wrote in message
...
On Mon, 30 Jun 2014 11:42:39 -0700 (PDT), Michael
wrote:

On Monday, June 30, 2014 12:59:13 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Mon, 30 Jun 2014 10:40:20 -0700, "Bob La Londe"

wrote:



"Puckdropper" puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com wrote in message

eb.com...

I'm looking at buying a used DeWalt RAS. It's definately quite old,
but

those DeWalts have a reputation for top quality. What should I be
looking

for in evaluating the saw?



Puckdropper

--

Make it to fit, don't make it fit.



I have a 230V RAS, and I almost never ever ever ever ever ever ever
ever

ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever
ever

ever ever ever ever ever use it. Ok, it makes a fair to crappy extra
table

to store stuff on. If I took the saw and arm off of it then it would
make a

better table. So I guess I always use it. As a flat surface to store
stuff

on.



I use my contractor table saw almost everyday when I am in the shop,
and

usually a couple times a week even if I am working mostly in the field.
A

larger blade larger table cabinet saw would be handy when working a lot
with

it, but the contractor saw stores out of the way easier when not using
it,

and allows for quickly moving it out of the way even if its not used
for

just a little while.







But it is, by definition, almost ALWAYS out of tune, so it is pretty

much useless as a cabinet-maker's table saw.. Mabee not useless, but

definitely not optimal.

Of course, I check my cuts with a square. The saw has jogged out of tune a
couple of times and I've adjusted it. It's been a while since I've had to
do that. I'm not kidding when I say that the 45 degree cuts are
picture-frame ready. It amazes me. I need to buy a fine blade for it,
though. The cuts with the framing blade are a little rough. Maybe I could
sell the old RAS and pay for it that way.
All I can say is you bought a "good" contractor saw and you don't
throw it around like most contractors do if it has held it's tune that
well. The cheapassed sheetmetal based "contractor saws" I generally
see can't be trusted for anything finer than framing. (and I mean
HOUSE framing - not PICTURE framing!!

Heck, the way most houses are framed they don't anything better than a rock
hatchet squared off on the back side. I've been a licensed contractor
(communication) for over 20 yeas, and in the industry longer. I've seen
maybe half a dozen houses TOTAL that were framed or even layed out square.