wrote in :

My wife and I are about to install a hardwood floor and we're looking
to purchase a saw for this project as well as future projects. This
would have been an easy decision until my father-in-law complicated
things by saying that I would never regret buying a radial arm saw.
So I've done a bit of research and I'm wondering if a radial arm saw
might be too much tool for me. I'm learning stuff as I go and I'm not
afraid to learn how to use it, but it sounds like radial arm saw have
to be adjusted often and Im not sure if that's something I'll be able
to do accurately. Any suggestions or opinions would be great...FYI, I
have other projects that will require miter cuts.

Thanks again,
Darren

Get an inexpensive but not super econo 10" miter saw. You'll love it if
most of what you do is not ripping. A big plus is it's easily portable.
I used it for 98% of cuts on laminate floor I did.

I just used a jig saw for the few rips I had to do. The edge was covered
by molding anyway. Might be hard with a jigsaw if it's 3/4" hardwood
though. Besides, the rips were not straight since the walls were not
straight (big surprise!). To do that on a table saw (or radial arm I
guess), you would need a taper jig.

The Borg has a Hitachi for $99 on sale (locally here anyway) that is
usually 139.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...CE2&lpage=none

Be sure to use a carbide tipped blade if lamanate. A steel blade will
last 10 cuts before it starts blue smoking. Carbide tipped should be
what you use standard anyway for almost everything.