# Radial Arm Saws.....Pros/Cons



## johnnie52 (Feb 16, 2009)

I was given a Dewalt RAS recently. Besides my 12" Sliding Compound Miter Saw, its probably the only Full size woodworking power tool I own. For as long as I've been interested in working wood and ever since I watched my Grandda use his I've wanted one of my own. Here are what I've found to be both good and bad points about it.

Pros :thumbsup:
1. When making lap joints, or dadoes I can see where I'm cutting while I'm making the cut.
2. Its the best thing I've ever used for making crosscuts of wide lumber of cutting plywood into shelf sized pieces.
3. I can set any angle to the head and rip long boards that my wannabe table saw can't handle. (The first project that I made with the RAS was a small tool stand that required a 9 degree angle on every cut.)
4. I can finally use the wobble type dado blade that has been in my shop for years!

Cons :thumbdown:
1. Most of the compound miter cuts that my Grandda made in the 1950's using his RAS (and what really got me wanting this saw) I find that I can make easier and somewhat safer on my 12" Sliding Compound Miter Saw now. This reduces the number of things I'm planning to use the saw to do.
2. If you're not careful, you can loose body parts real fast.
3. It can walk over a board and come at you.
4. The splitter doesn't work well when making rip cuts.

I'm sure that there are many other ideas both for and against the honorable RAS. I'd really like to hear your thoughts. I promise I won't make any nasty comments... I'm just trying to learn how to use this piece of equipment for as much as I can, as safely as possible. At least until I can get a real table saw to replace my modified wannabe.


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## oldgoat49 (Oct 30, 2006)

My RAS is kept dedicated to making the simple crosscuts, lap and dado cuts. In my case I didn't like making all the cuts through my fence and then it never seemed like it would come back and align quite right. The way it is now it makes a good dependable square cut. It helps that I have a 10" compound miter saw and 12" compound slider also on carts so that I can set them up for any angle cuts. Ripping I still prefer to do either with my table saw or use the skill saw with a guide. For me I feel safer using it because the blade is in full view at all times. I'm more concerned using the table saw myself and my son really doesn't like using the router table.


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## AZ Termite (Dec 20, 2008)

I was like you. I watched my Grandfather use his for years. When I started buying tools the RAS was one of the first things I wanted. My uncle tried to talk me out of it. He told me a sliding compound saw would be better. I gave him the list of things I could do with the RAS that I couldn't with the slider. I bought a new Craftsman RAS, about 4 or 5 years ago, it has some nice safety features. The best one is that it has a cable attached to the motor that is attached to its own motor. You have to pull the trigger to allow the cable to release so the blade will advance. There is no way the blade will walk on this saw. It will also not lunge at you. I love my RAS, it will be in my shop making cuts for years.


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## Rodney Sinclair (Aug 17, 2008)

I'm one of these guys that belive in the RAS. If I could only have one power tool in the shop, this would be the one. Simply because it will do so many different things. I use the back shaft as a router sometimes. Right now I have mine set up with a 1" wide grinding stone to sharpen band blades for the sawmill. $30 for a stone or $1800 for a sharpener that still needs a stone. Yep, I love the RAS.

Rodney


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

A RAS can be a very effective tool if set up properly and maintained regularly. It cuts best with a sharp negative hook blade. I disagree with the statement that it can walk over a board and come at you. The motor is held between the table/work and the arm. There's no room for the motor to rise high enough to clear the work. Most of the aggressive nature is due to a dull or incorrect blade, and/or pulling the motor too fast. Developing a good working feel for the tool will make it more comfortable to use.

The saw was designed to do many tasks. The saw can be manipulated to do rip cuts, which IMO, is an option that the saw can be made to do. I don't like ripping with a RAS, and don't recommend using that function of the saw. It is a very dangerous procedure.


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## Tweegs (Sep 8, 2007)

I’ve been on rants before about my Ridgid RAS, so I’ll keep it short.

It is very finicky. 
If I move it out of 90 to the fence and back, it won’t be 90.
If I tilt the saw head to 45 and it walks, it will no longer be 45.
If it walks at all, the arm and table will no longer be parallel.

The only reason it still resides in my shop is that it can crosscut up to 16”.

