On Thu, 10 Feb 2005 10:21:40 -0600, Duane Bozarth wrote:

Doug Winterburn wrote:
...good comparative points between RAS and SCMS...

I'd only add that to get anyways close to the precision of a decent miter
saw in a RAS will entail getting a much more expensive RAS. They're really
two completely different animals for differing purposes. While some
functions can overlap, choice of which to get should be driven by
need/usage.

Again, I believe that your point is corrected by proper setup and tuning
of the RAS. I'm on my second relatively inexpensive RAS in 34 years. The
first was a Monkey Wards PowrKraft that went 33 years before all the smoke
escaped. I believe it cost in the neighborhood of $179. Last year, I had
to replace it and bought the Searz Craftsman $550 saw. I hear constant
criticism of the RAS in general, and Craftsman in particular, but with
proper setup and alignment (which I don't have to redo but every few
years), both these saws are/were dead on accurate with repeatable accuracy
even after changing bevel/miter/height and rip/crosscut settings. Anyone
who follows the Jonathon Eakes RAS book for setup and tuning will have
similar results. Even the fabled DeWalt RAS will have problems if
not setup and aligned properly.

- Doug

--

To escape criticism--do nothing, say nothing, be nothing." (Elbert Hubbard)