The amazing RAS

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Oh the Radial Arm Saw...it is a machine that has two camps behind it...those that strongly feel it is a dangerous saw and has no place in any workshop...and those that feel this is an amazing saw that they could not live without.

Myself I firmly place myself in the second camp. I have had two saws, a Craftsman 8-1/4 saw that worked, but really not that good, and now a mid-60's Dewalt. Without question though...whether or not you hate or love the saw, you must be amazed at what it can do.

No other saw I know of can saw on 5 different axis. In machinist terms, that is unheard of. A 5 axis milling machine will set you back about 4 million bucks. Of course our RAS cannot saw in 5 axis all at the same time, but it still is verstile.

In my honest opinion, I don't think the saw gets the credit it deserves. I even read an article in a woodworking magazine stating "that with the invention of the compound miter saw, there is no need for a RAS in any shop." That is blarney because this saw can cut circles (literally) around a compound miter saw, not to mention adding other devices like sanding attachments and routers.

So what are your thoughts on this woodworking machine? What camp are you in? Could you live without a RAS?
 
I am firmly in the first camp. The only thing that amazes me about a radial arm saw is that anyone still uses them.

Even when these saws were popular about 30 years ago and it seemed that everyone had to have one, I did not like them. I had access to two radial arm saws owned by neighbours (one a not very well buiult Craftsman and one a much better built DeWalt) and did use them a few times but, in doing so convinced myself that they were scarey machines and that I did not want one in my shop.
 
I do live without one, but I watched, as a kid, my grandfather use one with considerable skill, and make lots of amazing things.

I think that the last ones that came along were not so good, and this caused a lot of the problems.

I recall that Grandad bought a C-man unit and is sucked, he had all kinds of trouble with it, as it would NOT stay in alingment, so he dug out his old unit, I'm not sure the make, but it was HUGE and all steel.

I know one thing for sure, as a kid I was SCARED to go anywhere near it! :D

Cheers!
 
I have a Delta radial arm saw that sees little use, there are a few cuts that it will make a lot better than any other saw in my shop so I keep it, if I were setting up a new shop I would not spend the money on it now. I also have a slide compound miter saw that gets used a lot
 
I am firmly in the second camp. Would not want to be without one. I am sure many have read my story on other forums. I had two Craftsman in my shop and was not impressed with either of them The newer ones became junk really fast!

I searched for about a year before I found my DeWalt but it was worth the wait. I don't use the saw anywhere near it's potential because it's main use is cut off work. The other big thing I bought it for was dado cuts. It has a 1" arbor and I have not bought a set of dados for it yet. Still have sticker shock on those :eek:

I don't see what scares people about them. One hand on the motor, one hand on the wood and your good. Even my 16 year old niece is comfortable using mine.

I did do something stupid with mine right after I got it but it pulled the wood away from me. No kickback.

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Both camps, with qualification.
My son is an emergency room physician. His observation of what comes his way is that the table saw is #1 in the shop for accidents. #2 is the radial arm or compound miter saw. BUT, the radial and/or compound saws produce, by far, the more serious injuries. He adds that, invariably, the patient says,"I never do it that way, but just this one time.......".
My father had a DeWalt radial arm saw in his professional furniture shop and it was his #1 'go to' tool. Cross, rip, dado, miter. But, as said, the compound and table saw, plus other tools can still do it without the need for an old fashioned radial. I don't have one and don't have plans, or space for one.
 
second camp primarly

i have one and used several, and have heard of some horro stores, but you very well can get them from anything you use. i used it for multple piece cuts mostly and then for general cut off. have used the newer sliders but the cost of a ras vrs a slider is considerbly differnt. if i were to start over i would seriously look at the slider today instead. the first kitchen i did was with a ras and i made the face frames and doors on the ras. but today i use other methodes.
 
mixed thoughts

Travis I technically have one, but it is not in my shop. A customer asked me to install a door for him about 15 years ago and in the form of payment he gave me a hardly used RAS, I didn't have the place to put it at the time so it has been in my dad's shop all this time. I really have no desire to get that one back since dad uses it for his stuff.

I would like to find an older one like the one pictured, I think they have there place in any shop just depends on the user and their preference. This old boy in the picture uses his a lot and wouldn't part with it for anything. I was lucky to get a tour of his shop (Papa Bear Woodworks just north of me in St. Johns) his shop was loaded with old tools that he completely went through and re worked.
 

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Jeff, get many birds in them houses under the RAS :D

Not yet but I am hoping! :rolleyes: Actually I had the doors open yesterday and this little nosy Wren was in my Lab going from machine to machine checking everything out. Maybe she was homeless and looking?? :)

My niece came over and we made those. I just saw some bluebirds at the feeder yesterday so it's time to get the house out. My plan it make a bunch of these and see if I can get some more bluebirds up here on the mountain.

The one my Grandad had looked much like yours, IIRC, but was a green color....?:huh:

There were several of the models that were painted green. A splatter paint job with with spots I think. I believe those were the home/hobby units. Most of the industrial models like mine were gray. At least that is what I understand.

No Steve, that is a SAW! Looks like a DeWalt and I am betting that is one of the 3 phase industrial 14" or 16" bladed models. My kind of saw! :D
 
I meant to add Steve that the old DeWalts are on Ebay all the time. The trick is to find one in you area or being willing to pay shipping.

As big as that sucker is I'd need to add on.

I have tried (unsuccesfully) to find on ebay where all the old tools are, I can find lots of new ones, I've tried by brand name, by type of tool, but I've had no luck. Are the old tools in a seperate section of ebay (antique tools maybe?) that I haven't found yet?
 
