# OT - Anyone Still Using A Radial Arm Saw



## projectnut (Aug 27, 2020)

This is a little off topic as far as metal working is concerned, but I thought I'd ask anyway.  I've been doing some repairs around the house including repairing the deck and permanent benches.  I've been using my Dewalt 740 radial arm saw (circa 1975) for most of the cutting work.  It still functions, but it's getting tired.  On one of the last cuts a flat spring that helps hold the head at the proper mitering angle broke.  It's a 3" long, 2" wide, T shaped affair about 1/16" thick with a hole at the intersection of the legs of the T.

I'm in the process of disassembling the arm and head to retrieve the piece still attached to the saw.  Along the way I've found more problems like one of the pulleys for the head raise and lower system is loose on the shaft, the hand grip on the miter locking handle is deteriorating to the point it should be replaced, and the table needs replacement among other things.  At this point I'm assessing whether or not to put more money into the beast.  To top things off the saw is old enough that there are almost no electrical or mechanical replacement components available.  About the only parts still listed are a few nuts, bolts, and washers. 

My question is are these machines now considered dinosaurs?  They seem to have been by in large replaced by compound miter saws.  There are a few higher end brand machines available, but they list anywhere from $2,500.00 to $12,500.00.  I'm interested in a good machine, but can't justify that kind of money for the use it gets.  The Miter saws look interesting, but most are meant to be portable, and aren't nearly as stable as my current machine. 

Bottom line I need to make the decision as whether to attempt to repair and refurbish the current machine, or let it go and invest in a new machine.  Since I haven't bought a saw of this type in 45 years I could use some guidance as to what's available, what I can expect as far as quality and versatility are concerned, and what I need to spend to get a quality machine so if I decide to buy a new one I won't be kicking myself six months down the road.


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## mmcmdl (Aug 27, 2020)

I have 2 radial arms , a double compound miter , table saws etc . I use the radial arms the most . They are both very old and built like tanks . Actually , one was my dads and he's been deceased for 52 years , so it's at least that old .


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## Dhal22 (Aug 27, 2020)

I use a basic table saw and 20 year old chop saw for around the house projects.


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## tq60 (Aug 27, 2020)

We had a craftsman with DRO that was okay while it worked but everything wss rolled sheet and somewhat sloppy.

Found an older one made from cast iron at estate sale for 20 bucks that only had s couple cuts in the table.

Cashed in the recall money on the dro one and am cash ahead.

They are all over the place if you look.

Price can be dirt cheap.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk


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## brino (Aug 27, 2020)

If I had the space I would definitely go with both!
I currently have a 10" compound mitre saw.

I looked long and hard at a radial arm saw (RAS).

For me it came down to two things:

1) The size of the machine. My entire shop (wood and metal) is only 20x20 feet. Until recently I had the compound mitre saw on an old microwave cart from my mother-in-laws kitchen. It recently moved to an even older rolling tool chest. Having most things moveable makes my shop work.

2) The size of the work-piece. If I was working on large timbers, I would go with the radial arm saw with good outboard support. There the workpiece is too big to hold.

Since I normally work on smaller pieces, the mitre saw was good enough.

-brino


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## ub27Rocks (Aug 27, 2020)

IMHO nothing available new will replace the RAS. I think I have a similar model, if you post some photos of the errant parts I will see what I have.
I got mine a few years ago from a friend who needed the space. A bit of TLC and it makes me wish I had gotten one a long time ago. Outside of ripping sheets (which has its risks) these are fabulous saws. I now seldom use my table saw.
Making a new table is not a big challenge. 2 sheets of 1/2inch MDF glued together. Bolt 2 pieces of angle to bottom, then cover the top with a 1/4 hardboard sacrificial overlay. Level/tram using the saw arm and you are done. You will need to sort out a fence, the book How To Master The Radial Arm Saw by Wally Kunkel has an excellent table design (I omitted the steel inserts, seems fine for my use)


There is a very active fourm at http://forums.delphiforums.com for RAS. Someone sent me a bunch of parts for the cost of shipping!


