Hey All,

Been trying to find a new radial arm saw but it looks like nobody builds
them today? What happened? ??

I've got a table saw but it's very poor compared to the radial arm I had
a few decades ago.....

On 12/22/2019 10:08 AM, G.B. Cricket wrote:
Hey All,

Been trying to find a new radial arm saw but it looks like nobody builds
them today? What happened? ??

I've got a table saw but it's very poor compared to the radial arm I had
a few decades ago.....

Â* Looks like if you want a new one it's gonna cost a bundle ... and the
only place I found any at all was on eBay. Quite a few used ones though
, all local pickup but they're scattered all over with many on or near
the east coast . IMO a sliding/tilting miter saw is a fair replacement ,
and available everywhere .

--
Snag
Yes , I'm old
and crochety - and armed .
Get outta my woods !

On 12/22/2019 11:08 AM, G.B. Cricket wrote:
Hey All,

Been trying to find a new radial arm saw but it looks like nobody builds
them today? What happened? ??

I've got a table saw but it's very poor compared to the radial arm I had
a few decades ago.....

You'd do well to upgrade to a nice table saw. Radial saws often became
problematic over time but not sure why they disappeared.

On 12/22/2019 10:35 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 12/22/2019 11:08 AM, G.B. Cricket wrote:
Hey All,

Been trying to find a new radial arm saw but it looks like nobody builds
them today?Â* What happened?Â* ??

I've got a table saw but it's very poor compared to the radial arm I had
a few decades ago.....

You'd do well to upgrade to a nice table saw.Â* Radial saws often
became problematic over time but not sure why they disappeared.

Â* I suspect they were lawyered out of existence . Possibly the most
dangerous piece of equipment in the shop .

--
Snag
Yes , I'm old
and crochety - and armed .
Get outta my woods !

On 12/22/19 10:08 AM, G.B. Cricket wrote:
Hey All,

Been trying to find a new radial arm saw but it looks like nobody builds
them today? What happened? ??

I've got a table saw but it's very poor compared to the radial arm I had
a few decades ago.....

https://www.woodcraft.com/categories/radial-arm-saws
They're sure proud of them.
$4750 and up.

In article , says...
Been trying to find a new radial arm saw but it looks like nobody builds
them today? What happened? ??

I've got a table saw but it's very poor compared to the radial arm I had
a few decades ago.....

https://www.woodcraft.com/categories/radial-arm-saws
They're sure proud of them.
$4750 and up.



They sure are proud of them. It seems that they have been replaced by
another type of saw. A sliding compound miter saw.

Maybe the safety issue had something to do with them leaving the
workplace.

On 12/22/2019 10:08 AM, G.B. Cricket wrote:
Hey All,

Been trying to find a new radial arm saw but it looks like nobody
builds them today? What happened? ??
Original Saw Company https://originalsaw.com/radialarmsaws/
MAGGI USA http://www.maggiusa.com/category-s/1840.htm

Delta is, of course, merely a (very) faint shadow of its former self and
has ceased to make much of anything anymore.

Just went out of style; it's much easier to build a decent
portable/smaller contractor- or job-site style TS than a RAS that will
hold its true. Never were nearly as widespread as the TS altho while
Sears was still healthy their mass marketing got quite a number of
theirs out there. They were, of course, like most Sears products quite
variable from some very, very good models to pure junk.

DeWalt dropped their line quite a long time ago but for a serviceable
inexpensive tool, they're not bad. What I started out with solely lo!
some 50 year ago, now. The one dad bought when he was redoing the house
is still here some 40 yr later and is still going altho I brought the
16" Delta from TN when we came back so doesn't get much use any more...

I've got a table saw but it's very poor compared to the radial arm I
had a few decades ago.....

Well, they're two totally different tools; trying to compare is
difficult. 'Pends on what one is trying to use for most.

I've both, wouldn't willingly give up either, nor the chop saw. They
all have different strong points.


--

On 12/22/2019 10:53 AM, Dean Hoffman wrote:
On 12/22/19 10:08 AM, G.B. Cricket wrote:
Hey All,

Been trying to find a new radial arm saw but it looks like nobody builds
them today?Â* What happened?Â* ??

I've got a table saw but it's very poor compared to the radial arm I had
a few decades ago.....

Â*Â* https://www.woodcraft.com/categories/radial-arm-saws
Â*Â* They're sure proud of them.
$4750 and up.

They're serious professional tools, however, nothing like the
mass-market Craftsman or even the DeWalt kind of thing...

