the only advantage of radial arm saws over a cms seems to be the ability
to cut wider material

they also are a little more squirrely and i would not say they require
more vigilance but they can require more force to prevent from running

would not consider buying a radial arm saw but maybe they still have a
place in the woodshop

if they do how do they fit in

On Fri, 15 Jul 2016 12:34:06 -0700, Electric Comet wrote:

the only advantage of radial arm saws over a cms seems to be the ability
to cut wider material

they also are a little more squirrely and i would not say they require
more vigilance but they can require more force to prevent from running

would not consider buying a radial arm saw but maybe they still have a
place in the woodshop

if they do how do they fit in

The radial arm saw can also rip. A miter saw, slider or not, can not.
Also, when not in use the radial arm saw provides more storage/assembly area.

On Fri, 15 Jul 2016 15:00:42 -0500
Gordon Shumway wrote:

The radial arm saw can also rip. A miter saw, slider or not, can not.
Also, when not in use the radial arm saw provides more
storage/assembly area.

forgot they can rip and that is a big difference

but i am not sure if that is a big enough selling point for potential
purchasers

i have never ripped on a radial arm saw but i guess in a pinch it is
a useful feature but i would not make it my go to method for ripping

of course you could rip thicker material than a skil saw

On Fri, 15 Jul 2016 15:00:42 -0500
Gordon Shumway wrote:

The radial arm saw can also rip. A miter saw, slider or not, can not.


in the war department manual i linked to there are pictures of an old
dewalt radial arm saw and it looks like they attached a router bit to
it and used it sort of like a shaper

they also show it being used for ripping and plowing

i had never even heard of plowing in woodwork context so that is a new
term for me

Electric Comet wrote in news:nn6jpi$oio$2
@dont-email.me:

i had never even heard of plowing in woodwork context so that is a new
term for me

It's usually spelled "ploughing" in this context, and
now-a-days is usually only used when referring to cutting
a groove with a handplane (which, predictably, is called a
"plough plane").

John

John McCoy writes:
Electric Comet wrote in news:nn6jpi$oio$2
:

i had never even heard of plowing in woodwork context so that is a new
term for me

It's usually spelled "ploughing" in this context, and
now-a-days is usually only used when referring to cutting
a groove with a handplane (which, predictably, is called a
"plough plane").


Like my trusty Stanley #46, which can plow dadoes[*] in addition
to grooves. http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan7.htm
[*] Using knickers to prevent tearout.

Or these, which come in both right-hand and left-hand versions:

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/pag...at=1,230,41182

Electric Comet writes:
the only advantage of radial arm saws over a cms seems to be the ability
to cut wider material

Spoken like someone who has never used a RAS.

You can't dado (as opposed to grove) with a CMS.

You can't rip with a CMS.

You can't put a moulding cutter on a CMS.

On Fri, 15 Jul 2016 20:17:32 GMT, (Scott Lurndal)
wrote:

Electric Comet writes:
the only advantage of radial arm saws over a cms seems to be the ability
to cut wider material

Spoken like someone who has never used a RAS.

You can't dado (as opposed to grove) with a CMS.

You can't rip with a CMS.

You can't put a moulding cutter on a CMS.

There is a ton of things you cannot do with a slider. Not the least of
which is to use it as a sander, or buffer.

On 7/15/2016 2:17 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Electric Comet writes:
the only advantage of radial arm saws over a cms seems to
be the ability to cut wider material

Spoken like someone who has never used a RAS.
You can't dado (as opposed to grove) with a CMS.
You can't rip with a CMS.
You can't put a moulding cutter on a CMS.

You can do all those things with a table saw.

On Fri, 15 Jul 2016 18:20:21 -0600, Just Wondering
wrote:

On 7/15/2016 2:17 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Electric Comet writes:
the only advantage of radial arm saws over a cms seems to
be the ability to cut wider material

Spoken like someone who has never used a RAS.
You can't dado (as opposed to grove) with a CMS.
You can't rip with a CMS.
You can't put a moulding cutter on a CMS.

You can do all those things with a table saw.

The only big advantage of the RAS is its required floor space. They
can be stuck up against a wall, which *really* limits the utility of a
table saw.

Just Wondering writes:
On 7/15/2016 2:17 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Electric Comet writes:
the only advantage of radial arm saws over a cms seems to
be the ability to cut wider material

Spoken like someone who has never used a RAS.
You can't dado (as opposed to grove) with a CMS.
You can't rip with a CMS.
You can't put a moulding cutter on a CMS.