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## brino (Aug 27, 2020)

sorry, double post.


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## f350ca (Aug 27, 2020)

I have a 12 inch Delta radial arm saw, good solid machine. BUT use a 10 inch Makita compound saw for precise cuts in the cabinet shop. The Delta has the grunt for some timber framing work, making bracing mostly, but rarely use it any more.
Had a Craftsman 10 inch a long time ago, it was a joke. Underpowered and flexed like it was made of wet noodles.
Have used 12 inch compound saws and never saw the point of that expensive blade. The 10 inch will cut 4 inch material, a 12 inch still wont cut 6 inch.

Greg


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## MrWhoopee (Aug 27, 2020)

I have a Craftsman, 70s vintage I think. I confiscated it from a friend who inherited it when he bought a house. I knew if I left it with him I would be visiting him in the hospital and he would probably never play guitar again. I use it all the time. They are very versatile, try ripping a sheet of plywood with a compound miter saw.


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## projectnut (Aug 27, 2020)

I've seen quite a few Craftsman radial arm saws for sale.  In this case I think they would be a step or 2 down.  My Dewalt is cast iron, and still sound as far as wear is concerned.  The only downside so far is parts availability.  I'm sure I can make what needs replacement at this time.  However there are literally no electrical parts available.  Things like motor parts,  switches and overloads are all but nonexistent.  It also uses 4 specialized bearings to move the head in the track.  They may exist under a generic part number, or under a different brand name, but since there's no identification on the bearings themselves it could take quite a bit of time to hunt them down.  Right now I'm still in the exploration and decision making process.  Once I get the thing totally disassembled and inspected I'll have to decide which route to take.  As with most projects I expect this one to take a while to complete. 

Right now we're out of town getting some things finished at the family cottage before winter sets in.  There are also a number of things to complete at home before the weather turns.  To further complicate things I'm going to have a hip replaced next month.  I'm sure that will slow things down a bit, but hopefully it won't bring things to a halt.  I've had a few other parts replaced in the past and recovery didn't take all that long and wasn't all that bad.

MrWhoopee I do agree that there are some people who shouldn't play with sharp objects, even with adult supervision.  Many years ago I was helping a family friend pack things in his workshop so the movers could take them to his new house.  I started to remove a picture from the wall and he yell to me "JUST LEAVE THAT ONE WHERE IT IS".  I did and continued packing other things.  When it cam time for a break I asked why that lone picture was still on the wall.  He said it was covering a BOO BOO. 

Apparently when he first got into woodworking  he had purchased several machines and had them setup in the shop.  After the setup people left he decided to try out the table saw.  He started the saw and began feeding in a board from the wrong side.  The saw blade caught the board and sent it flying across the shop.  It made a nice hole in the drywall.  The picture was placed there before his wife entered the shop that day for an inspection.  He never told her why it was there and left it in place as a reminder.  As far as I know it's still there today.


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## RJSakowski (Aug 27, 2020)

I bought my Montgomery Wards radial arm saw in 1968 and still use it.  It originally was configured for a 9" blade but it accepted a 10" blade which is what I use.  It is capable of cutting a 24" width and a depth of almost 4".  I have a 10" hybrid table saw and a 10" compound miter saw but for cutting boards to precise length, the radial arm saw excels.  The compound miter saw has too small a platform to be useful for larger pieces and a table saw is virtually useless for cutting longer boards to a precise length.  A cut line is clearly visible on a radial arm saw whereas a table saw cuts from the bottom first so precise alignment is more of a challenge.

One thing to remember when making cuts like dados is that a table saw references the front side of the piece while a radial arm saw referneces the front side.  This can make a difference when the boards are not uniform in thickness.  Of course, a compound miter saw can't make dados at all.

Each of these saw has their own strong points as well as weak points.  I bought a compound miter saw because I had two rooms of trim to install and I could bring the saw to the work site rather than running back and forth to the shop.  The compound miter also excels in changing cut angles easily.   For handling plywood, I prefer my table saw.  For framing, my go to saw is the radial arm.  

