I need to set the record straight about what I think of radial arm saws.
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I got a box of Fisch Forstner Bits last year, they are my precious drillingtools anytime for drilling holes!
Stumpy that jack of all trades line Is great but partner theres more to it Jack of all trades but master of none is still better than a master of one
If I need a second opinion I like this channel because I feel that it is unbiased common sense logic end informative
I've been using a radial arm saw for 50 years. All that you have said is true. All power tools are dangerous if used incorrectly. .
I agree. I think the radial arm saw is best compared with modern miter saws. I like my RAS because of the length of the cross cut it can make. I cringe when I see videos of guys raising the board off the miter saw table to complete a cut on a wide board.
Radial arm saws, motorcycles, and electricy are not unsafe....nor are other stationary power tools. They are however extremely intolerant of inattention, inexperience, ineptness, incorrect use, incorrect safety precautions. But radial arms aws are the bomb, and are wonderful.
Hand tools are unsafe for the same reason as well.
@@tomjeffries58 You mean like one of my friends who bought a Saw Stop and then almost aputqated a finger with a hand saw...? True Story.
henk; I watched someone hit himself in the face with a pair of vice grips. He was pulling on a piece of damaged metal so hard he failed to consider what would happen when it broke free. He got hit full force right on the eye brow. I know people I would not trust with a pencil let alone a power tool.
8 minutes of "I don't think you heard me right. Let me explain it even MORE patiently." I love your presentation Stumpy, and your no-nonsense approach is refreshing in an era of manufactured drama. Keep up the good work.
I wish critical thinking classes were taught as well training one's emotional brain. just think how much gooder our society would be (see? you understood my point even with shitty grammar). serious though. we are such an immature race (especially in the USA). so many have out-of -control emotional reactions based on ego and this is an excellent example. sigh. we can all agree that the Stumpster rules though!!
I've been a Carpenter, Maker, furniture restorer, custom furniture maker my entire life (I'm 68). I've owned dozens of saws. My radial arm saw is my goto for wide cross cutting and breaking down of materials (and that is all I use it for) and I use it daily. When I'm tired and or distracted I do not work in my shop. One instant of inattention would result in catastrophe. Respect your tools. Respect yourself and THINK before using any tool whether a hammer or an impact driver. Edit: I have experienced climb over and it scared the hell out of me.
James, I gotta say, your ability to get thru these videos with almost 0 mistakes and no cuts is impressive
He makes numerous cuts in a lot of videos. 😁
If your editing software can cut your video, it can cut you. Better to be careful!
This is extremely sane and rational.
I agree! Now what is it doing on KZhead 😆
Yep. Which isn't allowed on the internet so this video should be banned 😂
@@christophercollins868 The more I listen to other woodworking channels on youtube, the more I like Stumpy.
I agree...but I prefer the original...that one was hilarious...I loved the sense of humor AND understood the message
Careful now! 2023 those words will get you canceled.
So, moral of the story: learn to use the tool, don’t be one
Well said sir
*"You freakin screws"*
Words to live by.
Well said! I think a shop sign with your “saying” will have to my first project when I take up sign making.
Awesome comment
As a fellow youtuber in a completely different niche that deals with commenters who comment before watching a video...i feel your pain.
I'll check out your channel. I bought a recumbent trike last year. Most fun I have had on a bike since I was a kid. :)
Russ, I feel that there should be a collaboration between you two involving a partypaced recumbent gravel bike with wood accessories.
It always surprises me when the streams cross like this.
@@Aubreykun crossing streams in Ghostbusters...bad. Crossing streams with Path Less Pedaled and Stumpy Nubs...¯\(°_o)/¯
@@idahoverland_208 Bad, good, both surprising when they happen still!
My RAS is displayed at my garage door as a theft deterrent. Passers-by will think my shop equipment is old and useless.
my uncle made every piece of furniture in his home with a radial arm saw mahogany was his wood of choice. it's now my prize possession sadly it's collecting dust at the moment but I hope to give it a prominent spot in a future shop some day. for me it's a versatile machine and I give it the respect it deserves. every power tool could send you to the hospital. learn to use it don't abuse it .
To quote Marcus Aurelius, “If someone can prove me wrong and show me my mistake in any thought or action, I shall gladly change. I seek the truth, which never harmed anyone: the harm is to persist in one's own self-deception and ignorance.”
