radial arm saw or table saw?
ingrainedcreations
| Posted in Power Tools and Machinery on
Being rather new to woodworking, maybe someone can explain something. I notice all the woodworking magazines projects are built with table saw instruction — never radial arm saw. Is the table saw superior? If so, why?
Replies
I started with a radial arm saw (many) years ago, went to a table saw for many years, then moved to a different state and got another radial arm saw to get back into woodworking. That was eventually replaced with another table saw again. The table saw is just far more versatile in the basic cuts it makes and the array of jigs you can build for it to make even more cuts.
I think the table saw is safer overall though when used correctly, the radial arm saw is also a safe machine. The problem is the "when used correctly" thing... Too many people seem to not have time to read/understand or use the proper techniques for the radial arm saw, get hurt and too often the saw gets blamed. Of course, do something goofy on the table saw and you can get whacked also.
For the normal woodworker, the table saw is a better machine because it does more of the things we need and does them well.
Tom Hintz
Because there is always more to learn!
My advise to you is to buy a table saw. I also started wood working on a raidial arm saw, not an industrial model it required more than its fair share of fiddling to get cuts 90 degree and ripping was no fun because you are limited by the saws capacity.
Buy a table saw and with a variety of jigs you can do allot. it doesn't have to be costly either you can always buy second hand.
Chaim
There is no doubt -- the table saw IS superior.
For some things.
Like ripping, especially wide parts like sheet goods. The RAS does have it's advantages, tho'. In my shop, the TS is for ripping, and the RAS is for crosscutting. Like Tom, I got a RAS long before I got a TS. Now, I'm glad to have both. If I had to do it over, I'd probably get the TS first and supplement it with a sliding compound miter saw. But there are just some things that you can't beat the RAS for, like crosscut dadoes on long stock for example.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
My first upgrade from an el cheap-o lowes 10" table top saw was a RAS (many moons ago). I was sold on the ability to cross cut, rip, miter, bevel & even route (per the literature). I thought that was the best bang for the buck. It was an improvement over the table top saw that had no redeming qualities. It was a lot cheaper to go to the RAS rather than a TS and to be honest, that was still in their hey day when they were popular. I have to admit I did use it a lot, but it had issues (I still have it). On the positive, I like the cross cut capability and moving the blade across the stock not the other way around. Once I tuned it to 90 it was dead on. Now for the down sides. Once you moved it from 90 and back it would never go truly back to 90. It would be a little off. The bevels were a total night mare to set up. Riping scared the bejeezus out of me. And at the rpm's the spindle moved the inverted pin router was a joke. Go with the TS it is by far the center of the universe in the shop (IMO). I did dial it into 90 and used it for cross cutting large boards to get them down for use on the TS and it worked great. I have since upgraded to a sliding compound mitersaw and the RAS sits in my garage. I tried selling it with a forresst WWII on craigs list for 250 and got zero takers! If you have a limited budget or space then ok, otherwise go with the TS. TMTCW
If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it.
And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
lin-g,
the table saw is way more uesful than the ras. i believe it to be safer, also. there is no end to the number of jigs, fixtures, hold-downs etc. one can realize with a table saw. i bought the grizzly about 23 years ago. it was about 800 bucks. it has paid for itself many times over.
eef
Get the table saw with a good fence system. Its a safer operation all around. I started out with the radial arm... ripping was not a joy, cross cut was fine and dado's were very easy. The table saw will handle all of these task with ease. I use the table saw for rip cuts and with the grain dado, a chop saw is used for most cross cuts and miters and the radial arm is still around but used only for cross grain dado and lap joints.
do,what?
i know, i know!
eef
Edited 4/3/2009 10:50 am ET by Eef
The RAS has it's fans, but the general trend has been leaning toward the TS for decades.
Is the table saw superior? If so, why?
All I can say is I had both. Just the Table Saw today... I have ripped and cross cut and mitered many things on both. I started out with a 12 inch Craftsman radial..
I would still have BOTH except my shop space is limited. VERY limited...
If you can do both.. GET BOTH. Like any tool. None exactly replaces the other.
I would not wish to give up either my tablesaw nor my radial arm saw, If it was a choice of one or the other I would have the tablesaw and get the radial arm as soon as possible after. The miter saw and sliding miter saw would also be important to me.
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Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.~ Denis Diderot
Did I tell you give up anything? Sorry if I did! I thought I said get both if you can..
You did not say to give up either, I was just adding my voice to yours.
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Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.~ Denis Diderot
I have both and I wish I had a picture of my radial arm saw. It's currently a holding place for all of my leftovers, off cuts, and scraps. It's not as acurate, safe, versitile, clean, convenient, or good as the table saw.
Come to think of it, I might craigslist it this afternoon to see what I can get for it. You want to buy one?
The problem is not inherent with the concept. But the RAS with its movable arm has a more difficult task to remain accurate. So while table saws become seriously functional for furniture making at the contractor saw level and price point, with the cabinet saw refining that functionality, the RAS doesn't become really stable and accurate until you start paying the price that you would pay for a good cabinet saw, and for a truely professional RAS product you may well need to double that price. But if you do, then the really heavily build, accurate RASs are a very useful tool. That's why I don't own an RAS now--I'll have to wait until I run across the tag sale where the owner of an old DeWalt thinks he is selling the same maligned product as the consumer grade saws a couiple of decades newer.
I don't own a RAS. Have often thought about it, but always concluded that my TS will do everything I want and it's safer. It strikes me that a stationary blade is always safer than a moving one that can get away from you. The only folks I know who are missing digits, had run-ins with a RAS -- just anicdotal evidence mind you, but it's always seemed to me that a RAS is inherently more hazardous.
Verne
If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there to cut it up and make something with it . . . what a waste!
If I could only have one machine , the TS for sure , there is not much I can't do on the ts .
You have to keep in mind the application at hand , which tool is best .
In my shop I use the RAS and TS on all jobs and a 10" scms for special cuts .
Luckily there are many ways of doing the same thing , you use what you have get creative but do the works . That's how new ways are found !
regards dusty
I think the table saw or RAS question depends a lot on the type of work you plan on doing. I use a 7'x3' 2x4 frame on top of my work bench with a good circular saw to break down sheet good. Good blades are only 20 to 30 dollars and can be re-sharpened. The band saw gets used for rough ripping of lumber, safer than the TS or RAS. The router, with the same 2x4 frame from above, can be used to clean edges up. All of the above tools have other uses as well making your tools dollars go farther and saving on floor space. This is all from a hobbyist point of view.
If on a day to day basis I was making panels that needed to ripped I'd probably look into a good TS with the best fence and blade I could afford. On the other hand if I was making small to medium size boxes I'd get an old DeWalt RAS with a good blade with a 10 degree positive hook.
I look at the new radial arm saws on display and wonder why anyone would spend that much money on one. For 50 to 100 bucks you can pick up an old DeWalt that is a tremendously better tool. By older I mean nothing newer than 1968 or 70 with a cast iron arm. I see 3 or 4 likely candidates on my local internet ever month. You do have to be a bit of a tool head and willing to put in the work to clean up or rebuild it. Dad was a machinist so I guess it's in my blood. I've ripped a lot of wood on my DeWalt without a single kickback. But it's like any other machine, without proper setup and use it can hurt you in a heart beat.
Hope this helps.
Greg
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