As to safety, I would list my radial arm saw first.  As a teenager, I had forty sitches in my right hand from a table saw and I still tense up whenever I have to bring my hand close to the blade.  The one I fear the most though is the compound miter.  Cutting a 45º miter on a three inch piece of trim brings my hand very uncomfortably close to that blade and because of that, I would rate it as most dangerous.


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## Bi11Hudson (Aug 28, 2020)

As a rule, I have a number of positive comments regarding Radial Saws. My biggest concern here is what to print and what is actually a lecture. Please forgive me if I wander.

In 1975, when I first bought my house I also bought a Radial Saw as the "most saw" for a given footprint. I let the saw go a few years later when I became a contractor and went overseas. On my return a few years later, I acquired the house next door and had room to expand into a realistic shop. In my youth(?) I followed the "scare" stories and firmly believed that a table saw was much more useful and a lot safer. 

Recently, I got into a situation that only a RAS would work, I had to cut a 1/4 inch deep dado in a 2X8 some 1-1/2 inch wide. It was for an "attic stair" in a very tight location. The angle from 90* was a really odd angle, definitely not a standard tread. I used 2X4s doubled for treads, with a 1/4-20 all-thread keeper every 3 ft or so. The length of the 2X8s was 16 feet. I considered the table saw first for a stackable Dado head. That went south the second cut. They didn't line up properly. . .

Handling a 16 ft plank on a table saw, *accurately*, was a little beyond my capabilities. Even with assistance, I simply didn't have space, some 32 feet, to do a good job. I considered a router; the fixturing would cost me more time, _and money_, than I had available. The next option was a "Skil Saw", a portable circular saw. That never got built, the concept of a Dado head on a Skil Saw frightened me so bad. . . 

That pretty much left a sliding compound saw(mitre saw) or a Radial Saw. Since I already had a couple of good mitre saws, the concept of a new saw didn't really appeal to me. When I tried to borrow a Radial Saw from a friend, he checked several sources and found one well used but in pretty good shape for $100. I had to build a table. . . Eh, a sheet of 5/8 particle board cut into thirds. (32X48~) And a few screws. Being in a wood frame shop, I had to true the saw, the attach the over-sized table, then true the table. Replace the cord, et al. All in all, $150 more or less.

Since my first RAS, the "InterWeb" has come along, and I've traveled around the Pacific a few times, and become much more aware of my dangerous habits. But I still have all 10 fingers. . . I originally had a "direct drive" Craftsman "contractor saw". I had an older Dado head and a "shaper" head that were too small for the 10 inch saw.

 I horse traded around and eventually ended up with an older (?50s?) Craftsman 8 inch belt drive saw that actually has a deeper cut capacity than the 10 inch machine. No motor to bounce off the bottom of the table. . . And my Dado head can cut 2 inches deep now, with enough passes. But keeping a 16 foot plank true on the table, what, you been smoking the drapes again?

As I've aged, my propensity to dispose of tools has all but disappeared. Nothing gets sold or traded out of my shop. Hence the Dado head and shaper head. These two (relatively) small cutters came from my early years. And having seen both sides of the InterWeb videos on Radial vs Table saws, I find the table saw to actually be much less useful, in my usage, than a radial saw. This keeping in mind that I cut sheet goods(4X8) with a Skil Saw. The table saw still gets used, but almost every angle gets cut on the radial saw.

If you can find or make what you need to rebuild a good saw, I would say go for it. I have found several Craftsman specific parts on mine, both the Radial Saw and the Table Saw. But, waiting and looking has usually turned up something usable and often better than the original. That is often the case, where a part is manufactured for a vendor with the "house" part number instead of the generic part. 

.


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## Martin W (Aug 28, 2020)

Watch craigslist for a used sliding panel saw. I have seen a few here for $1000.


Cheers
Martin


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## projectnut (Aug 28, 2020)

After a little more research I've found there are still several companies in the US that make quality radial arm saws.  Among them are Delta, Original, and Omga.  Almost all these days are geared toward commercial or industrial applications.  the "Original" company makes them up to 22" in diameter capable of running 2 to 3 shifts per day in an industrial application.  While that may be slightly more than I need it appears they make high quality machines that can work day in and day out.