I'm a novice to the field. All I can say is never be ashamed of promoting safety. You have an audience and a platform to spread the good message thanks for the video 👏👏
I started using a radial arm saw in my basement a little over 50 years ago, learning one step at a time. Over the years, the saw enabled me to do many projects - some more 'risky' than others. Today the radial arm saw sits on a shelf, but it's still a very serviceable tool. Today, I love my Dewalt table saw, miter saw and a small shop full of other tools that, like you, I consider safer and more suited to the weekend projects I do, still just an amateur wood worker. Love your videos. Keep up the great work. Thanks! PS I still have the original 1969 manual that came with my radial arm saw and the illustrations are like the ones you showed in your video. I can't believe I actually did some of those myself and still have eight fingers and two thumbs.
I'm shocked that in 2021 someone has to defend statements because people can't listen the 1st time around. You content creators need to take responsibility for our decisions made after not listening to you. You should be ashamed for our lack of attention.
How is that shocking to you? With the way people are now a days, I would be shocked to not see it.
I'm shocked that in 2021 someone can't recognize sarcasm (aside from some neurologically divergent that have a good excuse).
@@alphafert608 😂😂😂
They should not be ashamed of this. It's 2021! They should be *blamed* for it!
@@jwm6314 I don't but couldn't resist using similar wording to reply. I appreciate the opportunity to turn a joke into a running gag.
I stumbled upon this channel about 2 years ago and I've never missed a video since. I appreciate the straight-forward facts and no BS in between. Keep up the great work!
I use both radial and table saws. I know I am more careful when using the radial arm saw because in my personal opinion it is more dangerous to use, hence why I'm more careful when using it. Not long ago I was cutting on the table saw a lot of repetitive cuts. At one point I felt the breeze of the saw on my fingers. I stopped to analyze what happened, I realized that because the blade is mostly hidden under the table my hand was comfortable near it, and that time it got too close. I didn't get hurt or anything but it made me realize that while I'm cutting on the radial arm saw I do not get near the blade. Maybe it is my way to say, you are right, both can be dangerous and one needs to practice 100% concentration while cutting wood, but for me that 100% comes up when using the radial.
It was one of my husband's favorite tools back in the 80's and 90's. That's the tool that broke him into woodworking. Last week he gifted me with a 30 year old cast iron beast of my own. All tuned up. I'm so excited to see what she can do.
I’ve been nervous around RA saws ever since I was a kid. My father, a very experienced craftsman lost part of his thumb dadoing through a moment’s carelessness, and I helped gather the pieces of his thumb, wrapping it up, and getting him into the car to go to the hospital. I know, intellectually, that my table saw, my mitre saw, and my circular saw are just as dangerous if used carelessly, but I keep hearing the theme from “Jaws” when I look at one. I took most of his tools when he started giving stuff away in his 80s, but I didn’t want the RA saw. Looking at some of those old-timey photos make my blood run cold, especially that “tummy tuck” photo! Don’t worry, people who are determined to be outraged, will be outraged, people who are willing to listen to a logically-presented arguement will understand what you’re saying. Great video, as always. L
Tummy Tuck ...Perfect!
I have a similar horror story where my mom had to pick my dad's finger tip out of the sawdust from a jointer accident and I was happy to finally get rid of the offending tool (along with his RAS). I never liked using that jointer because the guard was missing and bought a new Delta mostly because of that. I was much less scared of the RAS but like all saws you constantly have to aware of where your hand is in relationship to the blade and keep a firm grip on the saw incase it jumps toward you. Dadoing is particularly bad with these saws as it can pull the saw toward you a lot more.
@@scottyV1000 My grandfather cut his finger off with a radial arm saw, and lost the end of his ring finger to a jointer. On the jointer, he was trying to do a quick job in the evening... Turned into a night out at the hospital.
I bought my Craftsman radial arm saw in the 70's. I agree with everything you said in both videos.
Thanks for your patience with your followers while doing your best to save their fingers
I have had a Craftsman Radial Arm saw for over twenty-five years. I have always kept my anti-kick back paws, splitter, and blade guards installed. I generally make cross cuts and rip cuts with ease, and these cuts are very accurate. Thanks for your video.
Well said. I'm a huge fan of the mid-century RAS and use mine often, but each tool has its strengths and weaknesses. I don't try to use mine for everything.
If they didn’t listen the first time chances are not great that a change in perspective is likely.
No, but it gets me on the record :)
Don't worry, the ones who saw the first video probably lost their fingers since then and are unable to thumb down this one. 😉
True. But at least it can be informative to thoes who are seeking knowledge
Why would they when he didnt?
