"Doug Miller" wrote in message
...
In article m, "Lew
Hodgett" wrote:

"Robatoy" wrote:

RAS should be O U T L A W E D ! !
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You want an argument, change the subject.

Cerritos college has ONE (1) RAS in the entire facility.

It's use is restricted to cross cutting rough stock to length.

Even that cut gives me the "willies"

Why should it? I've never understood the antipathy that many guys here
have
toward radial arm saws. One person used to call them "radical harm saws"
and I
truly don't understand why. It's just a case of using the right tool for
the
right job. A radial arm saw is *not* the right tool for ripping (not the
best
one, anyway), but IMHO it's safer than a table saw for crosscuts:

- The stock stays put; you can even clamp it to the table if you want.
There's
*zero* possibility that a long board can torque crooked, bind, and kick
back.

- Since the stock doesn't move, there's no kickback danger posed by
cutting
unsurfaced lumber that might rock or twist: shim it, clamp it, cut it.

- If a RAS ever *does* kick back, the wood is thrown *away* from the
operator.

- The saw carriage runs on *rails*. Don't put your hand in line with the
rails, and it's completely impossible to be hit by the blade.

I grew up around radial arm saws. I used them for many years. I did lots
of work with dados and having to cut a lot of stock to length. It worked
great for that. I have used mostly large, commercial 12 inch saws. At one
time, every house construction project had a radial arm saw on site. I knew
this guy who used to fabricate metal trailers which mounted a radial arm saw
on it with a roof. He would just tow it to the site. He built about ten of
them and rented them out.

I have done thousands of cuts on these saws over the years. I have all ten
fingers and toes. Of course, I AM a safety freak. I never understood these
irrational fear about these saws. There are an abundance of ways to injure
yourself with power tools. People do it all the time. I just wonder what
the safety practices are of those folks who fear these saws.

I will be the first to admit that there are more tool options available now
that did not exist way back when. So the saw may not be as needed as it
once was. And I know those old dewalts were a really good piece of
equipment. Folks are buying those and restoring them. I don't have one
now, not enough room. But when I get a bigger shop, I will be putting a RAS
in. I am comfortable with it and I would use it regularly.