The "Original" company saws are reminiscent of the Dewalt I currently have only far more robust.  Reading the history of the company I found they purchased the rights and prints from Dewalt when that company decided to get out of the radial arm saw business.  The biggest shock is what the machines cost today compared to when I got mine.  Back then my saw listed for slightly under $1,000.00.  A comparable saw today lists for around $5,000.00.  If you want to get fancy you can spend north of $22,000.00.

When we get back home I'll continue the disassembly and inspection process.  Hopefully the current saw can be repaired and will last another 20 years or so.  If not at least it's nice to know new ones are still available


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## reds (Aug 28, 2020)

Radial Arm Saws are high on the accident will happen list. So much so that the maker of Sears/Craftsman (at one time) would refund $100 to return it.

The only thing I use mine for is scoring metal to bend.


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## pdentrem (Aug 28, 2020)

One of the coworkers had 3 RAS. When he down sized basically gave them away. I have a large table saw and no room for RAS, otherwise I would of got one. He was asking 50-100 depending on which one. They were all heavy units, no throw over the shoulder to lug it home!
Pierre


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## Winegrower (Aug 28, 2020)

A friend was a very skilled and artistic woodworker.   I asked him years ago why he did not have a radial arm saw.   He said “I don’t have a wood stove”.    His point was that it would only be good for cutting up kindling.

i don’t have one, never will.


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## Bob Korves (Aug 28, 2020)

I am by no means a master woodworker, but I have the basic machines and use them as needed. My radial arm saw is an old Craftsman unit, in good condition and versatile for many uses.  I keep the woodworking equipment near the shop roll up door so I can move them outside to the driveway, weather permitting, to do any needed woodworking, grinding, or sanding.  Same with the surface grinder and other grinders and sanders.  Keeps the grit out of the fussier machines.  In my new shop, which is currently in the design stage, I will also make sure to have floor to ceiling curtains and an exhaust fan for working with the gritty equipment in any weather without leaving a mess and damaging equipment, not to mention having to clean up the entire shop if the grit is not isolated from it.


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## CluelessNewB (Aug 28, 2020)

The first stationary power tool ever I purchased was a Craftsman RAS new around 1987.   It was truthfully a horrible piece of junk.  The base and arm weren't rigid enough to hold adjustment and even bumping the arm with your shoulder would knock it a few degrees out of alignment.  I have used some older Craftsman RAS that were much better built than that one.  I saw an ad for a used Dewalt 7790 12" in the local paper.  I purchased that and sold the Craftsman.  It is a much, much better saw. I still have the Dewalt but it doesn't get much use anymore.  I also have a Delta Unisaw and a non-sliding miter saw which get lots of use.  The RAS excels at cutting dados on long boards and breaking down long stock.  It does require significant real estate and now tends to be a horizontal surface that collects other stuff.


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## pontiac428 (Aug 28, 2020)

Over the last decade, I have seen the radial arm saws disappear from the Army and Navy industrial shops that I survey.  The few that I know of that are still around the shipyard are tarped in the corner or covered in dust from disuse.  Personnel prefer to use compound miter saws for typical size materials and heavy work is all done by band saw.  Radial saws are obviously being phased out, and it's the tradesmen that made the choice to stop using them.  Just food for thought.


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## Packard V8 (Aug 28, 2020)

Been all pretty much covered here, but if one has the room for it, nothing is more versatile than a quality RAS.  Nothing is more frustrating than the later cheaper Sears/Montgomery Ward models.  As mentioned, the earlier Craftsman models are capable of better work than most hacks using them.  I've used one for going on fifty years now and if used with care and common sense, it's an excellent machine.

Kids, don't try this at home.  I was building a 4x4-framed garden house for my wife and would be needing to cut many timbers.  The 10" blade wouldn't make the cuts, so I removed the guard and bought a 12" blade.  With the workpiece firmly clamped to the table fence and resting on an extension roller, THINK, FOCUS, saw on, pull it through, back,  saw off.