You can do all those things with a table saw.


So what? The OP compared a RAS to a CMS, not a tablesaw.

In any case, I'd much rather dado a wide panel on the RAS
than the TS.

On 7/18/2016 9:58 AM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Just Wondering writes:
On 7/15/2016 2:17 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Electric Comet writes:
the only advantage of radial arm saws over a cms seems to
be the ability to cut wider material

Spoken like someone who has never used a RAS.
You can't dado (as opposed to grove) with a CMS.
You can't rip with a CMS.
You can't put a moulding cutter on a CMS.

You can do all those things with a table saw.


So what? The OP compared a RAS to a CMS, not a tablesaw.

In any case, I'd much rather dado a wide panel on the RAS
than the TS.


Actually I have done both, wide dado's on a RAS and a TS. I do many on
the TS and IMHO a wide panel along with the rip fence and proper
precautions is easier to accomplish than with a RAS. A RAS does have
its limits, putting a dado on a 24" wide panel on a TS is a piece of cake.
Dado's on narrow panels with a miter gauge is also pretty easy using the
rip fence as a repeatable stop.

Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet writes:
On 7/18/2016 9:58 AM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Just Wondering writes:
On 7/15/2016 2:17 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Electric Comet writes:
the only advantage of radial arm saws over a cms seems to
be the ability to cut wider material

Spoken like someone who has never used a RAS.
You can't dado (as opposed to grove) with a CMS.
You can't rip with a CMS.
You can't put a moulding cutter on a CMS.

You can do all those things with a table saw.


So what? The OP compared a RAS to a CMS, not a tablesaw.

In any case, I'd much rather dado a wide panel on the RAS
than the TS.


Actually I have done both, wide dado's on a RAS and a TS. I do many on
the TS and IMHO a wide panel along with the rip fence and proper
precautions is easier to accomplish than with a RAS. A RAS does have
its limits, putting a dado on a 24" wide panel on a TS is a piece of cake.

Not when it's 84" long (e.g. a bookshelf side).

On Mon, 18 Jul 2016 14:58:33 GMT, (Scott Lurndal)
wrote:

Just Wondering writes:
On 7/15/2016 2:17 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Electric Comet writes:
the only advantage of radial arm saws over a cms seems to
be the ability to cut wider material

Spoken like someone who has never used a RAS.
You can't dado (as opposed to grove) with a CMS.
You can't rip with a CMS.
You can't put a moulding cutter on a CMS.

You can do all those things with a table saw.


So what? The OP compared a RAS to a CMS, not a tablesaw.

In any case, I'd much rather dado a wide panel on the RAS
than the TS.

My choice would be a router

On Friday, July 15, 2016 at 5:19:16 PM UTC-7, Just Wondering wrote:
On 7/15/2016 2:17 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:

You can't dado (as opposed to grove) with a CMS.
You can't rip with a CMS.
You can't put a moulding cutter on a CMS.

You can do all those things with a table saw.

With the right attachments, a radial arm saw can do planing and
act as horizontal borer, neither of which is a table saw capability,

As a one-man crosscut saw, the RAS can be replaced
with cheap (and light) miter saws, but not easily by a table saw.

On Fri, 15 Jul 2016 12:34:06 -0700, Electric Comet
wrote:

the only advantage of radial arm saws over a cms seems to be the ability
to cut wider material

Can you rip on your CMS?

they also are a little more squirrely and i would not say they require
more vigilance but they can require more force to prevent from running

Huh?

would not consider buying a radial arm saw but maybe they still have a
place in the woodshop

I'd never buy one again but I have one (that needs to be put back
together).

if they do how do they fit in

They're better at some operations than a table saw. The depth for
dados and ploughs sets the thickness of the remaining material, rather
than the material removed. Since, in a cross cut operation (cut or
dado), you're not moving the material, it can be easier to get a good
cut. There is a board you're cutting against (cleaner kerf - less
tear out).

The downside is that rips are a bit scary, the reason I stopped using
mine. If had mine come after me on a crosscut, too. That's pretty
scary.

Cheap RASs (including all Crapsman) also aren't really stout enough,
though. The arms flex.

On Fri, 15 Jul 2016 22:36:03 -0400, wrote:

On Fri, 15 Jul 2016 12:34:06 -0700, Electric Comet
wrote:

the only advantage of radial arm saws over a cms seems to be the ability
to cut wider material

Can you rip on your CMS?

they also are a little more squirrely and i would not say they require
more vigilance but they can require more force to prevent from running

Huh?

would not consider buying a radial arm saw but maybe they still have a
place in the woodshop

I'd never buy one again but I have one (that needs to be put back
together).

if they do how do they fit in

They're better at some operations than a table saw. The depth for
dados and ploughs sets the thickness of the remaining material, rather
than the material removed. Since, in a cross cut operation (cut or
dado), you're not moving the material, it can be easier to get a good
cut. There is a board you're cutting against (cleaner kerf - less
tear out).

