Should I sell my Radial Arm Saw?

[paulrockliffe]

I've just bought a Kity 419 with extension table and sliding carriage. Built it into a bench over the weekend and used it for the first time last night and it's an absolute revelation for cutting parts to size accurately. I'm obviously getting rid of the piece of junk tablesaw that I bought a few years ago, but now I'm wondering whether I need my RAS for anything anymore either? I have a SCMS that's accurate enough, a decent bandsaw and a router table.

The RAS needs building into a table and probably a little fettling as the blade does deflect a little, so it's not as accurate, but it does win on depth of cut over everything else I have and it will do rough tenons very quickly. On the one hand, it takes up space, especially as it need more depth than a SCMS but on the other it's a nice bit of kit. On the other hand it would pay for half of a new door for my Mini.......

I think I've made up my mind to sell it, but have I missed anything?

 

[transatlantic]

I wouldn't rush into anything. Give it 6 months and see how many times you've gone back to it. It's always nice to have more than one tool that can do the same job so you can have them set for different operations in a particular project. However, would the extra space allow you to get another tool that would make you even more productive?

 

[Hot stuff]

If I was going to sell any of my power tools it would probably be the radial arm saw. I think I've used it twice in the last couple of years, trenching both times. It was invaluable at the time but I could have achieved the same results another way, granted not as quickly.
You do need a lot of space to make use of it to its full potential and if that's an issue as well then you're probably right to let it go. You can always get another one later if you need it, they're readily available pretty much all the time.

 

[skipdiver]

I sold mine due to space issues and can do all i want with a tablesaw or mitre saw. Not really missed it at all.

 

[jnw010]

I sold one a few months ago, it needed a new table and I'm under pressure to free up space so I decided to make a table saw sled instead of a new RAS table.
I figure I can achieve everything with a few table saw jigs and a router with jigs. They'll take up less space and could be more accurate if I do a decent job.
I just need to remember that I haven't got it anymore. I keep thinking "I'll just cut that to length on the.. oh wait a minute".

 

[paulrockliffe]

I wouldn't rush into anything. Give it 6 months and see how many times you've gone back to it. It's always nice to have more than one tool that can do the same job so you can have them set for different operations in a particular project. However, would the extra space allow you to get another tool that would make you even more productive?

I wouldn't be selling until February anyway, it's a bad time of year with Christmas and New Year and I've a moderately sized clear out to get on with, so will be doing it all together in February.

Good point about multiple setups, I hadn't thought of that, especially useful when consistency across components is more important than complete accuracy.

I'm not really short of space, I just like nice tidy clutter-free and spare space, I'm moving my router into the tablesaw bench and converting the router table cabinet to go underneath a worktop as extra workspace that can be tucked away and to house all my car-fixing tools. I've got a big pile of wood that's going to be moved to loft storage or converted into drawers. I've also go a lean-too that's a decent size that should be emptied over the winter, it's currently full of fire wood and a trailer, so yeah, space isn't really a consideration.

I could do with a metal lathe one day, but apart from that I've got most things I think.

 

[timber]

I wouldn't rush into anything. Give it 6 months and see how many times you've gone back to it. It's always nice to have more than one tool that can do the same job so you can have them set for different operations in a particular project. However, would the extra space allow you to get another tool that would make you even more productive?

I wouldn't be selling until February anyway, it's a bad time of year with Christmas and New Year and I've a moderately sized clear out to get on with, so will be doing it all together in February.

Good point about multiple setups, I hadn't thought of that, especially useful when consistency across components is more important than complete accuracy.

I'm not really short of space, I just like nice tidy clutter-free and spare space, I'm moving my router into the tablesaw bench and converting the router table cabinet to go underneath a worktop as extra workspace that can be tucked away and to house all my car-fixing tools. I've got a big pile of wood that's going to be moved to loft storage or converted into drawers. I've also go a lean-too that's a decent size that should be emptied over the winter, it's currently full of fire wood and a trailer, so yeah, space isn't really a consideration.

I could do with a metal lathe one day, but apart from that I've got most things I think.

How about converting it into an overhead router, I think the Dewalt that I have, did have an attachment for that purpose.
I have not got it though
Timber

 

[kevinlightfoot]

No! As soon as you sell it you will need it to do a job.

 

[paulrockliffe]

What would I use an overhead router for? The instructions do show a router accessory.

 

[RobinBHM]

I would sell, scms have made radial arm saws more or less obsolete. Apart from that that are nowhere near as safe, especially when ripping.

 

[TFrench]

I keep thinking the same about mine - only time I've used it in 2 years was trenching some bearers for my woodshed. Other than that its a handy dumping table for whatever I'm doing at the time. I do have the overhead router attachment for it if you wanted pictures/measurements?

Have you still got the blue mini Paul? (remember you from TMF days!)

 

[paulrockliffe]

I should have said I also have a plunge saw and, thanks to some tracks being damaged in transit, the ability to rip 16' lengths that way. I suppose if I needed a large rebate on narrow stock the RAS would be better that the router as the router would be converting a lot more good wood into dust, but then it's not particularly safe doing it that way, so I'd find another way of doing it. I get a lot of my wood from a saw mill that'll happily do all the machining for me, so I can work round that that way too, it's only really when working with offcuts on small projects that I have to worry about that.

I think my mind is made up, I think if I sell the saw I won't miss it.

It's 10 years since I sold the blue Mini, I'm amazed someone remembers it! I loved that car and it played a supporting role in winning the girl that I married earlier this year.

I bought a fibreglass Mini Minus a couple of years later, I was young and daft at the time, didn't have the money needed to get it properly on the road, or the skill to know that the twin carbs were worn and needed replacing, so ended up looking at it for a few years then selling it to buy a car that you could transport bikes in and that I could drive from Manchester to Durham in to see my girlfriend. Big mistake, think it's the only decision I've made that I really regret in life! I should have kept the Mini and bought a much cheaper car instead.

Anyway, a couple of months ago I bought another Mini Minus that came up on eBay and it's now sharing my workshop space with the above radial arm saw. Needs a little bit of work, but not too much, rotten doors are the main gripe and one of the reasons I'm having a clear out is that part of the deal with the Boss to release funds for the car was that I wouldn't spend more money on it, so selling stuff to buy new doors etc.

Thread on TMF about the new car here:

http://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums/to ... the-minus/

Do you still have your Mini?

 

[Wildman]

not a good idea to sell it, just send it to me, Merry christmas all.

 

[TFrench]

Nice, a minus is one of the few things that would tempt me back into minis. My van (almost exactly the same colour as your new minus) was sold years ago and I sold my blue one a few years ago because I wasn't using it. I haven't really missed having them either so it must have been the right decision! Life moves on...

 

[meccarroll]

Radial Arm Saws used to be the only saw used for crosscut in a workshop a few years ago but now sliding mitre saws have arrived they are not as much favoured.

I personally think they are the best tool for cutting repetitive lengths, very quick and very accurate, good depth of cut, you can trench on them, tenon on them, rip cut on them, mitre on them etc.

For a professional workshop they are still a must have simply because they have a much better depth and travel of cut then the sliding mitre saws do, but for DIY/Hobby use where space is needed, I'd think you could manage without one especially if you have a panel saw (Kity) with slider.

Just my thoughts

Mark