After getting over the original fear of pulling that unguarded 12" blade toward my nose, I came to realize it was actually a safer operation than trying to cross-cur or miter a long 4x4 on a table saw.

jack vines


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## MikeInOr (Aug 28, 2020)

I have a couple RAS (Radial Arm Saws) laying around.

This is my $40 Walker Turner 1100 RAS from the 50's.  I have it setup with an abrasive blade for cutting metal.  I have a 14" metal blade for it that I haven't had the guts to try out yet.  The saw is a 3ph 5hp and I run it on a VFD so I should be able to dial down the speed a bit (default blade speed is 3000 rpm because the arbor is actually driven through an reduction gear from the motor to allow the arbor to be closer to the bottom of the motor for deeper cuts).

I also have a 1947 Red Star 7.5hp 16" big old RAS that I use for woodworking.  Red Star was the original designers of the Delta/Rockwell turret arm RAS's before Rockwell bought them out.  I am not sure if I have ever done a woodworking project that didn't go through the Red Star RAS for a cut at least once.


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## projectnut (Aug 29, 2020)

In a previous post I mentioned 3 companies that still make radial arm saws.  With a little more research I found there's actually only 1 company in the US still making them.  That's the "Original" company out of Britt Iowa.  There are still new Delta saws on the market, but the company has recently discontinued manufacturing them.  OMGA (I originally spelled it Omega) is a US corporation.  However their radial arm saws saws are actually built in Italy.

There does seem to be a variety of opinions as to which style saws are more accurate and safer to operate.  Personally I've been using a radial arm saw for over 45 years with no problems.  Others apparently have had different experiences, or have known people who have.  Yesterday I stopped at a used equipment dealer thinking I might be able to find one for parts.  The owner wasn't fond of them even though he has sold a few over the years.  He currently had only a single 1960's era Craftsman machine in stock.  He offered it to me as a freebee if I would haul it away.  I thanked him for the offer, but had to pass.  I didn't need another project at this point in time.

He also recommended a Hitachi compound double miter saw as a replacement for the radial arm saw.  In his opinion it was heads above an RAS and other compound miter saws.  When I got back to the house I did a little research on Hitachi and found they make a number of compound miter saws.  So far the only double compound saw I've found is the C12HRS2 which is also discontinued.  Apparently it has been replaced by the Metabo HPT C12HRS2.  Does anyone here have any experience with either of these Hitachi or Metabo saws?


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## Bob Korves (Aug 29, 2020)

Most of the danger with a radial arm saw is with the operator, not the machine.  Sure, any saw used inappropriately will bite you, but that is operator error.  If you are new to a radial arm saw, or have not used one in a long time, find the operator's manual for it, or even for another machine or a generic "how to" and study it well.  Think out carefully what you are doing and how the blade and lumber will respond to the cut.  A clueless operator with a radial arm saw is an accident looking for a place to happen.  A savvy operator will not likely get into trouble if the work is done correctly.


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## FOMOGO (Aug 29, 2020)

As with most things, in the end it's more about the operator than the tool. I bought my Craftsman RAS new in 75' and it has literally had countless thousands of feet of wood run through it when I was building homes, and is still being used regularly today. Replaced the table twice and the guide rollers once. I run it on 220, and removed the overload protector right after I bought it. I figured if it was going to fry the motor so be it, and I would get something better that would do the job. It's still running just fine 45 yrs latter. I have a plethora of other saws, but in If I could only have one, it would be the old RAS. Just my two cents, your mileage may vary. Mike


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## Suwannee Tim (Aug 30, 2020)

In my youth I lusted for the kind of radial arm saw and table saw my employers had in their cabinet shops.  Space and money precluded me from buying such.  Now I can afford anything I want but common sense tempers my decisions and I still have space issues.  I have a Harbor Freight chop saw on a shelf and I haul it outside to use when I need it.  The saw performs so well I see  no reason to even daydream about something else.  Same with a table saw, in my case a Ridgid, a $300 saw which folds spends most of it's days tucked in a storage space.  For the light use they see professional tools make no sense.


