I don't think anyone is saying a radial arm saw is awful, horrible, terrible, evil. It just doesn't really have much use for the vast majority of people. It does some things very well. As you said, cutting large 4x4, 6x6, big rough lumber. Something very few people do much of. If I owned a sawmill, I would likely have a radial arm saw sitting around because it can cross cut a 24" wide board that is 4 inches thick. But other than a sawmill, who needs that ability? A radial arm saw is good for cross cutting up to about 24" I think. 12" is the most almost anyone needs though. Crosscutting at 90 degrees only. Its not good to adjust the angle to 45 degrees or anything else. Not accurate except at 90 degrees only. Don't think its safe or good at compound cuts either. Miter saws and sliding miter saws do everything the radial arm saw does, except more accurate and easier.

An analogy. Hammers. Compared to air guns. Everyone owns a hammer or many. Cheap and easy to use. But if you go to a professional house building, construction site, you will see few hammers being used. Everyone will have one swinging from their belt. But not using them. Air guns are faster and better for nailing wood together. Take installing trim. An air gun can shoot a 15, 16, 18 gauge nail exactly where you want. Harder to precisely nail with a hammer a little trim nail exactly. Air guns are just better in most cases. But like the radial arm saw, manual winging hammers are needed in some specific situations.



On Thursday, June 29, 2017 at 2:09:51 PM UTC-5, Electric Comet wrote:
never bought a radial arm saw but they were once so popular

am sure this has never been discussed here before

guess everyone buys a mitre saw instead but i would take a radial arm
saw if i saw one on the curb


good for large rough lumber

four bys and six bys etc