Radial arm saw versus 12" compund sliding miter saw question.

[keithw86]

- a handy thing), not as a dado depth adjustment. I know I'd I'd never trust dados on a SCMS.

[Leon]

Try to visualize a blade pulling too aggressively into a board and actually climbing higher in the cut. I saw it happen a few times with my old RAS

30+ years ago. Typically the motor blade assy. tries to climb up on top of the board, stalls and becomes lodged in that position. Naturally the arm, shaft or base gives as the blade climbs up higher in the cut. This repeated action will weaken and eventually damage the saw.

This can easily happen with the correct blade, this is the nature of the beast, but with the wrong blade the situation can be aggravated.

[keithw86]

They don't want the blade to cut faster? The blade in question did

*not* have the contractor's saw pictured but did have a cabinet saw.

I use a combination blade for ripping but usually a blade with a lot more teeth for crosscuts. My point was that of course different blades are used for different purposes, but that has nothing to do with the discussion at hand. I'm not even arguing that a blade designed for a RAS won't cut as well on a table saw (though I'm not completely buying the difference between a RAS and SCMS). The point that I'm arguing (against) is that somehow a blade designed for a table saw will somehow "injure" a RAS. *THAT* is what I'm calling bullshit.

[Leon]

I use a combination blade for ripping but usually a blade with a lot more teeth for crosscuts. My point was that of course different blades are used for different purposes, but that has nothing to do with the discussion at hand. I'm not even arguing that a blade designed for a RAS won't cut as well on a table saw (though I'm not completely buying the difference between a RAS and SCMS). The point that I'm arguing (against) is that somehow a blade designed for a table saw will somehow "injure" a RAS. *THAT* is what I'm calling bullshit.

Check my reply to JClark below. You have to admit that that senerio could/eventually will cause harm to the saw. I too don't believe that a particular blade will absolutely do harm but it can increase the chance of doing harm.

[Leon]

----- Original Message ----- From: Newsgroups: rec.woodworking Sent: Monday, December 07, 2009 6:59 AM Subject: Re: Radial arm saw versus 12" compund sliding miter saw question.

This is not uncommon and just because Festool is exspensice does not discredit the fact that many sliders have this feature.

- a handy thing), not as a dado depth adjustment. I know I'd I'd never trust dados on a SCMS.

No, the stoper arm is for control of cut depth. Look again. There are two boss locations. One is absolutely to limit the ultimate blade depth, the swing out thumb screw adjustable bolt is for adjusting the depth of cut.

[J. Clarke]

I'm not denying that one can stall an RAS. In fact I believe I stated that that was what would happen. However if it cannot withstand without damage any force that the motor can produce then it is a poorly designed piece of crap.

[Doug Winterburn]

I had this happen many times with my old Monkey Wards RAS. I was able to reduce it with proper tensioning of the motor guides and the straight arm pull through technique and negative hook blade. My current Searz RAS with the "control cut" motorized feed cable along with the other techniques has completely eliminated any climb during a cross cut.

This repeated

It can sure knock it out of alignment.

[Lee Michaels]

"Leon" wrote

Speaking of harm to a radial arm saw, I had a friend who kept a big RAS in my garage for awhile. He needed to cut up some aluminum that he bought at a salvage yard. Most of it was soft and the saw cut it easily. Then he ran across an oddball peice that was extra hard.

He tried to pull it through the piece and it went up and over it. It bent the arm up. After that, it cut a nice little curve upwards. If I had to do a dado, it would curve up about 3/16' - 1/4' over nine inches. I had to cut the dado from both sides and chisel out the high spot in the middle. That is when I went to a router for my dadoes.

It is an extreme example, I know. But these saws can get damaged if you put enough stress on it. That priciple applies to anything mechanical or biological. The other lesson learned here, you can never tell exactly what it is that you get at the salvage yard. That is the fun part for me. But I would never cut aluminum on a RAS.

[keithw86]

I bet if you ran over a RAS with a tank it would bend the arm too. That's a bit different than the "wrong" blade "injuring the saw" which is still bullshit.

[Leon]

I bet if you ran over a RAS with a tank it would bend the arm too. That's a bit different than the "wrong" blade "injuring the saw" which is still bullshit.

Well Keith it is obvious that you have made up your mind. Some things are simply hard to comprehend.

[Leon]

Yeah... and ... that might by why most RAS's have such a bad reputation, why many are always out of calibration.

But the stall happens after the blade has climbed up higher on the cut. That will cause undue stress to something.

[Leon]

My Old Craftsman RAS was a 1978 model and I noticed in later years the electronic adjustments were added to some models and the control cut. Does the control cut actually feed the motor and blade or does it regulate the rate of speed that you pull?

[keithw86]

Yes, I've made my mind up to the obvious.

I will agree that some blades are better in (designed for) some tools, producing superior results. Perhaps even that some designs may reduce kick-back or climbing (perhaps reducing the possibility injury to the operator). However, "injury" to the tool is just silly.

Do note that there are *MANY* blades that are specified to be used in all like tools, so the original argument is a dumb one. It certainly is possible to use the same blade on a RAS, table saw, and SCMS. Yes, you folks have done a good job of convincing me that you're talking bullshit.

BTW, please fix your newsreader's quoting.

[J. Clarke]

Only if the "something" is not properly designed to withstand the "undue stress".

[Doug Winterburn]

It regulates the outbound speed of the motor on the arm and is adjustable with a thumb wheel. It also retracts the motor if you let go of the motor. The motor on/off switch is on the end of the arm, and the control cut activation trigger switch is on the motor handle. You can't move the motor outward without pulling the trigger and then only at the rate set by the thumb wheel.

[dadiOH]

Yes, as a matter of fact. That's because 90% of what I do on it is ripping...that's what table saws were designed for.

[dadiOH]

No one can design anything to withstand every type of "undue stress" caused by idiots or the ill informed. Look at computers...

[keithw86]

That may be what they're best at but hardly all they were designed for. I suppose yours doesn't have a miter slot either.

[Leon]

That comment reminds me of the short little story my college physics professor told us.

The once was a wagon with no weakest points. One day it disintegrated.

I have never ever ever ever seen any thing build close to that wagon.

[Leon]

Sort of like a drag on a fishing reel? I can see how that could have been handy.