Replies

1. 
   gpwest | Jan 28, 2004 02:17am | #1

   David,

     I have both but if I could only have one it would be the table saw, no contest. My RAS is an old DeWalt which I made furniture and cabinets with till I got a TS. The table saw excels at ripping, the RS at crosscutting.  But (with a TS sled) you can much easier, and safer, cross cut on a TS than you can rip on a RAS.  One advantage of a RAS, though, is they can be placed against a wall, they don't take up as much floor space.  GP

2. 
   jako17 | Jan 29, 2004 03:46am | #2

   Spend your money on the best table saw you can afford.Build a sled for it and start work.Radial saws especially cheap ones are flexible.Thats their downfall they always need tuning

3. 
   WayneL5 | Jan 31, 2004 09:41pm | #3

   There was a long discussion about this in Knots last fall.  Nearly everyone recommended a table saw.  If you check the archives you can read the many reasons and compare them to your intended use.

4. 
   Dreamcatcher | Feb 23, 2004 09:59am | #4

   David,

   get a tablesaw.

   it is always better to move the work through the machine than the machine through the work.

   gk

1. 
   crosscutter1 | Mar 11, 2004 03:43am | #5

   start with a good table saw !! portable ones are fine with plastic saw horses. i have cut an old door to accept the saw in the past, when the portable saws first came out 30 years ago ,since then i have purchased the portable stand FOR MY FIRST SAW ( MAKITA  8 1/4" ) I WOULD PUT THE SAW AND STAND AGAINST MY DELTA UNI SAW  FOR ACCURACY ANY DAY OF THE WEEK !! You will allso need a miter saw for crosscutting . You can also set it up using saw horses on a 2x 12 with a sub base so you can screw stops down if you have to gang cut material to the same dimension. whats your budget as far as dollars ? do you like the trade, how old are you ??