Again, depends upon what OP wants for as to suitability for purpose.

--

It seems that they have been replaced by another
type of saw. A sliding compound miter saw.


Bingo !

John T.

On 12/22/2019 11:30 AM, dpb wrote:
....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dewalt-Radial-Arm-Saw-Model-7790-3-5-HP-120VOLT-12-Blade-4deep-CUT-12wide/183742449950?hash=item2ac7e7491e:g:qPoAAOSwmgJY5H-Z

If in your area, this looks like would be a pretty decent
acquisition...advantage to home user is dual-voltage single phase.

These were nice tools...not OSC-level nice, but very solid.

--

On Sun, 22 Dec 2019 11:35:21 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On 12/22/2019 11:08 AM, G.B. Cricket wrote:
Hey All,

Been trying to find a new radial arm saw but it looks like nobody builds
them today? What happened? ??

I've got a table saw but it's very poor compared to the radial arm I had
a few decades ago.....

You'd do well to upgrade to a nice table saw. Radial saws often became
problematic over time but not sure why they disappeared.

For most people, I suspect that to have one that was usable for long
pieces, the main use, you needed a whole lot of shop space. That
market was pretty small. I do occasionally wish I had one but you can
still use a sliding miter saw for the purpose if you build the right
spot in your bench for it. I use long extensions on my table saw or
use a hand held circular saw with a jig depending on what I am doing
because the need is so rare.

On 12/22/2019 1:43 PM, wrote:
On Sun, 22 Dec 2019 11:35:21 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On 12/22/2019 11:08 AM, G.B. Cricket wrote:
Hey All,

Been trying to find a new radial arm saw but it looks like nobody builds
them today? What happened? ??

I've got a table saw but it's very poor compared to the radial arm I had
a few decades ago.....

You'd do well to upgrade to a nice table saw. Radial saws often became
problematic over time but not sure why they disappeared.
For most people, I suspect that to have one that was usable for long
pieces, the main use, you needed a whole lot of shop space. That
market was pretty small. I do occasionally wish I had one but you can
still use a sliding miter saw for the purpose if you build the right
spot in your bench for it. I use long extensions on my table saw or
use a hand held circular saw with a jig depending on what I am doing
because the need is so rare.

Â* I sometimes wish I had a 40 x 40 wood shop here like the bay I had at
Memphis Millwork . But then I get over it . I currently have about half
of my deck enclosed with clear plastic , my table saw is set up out
there but right now I'm using that space to clear coat the 600 sq ft of
v-groove T&G 1 x 6 that's going up on the dining/kitchen (vaulted)
ceiling . 12 x 24 isn't a lot of space , but it's enough to cut out and
build cabinets and mill some trim . Anybody got a Williams & Hussey
planer/molder with a bunch of knives they wanna sell - cheap ?

--
Snag
Yes , I'm old
and crochety - and armed .
Get outta my woods !

On 12/22/2019 11:08 AM, G.B. Cricket wrote:
Hey All,

Been trying to find a new radial arm saw but it looks like nobody builds
them today? What happened? ??

I've got a table saw but it's very poor compared to the radial arm I had
a few decades ago.....

I think the slide miter saw has reduced the need/want for radial arm
saws. Just a thought.

On Sunday, December 22, 2019 at 11:08:44 AM UTC-5, G.B. Cricket wrote:
Hey All,

Been trying to find a new radial arm saw but it looks like nobody builds
them today? What happened? ??

I've got a table saw but it's very poor compared to the radial arm I had
a few decades ago.....

I have a DeWalt Powershop 7730 10" RAS for sale. It's 1970's era, and a hand-me-down from my grandfather's workshop. In great working order, and includes the original stand and a custom made dust collection "back-stop" that fits onto the working surface. Really want to see it go to someone who will use it. I'm in the Washington DC area.

On Sunday, December 22, 2019 at 10:08:44 AM UTC-6, G.B. Cricket wrote:
Hey All,

Been trying to find a new radial arm saw but it looks like nobody builds
them today? What happened? ??


They are considered semi-obsolete. You can pick used ones up by the
dozen for cheap on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. I think it is
now considered safer to instead use a table saw and/or a sliding miter
saw.

On Mon, 23 Dec 2019 16:47:39 -0800 (PST), Davej wrote:

On Sunday, December 22, 2019 at 10:08:44 AM UTC-6, G.B. Cricket wrote:
Hey All,

Been trying to find a new radial arm saw but it looks like nobody builds
them today? What happened? ??


