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Doug Miller[_2_]

In article , " wrote:
On Sun, 07 Aug 2011 19:51:46 GMT, (Doug Miller)
wrote:

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.

I *did* have a board (cedar, in fact) bind and "kick back" (actually propelled
the carriage toward me). It eventually grabbed hold of the saw blade and
stopped it dead. Then I changed my pants.

Apparently you didn't have it clamped to the table.

- 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.

Not on a crosscut!

Yes, on a crosscut -- the wood's going to go the same direction the teeth are
moving, and that is indeed away from the operator.

Perhaps you meant to say "not on a rip cut"?

- 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.