Getting back into woodworking after being away for several years, and
straightening up my shop (2 car garage) for new tools. What seems
conspicous by it's absence though, is discussions about radial arm saws.
Also, shopping for them is tough. Only a couple companies offering them and
even the tired/used ones on ebay are going for top dollar. Have there been
so many accidents with them over the years that the manufacturers simply
don't want to make them anymore ?
I got so used to using mine that it was just second nature to walk toward it
for all crosscutting ops - had pretty much a whole wall dedicated to it and
its associated table/fence setup. It was a staple in the shop - almost like
the TS. Have the new miter saws and slide miter saws taken over ? Am I
just old fashioned and been away too long ?
Understand, I have no problem spending LESS money - you seem to be able to
get a top-of-the-line slide miter for 1/2 what a Delta 10" Radial Arm costs.
I'd just like to know what the shortcomings are. Seems like it would be
tough to do some things like trimming the rails on a frame/panel door.
Help me get with the times !
jim in orlando
Jim,
In last issue of WOOD I read a review on 4 Miter saw and one RAS,
looked like Miter saws getting more points than RAS.
In my personal opinien, if you do not have a Miter saw, get it first
and then go for a RAS, I have both, but I use like 9 cut on Miter saw
and maybe one on RAS.
This is my suggestion, I am sure you will get lots more reply.
Have fun and good luck
Maxen
Thanks for the input Rumpty. I'll nose around in that RAS forum you
mention. Keep in mind, I will have (again that is, sold them all the first
time) specific tools for the most part, for the job I'm doing. I wouldn't be
using the RAS for anything but 90' crosscutting. That's why I'm wondering
if a sliding miter might not be the best approach nowdays. ( e.g. face
frames, door/drawer parts ) I was just trying to get a feel for why no one
seems to make a RAS anymore - they used to be on every Sears floor. B&D even
made one. Now I see that Sears is selling Ryobi (which Ryobi's site says is
now out of production), I guess Emerson went to Ridgid - I can't even find
any info on that saw. Dewalt apparently isn't making one anymore. That
pretty much leaves Delta and Original as far as I can tell.
jim
"Rumpty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Jim,
>
> You WANT the RAS and a DeWalt model. Many available on Ebay, you can
> purchase a very good condition used for under $500 and do every thing from
> miters, to rips, to moulding, shaping, crosscuts and more.
>
> Take a look at the Mr. Sawdust book "How To Master he Radial Saw" before
you
> make your decision. http://mrsawdust.com/
>
> Join us on the Radial Saw Forum:
> http://forums.delphiforums.com/woodbutcher/start
>
> --
>
> Rumpty
>
> Radial Arm Saw Forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/woodbutcher/start
>
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>
>
> "Jim Bailey" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Getting back into woodworking after being away for several years, and
> > straightening up my shop (2 car garage) for new tools. What seems
> > conspicous by it's absence though, is discussions about radial arm saws.
>
>
>
Jim,
You WANT the RAS and a DeWalt model. Many available on Ebay, you can
purchase a very good condition used for under $500 and do every thing from
miters, to rips, to moulding, shaping, crosscuts and more.
Take a look at the Mr. Sawdust book "How To Master he Radial Saw" before you
make your decision. http://mrsawdust.com/
Join us on the Radial Saw Forum:
http://forums.delphiforums.com/woodbutcher/start
--
Rumpty
Radial Arm Saw Forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/woodbutcher/start
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Jim Bailey" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Getting back into woodworking after being away for several years, and
> straightening up my shop (2 car garage) for new tools. What seems
> conspicous by it's absence though, is discussions about radial arm saws.
Unfortunately, unless you have an old Dewalt RAS or one from
http://www.originalsaw.com/ .
the saw does not hold its accuracy when moved away from a square cut. The
Craftsmen RAS is especially bad about this. Personally, I had a Sears RAS
for years that I stored outside underneath a tarp after I got a 12" Dewalt
SCMS. There are only a few things that a RAS can do that a SCMS can't and
those few things can be handled in other ways. I do woodworking for a
living and don't miss having a RAS. A tablesaw with a crosscut sled, or in
my case, a sliding table
(http://www.excalibur-tools.com/products/products.asp?product=slt), you
won't miss a RAS.
Preston
"Jim Bailey" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Getting back into woodworking after being away for several years, and
> straightening up my shop (2 car garage) for new tools. What seems
> conspicous by it's absence though, is discussions about radial arm saws.
> Also, shopping for them is tough. Only a couple companies offering them
and
> even the tired/used ones on ebay are going for top dollar. Have there been
> so many accidents with them over the years that the manufacturers simply
> don't want to make them anymore ?
>
> I got so used to using mine that it was just second nature to walk toward
it
> for all crosscutting ops - had pretty much a whole wall dedicated to it
and
> its associated table/fence setup. It was a staple in the shop - almost
like
> the TS. Have the new miter saws and slide miter saws taken over ? Am I
> just old fashioned and been away too long ?
>
> Understand, I have no problem spending LESS money - you seem to be able to
> get a top-of-the-line slide miter for 1/2 what a Delta 10" Radial Arm
costs.
> I'd just like to know what the shortcomings are. Seems like it would be
> tough to do some things like trimming the rails on a frame/panel door.
>
> Help me get with the times !
>
> jim in orlando
>
>
SCMS won't take a dado blade nor make cuts that aren't completely through
the stock and won't cut too the width a RAS will. That's about it.
Well, it won't rip cut either but ....................................
--
Mike G.
[email protected]
Heirloom Woods
www.heirloom-woods.net
"Jim Bailey" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Getting back into woodworking after being away for several years, and
> straightening up my shop (2 car garage) for new tools. What seems
> conspicous by it's absence though, is discussions about radial arm saws.
> Also, shopping for them is tough. Only a couple companies offering them
and
> even the tired/used ones on ebay are going for top dollar. Have there been
> so many accidents with them over the years that the manufacturers simply
> don't want to make them anymore ?
>
> I got so used to using mine that it was just second nature to walk toward
it
> for all crosscutting ops - had pretty much a whole wall dedicated to it
and
> its associated table/fence setup. It was a staple in the shop - almost
like
> the TS. Have the new miter saws and slide miter saws taken over ? Am I
> just old fashioned and been away too long ?
>
> Understand, I have no problem spending LESS money - you seem to be able to
> get a top-of-the-line slide miter for 1/2 what a Delta 10" Radial Arm
costs.
> I'd just like to know what the shortcomings are. Seems like it would be
> tough to do some things like trimming the rails on a frame/panel door.
>
> Help me get with the times !
>
> jim in orlando
>
>