The trick is finding the right key words. They are scattered all over Ebay. I have found that in most cases I like to be a little loose on wording because people list things in strange ways. I find them scattered all around and rarely in the same category.

I just did a search for Radial arm saw and pulled up 2 pages, I saw 4 DeWalts in the list. I have never found all the old machines in one place, I have to search for each one. Like band saws, unisaw, etc. You can use the advanced features and limit your search to within say 200 miles of you.

Then save the search and every day Ebay will send you a list of new items listed. I have several searches like that. That way I know if anything comes up in my area. 99% of the time I am not interested but every once in a while something interesting comes up. And it only takes a couple of minutes to scan through the lists every morning.

I even keep a couple of searched running for things I just enjoy looking at. Like old wooden boats.
 
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This was my Dad's 12" RAS used for construction it was purchased new in 1967. I have replaced the guide bars & rollers it cuts straight I respect it but am not scared of it.

I still hold these truths to be self evident the most dangerous thing in any shop is the human operator.

So if you need to be scared of anything be scared of yourself. The tool setting there in your shop shut off will never make a mistake that will endanger you in any way.

You must turn the machine on & in doing so may have made your first mistake if you did not engage brain first.
 

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I still hold these truths to be self evident the most dangerous thing in any shop is the human operator.

So if you need to be scared of anything be scared of yourself. The tool setting there in your shop shut off will never make a mistake that will endanger you in any way.

You must turn the machine on & in doing so may have made your first mistake if you did not engage brain first.

Well said Bart:clap: Kinda reminds me of these people trying to do away with guns...guns don't kill people it's the people who pull the trigger.:soapbox:
 
I am firmly in the first camp.

I had access to two radial arm saws owned by neighbors (one a not very well built Craftsman and one a much better built DeWalt) and did use them a few times but, in doing so convinced myself that they were scary machines and that I did not want one in my shop.

Other that the above statements Frank what is it that scares you about the RAS ? No I am not trying to be funny just trying to understand. What did they do or not do that has you so scared of them?

When I grew up the CMS hadn't come into wide use yet so the RAS was what we used + the fact I had a pretty good tutor. At 12 or 14 I was cutting roof truss material & studding & all the bits & pieces headers etc a for the spec house Dad was building in his & spare time. Before he headed off to work in the morning he would line out what he wanted me cut & how much.

I am not using my RAS saw much now because I need to make a better guard because my tools are used for both hobby & business it is required as well as a pulley & weight system to pull the saw back to the start point. But as soon as I get this finished I'll return to using it. In the meantime I'll purchase a negative hook blade for it.


This saw is not included in the Sears recall & NO they are not getting it for $100.

This saw is the main reason I didn't buy a SCMS but did buy a 12" CMS to set next to the RAS. Between these 2 saws there won't be much I can't do. Most if not all the miter & compound miter cutting I would ever do can be done on the 12" CMS. The RAS will do straight cross cut & Dadoes.

Dad still has a 10" Craftsman RAS that is older then the one in my last post that still works great.
 
I have owned a Craftsman 10" RAS for almost 30 years. In the first few years I added a lot of accesories that increased it's functionality sot of like the Shop Smith approach. ie chuck, circular planer, molding head, dado attachment, spindle sander, dust shute.... and oh yes, a bunch of different types of blades. I used it a lot in the first 10 years, mainly for home reno, and it quickly paid for itself. Hadn't used it much for several years and ordered the recall package for blade guard and table. Bought a new neg hook Freud blade.. haven't touched it since.
I think it's a very useful tool in the right hands and used in a safe manner. It is very easy to use it unsafely and that is where the concerns lie for me. Picture someone trying to rip 6" off the inside edge of a 4x8 3/4" thick plywood sheet by themselves and with no extension tables etc or ripping thin material off a narrow board and not using the ripping pawls.. ever see a tin can with a thin stick propelled clean through it? Of course these methods of use aren't recommended by the manufacturer but occured very often.
 
....I think it's a very useful tool in the right hands and used in a safe manner. It is very easy to use it unsafely and that is where the concerns lie for me. ..

Couldn't that statement be applied to the table saw? The drill press? A sharp hand saw or chisel? Any tool used improper is an unsafe tool.

Your point is taken and I agree. The bandsaw concerns me more than any tool in my shop. Followed closely by my (very) sharp chisels. I got bit by the bandsaw last week, not because it's dangerous, because I did something dumb.

It just seems everyone want to slap that 'Dangerous tool' label on the RAS when it is not an inherently unsafe tool. Any tool, even a screwdriver is dangerous when used unsafely. I have a couple scars from childhood to prove that.
 
The timing of this thread is uncanny...

I just had a Delta 33-380 RAS delivered by the previous owner. I bought it on craigslist this last night to replace a Craftsman RAS. The Craftsman is a great saw, but a bit big and is 24 years old. The Delta is 4 years old, has more metal/cast iron, and was made in the USA.

I have replaced the simple Delta blade guard with a new/improved one, and I have a new table top for it.

The "new" 33-380 is a Shopmaster RS-380 (foreign made), and sells for about $800....I paid $100 for this one and it's in "like new" condition...just wasn't being used by the PO.






I find the RAS quick and easy to use for crosscuts, especially wider/longer boards than my 10" CMS or TS. I am careful with it, and the improved blade guard works well. I don't consider it any more dangerous than other tools, because I respect it and always try to be careful.
 
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Greg, that looks a lot like my Craftsman (USA-made by Emerson). Presume this one doesn't have the electronic stuff either. Did you swap the c-man blade guard in for the Delta? When I set mine up following the 'safety' upgrade, I made a few test cuts. Must take some getting used to the new one, I find it very cumbersome compared to the old one. Perhaps they are all designed in the same style these days?
 
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