Radial arm or table saw.

[dave377]

I am a retired newbe at work with wood and I need a saw but not sure what one to get.

 

[manwithtools]

Table saw, radial arm saws are not readily available anymore and for good reason. Table saw and a good miter saw is a far more flexible setup.

 

[WisJim]

I got rid of my radial arm saw after many years. I used my table saw much more and found that my power miter saw did what I had been doing on the radial arm saw. The old advertising and store demos of radial arm saws made it seem like you could do anything with one, but adjusting and resetting a radial arm saw was a pain in the neck, and the way a radial arm saw works seems inherently dangerous to me.
So, get a decent table saw and then a power miter saw if you do a lot of trim work or other careful cutting.

 

[Spareparts]

In the early 70's I got a Craftsman RAS, I cut a lot with it but ripping plywood was a PIA, traded for a table saw and
that was a lot better more versitale. The RAS is one of the most dangerous saws ever. I seen a bad accident at Irving
Texas, Irving Lumber, they built Trusses and Wall sections, dove tail joints on the studs to the plates, glued, not nailed,
and pressed together. Well the lead foreman was cutting pieces for the trusses, stacks of 2"X4"-- 2"X6" blocking for the trusses
with the large Dewalt RAS well he had a brain fart, reached across the blade to pull more pieces to cut and CUT his arm off, about 6" above
his wrist. That was the toughest man I ever seen, never made a sound, picked his severed hand up and headed to the front office
they got him to the Hospital but they could not save his hand. No one on the floor knew that happened until someone came over the plant
and told us. Then we seen the blood. Clean the mess up and every body went back to work. About a week and half he came back to work
gave a stern safety talk about NEVER reach across the blade and carried on like it never happened. That was the toughest man
I ever met.

 

[mike93lx]

Table saw, plus consider a track saw. Much easier to break down sheet goods

 

[johnre]

Definitely a Table Saw. If you can afford it, a cabinet model, not a contractor model - it's more stable and has better dust control.

 

[Zeke]

RAS takes up more space than a TS if you need one more reason to choose. Not to mention their limits in use compared to a TS, but I'm not talking about a dinky bench top TS. I used to carry a portable TS with me everyday when working. I used it almost every day. That and a simple miter saw and you can build/make a lot of things. And then store them both well within a 3 foot cube.

Folding stands have come a long way since I started in the 70's. You couldn't make a RAS very portable no matter what. And, as mentioned, they get out of calibration with little more than a sneeze. A compound miter is nigh impossible to get spot on.

 

[micromind]

I'm going to be the oddball here and say that a RAS is more versatile than a table saw. But if and only if.......you know exactly what you're doing.

As noted above, a RAS is far far more dangerous that a table saw but if the saw is adjusted correctly and the table is built properly and you know how to operate it, it's safe and can do a lot of stuff.

I know I sound like a broken record here but I cannot stress enough that a RAS is out to get you and you absolutely must take an active role in keeping yourself from harm.

I've been using table saws and RASs for more than 50 years, about 20 of them as a professional carpenter; framing, finish, cabinets and everything in between. In fact the first power woodworking tool I ever used was a RAS, dadoing face frames at me dads cabinet shop. I was about 12 at the time.

 

[Renegade1LI]

A table saw set up with finger boards or a stock feeder is the way to go. Look for a nice used powermatic 66 or delta unisaw, both good saws. As mike93lx said add a tracksaw and you’ll never look back.

 

[Pen & Wrench]

Table Saw gets my vote also. It has been my observation that the track on most radial arm saws allows for a bit of deflection which allows the blade to tip and kick back becomes more of a possibility. Also, if money is no object, do yourself a favor and buy a Saw Stop. I don’t have one, but if I was going to replace my table saw, it would be a Saw stop, all it takes is one accident and the extra cost is the cheapest money you will ever spend.

 

[jar944]

Tablesaw.

 

[tarmy]

This is Garage Journal so the answer is always BOTH.

whatever you do get good quality blades and a good saw. Tablesaw is the first thing. I use both of my setups equally.

 

[niget2002]

In fact the first power woodworking tool I ever used was a RAS, dadoing face frames at me dads cabinet shop. I was about 12 at the time.

Same... sort of.

The only big tool dad had growing up was the RAS, so that's what we used. Cross cuts, miter cuts, even ripping large sheets of plywood. They can be very good tools with the right precautions.

Personally, I have a table saw and miter saw. I also use a circ saw and a straight edge for initially cutting down large sheets of plywood. I put down sheets of 1" foam on the floor and drop the plywood on the foam to cut it.

 

[niget2002]

This is Garage Journal so the answer is always BOTH.

whatever you do get good quality blades and a good saw. Tablesaw is the first thing. I use both of my setups equally.

That's a really nice table saw setup. I hope to have something similar one day.

 

[micromind]

This is Garage Journal so the answer is always BOTH.

whatever you do get good quality blades and a good saw. Tablesaw is the first thing. I use both of my setups equally.

About the same here.

I use both as well.

