Radial Arm Saws

[ChetlovesMer]

I didn't want to hijack Dave's awesome post showing off his shop. By the way if you haven't seen it, go look at his shop pics... awesome.

Anyhow, I was wondering how many of you out there still use a Radial Arm Saw?

I know that Radial Arm Saws date back to the mid to late 1920's or something like that. I've even heard that Dewalt himself invented the thing. But a while back (6 or 7 years ago) I was talking to a friend of mine who is a muckity muck with the Sears Corp. He told me that Craftsman can no longer produce them because of the lawsuits per saw were simply too high. The way he described it is that per saw sold the radial arm saw led to over 10 times the number of lawsuits over table saws. (He also mentioned they sell like 500 times the number of table saws) So, basically they sold relatively few Radial Arm Saws and have tons of lawsuits associated with them.

So, I read that as Radial Arm Saws are unsafe. Of course, at the time, I had just gotten one. So I did a bit of research and it started to make sense. I guess the problem stems first from the fact that the saw cuts toward you. That and the blades tendancy to want to climb the material I guess what happens is that people become so concerned with the outcome of the cut they forget where the fingers of their off hand are.

So that makes me curious. Do any of you still have one? If so, do you use it, or has it been basically replaced by the sliding compound miter?

BTW - A side note: I had a hell of time keeping my Radial Arm Saw tuned, anyone else experience that?

[rmac]

I got a 10" Sears RAS in 1977 and had it for over thirty years. It never bit me, and I never thought it was inherently more dangerous than any other tool with sharp whirly blades. I did think it was inherently less accurate than a table saw, though. I mean, what can you expect when you've got a 20 pound motor waving around in the breeze, precariously suspended above a twisty particle board table and a wooden fence? And yes, I did have a hard time keeping it tuned up. It seemed that I was always bumping something one way or another and knocking it out of adjustment.

I eventually (I'm a slow learner) replaced it with a nice Inca 3HP cabinet saw that I got for a song on craigslist. I thought when I got the table saw that I would also want a SCMS, but I really haven't so far. I just use a circular saw to make short boards out of long ones, and then use a sled on the TS for more precise crosscuts.

The only thing I miss about the RAS is an overhead router setup I had cobbled together. I suspended a router from the arm with the bit directly above a little indexing pin that protruded up from the table. With that and a few templates, I made quite a few screwball parts that would have otherwise had me thinking about an expensive, space-eating CNC router.

-- Russ

[Gfolley]

I have had mine for more than 20 years and still use it. In that time I have never even come close to an accident with it. I use it only for cross cuts, they get dangerous for rip cuts. They will tend to grab the material if you try to feed to fast but you learn the feel of the machine fairly fast with use. As for accuracy, I tune it about once a year and it works fine. There are things that you can do with it that you can't with a SCMS. As with all power tools, you need to keep your head in the game when using them and if you don't feel comfortable with an operation don't do it.

[petersb]

I have one, hardly ever use it. When I do, it is to cut wide boards to rough length. It is quick and easy. I just broke down some long boards, and I actually did consider grabbing a hand saw and doing it like that. I have been thinking about getting rid of the RAS because it takes space and doesn't get used much. It is hard to get adjusted properly and keep it that way. I could set it up one way and never touch it but I think that kind of goes against the whole original versatiliy that it was designed for. As far as safety, anything with a spinning blade/cutter brings a heightend sense of awareness about what I am doing and where my hands are. Fortunately for me, it was given to me(by someone that didn't use it) and if I do decide to get rid of it, I could give it away and not be out anything.

[jimmykx250]

I dumped my sears ras for 2 reasons. First floor space and 2nd I found I didnt use it that much after i bought a hatachi 10" sliding compound. Safety wise it's no different than any other tool in the shop. Some common sence and practice and it's just fine. I will admit there is the rare ocassion when i do miss it, but i like being able to move around in the shop too.

[Pete Bennett]

As part of the modernisation of my hand tool only workshop some three years ago now,I have a 400mm (about 16" blade) Radial Arm Saw that is more than forty years old it weighs in at just over 900lbs and I have never had any problems with it. As far as danger is concerned it is no more nor less dangerous than any other spinning blade machine. I am far more afraid of my 20" Table saw but, that may be due to the fact I once saw a guy fall on to one. The end result was very , very messy. The blade went clean through his chest.

It has only once needed tuning and that was because the phospher bronze block that runs up and down a 6" diameter by 1" thick steel collumn got worn about two years ago. This 3" by 1" block has a buttressed thread machined in it to take the rise and fall mechanism. For a hundred pounds sterling I had it replaced so can't complain. It gets used every single day sometimes for hours at a time. If you do, though I never have, need to use it for ripping it is perfectly OK as long as you work from the up hill side of the blade. That is with the blade spinning against the feed direction. If you do it the other way you will not stop the piece from being whipped from your grip and probably making a hole in the opposite wall as it smashes into it.

[Royal Payne]

I have a old Craftsman RAS. I use it for every project I do.

I made a long table and fence for it and my Ridged miter saw. The miter saw's table is level with the RAS table and they both share the same long fence.

My RAS is only used for 90 degree crosscuts and the miter saw for all the angle cuts. I also have a table saw that I mostly use for ripping.

On the left of the RAS blade, I put a backwards reading "stick on" tape measure. I also use a clamping style stop block for repetitive cuts.

It's very fast and easy to slap a board on the RAS table and line it up with the tape measure on the fence, then flick on the thumb power switch and cut..

[Vic]

I don't like the way they want to grab as they move through a cut. I much prefer my SCMS. The one in my shop belongs to a buddy that was gonna share my shop. He's never really done that, so it is going away.

[Royal Payne]

I don't like the way they want to grab as they move through a cut. I much prefer my SCMS. The one in my shop belongs to a buddy that was gonna share my shop. He's never really done that, so it is going away.

It probably has the wrong blade on it, You need a blade with a negative hook angle to prevent the grabbing.

"the most important feature is the negative 5° hook angle of the alternating top bevel teeth. This makes the blade much less likely to “grab” during a cut and will produce a smoother, chip-free edge."

[Vic]

Yep...that's the same as a standard blade for the SCMS. Just not a fan. I don't begrudge anyone who likes them or uses them. I just don't care to use them so, out the door this goes. It belongs to my buddy, so he'll need to price it and sell it. I'm getting rid of his shaper, also. My preference is to use my router table and that spot is perfect for a floor standing oscillating spindle sander!!

[TheNehlsEnd]

I have a Craftsman RAS and use it quite often. They can be very finicky to set up, but like any tool there will always be advantages and disadvantages to them. I also have a SCMS and use it less then the RAS. I would give up the SCMS before I would the RAS, but thats just my personal preference.

[Jim_]

I have a dewalt I never use I tryed to sell it on craigs list but couldnt. I just moved it next to my scms it hopes I would use it more but it is just easyier to use scms.

[mdbuilder]

I have a 1956 Dewalt MBF. This is my go to machine for dado's in case sides and precision cross cuts on panels up to 16". I've also used it for bevels on panel edges and tenons beleive it or not. I do rough cuts on the SCMS.