back in college when I first started making sets. When I started making my own shop I decided that I wanted one there too. A family friend offered me a old Dewalt that was gathering dust in his garage, I had dreams of making it work again. I got the book on Dewalts by Mr.

The problem is it didn't have a brake, I didn't have the tool I need to remove the somewhat dull blade and I just wasn't comfortable with it. I gave it away to another friend who wanted it and got a compound miter saw. A good tool for some, but I think it's not necessary for a hobbyist, the functionality can be replicated by a combination of tools found in most shops. Hammerhead, you're right. It won't jump off the arm and come eat you.

That's a funny image, by the way. I think the deal is that the blade tends to climb out of the stock rather than press the stock downward into the base like with a compound sliding miter. My guess is the other issue is it's a lot easier to know that your off-hand is in the path or distruction when you see it between the blade and the machine as oposed to between the machine and you.

Does that make sense? Anyhoo, I don't use one because I'm a statistics guy. I wear my seat belt because statistically your chances of dying in a car accident become infinitely small if you wear one. I exercise regularly because statistics tell you that you live longer if you do. I don't run with the bulls or swim with sharks, because If according to Craftsman, you are statistically 5, times more likely to loss a digit to a radial arm saw than to the second most dangerous tool in the shop, the table saw You guessed it, I avoid the radial arm saw.

Thanks everyone. I have an older Craftsman Radial Arm saw. It has a Is A Radial Arm Saw Worth Having Zoom new guard and new stock table and has been tuned by me so we will see. Some time back the guard was recalled and they sent out new ones they still do I think. When doing research I got the impression people liked the older versions including this one and thought the new ones were of low quality.

Many people seemed really happy with their Craftsman saw. I have not used this tool yet and it still needs a thin sacrificial top. I have a Makita sliding miter saw also - perhaps one of the first versions.

On one hand, it is hard to see the two tools all that different in terms of danger used for your classic cross cuts and mitering. They are both on a track so to speak and can lurch towards you given the chance - but you know where they are likely to lurch to.

Using the RAS to rip or make compound cuts or many and there are many if you read the manual of the specialty cuts that it can make I can well imagine the danger.

Now that would be scary, as you would be anticipating it to lurch to a different location. So would one do that with a dado blade installed or a router or one could go either route? Is one or the other preferred? Here's my machine. Think of a piece of pie with the teeth at the two large corners of the pie. A 0 angle tooth will be inline with the edge of the pie, a negative hook tooth will be angled out and a positive hook will be angled in relative to the side of the pie.

A negative hook blade doesn't grab as much as a positive rake tooth. Dado's, yes, replace the single blade for a dado blade of whatever thickness you desire and cut. I don't use my RAS for dado's, but many people do including Norm. I use my table saw or router if I need to do a long cross grain dado.

Nice looking setup. Nice how you have combined the tables to be one functioning unit. Are those plastic curtains? I have two radial arm saws in my workshop and use both of them. I have an Elu 10" set into a long bench which I use for most if not all of my cross cuts and I have a smaller 8" Ryobi set up with a dado cutter set for trenching Dados I also have the large De Walt sliding mitre saw which I use for angles and on site.

I would never part with the Radial arms saws as they can trench cut far better than a sliding mitre saw which requires spacing out from the fence for a level cut. I have never had any issues with the Radial arms as if it is pulled to quickly through the timber it will stall. Mine is fitted with a strong return spring and itis fitted with a negative rake blade which ensures the timber is held down and back tot the fence when cutting.

I also have a table saw but rarely use this for cross cutting as I have a rip blade on it for ripping lengths down. In my opinion a Radial arm used sensibly is as safe as any other cross cut saw, BUT! I would never use one for ripping as I think this could be a dengerous operation on this type of machine.

This is just my opinion of course. The masonite is the sacrificial top. I should really take a new photo. Yes, the plastic is part of a plastic curtain I close to enclose a "spray booth" that exhausts out that window above the saws. I have a old delta 12" 3 phase commercial and a old Dewalt 10 in my shop. I can' t seem to go to sliding chop saws although I think there very versatile.