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## rwm (Aug 30, 2020)

I gave mine away.
Robert


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## projectnut (Oct 18, 2020)

After completely disassembling the saw and inspecting every part I decided that for the amount of wood working I do it would be most cost effective to rebuild the saw rather than purchase a replacement.  The saw has been setting in a thousand pieces since late August.  I've scoured the internet and found most of the parts I needed, and spent a few hours making those I couldn't find.  Unless I get carried away with "upgrades" I should have less than $100.00 in purchased parts, and 4 hours in making new parts.

I started reassembly Friday, and so far things have gone smoothly.   Things are a bit slower than I expected, but at this point I have the column reassembled and installed, all the internal components of the arm reassembled and the arm installed on the column.  The next step is to install the carriage and motor on the arm, and begin all the adjustments.

Once the mechanicals are finished I'll install a new top on the table and square things up.  Hopefully the saw will once again be fully functional within another week or so.


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## Barncat (Oct 18, 2020)

Good call repairing it. There are some tasks a RAS really shines at. This week I had to cut 60 degree angles through planks that measured 3.5"x13". The compound miter saw didn't have the capacity to make the cut.


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## NC Rick (Oct 19, 2020)

I enjoy the negative opinions of the RAS since I gave my fathers 1962 vintage Craftsman one away.  I needed room for other things.  not having it still causes a pang of guilt since I used that thing all my life.  While versatile, I found it didn't justify the space it took in my decidedly metal working arsenal.  I still have a tables saw by choice which acts more as a table than saw  

my vertical band saw (wood/metal) and cheap 10" chop saw get used a lot for wood, metal and plastic.  When I did the trim in our basement, I'd say the RAS was a fantastic tool as it was quick to setup and easy to visualize.


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## projectnut (Oct 23, 2020)

Finally finished putting the saw back together today complete with a new 36'x 48" top for the table.  It took nearly as long to make the adjustments to square the saw head and table as it did to put all the mechanicals back together.  It's amazing how much sap/rosin, crud, and saw dust can accumulate over 45 years.

After a few test cuts I cleaned up my mess and put away all the tools.  Now that the saw is finished I'll move onto the next in a long list of must do's so I can navigate through the shop without stumbling over parts and pieces of current and past projects.  Some of the projects that seemed pressing at the time I started them have sat so long I can't even remember why I started them.  If the cool windy wet weather stays around for the whole next week as the weather man predicts I should be able to finish those that still seem relevant and discard those that no longer need completion.


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## 7milesup (Oct 23, 2020)

For what it's worth, I am a pretty good woodworker.  I have a Bosch compound miter saw.  Wouldn't have anything else.  I even have a wood stove but still wouldn't have a RAS.  Pretty much worthless unless you are doing rough carpentry, or you just like old machines that are somewhat dangerous.  Yeah, I know that covers pretty much all of our machines.

My friends call me "The Wood Butcher".

The first picture is a jewelry armoire that I made for each of my daughters (3 total).  The third and 4th picture is a little jewelry thingy I made for our foreign exchange girl.  It now resides in Germany.  The last picture is a stereo cabinet I built probably 30+ years ago.


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## ub27Rocks (Oct 23, 2020)

You clearly haven't owned one then so your opnion is just that. I always find it best to keep an open mind, and after getting an old Dewalt RAS wouldn't be without it. Doing some tuning is very beneficial. The only thing I haven't done is ripping, I have a cabinet saw set up for sheet work. In fact with a RAS you could have made those raised panels. My RAS is superior to a my compound mitre saw for precise work, esp. with a properly setup table. And yes I have a mitre saw as well, for framing and deck building only because it is portable.









