Has anyone else sold there radial arm for a table saw?

[harrisg]

I bought this really neat older radial arm saw a while ago but find it doesn't seem to do the job for me. It's great if I have wood 15" or less but for 24x30 it doesn't cut it It looks like I found a good local source for 30x30pieces of BB so a table saw with a 60 tooth blade would appear to be the ticket. Anyone else changed from a radial arm to table saw to cut plywood and hardwood?

Harris

[CanadianScroller]

My shop is in the basement of my townhouse, it is 12 x 20 but it would be hard for me to deal with sheet goods due to the stairs and the turns involved..
I got a radial arm saw for free, but I wouldn't trade it for a tablesaw. I guess it is because of the type of work I do. I have a panel saw and a circular saw for cutting sheet material.
Both radial arms and table saws have pros and cons. I guess it depends on what we are used to.

[Hobbyhorse]

Harris,
I have both a radial arm saw and a bench saw and would not be without either one of them, for different applications of course. I can see your problem re the width of cut but I found that in a small shop when ripping or cross cutting the timber lies the same way on the radial arm saw whereas the bench saw needs more room. When doing yacht refits I was able to put radial arm saw on a side deck and use it for both ripping and crosscutting.
Rhys H.

[SharonW0111]

Just rember the table saw is going to bite fingers off if it gets a chance so be very very carefull- I use mine for making my BB plywood easier to handle and store - sometimes I even use it to square up finished portrait i had finished- took the end of my finger off too so rember to use push blocks and not your fingers..
Sharon

[Thomp]

harrisg,

I have a craftsman 10 inch table, radial saw, and delta 10" cutoff saw as well, I would'nt be without any one,
all name brand, good mom & pop weekend shop saws but the table saws short arbor wont run any of the 3 sets,(2 stack, 1 wobble.) dato blades i got or the molding head,
and setting the raidial saw for in rip is lots harder than just using the tablesaw,
the cutoff saw is a must for molding & cabinets for me. and aids production time instead of having to reset the raidial saw from molding to rip ot cutoff.

now i have 2 scrollsaws, benchtop drill press and am in a delema of getting a benchtop bandsaw, and obtaining dust collector system, along with a shop-3 car garage to put it all in.

the radial saw was the first perminate stand power tool i bought and came in as an undispencable tool when i was making moldings and chair rail for the house after remodle, as well as the table saw and cut off, ripping and fitting.

some tools in a even a small shop double up, hey i dont look at that as a bad thing, if one breaks your not dead in the water,

but too you will run out of room to walk in your shop sooner with my attitude...

[PiALaModem]

Each tool does one thing better than the other tools, though each can be made to do some of what the others can do with a little less convenience and (often) a little more danger.

A table saw can rip.

A chop saw can cut mitres.

A radial arm saw can cross cut.

Each one "can" do some or all of what the others can do, but if you had all three, those are the things you would use each one for.

[lucky788scroller]

adding to Steves post...

ANY saw can "bite" fingers off.Thats why they are called saws!It doesnt matter what saw, even a scrollsaw, CAN hurt you if even just the basic safety rules are broke.I to nipped a finger on the tablesaw a few years ago, and yes, I think about it each time I use the tablesaw.A learning experience indeed. A tablesaw is a pretty handy tool, I use it often. Instead of a radial arm saw, I've got a sliding compound miter saw for angles and crosscuts, which I believe is far safer than a radial arm saw. The plywood ripping and other ripping, and some crosscuts can be done on the tablesaw safely and easily.The main thing is THINK each time your going to hit the power switch, and if you need a helper to handle sheet goods, by all means get one, and make sure they know what they are to do.

edit: I hope this ties in to the topic thread.

[urband]

I sold my radial arm saw several years ago and purchased a table saw. The radial arm saw is superior when it comes to crosscutting, especially when you're trying to take 12" off a 6' piece of hardwood. But the table saw does everything else so much better.

Ripping was always a frightening experience for me on the radial arm, although I never experienced any kickback. It just seemed so awkward. Also, if you're cutting large pieces of plywood you run out of capacity pretty fast.

If I had room I'd have both saws, but I only have room for one, and I've never regretted the desicion to go with the table saw.

Dan

[owler]

I had a Sears radial arm saw many years ago. It was constantly going out of alignment. I spent more time tuning it than using it. I also experienced kickback a couple of times when ripping. A truly frightening experience! I got rid of it and do not miss it at all.

My workshop is in the basement and it too is difficult to bring sheet goods down stairs. I bought the portable Dewalt table saw. If I have to cut large sheets, I bring it outside. I would rather have a heavier table saw but it's not too bad.

For cross cutting I use a shop made sled on my saw. I also have a 12" compund mitre saw. I probably use this saw the most.

For large cross cuts I use a clamp on straight edge and my circular saw.

Everyone has their own preferrences.

[arbarnhart]

I got a really good circular saw (Porter Cable Mag) and a ToolTrolley guide. It is more trouble to set up some cuts than with other saws, but it will go toe to toe with anything for tight tolerance, has awesome dust/chip collection (rivals the Festool when you have it hooked up to a Shop Vac), tool-less blade changing and will cut accurately to pretty much any length. I think it is safer than a tablesaw. I have another trolley for my router. I am adding T-Track to the top and front of my workbench to make it a super accurate cutting and routing station. When not in use, the rails are against the wall and the saw and router are in their boxes on the shelf. It's huge that it is so small.