Saw choice

I have a chance of buying 1 of 3 saws at a sale . A miter saw, radial arm, or a 12" sliding miter saw. My question is, will the sliding miter saw replace a radial arm saw and give me the best of both world's, such as a combination of having a chop saw and a radial arm saw all in one? I am new to woodworking and would appreciate your opinions. Thanks

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Reply to
Dave
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Dave wrote: ...

No.

It will have many uses, but it can't do many things a RAS can--ripping being the easiest to envision.

I'd not suggest against that as a purchase only that it isn't a RAS (or a tablesaw or a bandsaw or...)

What would be the best choice would depend on your intended usage and what, if anything, you already have or intend else to get (the TS and/or BS would be the two highest items on most lists, undoubtedly, the specific one being more user-dependent).

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Reply to
dpb

dpb wrote: ...

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Actually, as to what/which/whether to purchase would depend significantly on just what each tool is--make, model, apparent condition, etc. There are some of each that are real finds, some just ok, and some you might as well leave there irregardless...

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Reply to
dpb

operations that a table saw would cover.

Ed

Reply to
Ed Edelenbos

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I do not like sliding miters because of a decrease in accuracy and increase in cost. A simple chop saw will stay tuned longer than a slider. I like my 12" DeWalt miter after doing 600 feet of 8" layered crown molding. The DeWalt has a generously high back fence. You will also want to make a miter stand with extended supports, a stop, and support. Whatever you decide, get a quality name. Bosch and Makita are very good choices too.

Reply to
Phisherman

All other things being equal...

They each do things the others can't do very well (if at all), so it depends on your applications. For the functions that overlap, a radial arm saw is much more accurate than a miter and a miter is much easier to use. If you're building cabinets, go for the radial; if you're building houses, pick the miter.

Reply to
HeyBub

HeyBub wrote: ...

I'd say which is more accurate is far more dependent on the individual tools' quality (reflected in, but not guaranteed by, price) relative to each other.

As for the function, in most ways I'd think I'd choose the opposite way (altho I have all three plus TS + bandsaw and wouldn't want to part w/ any :) )

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Reply to
dpb

Such as?

Reply to
CW

Bore horizonal holes. The RAS is the only one mentioned including the TS that can do that.

Reply to
Leon

Hmmm... a problem with tenses there, perhaps. Maybe it should say, "but not operations that a table saw wouldn't cover".

It's possible to do rips with a RAS. It's possible to do dado's and rabbet's with a RAS, shaping (with a shaper blade and changeable cutters), and a host of other operations. Taper cuts *can* be easier with a RAS.

As to the orig. question, which saw is "best" is up to the operator and the intended use (IMO, of course). I've done a bunch of sawdust generation without having a RAS... but if I had unlimited space, I wouldn't mind having one.

Ed

Reply to
Ed Edelenbos

If this is to be your only tool for any amount of time, get the RAS. It'll crosscut and miter and compound miter and rip and and dado (with a stacked or wobble dado blade) and surface/thickness plane and disc sand and do horizontal boring and run a molding cutter and ...

The CMS and SCMS will cross cut and miter and usually compound miter.

Reply to
Doug Winterburn

Radial Arm Saw Comments.

The first thing to remember about radial arm saws is that they are politically incorrect. Even though most of the houses the USA were built with them, it is considered very bad taste to even be on talking terms with a radial arm saw.

There are many who are convinced that if you walk into a room with one of these evil radial arms saws, it will grab you and begin to dismember you. It had been demonized for some reason. I guess we all need to forget the many years of useful service these unappreciated saws performed for us. Whatever danger lurks in the radial arm saw also lurks in many other tools as well. Maybe there are just more morons out there who should never handle tools.

I have used radial arm saws for many years. I grew up with them. Every construction site I saw growing up had a radial arm saw on site. Many came on trailers or had their own little shelter built for them. Kinda like the basic shelter for a horse.

I have cut a few miles of dado grooves with a radial arm saw. I don't do much of that any more. I use a router now. But for production runs on standard width lumber, you can't beat the old pull the saw head torwards you radial arm saw.

I also used to work a lot with two by lumber to make various rustic furniture. I doubt if one of those little, puny miter saws could handle very much of the big stuff. I used to go out ofter dinner and fill a garbage can full of sawdust and shavings from a radial arm saw. It is work tool. It works and gets the job done.

Those little miter/chop saws do have limited utility. I have a hitachi I bought to install moulding. It excelled at that. It was fast, accurate and made the job much easier. It doesn't work so good on anything over a 1 X 6 board though. And no dados either.

I understand the space requirements. Which is why I do not have a radial arm saw now. The garage is too small. But as soon as that situation changes, I will get another radial arm saw. A big one this time. An old Dewalt or something similar. I miss it.

That is all I am going to say about radial arm saws.

Reply to
Lee Michaels

I agree with that. What I was asking was what he seemed to think a tablesaw would do that a radial arm saw won't.

Reply to
CW

For one, accurate crosscut dadoes comes to mind - and, IMO, better than a table saw for that operation.

Don't think I'd want to try putting a dado head on a miter saw and even if that would work, I don't think the depth stop is precise or stable enough to make a good dado.

RAS will make rip cuts, but I'm happier doing those on a TS. Miter saw in all it's variations is crosscut only.

Tom Veatch Wichita, KS USA

Reply to
Tom Veatch

In that case, cut a 4x8 sheet of plywood from one corner to the opposite corner forming 2 identical triangles.

Reply to
Leon

See clarifier reply. (grin)

There are very few operations unique to a RAS. There are a few that are easier on one. In general, I'd say a table saw and a miter saw (sliding or not) are a better choice than a RAS alone.

Ed

Reply to
Ed Edelenbos

Lee,

I am with you buddy. My dad and uncle built everything with a RAS. So, when I bought my first house that is the first tool I bought. In

1979 I bought a used Dewalt/B&D. I too, used it for everything, including an official Dewalt drum sander attachment. But, over the years as I added other tools including a table saw and compound miter I began to use the RAS less and less. Last weekend, due to space limitations, I tore the RAS down and packed it under the miter saw table I built. I can't bring myself to get rid of it. If I find a need for it, I promised the RAS I would build it a brandnew cabinet with drawers and built in dust collection. Until then, my old friend is stored away for hopefully another day.

Dave

Reply to
DLB

I find that for making small boxes an RAS is wonderful--with stock of that dimension you can both rip and crosscut against the fence, use the cheap plastic version of the Incra jig easily to get precise positioning, and not have to fuss with safely handling small stock--just clamp it down and cut--when it doesn't have to move, holding it gets a lot easier. I should point out that the Incra jig or its various competitors are as happy companions for the RAS as they are for the router.

The big thing it has trouble with is box joints--you can do them by setting the blade horizontal and either raising it the required amount each time or making a set of blocks to raise the workpiece a fixed amount each time (you'd make up a special high fence to provide backup) or by setting the blade vertical and clamping the stock between the front and rear tables, but any way you do it it's pain in the butt.

Reply to
J. Clarke

Right, I agree. That's why I prefaced my opinion (which got snipped) with "All other things being equal..."

Reply to
HeyBub

OTOH, ripping on a radial arm saw causes shuddering among most who have done it. It's one of the most dangerous operations you can perform on a power tool.

I'd better duck now - the RAS faithful will be here shortly :-).

Reply to
Larry Blanchard

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