They are considered semi-obsolete. You can pick used ones up by the
dozen for cheap on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. I think it is
now considered safer to instead use a table saw and/or a sliding miter
saw.

I had 10" Delta or Dewalt radial arm saw, can't remember which. Good saw. But I wouldn't
want one now. Now I have a Craftsman 10" sliding miter saw that takes up 10% of that RA
saw space. More accurate too. IMO, the biggest downside of a RA saw is the arm flex.
Not good when looking for perfect cuts.
Oddly enough, I used the RA mostly for ripping.

On Tue, 24 Dec 2019 00:28:09 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Mon, 23 Dec 2019 16:47:39 -0800 (PST), Davej wrote:

On Sunday, December 22, 2019 at 10:08:44 AM UTC-6, G.B. Cricket wrote:
Hey All,

Been trying to find a new radial arm saw but it looks like nobody builds
them today? What happened? ??


They are considered semi-obsolete. You can pick used ones up by the
dozen for cheap on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. I think it is
now considered safer to instead use a table saw and/or a sliding miter
saw.

I had 10" Delta or Dewalt radial arm saw, can't remember which. Good saw. But I wouldn't
want one now. Now I have a Craftsman 10" sliding miter saw that takes up 10% of that RA
saw space. More accurate too. IMO, the biggest downside of a RA saw is the arm flex.
Not good when looking for perfect cuts.
Oddly enough, I used the RA mostly for ripping.

The one job it WAS good for - - -

On 12/22/2019 10:08 AM, G.B. Cricket wrote:
Hey All,

Been trying to find a new radial arm saw but it looks like nobody builds
them today? What happened? ??

I've got a table saw but it's very poor compared to the radial arm I had
a few decades ago.....


There seems to be a lot of talk about safety. I don't find it any more
dangerous than a table saw or skilsaw.
If you want one and have the room, go for it, I have one and have made
good use of it. If you can't find a new one that you can be happy with,
buy a quality used one and rebuild it. Watch as many Youtube videos as
you can find, lots of info about safety, the proper blade is actually
ground different than a table saw blade. Then you can build a better
table than it came with. And there are several little jigs that are
very useful. Again Youtube has so many useful videos about Radial Arm
Saws, watch them before you buy.

Mikek

On Tue, 24 Dec 2019 15:22:37 -0500, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Tue, 24 Dec 2019 00:28:09 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Mon, 23 Dec 2019 16:47:39 -0800 (PST), Davej wrote:

On Sunday, December 22, 2019 at 10:08:44 AM UTC-6, G.B. Cricket wrote:
Hey All,

Been trying to find a new radial arm saw but it looks like nobody builds
them today? What happened? ??


They are considered semi-obsolete. You can pick used ones up by the
dozen for cheap on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. I think it is
now considered safer to instead use a table saw and/or a sliding miter
saw.

I had 10" Delta or Dewalt radial arm saw, can't remember which. Good saw. But I wouldn't
want one now. Now I have a Craftsman 10" sliding miter saw that takes up 10% of that RA
saw space. More accurate too. IMO, the biggest downside of a RA saw is the arm flex.
Not good when looking for perfect cuts.
Oddly enough, I used the RA mostly for ripping.

The one job it WAS good for - - -

The RA saw is pretty much the only tool if you are making trusses and
you need a ****load of intricate cuts, identically. in lots of pieces
of long stock. Unfortunately not a lot of people do that. I assume it
would be good for fence pickets or pretty much anything else where you
have long pieces that you can set a stop block and cut factory style.
There have been a few other times where I wish I had one but not
enough to dedicate that kind of shop space.

On 12/24/2019 10:31 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 24 Dec 2019 15:22:37 -0500, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Tue, 24 Dec 2019 00:28:09 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Mon, 23 Dec 2019 16:47:39 -0800 (PST), Davej wrote:

On Sunday, December 22, 2019 at 10:08:44 AM UTC-6, G.B. Cricket wrote:
Hey All,

Been trying to find a new radial arm saw but it looks like nobody builds
them today? What happened? ??


They are considered semi-obsolete. You can pick used ones up by the
dozen for cheap on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. I think it is
now considered safer to instead use a table saw and/or a sliding miter
saw.

I had 10" Delta or Dewalt radial arm saw, can't remember which. Good saw. But I wouldn't
want one now. Now I have a Craftsman 10" sliding miter saw that takes up 10% of that RA
saw space. More accurate too. IMO, the biggest downside of a RA saw is the arm flex.
Not good when looking for perfect cuts.
Oddly enough, I used the RA mostly for ripping.

