Been using mine painlessly for 30+ years!
With a long table, it rips far more easily than a TS, except for very small
stuff.
I usually stop the cut when I get near the end and go around to the outfeed
side to pull the final bit through. When I can, I get a wife or kid to do
the final pull. I've done lots of 8-20 ft rips in rough 2X lumber with no
problem.
When I was building my house, the saw was far from the power source, so I
put it on 240V and fed it with 12ga Romex to prevent sag. Worked fine. If
you have serious heavy ripping to do, get a 20-24 tooth blade.
That said, I DO NOT like the molding head rig, although I have used it with
success.
Wilson
"George" wrote in message
...

"Prometheus" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 14 Jun 2005 00:26:21 GMT, Adam
wrote:
Now I just need to learn everything else about it, particularly in
regards
to keeping all the parts I was born with attached. Anyone know of any
good
books available that cover these saws or have any personal advice they
want
to share?

Keep your thumb outta the way, and you should be fine.


That's the one. Too many stupid people put their hand where the blade's
going.

Mine's been with me thirty years - Montgomery Ward - and I didn't get it
new. You check the sets prior to cutting, just as you do your table saw,
and it shouldn't be a problem. Every RAS is capable of holding a setting,
the rub is how long.

If God had meant for us to rip on a RAS, he'd never have given us the
tablesaw.