Radial Arm Saw

[holsgo]

Yup, have that same type arrangement. Love it like I said. Yeah, if you are slow and stupid, you can cut your hand off. But, that seems to apply to any tool. Just work smart and plan and the tool is no more dangerous than a chop saw. At least to me it is. I still have all my parts but I will say the table saw is the most dangerous thing I own. It's the only tool to get me twice, both times from me being stupid. On time a thumb wound from pushing a piece through and one from kickback. Kickback was all my fault and a wound I won't soon forget.

[dforeman]

I've never personally used a RAS but I can attest to firsthand knowledge of their danger. When I was in High School, one year in shop class one of my class mates sawed through his hand with a RAS. I wasn't standing nearby but I can basically assume that he wasn't paying attention to his hand position on the board and the blade. Needless to say, he was out of school for a couple of years after that going through several operations and therapy to reconstruct the tendons and nerves in his left hand. After that incident nobody was ever allowed to use the RAS again. It was one of the few accidents that I had ever witnessed in my High School Wood Shop Class because our shop teacher was always very diligent and non-forgiving about shop safety.

[pinkiewerewolf]

[quote="JPG40504"]A short time ago the RAS was the dreaded maiming tool. Way too easy to pull that spinning blade across yer hand holding the workpiece. Add to that the easily acquired habit of pulling the blade into the work piece 'vigorously'.

Nothing has changed except the introduction of the 'chop' saw. That made sense until the recent introduction of the 'pull' versions. Back to near square one! I say 'near' due to their reduced travel.


Use any with brain engaged and attention to positioning of body parts! ]
I think SS has the answer to the RAS and the "chopsaw, sliding compound chopsaw" etc... for those that don't want to have another dedicated tool in their garage space. I bought one of these systems a few years ago (before SS came out with theirs) and it is useful for cutting about any cut you can think of, and you can use the edge for routers, etc...
http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/track_saw_system.htm

[bffulgham]

I think SS has the answer to the RAS and the "chopsaw, sliding compound chopsaw" etc... for those that don't want to have another dedicated tool in their garage space. I bought one of these systems a few years ago (before SS came out with theirs) and it is useful for cutting about any cut you can think of, and you can use the edge for routers, etc...
http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/track_saw_system.htm

1/4" hardboard. No, it's not a Festool plunge cut, but works extremely well to cut down sheet goods to manageable sizes. and I don't have much $$ tied into one 5-footer and another 8-footer.
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[Ed in Tampa]

1/4" hardboard. No, it's not a Festool plunge cut, but works extremely well to cut down sheet goods to manageable sizes. and I don't have much $$ tied into one 5-footer and another 8-footer.
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Bffulgham you are right you can do excellent work with your setup but there is two things missing that both the Festool and the Eurekazone system has that yours does not. And to me it that is a deal breaker. On both the Festool and Eureka system they have excellent dust collection. And yes you can add Eurekazone's method to yours. The other things is both Festool and Eurekazone have chip out control/prevention on the side of blade opposite the motor. In effect the have zero clearance inserts that encircle the blade and prevent chip/tear out. To me that makes the cuts done by either system far superior to typical circular saw cut.

I'm serious I saw a rank amateur make a glue line perfect cut with the festool using their stock blade. The edge of the cut was perfectly smooth, showed no teeth marks and had absolutely no tear out.

I know a counter material dealer that started using the Festool and I have to believe his claims because he is still using the Festool. His claims is he as no dust problems, has not had a piece rejected because of chip out and that his employees actually fight over who is going to use the tool. He is one hundred percent satisfied.

If you really want to see a guy go off ask him how he likes the festool sanders for sand jointing the edges of solid material counters. He almost makes you sick describing how wonderful it is. His biggest love factor is a the fact he can do the sanding inside a customers home and know that virtually no dust is escaping into the house. Huge Huge times saved not having to carry the two counter pieces outside do the sanding and come back and test and perhaps carry them out again.

[bffulgham]

Bffulgham you are right you can do excellent work with your setup but there is two things missing that both the Festool and the Eurekazone system has that yours does not. And to me it that is a deal breaker. On both the Festool and Eureka system they have excellent dust collection. And yes you can add Eurekazone's method to yours. The other things is both Festool and Eurekazone have chip out control/prevention on the side of blade opposite the motor. In effect the have zero clearance inserts that encircle the blade and prevent chip/tear out. To me that makes the cuts done by either system far superior to typical circular saw cut.