My Uncle, who I was very close to, like a second Dad, was a fine cabinet maker and worked for a company that exclusively made executive office furniture. In his some workshop, he had only two saws: a radial arm saw with a 12-foot 'outfeed table' and a small free standing cast-iron-pedestal table saw. I watched him make many many cuts on both, and used both myself. We both have all our fingers. Last week, I bought a radial arm saw in a yardsale for $100. I have not plugged it in yet, but I have moved every adjustment and made sure that every adjustment moved smoothy and more importantly locked in place, tightly! I have a few cuts I intend to use it for that I just cannot think of any other way to do as consistently as I could on that saw, and then I probably will use my other saws (a jobsite tablesaw and a compound sliding miter saw) for pretty much everything else!
The one place where I have found that the radial arm saw is the best tool for the job is in cutting kerfing. As an occasional guitar builder, the kerfed linings on the inside of the instrument are a fiddly bit that needs to has as thin a backing piece as possible for bending around the curves in the instrument. I've tried the band saw, and while it's functional, the kerf itself can be too thin for decent bending. The table saw can work, but it's difficult to get a consistent thickness of the backing piece. The radial arm saw is the beast for this job, you set the height from the table and can really dial in a very thin backing. The kerf is wide enough to bend around the instrument cleanly, and when doing the cut, you can use featherboards to really keep your fingers away from the blade. It seems to me the best tool for THIS job. I don't use it for much of anything else, it's more of a horizontal surface for storage until I need to do more kerfing. Then I'm glad I have it.
I use mine for cutting cross grain dados for casework and that's it, it may be a one trick pony in my shop but it's a fine trick.
Not a bad set up. I sold my perfect condition Craftsmen RAS several years ago, and wish I had kept it. Might still get a second hand one if it is tight. My older unit, when properly set up, with a TOP shelf blade, would rival the cut of ANY slide miter saw out there. Your idea of a dedicated dado rig makes sense. IIRC, I could get about 16" of crosscut with my 10 inch RAS, which is huge. Rough cutting longer stock to approx. length worked well also,with the final true up cut on my TS with a sled.
thats exactly what I use mine for. I build a lot of shelving units with fixed shelves in dados, I couldn't imagine trying to manipulate an 8 foot 1 X 12 on a table saw, or taking the time it would need to set up each dado with a router. I can put the dado stack on the saw, then use a stop and get the same cut on numerous pieces, on assembly you know they will match up. I also use for cross cuts with a really nice fine finish blade
Same here. Once I set it up for that it hasn’t changed since, besides the height.
Hi everyone, got some safety tips for the radial arm saw. (1) Fingersaving tip, always use both hands to operate the machine, do not hold the workpiece down with your hands, but use some kind of (quick) clamping system if you have to hold the piece down. (2) Don't pull the saw all the way through your workpiece, but just cut it barely, so the teeth on the back of the saw blade never pass the end of your workpiece. This prevents jumping and makes a more accurate and clean cut. (3) Make sure the saw blade is never exposed past your fence or has a lower blade guard that covers the entire blade. If you haven't got this attach a piece of (ply-)wood on top of the fence that is covering the gap between the fence and the upper blade guard with a bit of clearance smaller or at least half the thickness of you little finger. This is to prevent accidentally touching the spinning blade while measuring or being close to the blade with your hands. (4) When cutting pieces with the blade hanging above the table ( for example when cutting tennons) make a pushing cut, this is sometimes a bit cumbersome but prevents climbing. ! BEWARE ! Don't make the cut to fast, just let the machine do it's job. (5) Don't chop but cut, let the saw work it's way through the material, the cut will be cleaner and will prevent climbing. (6) If something goes wrong, get out of the way and when safe unplug or turn of the machine. The machine and your workpiece are expendeble, your body parts not. (7) Take the time to get to know your machine(s), feel comfortable while working with them and keep them maintained and clean. (8) While maintaining your machines make sure the power is off and for extra safety unplug it! (9) Don't do stupid things! (10) Just don't! I work a lot with interns, students and volunteers. For a foundation in the Netherlands, so safety is really important to me. If I find the time to start my own tips and tricks KZhead channel. I would love to explain and show you all how and why. When the time comes I'll post a link in this comment, enjoy your work and stay safe 😉
We were building a big plywood equipment box, one of the guys uses my 12” slider which I treat very carefully. He pulled down hard and fast then let go, I hate that. It’s a saw, not an axe.
Great comment. You should definitively make a quick video showing your setup and all these great tips! I got a radial arm saw today from some older gentleman. I got it all cleaned and lubricated, since it was hard to move. It was made in 1976, so it probably sat in a garage for many years... I have to make a table for it, any suggestions?
