# Radial Arm Saws - How Commonly Used?



## Nature Man (Jun 2, 2021)

Wonder how many of you still have Radial Arm Saws? I’ve never owned one, but I used one for one Summer in college when I worked at a pallet making company. Cut lumber to lengths for 8 hours per day, five days a week for the entire Summer. Was an industrial sized machine, and I can’t remember how large the blade was, but certainly bigger than 10”! Chuck


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## Karl_TN (Jun 2, 2021)

Hardly ever use mine RAS now that I own a miter saw.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Alan R McDaniel Jr (Jun 2, 2021)

I use mine at some point for nearly every project, primarily crosscut. I've tried using the table saw with a sled, but it doesn't feel the same. I thought about buying one of those new fangled miter saw things but I figured "why?" I have the radial arm saw. I used my Dewalt that I bought for $100 in 1984. When my dad died I got his Dewalt 1962 vintage. He had a multitude of attachments to do all sorts of stuff. If I just had to, I could do most anything I can do with any of my other machines on that saw alone. There's just the time and trouble of setting up each accessory. 

But, yes, I use mine all the time.

Alan

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1 | Informative 1


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## phinds (Jun 2, 2021)

In my first 30 years of woodworking I ONLY had a RAS and would not have had it any other way. Had I been doing cabinetry, I'm sure it would have been the other way around. For my type work (bowlcentral), a RAS is the only way to go. I now have a table saw as well and do get some use out of it.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## woodtickgreg (Jun 3, 2021)

I have an old vintage dewalt, odd 9" blade size but I can still find them. I have mine mounted on my miter saw station so it can use the same fence as the miter saw. I use mine mostly for wide crosscut when breaking down rough sawn lumber. It's an old workhorse, a cast iron beauty. I replaced the bearings in it and all the electrical cords and it'll probably outlive me.
Very handy when breaking down large heavy boards. Easier to move the saw head than the board.



Here you can see how it shares the fence with the miter saw.

Reactions: Like 2 | Thank You! 1


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## El Guapo (Jun 3, 2021)

When I was a kid, my dad had a RAS that we used for both crosscuts and rips. I don’t know if it was just because I was a kid, but I never liked it. He offered it to me a few months ago and I quickly declined. I suppose I might feel differently about it if I wasn’t so afraid of it as a kid.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Alan R McDaniel Jr (Jun 3, 2021)

For a lot of years my RAS was my everything saw, Crosscut, ripping, mitering... even some saber saw work on my dads many years ago. 

They are a dangerous piece of shop equipment, and the uninitiated can get caught up in the learning curve very quickly. Best to have some instruction from an oldtimer with all his fingers.

Alan

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## ebill (Jun 4, 2021)

- back a few decades when running a framing crew, I had an old Craftsman radial arm. It was handy as heck for siding, soffits/trim etc. The thing copped heaps of abuse and was simply tossed in the back of the truck at the end of the day. 

- actually have wished a few times to have it back. I have a miter saw and although its a compound one, its 10". So when you want to mess around with anything bigger than a 2x4 its shortcomings show up immediately. Now if I had one of those fancy 12" sliding miter saws ......... <g> 

- for ripping and smaller cross cuts I will stick with my TS.

- ebill

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## woodtickgreg (Jun 4, 2021)

Just some thoughts I have about radial arm saws.
Back in the day when I was a kid growing up all the dads had a radial arm saw, it used to be the tool to have. It was actually many years before table saws became popular. It seems there was an attachment to do just about anything on a radial arm saw. But with the advent of better power tools and table saws becoming better and more affordable for the home owner or family handy man they kind of fell out of favor. Now you can pick them up cheap. Some of the things dads did with the radial saws I would not try today. Dangerous tool? Maybe, but all tools can be dangerous. My table saw is my go to for most things wood working, but I find that the radial arm saw still has a use in my shop. It actuly sits between my miter saw and the table saw, figuratively and literally. I actually wish I had room for a big 12" radial arm saw. There's a lot to be said about moving a motor with a blade attached to it versus moving a big giant wide heavy board. Probably why most lumber yards and home depots still use them today

Reactions: Informative 1


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## phinds (Jun 4, 2021)

I DO hate ripping w/ it.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 3


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## Patrude (Jun 18, 2021)

When I much younger I bought a Sears Craftsman 10" radial arm saw mainly to use in building picnic tables. I used that saw for a good 20 years before giving it to a friend. Made me a lot of money. With some creativity you can do many operations with a radial saw but beware, they're dangerous.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Sprung (Jun 18, 2021)

My dad had (well, still had) a RAS. It was the first large, stationary power tool I learned how to use - he did not have a table saw. By the time I was 12, I had used it enough that I was allowed to use it for crosscutting unsupervised, so long as I let him know I was going to be using it. Dad's 9" Craftsman RAS has seen a LOT of use since he bought it used nearly 37 years ago - he bought it right after they moved into the house my parents still call home.

At the beginning of 2020, shortly after moving, I purchased a vintage DeWalt 9" RAS. And sold my miter saw. I was never a fan of my miter saw. I do love my RAS - I use it just for crosscutting. I do not miss my miter saw. I had wanted to buy a RAS for a while prior to moving, but my previous shop space just didn't have the space for one.

Reactions: Like 2 | Thank You! 1


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