The one job it WAS good for - - -

The RA saw is pretty much the only tool if you are making trusses and
you need a ****load of intricate cuts, identically. in lots of pieces
of long stock. Unfortunately not a lot of people do that. I assume it
would be good for fence pickets or pretty much anything else where you
have long pieces that you can set a stop block and cut factory style.
There have been a few other times where I wish I had one but not
enough to dedicate that kind of shop space.


Miter saw or sliding miter will do that with ease.

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/200...radial-arm-saw

On Tue, 24 Dec 2019 22:31:22 -0500, wrote:

On Tue, 24 Dec 2019 15:22:37 -0500, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Tue, 24 Dec 2019 00:28:09 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Mon, 23 Dec 2019 16:47:39 -0800 (PST), Davej wrote:

On Sunday, December 22, 2019 at 10:08:44 AM UTC-6, G.B. Cricket wrote:
Hey All,

Been trying to find a new radial arm saw but it looks like nobody builds
them today? What happened? ??


They are considered semi-obsolete. You can pick used ones up by the
dozen for cheap on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. I think it is
now considered safer to instead use a table saw and/or a sliding miter
saw.

I had 10" Delta or Dewalt radial arm saw, can't remember which. Good saw. But I wouldn't
want one now. Now I have a Craftsman 10" sliding miter saw that takes up 10% of that RA
saw space. More accurate too. IMO, the biggest downside of a RA saw is the arm flex.
Not good when looking for perfect cuts.
Oddly enough, I used the RA mostly for ripping.

The one job it WAS good for - - -

The RA saw is pretty much the only tool if you are making trusses and
you need a ****load of intricate cuts, identically. in lots of pieces
of long stock. Unfortunately not a lot of people do that. I assume it
would be good for fence pickets or pretty much anything else where you
have long pieces that you can set a stop block and cut factory style.
There have been a few other times where I wish I had one but not
enough to dedicate that kind of shop space.
You can do exactly the same thing with a compund sliding mitre saw
and a set of feed tables. About the only thing you can't do, saw-wise
with the sliding miter that you can do with a RAS is rip stock.

On Tue, 24 Dec 2019 22:56:24 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On 12/24/2019 10:31 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 24 Dec 2019 15:22:37 -0500, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Tue, 24 Dec 2019 00:28:09 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Mon, 23 Dec 2019 16:47:39 -0800 (PST), Davej wrote:

On Sunday, December 22, 2019 at 10:08:44 AM UTC-6, G.B. Cricket wrote:
Hey All,

Been trying to find a new radial arm saw but it looks like nobody builds
them today? What happened? ??


They are considered semi-obsolete. You can pick used ones up by the
dozen for cheap on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. I think it is
now considered safer to instead use a table saw and/or a sliding miter
saw.

I had 10" Delta or Dewalt radial arm saw, can't remember which. Good saw. But I wouldn't
want one now. Now I have a Craftsman 10" sliding miter saw that takes up 10% of that RA
saw space. More accurate too. IMO, the biggest downside of a RA saw is the arm flex.
Not good when looking for perfect cuts.
Oddly enough, I used the RA mostly for ripping.

The one job it WAS good for - - -

The RA saw is pretty much the only tool if you are making trusses and
you need a ****load of intricate cuts, identically. in lots of pieces
of long stock. Unfortunately not a lot of people do that. I assume it
would be good for fence pickets or pretty much anything else where you
have long pieces that you can set a stop block and cut factory style.
There have been a few other times where I wish I had one but not
enough to dedicate that kind of shop space.


Miter saw or sliding miter will do that with ease.

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/200...radial-arm-saw

Not without building a different bench and then it becomes a RA saw.

On 12/24/2019 10:54 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
....

... About the only thing you can't do, saw-wise
with the sliding miter that you can do with a RAS is rip stock.

But there are any number of other things one can do w/RAS can't with
compound miter. Moulding heads, etc., etc., etc., ...

But, for the typical home owner there are alternatives didn't used to
be, granted. Still, having the 16", I'd not give it up willingly as I
do quite a bit of larger material that the compound miter can't handle.

--

On Wed, 25 Dec 2019 07:19:10 -0600, dpb wrote:

On 12/24/2019 10:54 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
...

... About the only thing you can't do, saw-wise
with the sliding miter that you can do with a RAS is rip stock.

But there are any number of other things one can do w/RAS can't with
compound miter. Moulding heads, etc., etc., etc., ...

But, for the typical home owner there are alternatives didn't used to
be, granted. Still, having the 16", I'd not give it up willingly as I
do quite a bit of larger material that the compound miter can't handle.