						Mr. Sawdust
					

Home of Master The Radial Arm Saw — by Mr. Sawdust, Wallace Kunkel — Master Furniture-Maker, Teacher & Founder of the Mr. Sawdust Schools of Professional Woodworking.




					www.mrsawdust.com


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## 7milesup (Oct 23, 2020)

ub27Rocks said:


> You clearly haven't owned one then so your opnion is just that. I always find it best to keep an open mind, and after getting an old Dewalt RAS wouldn't be without it. Doing some tuning is very beneficial. The only thing I haven't done is ripping, I have a cabinet saw set up for sheet work. In fact with a RAS you could have made those raised panels. My RAS is superior to a my compound mitre saw for precise work, esp. with a properly setup table. And yes I have a mitre saw as well, for framing and deck building only because it is portable.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Of course it is my opinion.  Clearly, you don't know what my experience level is.  What I didn't mention is my F-I-L had one, which is where I learned most of my woodworking.  His was an old Craftsman.  
The only way you could make those Roman Ogee raised panels on a RAS would be to install a moulding head on it.  Yeah, no thanks.  I know of guys doing that, but not very smart.  Good luck keeping your fingers, guts or walls intact while doing that.


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## projectnut (Oct 24, 2020)

Obviously there are different opinions as to the usability and safety of any machine.  I've had my machine since about 1975, and it's done everything I've asked it to do.  The majority of it's life it has done more utilitarian work, but over the years it's made several pieces of furniture and trimmed out a couple houses. 

The bulk of the work has been "rough carpentry" and even a bit of masonry work.  It's built several decks, made enclosed screen porches, cut 6'x 6"s for framing, and even lap joints for landscape staircases.  In it's earlier years I adapted a cooling/lubrication system from a masonry saw and cut bricks for a patio.

It has been used for just about any cutting task imaginable.  The toughest by far however was ripping 2" x 6's and 5/4" treated lumber for the decks.  The lumber was so wet that rather than creating saw dust the "dust" was more the consistency of mud.  It was no easy task to rip a 16' board.  Everything had to be fixtured from end to end to get square and straight cuts the entire length of a board.

The screen porches were another challenge.  Rather than use standard lumber the projects were done with 2" square aluminum extrusions.  With a non ferrous blade the saw didn't even blink.

It's more than earned it's keep over the years, so a few dollars and a little time to bring it back to original condition was well worth it.  Before starting the rebuild I did an intensive search to see if there was a machine on the market better suited for my needs.  I wasn't hung up on pouring money into this particular machine, I just wanted something of  comparable quality.  I found dozens of different iterations and sizes of compound miter saws.  They were interesting, but as mentioned seemed designed more for portability.  Personally I like the larger footprint and solid construction of my current saw. 

I decided to disassemble my current machine and see exactly what would be needed to bring it back to life.  If worse came to worse at least it would be in small enough pieces to take it to the recycling center.  As it turned out I was pleasantly surprised.  It didn't need all that many new parts.  Some were available through eBay and I had to make a few others.  The biggest part of the project was to clean off the years of crud.

As for the quality of this machine vs Craftsman of the same vintage there is really no comparison.  At the time I was looking I knew several people who had Craftsman saws from the 1950's and 60's.  The arms were cast iron and and columns were heavy steel.  They seemed well built for the money and sufficient for my needs.  However when I went looking for a new one I found the construction had changed drastically.  The arms were now aluminum, and the columns were thin wall (by comparison) tubing.  They weren't nearly as substantial as the earlier models.  I quickly passed on the Craftsman brand and looked for something more substantial.

This machine should meet my current and foreseeable needs.  My interests have changed over the years, and woodworking/ carpentry is a small part of what I do today.  The vast majority of my time in the shop is now spent with the metal working machines.


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## 7milesup (Oct 24, 2020)

Pictures?


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## Barncat (Oct 24, 2020)

The quality of a lot of tools today just doesn't compare. I bought a 12"dewalt compound miter saw about 8 years ago from home depot. Returned it immediately after opening it because the (non-adjustable) fence wasn't flat, it was so bad you could see it on a straight edge, at least a 1/16" gap. If you cut something and flipped it to the other side, it wouldn't even come close to lining up. They let me open two more in the store to check before I found one that had a flat fence I could buy. I have been looking for a large RAS ever since, and if my department ever decides to get rid of the one from the picture in my earlier post, I will be the first in line at the auction to buy it. It can do things other power tools just can't do.


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