Cross cut

[msadkin]

I've owned a radial arm saw for many many years and have always used it for cross cuts. The reason for this is, I suppose because I've only owned cheap light weight table saws until now. Now that I have a decent cabinet saw, I was wondering if there is any advantage to using it for my cross cuts. It seems so simple to me to use the arm saw for this operation, but there must be a reason why most of the time the table saw is mentioned for cross cuts. I do have a cross cut sled, but again, it seems easier to just lay the wood on the arm saw table and go to it.

What am I missing?

[PaulMarcel]

It seems like if you like the RAS and it cuts accurately, it likely is easier to use and probably has greater cross-cut capacity than a table saw. So no reason to stop. I've heard some people say the RAS isn't as accurate or falls out of alignment more easily, but that could be their machine.

[Beechwood Chip]

I'm watching Norm's early videos online, and he did a lot of cross cuts on his RAS or CMS. Marc often makes cross cuts using his CMS. I think the table saw is nice for highly accurate, highly repeatable cross cuts on short pieces, as long as they are well supported by your miter gauge or sled. But the RAS or CMS is more convenient and better for long pieces. Nothing wrong with using whichever you prefer.

[harryangel69]

Radial arm saws are one of those tools you either love or hate. As long as you have the correct blade on the unit it will typically serve you well for years. Keeping it tuned properly is just part of maintaining the tool. How often depends on the quality of the tool. The main issues with the RAS is the growing concern of safety, size, and cost. Sliding compound miter saws are cheaper and more compact for most of our smaller shops.

[knotscott]

If the piece isn't too big, and it's well supported, it does seem to me that a quality TS has more potential for extreme accuracy, but since most of us don't need that, if a RAS is more convenient and accurate enough, why not?

[Pete Bennett]

Just depends on what you have and what you prefer. Until the universal acceptance of the sliding table saw no one in industry used a table saw for cross cuts they always had a RAS.

The Radial Arm saw I have is more than fifty years old built from cast iron throughout weighs a ton and is absolutely dead accurate time and time again. I never use my table saw for cross cuts and don't see any reason why I should. Most people use their table saw because they don't own a RAS or they have one of the lighter more troublesome models. If you are happy with your RAS use it if you are happy or for some people happier using a table saw then use that. The end result is what counts.

[sancho]

ts allpersonal preferance. What ever rocks your boat. As long as its safe and ya get good results

[msadkin]

Thanks for all the comments.