If you are cutting angles in 2x4 or larger, it needs to be a sliding
miter saw (basically a RAS) or a 14" blade. Even then you are pretty
much limited to nominal 4". They do have a use but probably not enough
for your average homeowner to give up that much space. When I made the
trusses for my shed, I made a jig and used my circular saw. It wasn't
as precise as I could do with a RAS but it worked. My roof framer who
did the hip on my addition did it all free cutting with a circular saw
but this guy was a wizard. The truss pack, ordered by another guy in
the business, didn't fit in the valley sections so this guy
conventionally framed it. Robbie probably couldn't spell trigonometry
and he had no idea what a vector formula was but he laid out some
pretty complex cuts with nothing but a framing square and a tape.
Everything fit tight. I was just sitting there being amazed. The
inspector didn't question a bit of it, even though the plan showed
engineered trusses. We just winged it on the strapping but I had a
bunch of straps and clips so we overdid it a bit. I did lust after the
point placement nail gun he had. You put the point in a whole in a
strap and it puts the nail right in there. It makes those Simpson
clips go pretty fast.

On 12/25/2019 9:34 AM, wrote:
....

But, for the typical home owner there are alternatives didn't used to
be, granted. Still, having the 16", I'd not give it up willingly as I
do quite a bit of larger material that the compound miter can't handle.

If you are cutting angles in 2x4 or larger, it needs to be a sliding
miter saw (basically a RAS) or a 14" blade. Even then you are pretty
much limited to nominal 4". They do have a use but probably not enough
for your average homeowner to give up that much space. When I made the
trusses for my shed, I made a jig and used my circular saw. It wasn't
as precise as I could do with a RAS but it worked. My roof framer who
did the hip on my addition did it all free cutting with a circular saw
but this guy was a wizard. The truss pack, ordered by another guy in
the business, didn't fit in the valley sections so this guy
conventionally framed it. Robbie probably couldn't spell trigonometry
and he had no idea what a vector formula was but he laid out some
pretty complex cuts with nothing but a framing square and a tape.
Everything fit tight. I was just sitting there being amazed. The
inspector didn't question a bit of it, even though the plan showed
engineered trusses. We just winged it on the strapping but I had a
bunch of straps and clips so we overdid it a bit. I did lust after the
point placement nail gun he had. You put the point in a whole in a
strap and it puts the nail right in there. It makes those Simpson
clips go pretty fast.

All the geometry is in the framing square table stamped onto it if you
know how to use it...not many do any more.

Guys that are good can do seeming magic freehand, agreed.

On the addition we didn't know how the roof was going to be framed going
in until we had already got the walls up and then worked out how to make
it match up with the two existing edges it had to meet. Laid out the
ridge and they did same with jacks and regulars. Meets up as if laid
out by a CAD program. As the fellow you had, the lead guy on this crew
does know what he's doing...he'd shout a measurement length and angle
out and the ground crew pass up the result.

You're also right on the hole guides...they had those too for the clips.
Much handier.

--

On Sun, 22 Dec 2019 10:47:41 -0600, Terry Coombs wrote:

On 12/22/2019 10:35 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 12/22/2019 11:08 AM, G.B. Cricket wrote:
Hey All,

Been trying to find a new radial arm saw but it looks like nobody builds
them today?* What happened?* ??

I've got a table saw but it's very poor compared to the radial arm I had
a few decades ago.....

You'd do well to upgrade to a nice table saw.* Radial saws often
became problematic over time but not sure why they disappeared.

* I suspect they were lawyered out of existence . Possibly the most
dangerous piece of equipment in the shop .

My high school wood shop class ~45 years ago, Herbie the shop teacher is
talking and it's going like this:
"The radial arm saw can be dangerous, especially if you don't hold your
work properly. For example, never hold it like this or you could lose a
finger. ... GODDAMNIT! Who's got a car? I need a ride to the hospital!"

He took off his left index finger at the first knuckle, just like he
predicted. They were able to sew it back on, but he lost the ability to
bend that finger at the first knuckle. I guess it fused as it healed.

OTOH, every single tool in the shop was dangerous in one way or another. I
never realized that a RAS was more dangerous than the rest. Herbie told us
stories about a guy who took off 4 fingertips on the jointer, a guy who
lost a thumb on the table saw, a guy who got messed up when a handheld
router got out of control, and more. No stories of eye injuries that I can
remember, but Mom was good enough to fill that gap. "You kids stop that!
You're going to take an eye out."