I just like RAS. I never ripped on one and never wanted too. If you have the room and can get one reasonably priced I recommend you get one. Negative rake provides that the blade will cut instead of grab the work. A positive rake blade will "crawl" up the work.

I do everything on a RAS. I don't even own a table saw. Thanks for your video. In late , I was looking for an owners manual for my used Craftsman RAS, And discovered there was a recall on them, I went to the recall web site and entered my model and I was shipped at no cost, a safety upgrade kit for my yard sale find..

I have not yet added the up-grade kit, but the shipping weight is around 45lbs. Great tool. My Grandpa was missing two fingers on his left hand courtesy of a radial arm saw. Didn't scare him away from power tools and even still used an RAS, though I'm not sure if it was the one that claimed his digits.

That didn't scare me away from power tools either but it did make an impression and I've always had a healthy respect for power tools and a mind towards safety. His accident was long before I was born, but just the sight of those missing fingers every time I saw him left a pretty good impression.

Anyway, any tool can be dangerous, and one must be conscious of where his or her body parts are at all times. Go not ever do this, but, I will show you how to do it?

Having used my RAS since , the most dangerous thing to have on one of these saws is a dull, garbage blade. Appreciate the vid and thanks for sharing but I have to disagree on your comments re: "not accurate" and "not good for ripping". Almost all saws of this type come with adjustment mechanisms to keep it in good form.

Keep the table true and the radial arm and saw contact true all across the work surface. Garbage blade in any saw makes it an accident waiting to happen not to mention the damage it can do to your material!

Yes, it can be a scary-dangerous saw but I've used mine for years for ripping hardwoods and softwoods alike very accurately and safely , to cutting trim and even picture framing. The right blade and technique as well as being aware of how this saw can come out and bite you are all part of it. Good featherboards and anti-kickback pawls in good condition are a must but this saw still can do what many others cannot, and usually do it faster and more efficiently.

Just my thoughts. Not a slam. I rip with my radial arm all the time in both directions. My latest project was laying the saw flat, with the router guard, to make overlap joints for doors.

I made a jig with a clamp so I can repeat cuts. I cut both the mortise and the tenon. Yours doesn't even have a blade guard, if i were you i wouldn't rip on it either.

Now I have a newer Craftsmans RAS that has a few more safety features than the awesome antique you are using and for 7 months I have not had a single issue ripping boards. I will say that i do use feather boards when ripping but just to claim straight out it is dangerous, maybe it is on YOUR saw. Good Vid — thanks. I always found the RAS in the shop very useful for making multiple repeat cross-cuts to my cutting list. Good point about the backstop — and ensuring you have a good quality ruler and lockable backstops that have been zeroed in accurately.

I've been ripping with my 12" V Craftsman for decades and haven't found it to be dangerous at all. Even bevel rips go smoothly and you don't have to apply down pressure like on a table saw. A sharp blade is a must though. I've got a Craftsman RAS circa mid '90's and it's the primary tool in my workshop.

I can't count how many bookshelves I've made with a dado cut — certainly dozens. Ripping can be a bit dicey but with judicious use of push sticks and featherboards you're pretty safe.

The one area where there's just no competition is in production work. A long fence and a stop block and you can crank out identical pieces all day long. I've built a livingroom's worth of bookshelves where every piece is the same length, every dado is in the same place. You really can't do that with any other tool. It's just not a conventional saw as opposed to a table saw so you need to be aware of how to operate it safely and there are not a lot of instructions out there.

Thanks for raising some safety tips on RAS! Besides having the wrong blade on the saw negative kerf angle a must you did not mention the number one reason why RAS's are falling out of favor — you can't keep them square or plumb.

I inherited my grandfather's old RAS, by way of my father. But now that I have this thing I'm not going to need the Bosch! I was having trouble making sense out of the controls until I saw this video, as you have the exact same model.

I really appreciate you taking the time to make this video. This guarantees an accurate cut every time. I totally disagree about the cross cut ripping it acts exactly the same as a table saw. You were demonstrating feeding it from the wrong side and didn't even have it locked in place..

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