7sheds":89j3g4e4 said:
worn thumbs":89j3g4e4 said:
If you are going to buy a radial arm saw,an older DeWalt is a good choice.Just use it for cross cutting as none of the other things you might persuade it to accomplish are really suited to the machine,even if they can just about be done.
Interesting observation. I've always fancied a RAS but haven't figured out what extra capability it would give me as I already have a sliding mitre saw, table saw and table router.
I think the biggest difference it would give you is the smoothness of operation, plus the ability to do rebates, it is a very natural operation to use. And especially if you have it set up inset in a workstation With some run off left and right of it, such that you can bring in to the garage workshop (with the door open) a long 4.8 mt piece of timber measure and mark cut and repeat.
I'm struggling to remember the name of the American manufacturer who make accessories for wood workers but one that transformed my use of,the radial was a an aluminium extrusion with an adhesive tape measure that is affixed on top of the fence, fitted to the left and right of the saw it has some swivel stops that have magnified markers so you can move about and lock down, you set the stop at say 18 1/2" flick the stop down and make multiple accurate cuts of that length. I also use it for making lap joints raising the saw to the appropriate height with the stops set up you can quickly scribe where the lap joint will end and then with the timber quickly cut the laps then nibble away the excess wood flick it end over end to cut the other end.
I use my radial for everything, I saw the same radial as mine going for £50 on eBay last week mines an old DW110 it has the same cutting ability as any of the newer ones, mine,owes me nothing very solid. And quiet, well relatively, chop saws are so noisy.
The only thing I find id like to do but can't is the tenon cutter attachment that you can buy for a table saw.
I originally made a shopnotes chopstation placed my radial saw on top put half an 8x4 sheet of ply i had left over from a job which incidently Wickes have 8x2 sheets ready cut for sale, fitted the ply on top of the saw as an extended table made two cuboards to support the ends sorted out the fence from some straight pine and have used it successfully for the last 10 yrs or so. Where the saw cuts into the wood I carefully routed out a 6mm rebate and put in a sacrificial piece of mdf which I replace every now and again.
Funny I hadn't seen any recent posts about RAS on this forum every one seems to be selling them off. I had a bit of a rant on another old post with people saying you shouldnt rip with them I regularly rip easily and safely
Btw those track saws other posters have referred to look wonderful for cutting sheet materials.
Sorry Bit of a ramble, Graham