The downside is that rips are a bit scary, the reason I stopped using
mine. If had mine come after me on a crosscut, too. That's pretty
scary.


If you cut from outside in they shouldn't come after you. That problem
is inherent on RAS and sliding miter saws.

Cheap RASs (including all Crapsman) also aren't really stout enough,
though. The arms flex.

On Fri, 15 Jul 2016 20:43:02 -0700, OFWW
wrote:

On Fri, 15 Jul 2016 22:36:03 -0400, wrote:

On Fri, 15 Jul 2016 12:34:06 -0700, Electric Comet
wrote:

the only advantage of radial arm saws over a cms seems to be the ability
to cut wider material

Can you rip on your CMS?

they also are a little more squirrely and i would not say they require
more vigilance but they can require more force to prevent from running

Huh?

would not consider buying a radial arm saw but maybe they still have a
place in the woodshop

I'd never buy one again but I have one (that needs to be put back
together).

if they do how do they fit in

They're better at some operations than a table saw. The depth for
dados and ploughs sets the thickness of the remaining material, rather
than the material removed. Since, in a cross cut operation (cut or
dado), you're not moving the material, it can be easier to get a good
cut. There is a board you're cutting against (cleaner kerf - less
tear out).

The downside is that rips are a bit scary, the reason I stopped using
mine. If had mine come after me on a crosscut, too. That's pretty
scary.


If you cut from outside in they shouldn't come after you. That problem
is inherent on RAS and sliding miter saws.

Actually, I'd never thought of cutting the opposite direction. It
makes sense, though it makes setup a rather clumbsy operation on a
RAS. A slider is even worse.

Cheap RASs (including all Crapsman) also aren't really stout enough,
though. The arms flex.

On 7/16/2016 10:39 AM, wrote:
On Fri, 15 Jul 2016 20:43:02 -0700, OFWW
wrote:

On Fri, 15 Jul 2016 22:36:03 -0400, wrote:

On Fri, 15 Jul 2016 12:34:06 -0700, Electric Comet
wrote:

the only advantage of radial arm saws over a cms seems to be the ability
to cut wider material

Can you rip on your CMS?

they also are a little more squirrely and i would not say they require
more vigilance but they can require more force to prevent from running

Huh?

would not consider buying a radial arm saw but maybe they still have a
place in the woodshop

I'd never buy one again but I have one (that needs to be put back
together).

if they do how do they fit in

They're better at some operations than a table saw. The depth for
dados and ploughs sets the thickness of the remaining material, rather
than the material removed. Since, in a cross cut operation (cut or
dado), you're not moving the material, it can be easier to get a good
cut. There is a board you're cutting against (cleaner kerf - less
tear out).

The downside is that rips are a bit scary, the reason I stopped using
mine. If had mine come after me on a crosscut, too. That's pretty
scary.


If you cut from outside in they shouldn't come after you. That problem
is inherent on RAS and sliding miter saws.

Actually, I'd never thought of cutting the opposite direction. It
makes sense, though it makes setup a rather clumbsy operation on a
RAS. A slider is even worse.

The trade off might be more tear out on the top side of the cut.

On Sat, 16 Jul 2016 11:13:57 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

On 7/16/2016 10:39 AM, wrote:
On Fri, 15 Jul 2016 20:43:02 -0700, OFWW
wrote:

On Fri, 15 Jul 2016 22:36:03 -0400, wrote:

On Fri, 15 Jul 2016 12:34:06 -0700, Electric Comet
wrote:

the only advantage of radial arm saws over a cms seems to be the ability
to cut wider material

Can you rip on your CMS?

they also are a little more squirrely and i would not say they require
more vigilance but they can require more force to prevent from running

Huh?

would not consider buying a radial arm saw but maybe they still have a
place in the woodshop

I'd never buy one again but I have one (that needs to be put back
together).

if they do how do they fit in

They're better at some operations than a table saw. The depth for
dados and ploughs sets the thickness of the remaining material, rather
than the material removed. Since, in a cross cut operation (cut or
dado), you're not moving the material, it can be easier to get a good
cut. There is a board you're cutting against (cleaner kerf - less
tear out).