@@wolfsegovia solid core door blank
On point #3, why would anyone be measuring or have their hand anywhere near a spinning blade in the first place? Set up the cut first, get everything into position, with the saw off. Then turn on the motor and make your cut with your hands well away from the blade and your body out of the line of fire. One reason a RAS seems safer to me is that you know where the blade it (right there in front of you with a guard between you and it) and you don't get distracted moving the wood around. I've never used a table saw because they seem much more dangerous to me, but that's just me.
@@guybaehr8124 why do people do anything foolish? I have in VERY rare cases left a machine running as I adjusted but it was more for electrical reasons and I also don't grt anywhere near said blade when making adjustments But people surprise you everyday. Simple as not thinking, I think 🤣
I have had a Craftsman Radial arm saw in my shop for over 40 years. My dad actually bought it and used it for the first 18 years or so. It is vintage 1982 or so. It has been a work horse for all these years. I have used dado blades, ripped boards and cut thousands of pieces at 90 degrees. I have never tried that crazy stuff you see in the owners manuals and for good reason. I have decided to upgrade my mitre station and install a Bosch 12" high end mitre saw. My old saw still works great but for me its an end of an era. I am 64 years old now and trying to work safer. Thanks for the great video and keep them coming. Al, Remodeling Contractor from Maryland
An Excellent presentation. Thank you. (From a RA saw owner and daily user since 1971)
I am a newbie and rebuilt a woodshop on the property, this is a radial arm saw, l cleaned it up made a new table and fence squared it up.. new blade. I enjoyed that video and knew it was a light hearted look at it, I use the machine only for cross cutting long boards. have a mitre saw and table saw but am more comfortable just cross cutting on the radial arm saw. there was a dado blade on it i took off at first great videos. oh l am shopping for a sliding compound mitre saw. to replace the RAS and the 14in old Mitre saw.
Well said. As much as I wanted to love my old radial arm saw for nostalgia reasons, I found that I never used it once I got proficient with my table saw and miter saw. I finally sold it to free up valuable garage space. I learned a lot on that radial arm saw and have great memories using it with my Dad but it just didn't make sense to hold on to it any longer. Thanks for the great content!
Sounds very familiar - I sold mine this Summer for the same reasons. It took me 3 years to find a buyer for it.
I just want to add to the many commenters who have said you should not be troubled by negative comments from people who have not watched the video. Your presentations are logical, well-thought out, and well-organized. Despite that, people will hear what they want to.
As a longtime woodworker and retired OSHA officer, I couldn't agree with you more. What you have said is better than anything I have heard in my more than 80 years of experience. Keep up the good work!!
I lost chunks of several digits years ago when a radial arm saw grabbed a piece and the arm swung putting my hand in the path. While i understand that there may be safety measures that might have prevented the accident, I'll never use one again. I still get PTSD when I hear stories and watch videos such as this.
Sorry brother! I got my index finger with a table saw, definitely my fault! Lucky it just got the tip of the bone, and was still attached. They pulled it back together with some thread, and I still got my finger! ( 1/8" shorter) I have to say, I definitely cringed when I went around a table saw for about a year! The worst part was the shame and embarrassment I had after the fact! Happened 20 years ago or so, I'm over it now and can joke about it! Lol, 😩I was more embarrassed then the first time I asked a girl out and she just turned me down!
I flung a piece of 1x4 into the wall one time using my dads saw (back in the late ‘60s)
That radial arm say sure grabs hold and pulls towards you. Dad taught me when I was younger to hold on tight and get ready any time I was to use that saw. I keep his advice to this day (over 40 years later). I only cross cut with that saw an large rough lumber for sizing. Then it's done.
I am frankly terrified of my table saw, when I’m using it I am extremely aware of everything that’s going on and I have a whole start up and shut down procedure it do each time. I had a chainsaw Incident and I am now my OSHA round power tools and machines
These videos are valuable to me, presented by an intelligent, knowledgeable, and articulate host. Thanks, James.
I just my own RAS and I love. I've been watching my Father and Uncle using their for years and used them myself. I always advocate for the purchase of one. However, when it's a late night in the shop after a few beers, it's best to stick to hand sanding lol My Dad told me with all tools, "make sure you're focused, you've got a plan for how you'll move the material through the saw (or the saw through the material), and take your time before you ever light the saw up." He and my uncle have used RAS for 40-50 years with no incidents. Keep sharp blades and common sense with all tools. The other biggest thing is don't hurry or rush cuts.