Incidentally, I threw away my wobble dado blade in favor of a stacked set. Never was happy the high spot left in the center of the dado from the wobble. It did an acceptable job on dental molding, but not much beyond that.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Lots of interest in the RAS!*

I still have 2 of my RASs and use 1 exclusively for cross cutting at 90 degress,as does "oldgoat" above, squaring the ends of milled lumber etc. I have dust collection off the blade and made a collector box for in front of the blade since alot of dust blasts forward. This works really well and it stays in alignment. My opinion is that this is what the saw was made to do... cross cut lengths of lumber. :thumbsup: I know it can do other things as well and it certainly was promoted as such... however... and this is the main problem with it:thumbdown:.... the rotation of the blade from above the workpiece LIFTS the wood off the table, unlike a Table Saw which pulls the wood down into the table. This is a real problem when ripping. The nose of the guard must be kissing the workpiece to hold it down, even better would be a hold down roller on the nose. Dadoing and moulding cutters are available, but I would only use a dado in the cross cut mode, because it takes such a big bite all at once and will tend to lift the work or pull itself toward you into the work at a faster rate than you might prefer. See post re RAS for ripping panels. 
I did find a use for the RAS when I need to slot the corners of mitered cabinet door frames in the same plane as the frame for a spline. I rotated the head and blade to horizontal, placed the frames flat on the table and at a 45 degrees and cut the spline slot through the corner. This worked great, and I did make a jig to locate the frames.
AS everyone knows there is no "safe" tool only safe operators. :thumbsup: Well maybe now with Saw Stop, You can't cut your finger, but any Table Saw can still kick back and hurt you. see post on "Kickback" for more explanations. This post is intended for those not familiar with RASs. Those that know already know the advantages and pitfalls. bill :icon_smile:


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## Gerry KIERNAN (Apr 20, 2007)

One of the things I have learned about the radial arm saw over the years Dan is that if you make your cuts from you, toward the post, instead of toward you from the post, it is a much easier cut. The blade is then not trying to ride up over the material.

Gerry


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## Rick C. (Dec 17, 2008)

My RAS was the first major w.w.purchase 15 years ago,I used it for everything it was made to do.I just got my first table saw and I do rip on it now,but,ripping on the RAS was never a problem(except full sheets of plywood) just keep all guards on and use them.Also,take for granted you will need to reset the saw,or at least check it,before any big projects.:yes:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Saw Direction Push or Pull?*

I always PULLl my RAS into the work from behind the fence, and every saw I've seen operated in a lumber yard also does this. The reason is the first saw teeth contacting the work press the work down into the table while you are holding/pushing the work into the fence. Conversly, when PUSHING the saw into the work, the first saw teeth contacting the work are trying to lift the work off the table with the blade guard exposing the blade closest to the operator. That's doesn't seem the safest way to operate the saw. I also use the cut line made by the saw blade in my table as the location for aligning my mark on the workpiece. When it gets a little ragged, I fill it with Bondo or wood filler and make a fresh cut line. I use the sliding compound miter saw for angled cuts, which I prefer. Not everyone has both, I realize. :yes: bill


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

woodnthings said:


> I always pull my RAS into the work from behind the fence, and every saw I've seen operated in a lumber yard also does this. The reason is the first saw teeth contacting the work press the work down into the table while you are holding/pushing the work into the fence. Conversly, when *pulling* the saw into the work, the first saw teeth contacting the work are trying to lift the work off the table with the blade guard exposing the blade closest to the operator. bill



Did you mean to say *pushing*?


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## Just Bill (Dec 29, 2008)

I have both RAS and table saw. Both get used for the many reasons stated above. I could probably get along without both, but not sure which I would give up.


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## Kudzu (Dec 23, 2008)

The biggest Con to owning a RAS is owning a CHEAP RAS. I have had two worn out saws they deserved all the criticism they got. They were junk. But that doesn't condemn them all. Problem is there is a lot of junk out there.

I have a old DeWalt saw I rebuilt and there is not comparison to it and the Crap I had. With the proper blade it doesn't lunge. It stays square. I can cut an angle, put it back and square and not work.

Most of the drawbacks and complaints you will hear I dare say can be tracked down to the saw's condition. Not the saws design.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Cabinetman!!*

Yes I did mean PUSHING...I think I wrote it that way, then edited it out.:blink: Thanks, I'll re-edit my edit, so at least to keep the rocord straight! bill


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## jeffreythree (Jan 9, 2008)

I used my grandfathers before, and did not really see a need unless I really had room for it. I use a tablesaw and SCMS, and have not found a need for one yet. Plus, the SCMS stores out of the way when I don't need it. I've still got my grandfather's old Dewalt 16" 7.5hp RAS stored away until the day I have a shop with room for it and 3 phase power.


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