 

[Old Moparz]

I have both a table saw & a radial arm saw. I also have a miter saw, but the radial arm saw is hardly used since getting the miter saw. It's a good saw but not as practical for typical needs. Last time I used it was when I built my garage & had a ton of cedar & vinyl siding to cut. It was set up on a temporary work bench inside the garage & made cutting the siding like production work.

If you had to get just one, go for a really good table saw because you'll be able to do many different cuts.

 

[Ton ton]

Thankfully we got rid of our radial arm saw. Still looking for a better table saw . We have a 10" Makita currently.

 

[LopezBart]

The table saw is a more accurate and much safer tool. Add a portable compound miter saw and you're set.

 

[cvairwerks]

Both types have their place. If you are an absolute neophyte in woodworking, you are much better off with a quality table or cabinet saw. Certain types of tasks are much easier and safer with the table saw. For most people, a decent sliding compound miter saw will do most of what the RAS does, and safer.

 

[Norcal]

I have 2, Rockwell 12" radial arm saws they were expensive machines in their day, but not being used, I love my vintage Rockwell Unisaw, 3 HP motor will cut anything need to cut, next is to add a Biesmeyer fence. Another good choice is a Rockwell/Delta contractors saw, I prefer vintage machines over the ChiCom garbage made today.

 

[redmondjp]

If you don't have a lot of space and are starting out, I wouldn't rule out a "portable" table saw either. I used to poo-poo them, but then met several contractors who pretty much only use them (because of the portability, and they build entire houses). They take up less space, can be moved around easier, and take care of a lot of the smaller jobs. For big panels, use a circular saw on saw horses with a guide plate (I used a 6' long piece of half-height unistrut with a c-clamp on each end).

 

[Jim_No_Garage]

I think the magic 3 have been covered above:

Tablesaw - I have a Jet 10"
Mitre saw - I have a 10" non-slider - will upgrade to a slider eventually
Track saw for breaking down sheet goods - mine is homemade using a circular saw

I also have 2 bandsaws which come in handy at times.
A 12" Grizzly with riser
A vintage 12" Delta

Cheers

Jim

 

[gtae07]

Same... sort of.

The only big tool dad had growing up was the RAS, so that's what we used. Cross cuts, miter cuts, even ripping large sheets of plywood. They can be very good tools with the right precautions.

Same here. He still has it and that saw taught me healthy respect for power tools. So I'd probably choose the RAS just because it's what I'm familiar with.

Table saws scare me with that blade sitting right there. But then I never learned to use one.

 

[LopezBart]

Table saws scare me with that blade sitting right there. But then I never learned to use one.

The radial arm saw blade moves towards one - that's scarier to me . I've had radials grab the wood and shoot forward - no thanks. The table saw can chuck things, but one learns to stand to one side...

 

[nadogail]

For years every construction site had a DeWalt Radial Arm saw in a site built shed.

They got by without a Table Saw, the worm drive Skill handled everything the RAS could not.

 

[Zeke]

For years every construction site had a DeWalt Radial Arm saw in a site built shed.

They got by without a Table Saw, the worm drive Skill handled everything the RAS could not.

Those were the heavy duty tow behind a truck model and a 12" saw. Most ran 240v. They made gang cutting and cutting of headers in one pass, nice and square, easy and efficient. They were and still are money makers. But we now have options that didn't exist then.

 

[tarmy]

Both saws will remove body parts if not seriously respected. Always use good quality sharp blades that are designed for the tool. The RAS requires a certain negative hook blade and a firm grip on the handle. Both saws need to be fed properly too. I have never had any issues with either…after I watched my shop teacher (yeah I am that old) send part of an index finger across the shop.

 

[Zeke]

The old Sears RAS did not come with a negative rake. They didn't even have carbide then either. Yes, you could buy panel blades and hollow ground, but in general a blade back when was not a very technical device.

 

[Norcal]

A blade does not care if it is wood, metal, or your bones and flesh, use caution and keep things that should not be cut away from it & things will be fine.

Last I heard Emerson is still offering a bounty on certain Sears RAS that they built in the past, but was reduced from $100 to $50 bucks.

http://radialarmsawrecall.com/

 

[aquinob]

Since the OP was asking about a table saw vs RAS, I would say it depends on what you are planning to do. Many moons ago, those were the choices, but as others have mentioned there are more choices today. A table saw is great for ripping and crosscuts on fairly short stock, but on long pieces like crown, they ****. A RAS would do much better with that type of cut, but using one to rip a board would scare the **** out of me.

So besides what type of work you want to do, the amount of storage space and your work area come into play. If you have a full garage or sheds worth of space, then you can get either or both. But there are better alternatives these days. A miter or chop saw does most of what the RAS did without the adjustability problems and in general are much more portable.

A track saw can do a lot of what a table saw does and is also very portable. I would say that the projects you want to complete should inform what type of tools you get first.

As a side note on RAS's, I've had 4 or 5 in 40 something years of woodworking. An absolute POC black and decker, an older craftsman 60's vintage, a Dewalt MBF and a couple of Delta turret arm saws including my current a Delta 30C. Most of the consumer grade saws were garbage, including all the Sears saws. You could tune them up and then the next time you went to use them again, nothing was square. The design of the saw was just bad, there was no way to index them at 90 degrees.