This was really timely and honest review. I have a 1955 9" DeWalt RAS and a 10" Inca TS crammed in my small space and recently acquired a track saw. I am conflicted because either the RAS or TS may need to go to free up space. I do use the DeWalt a lot, mostly for cross cuts, flat miters and cross board dados (day to day, I find I do more cross cutting than ripping) . Although it is more fussy than the table saw, it does hold its adjustments reasonably well when limited to these functions. I agree with all of Stumpy's concerns, but there are things I like about the RAS: BY FAR my favorite feature of the radial arm saw is the sacrificial fence. Move the fence over a bit, make a fresh cut, and you can accurately cut to a knifed line on your workpiece. Treat it like a hand saw and work to a line and you can get very nice results. The RAS uses fewer sleds and accessories than the table saw. The RAS even has some safety plusses: (1) The blade is in view at all times, (2) the blade guard is on at ALL TIMES (unlike many cuts with the TS) (3) my experience is that operator stability is better when the tool moves over the wood rather than the other way around. I also have painted the table near the blade path red as a reminder to keep hands away. All that said, I have experienced climb up, but usually when the track bearings have lost their adjustment (a pain). piecesdon'toutfieldband sawadjustment thancarriage Neither my RAS or TS are perfect, so its not clear yet which will make the cut.
TL;DW: Radial arm saw works best when it's used as a saw. Keep to cross-cutting, ripping, and mitering. Don't put weird shit on the arbor.
i got a sears saw for cheap that that had all the attachments, and some of them I was like , so you want me to attach small hss cutters with screws, turn the assembly horizontal then do the cuts that remove a fair amount of material? no thanks.
Oh man, i got my radial arm saw off craigslist with the original sears manual and they have SO MUCH WEIRD SHIT TO PUT ON THE ARBOR. And *then* there’s the ACCESSORY ARBOR!! Sawmill shaper moulding cutter milling machine disc grinder tap and diiiiieeee
I saw one on Marketplace, the seller had the full set of shaper heads.
Like you, I grew up using radial arm saws. Thank you for your balanced comments on the subject. Let's face it, stupid is still stupid regardless of the tool at play. For me, a radial arm saw with a stacked dado blade is still my tool of choice for dados and rabbits on 12 - 16 inch book case sides. Easy to set up, makes repetitive cuts very efficiently. In our shop, we had a 14 or 16 inch (CRS strikes again) Wilson radial arm saw and this beast was used all, day every day, in the shop. The motor wound up and screamed like a jet engine, probably why my hearing isn't what it should be. The saw that scares the _ _ _ _ out of me is the sliding miter saw, but that is a story for another time. Thanks again!!
I heard you in the frst video, but on safety, I'd say your videos are about the best I've seen. I treat my new table saw with respect - and have watched your kickback video zeveral times.
Best video I’ve seen for a very long time. I hung on every articulate word you spoke and completely agreed and understood the message. For me, it has always been engage the brain before applying the power to the tool.
Great explanation. My father was a wood shop teacher. I inherited all of his machines. The thing I do with the radial arm saw is cross cut long rough cut lumber to length. I guess a circular saw could do the same thing, but this makes it so much easier. The spooky thing about the radial is how it wants to push to me when I make a cut. I saw dad use it to rip a board before he had his own table saw. I wasn't allowed on that side of the shop while he did the cut. Shortly after he bought a table saw from a buddy in town. So, I've got a radial arm saw for cross cut (that's all it's used for), a table saw for ripping and dado's, a jointer, planer, band saw, and a router table that needs to be upgraded to a better set up. The only thing he never did was put in a air filtration system or dust collection system. That might be my summer project. I'll check your channel to see if you have one in your shop And talk about hand tools. Oh my, so many. He had tools at his shop at home and his shop in the mountains. I'm not sure what to do with all the extra stuff.
I was trained on a radial arm saw and learned to use a table saw from reading books. I own both and as you say they are perfect for what they are meant to do. and a healthy respect for their limitations is very important. Thank you as always for your reasoned approach to woodworking.
I love your comment about growing up around your grandfather's radial arm saw and connecting with woodworking. I had the same experience!
Stumpy, I admire your calm, collective explanation to those who think that standing a piece of plywood on end with the blade at waist height as shown in the manual while wearing a tie is worth mentioning anything negative to you about your video. I guess some woodworkers don't have a heart inside them because they wear it on their sleeve. Which by the way is a good way to get it hurt especially when using a R.A.S.