The downside is that rips are a bit scary, the reason I stopped using
mine. If had mine come after me on a crosscut, too. That's pretty
scary.


If you cut from outside in they shouldn't come after you. That problem
is inherent on RAS and sliding miter saws.

Actually, I'd never thought of cutting the opposite direction. It
makes sense, though it makes setup a rather clumbsy operation on a
RAS. A slider is even worse.

The trade off might be more tear out on the top side of the cut.

I skim the surface on the way out, and lower on the way in. Easier to
do on a slider since you don't have to crank it down.

But on wood cuts that don't matter I just make a cut going in.

wrote in message
...
On Fri, 15 Jul 2016 20:43:02 -0700, OFWW
wrote:


If you cut from outside in they shouldn't come after you. That problem
is inherent on RAS and sliding miter saws.

Actually, I'd never thought of cutting the opposite direction. It
makes sense, though it makes setup a rather clumbsy operation on a
RAS. A slider is even worse.

We talking about push instead of pull? If so, the work piece isn't being
held firmly by the fence. Instead, the blade is trying to pick up the front
edge; if it does, things could get nasty. Better to mitigate any tendency
of the blade to climb by using a blade with a low rake.

On Sat, 16 Jul 2016 15:04:33 -0400, "dadiOH" wrote:


wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 15 Jul 2016 20:43:02 -0700, OFWW
wrote:


If you cut from outside in they shouldn't come after you. That problem
is inherent on RAS and sliding miter saws.

Actually, I'd never thought of cutting the opposite direction. It
makes sense, though it makes setup a rather clumbsy operation on a
RAS. A slider is even worse.

We talking about push instead of pull? If so, the work piece isn't being
held firmly by the fence. Instead, the blade is trying to pick up the front
edge; if it does, things could get nasty. Better to mitigate any tendency
of the blade to climb by using a blade with a low rake.

Yes, the blade is trying to lift the board but it's still pushing
against the fence. A climbing blade isn't exactly a fun time, either.
These are the reasons I haven't used my RAS in over 20 years. I have
a table saw, so I don't miss it.

On Sat, 16 Jul 2016 15:04:33 -0400, "dadiOH" wrote:


wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 15 Jul 2016 20:43:02 -0700, OFWW
wrote:


If you cut from outside in they shouldn't come after you. That problem
is inherent on RAS and sliding miter saws.

Actually, I'd never thought of cutting the opposite direction. It
makes sense, though it makes setup a rather clumbsy operation on a
RAS. A slider is even worse.

We talking about push instead of pull? If so, the work piece isn't being
held firmly by the fence. Instead, the blade is trying to pick up the front
edge; if it does, things could get nasty. Better to mitigate any tendency
of the blade to climb by using a blade with a low rake.


use a hold down clamp, or your hand. I'd never let a board float under
any circumstance.The blade only climbs on the way out, just like a
slider saw does.

I've always been more careful with my table saw as it too can lift and
throw wood under the right circumstances.

As far as I am concerned all power saws are dangerous, except a band
saw perhaps.

On Friday, July 15, 2016 at 3:36:55 PM UTC-4, Electric Comet wrote:
the only advantage of radial arm saws over a cms seems to be the ability
to cut wider material

they also are a little more squirrely and i would not say they require
more vigilance but they can require more force to prevent from running

would not consider buying a radial arm saw but maybe they still have a
place in the woodshop

if they do how do they fit in

Hard to cut steel plates on a CMS. Not so hard on a RAS.

Multiple shallow cuts, lowering the blade each time.

BTDT...many times.

You need to buy (or at least borrow) one or the other depends on the type of task you'd need. Both works differently. Table saws work perfectly when cutting huge pieces of wood especially plywood but if you need to have angled cuts, the RAS works better. Maybe it will do you good to read something like the link below to fully understand, too.

http://woodworkingtoolkit.com/radial...-vs-table-saw/

On 8/10/2016 7:09 AM, wrote:
You need to buy (or at least borrow) one or the other depends on the
type of task you'd need. Both works differently. Table saws work
perfectly when cutting huge pieces of wood especially plywood but if
you need to have angled cuts, the RAS works better. Maybe it will do
you good to read something like the link below to fully understand,
too.

http://woodworkingtoolkit.com/radial...-vs-table-saw/




Cutting miters on a TS is no problem at all for the experienced and with
a decent miter gauge. I have no problem cutting miters at all with my
TS and Incra miter gauge.

And with a sled, like the Dubby, miters on a TS are easy even for a novice.