The Iron arm Dewalts on the other hand, even the real small MBF's were good saws if not a bit underpowered. Pretty much any of the square or round arm Dewalts are worth having if you have the room for one. The turret arm Deltas are also keepers, I would say the larger versions are more desirable. My saw is a 10" though with the right blade and shroud it could spin a 12" blade with a 2hp 3phase motor.

 

[driftpin]

Here's a Unisaw Junior, a Delta (Milwaukee)-Rockwell 8 inch cabinet saw I have had stored for many years after using it for several years. I bought it from a Miami water company that was bought by PepsiCo, and liquidated (heh-heh). It works well, but the steel cabinet was rusty. I sanded the outside, and sandblasted the inside of the cabinet. Today it got two coats of oil-based primer. Maybe tomorrow for the color coat. I don't think I'm going to disassemble the trunions to paint, I just want to reassemble the cabinet saw and sell it. I have two Powermatics, an Artisan saw (Model 64, 10 inch contractor's saw) and a Model 66 cabinet saw. I also have a 12" Craftsman RAS (240V) I bought new in ~1979, cast-iron tower and arm.










First coat of oil-based enamel:


Aesthetics greatly improved! I painted the miter gauge head also, and will do the ripping bar and pipe sleeve.

 

[dave377]

Thanks for all the replies I will get a table saw I already have a compound sliding miter saw.

 

[Ton ton]

For years every construction site had a DeWalt Radial Arm saw in a site built shed.

They got by without a Table Saw, the worm drive Skill handled everything the RAS could not.

That's been a few years ago to put it mildly.

 

[driftpin]

Primed cabinet



This primer coat got sanded and a second coat applied.



I think you will be glad to have a contractor's saw or a cabinet saw. I like my RAS, but I think for most users, a table saw or cabinet saw is easier to use.

1-5-24 addendum:
First coat of oil-base enamel

 

[aquinob]

Here's a Unisaw Junior, a Delta (Milwaukee)-Rockwell 8 inch cabinet saw I have had stored for many years after using it for several years. I bought it from a Miami water company that was bought by PepsiCo, and liquidated (heh-heh). It works well, but the steel cabinet was rusty. I sanded the outside, and sandblasted the inside of the cabinet. Today it got two coats of oil-based primer. Maybe tomorrow for the color coat. I don't think I'm going to disassemble the trunions to paint, I just want to reassemble the cabinet saw and sell it. I have two Powermatics, an Artisan saw (Model 64, 10 inch contractor's saw) and a Model 66 cabinet saw. I also have a 12" Craftsman RAS (240V) I bought new in ~1979, cast-iron tower and arm.

Those unisaw jr's are pretty rare birds. To do that saw justice you really do need to get all that rust off the acme threads.

 

[Stuart in MN]

If you don't have a lot of space and are starting out, I wouldn't rule out a "portable" table saw either. I used to poo-poo them, but then met several contractors who pretty much only use them (because of the portability, and they build entire houses). They take up less space, can be moved around easier, and take care of a lot of the smaller jobs. For big panels, use a circular saw on saw horses with a guide plate (I used a 6' long piece of half-height unistrut with a c-clamp on each end).

I agree. While everyone would like to have a big Powermatic or Delta, there are some good quality portable table saws available for much less money.

 

[tyyost]

For years every construction site had a DeWalt Radial Arm saw in a site built shed.

They got by without a Table Saw, the worm drive Skill handled everything the RAS could not.

Building construction using dimensional lumber means 90% of the work was crosscutting. That is bread and butter work for a RAS. Especially in a time where plywood was not widely used, every thing, from sheathing on exterior, roofs, and oftentimes floors came as bunks of lumber.

I‘d be hard pressed to recommend a RAS to a new woodworker, unless they had a need for lots of wide crosscutting or dados.

 

[zendriver]

If you really can’t live without a radial arm saw, check out esstate auctions

If there is a saw available, it will sell likely for next to nothing

 

[milkovich]

I‘d be hard pressed to recommend a RAS to a new woodworker, unless they had a need for lots of wide crosscutting or dados.

Haha, I bet I'm not the only one in this forum that grew up unsupervised with the old man's radial arm saw in the garage. The only advice I ever got from him was "Don't do rip cuts without me." I've hurt myself on both, I'm not sure a table saw is any safer than radial arm saw and to be honest, I hate using a table saw without a featherboard. Dados on a RAS feel a heck of a lot safer than dados on a table saw especially since there's no knife on a dado cut. For a home owner or someone using primarily sheet stock, I think a high quality track saw would be the best of all worlds though. Maybe add a 10" miter saw for framing.

 

[mikedodge]

It depends on what you are using it for. I have all three- a table saw, radial arm saw and compound mitre saw. At my shop the the radial arm saw gets used the most but only for cross cutting stuff. My table saw doesnt have a big fancy table so unless I have help I only use it with plywood that's already been cut down to a manageable size. Otherwise I usually use a circular saw.
I don't have an RAS at home so the compound mitre saw gets used the most there or if I'm doing a lot of cutting on the spot like building a fence.