Don't worry about all the negative comments Stumpy! That's all some people do is search KZhead so they can put negative comments. You have a great channel and always very informative.
I'll give a negative comment where a negative comment is due. But when a video is a good video (and Stumpy's are good) I like to contribute my experiences or give a positive comment.
Even a negative comment is a comment and counts as one.
Haha! 😊 You are absolutely right on the money on every point! I too have experience with RA saws, still own an RA saw, and never use it. I won't rehash everything you said, but if I had room to set it up permanently I would do it exactly like Frank Howarth with his (3!) RA saws: permanently set up to do 90/90 crosscuts. There is at least one KZhead guy who insists, no wait, he INSISTS!!, that the radial arm is not just a possible replacement for a table saw, but it is BETTER!! and SAFER!! He will not suffer any fools who believe otherwise. Fine for him, he can do whatever he wants, including wearing gloves while he's using it. But I'm concerned about the rookies who follow his lead and are scouring Craigslist for a $100.00 RA that someone is trying to dump. In short, thanks for being the voice of reason.
Dear James - I really enjoyed your original video, and this video, about the dangers of radial arm saws. In 1967, when I was buying my first home workshop saw, I went to my local Sears Roebuck store and sought advice from the wise old tool salesman. He said I could do more with the radial arm saw than the table saw, so I bought it. In those days the Craftsman saw was solid as a rock, with a steel column and a cast-iron base and arm. About three months after buying the saw, I was using the molding head when the workpiece slipped very slightly, causing the board to shoot back at me. Fortunately I was standing slightly to the side so I ended up with only a few black and blue fingernails - but the flying piece of wood knocked a concrete chip out of the basement wall about 15 feet away. Although I continued to be a woodworker and cabinetmaker for the next 65 years, I never lost my respect for all woodworking tools. They cannot distinguish between wood and flesh. I purchased my first table saw about a year later. I still have the radial arm saw, but I use it only for cross cuts or cross dadoes on parts like cabinet shelves and sides. So, from my own experience, I can vouch that everything you have said about the radial arm saw is true. And it seems obvious to me that any guy who calls himself "Stumpy Nubs" doesn't have any. We have both kept our digits because safety is always uppermost in our minds.
I really enjoyed this episode. I worked for Black & Decker in 1968 and sold the Dewalt saw. I used to demonstrate it at trade shows and fell in love with it. I built my house using it in 1974. I loaned it out in 2010 and it's a long story but never got it back. All your comments are spot on.
I’m a 65 year old, radial arm saw user. Started using it in my dad’s shop as a kid, and have had one in my shop for 30 years. That being said, I wish I had a shop big enough to have a good table saw. A table saw is safer and much, much more accurate. A radial are saw must be “tuned in” weekly or on some projects daily to assure accuracy. The only advantage a radial arm saw has over a table saw is the amount of space need to operate it, period.
I’ve owned a radial arm saw for 45 years and everything you’ve said here is TRUE!!!! Another great video, thanks so much for sharing w us!!
First of all, thanks for a great channel. As a casual woodworker, I like gathering as much information as I can to make my projects just that much better, safer, and enjoyable. I'm sorry that you and others in the community have to put up viewers so filled with hate that they see nothing else. I watch your and other similar channels on woodworking and making to get away from the idiocracy in the rest of the world. I grow so weary of people screaming that their opinion is the only truth and that those who disagree are wrong, anti-whatever they are talking about, and somehow evil. The simple joy of taking a blank piece of wood and making something useful and/or beautiful is what I need to put life back in perspective. Keep up the good work. Thank you for the valuable insights, tips, and opinions.
Excelent video. I´ve learn most of my safety knowledge back in the mid 80´s during the tecnical high scholl. At the metal working shop we dealed with much more powered and fast machines than the woodworking tools that I use know as an amateur wookworker. So safety was an issue, reinforced and practiced everyday. But there is one big difference: all pieces were firmily and securely holded in place. Now, it is not uncommon that I fell really unconfortable when using wood working tools. As a result, I stop and spend some more time making the operation safer.
Marcio, very good thinking and if it Can be clamped, Clamp it.
@@zapa1pnt You can never have too many clamps. They make a lot of work safer and more accurate, not just with power tools.
There’s something really enjoyable about using a Radial arm saw so much quieter than a miter saw and for cross cuts and dadoes they’re just great I really enjoy mine I agree that hard to keep Aligned
Agree on that comment. I have mine set for 90 deg only for cutting rough lumber, and dadoes, can't put a dado stack on a chop saw/miter and I have two of those, plus larger table top.