I'm serious I saw a rank amateur make a glue line perfect cut with the festool using their stock blade. The edge of the cut was perfectly smooth, showed no teeth marks and had absolutely no tear out.

I know a counter material dealer that started using the Festool and I have to believe his claims because he is still using the Festool. His claims is he as no dust problems, has not had a piece rejected because of chip out and that his employees actually fight over who is going to use the tool. He is one hundred percent satisfied.

If you really want to see a guy go off ask him how he likes the festool sanders for sand jointing the edges of solid material counters. He almost makes you sick describing how wonderful it is. His biggest love factor is a the fact he can do the sanding inside a customers home and know that virtually no dust is escaping into the house. Huge Huge times saved not having to carry the two counter pieces outside do the sanding and come back and test and perhaps carry them out again.

I agree that the festool products are light years ahead in dust collection capabilities. If I ran a production shop or was working in customers' houses, they would be the way to go.
But, I break down my one or two sheets of plywood a year outside and let the West Texas wind take care of the dust collection. And I've got about $150 total in the saw, 96" edge guide, 60" edge guide, and premium blade instead of $700 (+/-) for similar capacity. I'll use the ~ $550 that I didn't spend to buy wood for the next project(s)

[pinkiewerewolf]

1/4" hardboard. No, it's not a Festool plunge cut, but works extremely well to cut down sheet goods to manageable sizes. and I don't have much $$ tied into one 5-footer and another 8-footer.
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That method works but there is a couple advantages to the track system. A good system allows you to align the system to your cut line w/o measuring for saw kerf and other variables, after your initial set up. You don't deviate from your line, ever. You're locked in. The inserts that allow for a tear-out free cut on finished products.
Kinda like comparing a workbench to a door over sawhorses. One might get the job done, the other will get the job done. (Human variable being the same for each scenario, of course. )

Festool systems, well thats Cadillac style there. Contractors, Pros, and the Wood Whisperer can afford (ie, I'm assuming sponsored in the latter's case with Powermatic.) those.

[bffulgham]

That method works but there is a couple advantages to the track system. A good system allows you to align the system to your cut line w/o measuring for saw kerf and other variables, after your initial set up. You don't deviate from your line, ever. You're locked in. The inserts that allow for a tear-out free cut on finished products.
Kinda like comparing a workbench to a door over sawhorses. One might get the job done, the other will get the job done. (Human variable being the same for each scenario, of course. )

Festool systems, well thats Cadillac style there. Contractors, Pros, and the Wood Whisperer can afford (ie, I'm assuming sponsored in the latter's case with Powermatic.) those.

The home-made version does a couple of things for me:
1. No measuring or allowance for the kerf width. Position the edge of the 'track' on the keep side of the kerf....blade is on the waste side.
2. The edge of the 'track' provides for ZCI on the right side of the blade, reducing chip/tears, etc.

Even with a ZCI, and I don't care what blade or saw I use; I still run blue tape along the cut line. Once the cut is done, peel the tape on an angle so that the pulling action goes off the end.....pulling it so that it pulls into the wood can lift splinters from the cut edge. The paper thin veneer that is on today's plywood is extremely fragile. Hate plywood, but sometimes use it anyway. Also, always position the plywood so that the blade enters the 'show' side.....show side up on the table saw and band saw; show side down on the circ saw, miter saw, or RAS.
(Did you notice I got "RAS" in there so not totally hijacking the thread?)

[pinkiewerewolf]

The home-made version does a couple of things for me:
1. No measuring or allowance for the kerf width. Position the edge of the 'track' on the keep side of the kerf....blade is on the waste side.
2. The edge of the 'track' provides for ZCI on the right side of the blade, reducing chip/tears, etc.

Even with a ZCI, and I don't care what blade or saw I use](Did you notice I got "RAS" in there so not totally hijacking the thread[/B]?)

Nice!:D
See, there is always a different approach. Home jigs, manufactured, or the RAS.
Shoot, lately I've been using hand saws. Even bought a Disston Acme 120. (sawyers will know what I'm talking about.)

[JPG]

The home-made version does a couple of things for me:
1. No measuring or allowance for the kerf width. Position the edge of the 'track' on the keep side of the kerf....blade is on the waste side.
2. The edge of the 'track' provides for ZCI on the right side of the blade, reducing chip/tears, etc.

Even with a ZCI, and I don't care what blade or saw I use]miter saw, or RAS.[/B]
(Did you notice I got "RAS" in there so not totally hijacking the thread?)

You gots a miter saw or ras with a blade below the workpiece???:rolleyes::rolleyes: