This article explains some things about Radial Arm Saw, and if you are interested, then this is worth reading, as you can never tell what you do not know. Folks not acquainted with the most up-to-date news on Radial Arm Saw will now have at least a basic understanding. But there's more to come. The Radial Arm Saw is maybe one of the most debatable tools around these days, with hard case users who make the RAS sound like a faith more than a tool... And with woodworkers who are just as quick to tell you how perilous the RAS can be.
If you are interested in the radial arm saw and are just beginning your research there is a quick way to determine if the RAS is a good fit for your personality.
Quick Test: Is the Radial Arm Saw Right for Your Personality?
Are you a "learn as you go" sort of person who likes to open the box on a new "toy" and figure things out as you go along or do you thoroughly read the manual - maybe more than once - before getting started? If you are more of a wary "read the manual" kind of person then you are much more likely to fit well with the RAS.
Or perhaps better - if you are a "read the book" sort of person you may come to like your RAS even more ( there are 2 great books written about using Radial Arm Saws ). If you simply open the box and go then the RAS is not as likely to be a safe tool for you to use.
One other quick test - the RAS is much more likely to want more tuning and maintenance than newer tool designs. Further, to maximise its versatility you can be building jigs, adding accessories and typically tinkering with it quite a lot to get it working well. If you like tinkering with and caring for machines then again, the RAS may be a good fit. If you wish to cut wood and build your project and not need to modify and maintain your tools then the RAS again might not be right for you.The Dangers and Limitations of the RAS (in the wrong hands):
The bias of this article definitely leans towards promoting the RAS so long as you are the kind of woodworker who reads instructions completely and also enjoys maintaining tools.
Having said that, it is important to hear from the anti-RAS camp a small just for fair caution before launching into the superb sector of RAS possession. And to be fair - in a survey the Radial Arm Saw ranked high on the list of most perilous power tool, right up there with the table saw and shaper.
1) Ripping is Deadly?
There is a generally held belief in the woodworking community that ripping is a particularly perilous activity on the Radial Arm Saw. The blade has an inclination to grab wood and fling it across the room like a missile ( this is definitely possible particularly if you feed the wood from the inaccurate side of the blade ). Even more deadly, the chance that your hand may be pulled in too, or worse, your full body.
Even amongst those favorable about RAS you find people who opt to never rip with their RAS, or who simply favor - particularly for sheet products - the trusty table saw.
2) Only Good for Squaring Stock and Cutoffs
Those unlucky folks who own a RAS and possibly should not are the same people who feel just like it's only safe enough - or sufficient - for the most menial of tasks... As a type of immobile, less flexible alternative to the miter saw.
If you feel just like the RAS is good only for these applications then there is a chance that your saw is untuned... Or worse... You have never read the instructions or gotten yourself a good book on Radial Arm Saws.
3) The Dangers of Diagonal and Compound Cuts
The Safety and Versatility of the RAS (in the right hands):
Though some claim it's a dying tool - and certainly the decline in new RAS sales could end up making it more or less a dead or specialty tool - there's a great deal of versatility that can be gotten out of a radial arm saw, and if you've got the right personality for it you could become one of those RAS converts who claim it's the only tool a woodworker really needs.
1) Good for Limited Space
The small foot print of most radial arm saws - about the size as your compound miter saw - make it a desirable tool especially for those woodworkers who have small shops. Especially if you're willing to learn about the saw, tune it, maintain it and get to know its extreme versatility.
2) True Versatility
The range of cut types for the RAS include rip cuts (use caution - make sure the blade is square with the fence and use a ripping jig specially designed for your specific project), miter cuts, dados, cross cuts (make sure you've got true 90 degree angles) and even shaping work if you've mastered the tool. Don't jump in expecting to make all of these cuts at once, as they typically require jigs - some of which you'll have to make yourself - or accessories that are getting harder to find as time goes on.
To get the full range of versatility from your RAS you will certainly have to spend time setting up and breaking down. This is one reason why some woodworkers prefer to keep the RAS for only a few specialized types of cuts.
3) RAS Specialties: Wide and Long Stock
The true specialties of the radial arm saw are cross cuts on particularly wide or particularly long stock. Some woodworkers who are comfortable with the RAS but don't care to take the set up time for rip or miter cuts keep their RAS around for wide and long stock.
Your Radial Arm Saw Recap
Are you eager to learn all the ins and outs of a radial arm saw?
Does the idea of spending hours reading through manuals, woodworking forums, and guide books inspire you?
Do you enjoy tinkering with tools?
Do you need high versatility and have a tolerance for the time it takes to set up?
Do you need to cut very wide and very long stock?
If you answered yes to these questions then the Radial Arm Saw could be your dream tool. Keep your blades sharp and your tables tuned and enjoy making that sawdust!
Now you can be a confident expert on Radial Arm Saw. OK, maybe not an expert. But you should have something to bring to the table next time you join a discussion on Radial Arm Saw.