Why are some folks so sensitive. I do realize that you have the best interest of the viewers in mind with your videos. Many years ago my father gave me a Craftsman Radial Arm Saw. After making a few cuts I returned the saw to him. My father was a highly skilled carpenter. He taught me how to safely use a table saw and circular saw. Every time I use my table saw or circular I think of my father and the safe practices he taught me. I just wanted to let you know that I do really enjoy your channel. I especially like how you always through in some safety tips for the tool you are using. Keep up the good work. Darrell Hebert (A-Bear).
I learned on a RAS in my Dad's woodshop. He is now deceased and I have inherited all of his equipment. I am setting everything back up in my own shop. I have been using the RAS to make benches and shelves but only for 90 degree cuts. Thank you for tne great no BS video. I will definitely be back to watch others youhave made!
I always set my wood up safely in front of the radial arm saw then leave the room and turn it on remotely.. I've never cut anything, but haven't been hurt.
I've had a 12 inch DeWalt RAS for about 50 years, and, before that, I used a 9 inch DeWalt for at least 10 years. The saws helped me build furniture, cabinets, do major home remodeling, do roof framing, make custom moldings, bore holes and cut mortises, and a myriad of other projects and functions. While it served me well for decades, I always recognized that it had fundamental characteristics that presented some fundamental safety hazards, particularly when ripping (which led me to build my first table saw). I still have my 12 inch DeWalt, but it has been permanently relegated to use as a power source for a 24 inch drum sander. I can also still use it as a horizontal mortising machine if needed, but I can say with confidence that it will never be used as a saw again. With some ingenuity, these old radial arm saws can be repurposed for a host of other functions that can make use of the saws' inherent versatility (its greatest strength as well as its greatest weakness) while eliminating or significantly reducing its potential for serious injury. Don't think of those old DeWalts as radial arm saws - think of them as versatile power sources. Of course, the same can't be said about the Craftsman saws - those are best left on the curb to be picked up and recycled so that their material can be made into something worthwhile.
Hi James, seems that many of your loyal fans have already defended your earlier video on this topic so I will just say, thank you for continuing to produce the most thoughtful, accurate and varied woodworking content I have found to date. So far you have helped me understand table saw kickback, which convinced me to purchase one equipped with a riving knife, helped me design a dust control system that actually works and dozens of other useful tips that have moved my woodworking skills forward. I am forever in your debt. Cheers from BC!
I remember only making one project with a radial arm saw in school. In 7th grade shop class we made fish shaped bookends. We used a radial arm saw and the band saw to cut the boards followed by glue and nails for assembly. A propane torch lightly burnt the grain and some brushed on poly to finish it up. Simple yet memorable. I remember on the written test a question asking which machine in our shop is the most dangerous. My answer was something like "whichever machine I am using if I do not focus on safety". I received partial credit for that answer but he was looking for "Radial Arm Saw". I guess that I should have focused more when he was teaching.
I love my RAS, but only use it for cross cuts. Mostly cutting 2 x 4s into fire wood. Been using the same Craftsman since the 80's. I use the Craftsman table saw for ripping small boards and a skill saw for ripping big sheets. Never had a problem. Love the simplicity. But I agree it can get out of alignment easily.
Do modern radial arm saws work if the user doesn't have a Lucky Strike dangling from their lips? Watching my neighbor use one when I was a kid makes me think it was a requirement in the early 70s.
It was a safety measure. You didn't live long enough to lose any fingers to the saw.
You can run it without the Lucky Strike only if you have a neck tie on, or a can of beer on the bench top.
Yes I always kept my ash tray next to my Craftsman radial arm saw
You could use the Lucky Strike to cauterize the now shorter finger.
It give me the chills when I look at those pictures in the manual. You don’t have to apologize, maybe others have to learn to listen.
Just setting up a saw given to me from a family member. Haven't used one before, so I'm grateful for your words of wisdom! Thank you!
"Don't demand more from a tool than it can safely do." Don't work for an employer that demands that you wear a tie while using a dangerous power tool.
When I had wood shop as a kid, The teacher always wore a tie in the shop and we wore button down shirts. We relied on our shop aprons for safety. If you showed up to school in a T-shirt, you'd be spending the day in the principal's office.
@@coalbuster I remember those days. It wasn't necessarily bad, though I chafed at it, as did most of us. Dressing smart by modern standards was also tied to taking care, working methodically, and being self-disciplined across the board - both metaphorically, about life in general, and literally, about cutting boards with machinery. Tying long hair to avoid scalping, no loose clothing, neat workbench, tidy workshop or site - all fell out of fashion (mea culpa). Perhaps greater safety levels of the machinery tempts us to be sloppy in our use if it? Not just woodwork. Similar in offices with badly written and laid out letters and data sheets as the old typing pools got replaced by word processing. Result - junk communications about serious cases of child protection and abuse investigations by social services with lethal consequences.
I'm right there with you on the grief you get when sharing sanity or assessing risk/reward with passionate people. I like your calm approach to addressing these complaints, as you approach all your projects. Thanks for the tips, you've made me much more safety conscious, and my work is better to boot. Thanks for doing these things for the community
In the middle eighties I bought a property that had a radial arm saw in the back shop. My dad and I used it to rip many a 2X into boards. With both a long infeed and a long outfeed table, and a straight and high fence, I felt quite safe doing that operation; more so than i ever do with my contractor's table saw. (I probably would have been better off using a band saw, but that wasn't in the cards.) In fact, wish I'd saved up for a good track saw and never bought the table saw. One day I may build a cross-cut carriage for it. That said, for cutting timbers and boards to size, including bevels and angles, nothing beats my compound sliding mitresaw. Keep up the good work, I enjoy your content. .
I've learned a lot from Stumpy's videos. I think the best lesson I learned from this video is how state your case calmly and thoughtfully, and not to get sucked into the "same to you, fella!" fever pitch of internet "discussion". Thanks, Mr. Nubs. This was more refreshing than you might have realized.
The reason I sold my radial arm saw was it required a lot of space for the in and out feed tables. Miter / chop saws have made them obsolete.
Exactly, they where the way to go in the pre-sliding miter saw days but now why bother. It not 1965 anymore.
I agree for the most part.. but I do use my RAS for shallow-dado's in softer wood such as Poplar, when making a book case or shelf unit that will be painted. I dont get my hand near it, use a clamp to hold the wood. Mine does have the full blade guard as provided by the recall kit. That kit is very good. If it were not for that I would get rid of it. I use an Incra 1000 for miters on the table saw. My RAS is basically there for crosscuts and dado use. Saves my from swapping to dado stack back and forth on the TS.
How so, I have my radial arm saw, and two chop saws, one for mitering and one that will cut wood up to 10 inches, but my radial arm saw can cut up to 26 inches in an outbound swing, never used it for that, but may here in the next couple days. Had a cheap table saw made by the Big "R" company. Want to see a dangerous saw, get one of them there cheap ones. Can't cut a straight line, throws wood at you no matter what you do, and when it does cut a straight line it is 1/8 inch off or slanted only good cut I got on that table saw was when I used my sawz all to cut that piece of junk up. Got straighter cuts by my home made circ table saw, at least on that one I get accurate straight cuts 99% of the time, only thing missing is dado cuts on my circ table, but then again I still got my radial arm saw for that.
I haven't seen an ad for a radial arm saw in any tool catalog in years, maybe decades. I get a lot of tool catalogs.
^This^ is very astute. Probably other tools are doing the same job cheaper and more conveniently.
@@AHustleIsLikeASideOfFries RAS don't handle sheet goods well, but people who use near-exclusively solid wood tend to be working with more precision than a cheap tool can provide.
Stumpy, your videos are well organized and clearly explained. I enjoy your videos, please include more live action woodworking demonstrations.
In all honesty, I do not understand how anyone can misinterpret your clear, and concise explanations on your subject matter. I very much appreciate your videos for that very reason and look forward to watching them. Thank you for taking the time to make them.
I love my radial arm saw, but I only use it for crosscuts and occasionally for dado work. All done at a very slow action.
Maybe more caution stickers would help. Takes hours to get them off.
I love my 45 year old craftsman radial saw..been using ours since I was probably 12 and have had a few close calls but I learned from them. Dad set it up for 220 volts. Just basically always used it for rough carpentry and framing.
Just picked up a craftsman 10” today at a garage sale. After watching your video I’ll be cautious and read up on it before jumping right in. Thanks for the advice, nicely done video
I'M SPEAKING IN ALL CAPS BECAUSE YOU INSULTED MY FAVORITE TOOL AND I CAN'T BE BOTHERED TO LISTEN TO WHAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY SAYING.
hahaha!!!!! Radial Arm Saws SUCK!!!!!!
@@hectorlara1717 I have been using one since 1970, have suffered more pain trying to use a table saw, my only suggestion is that if it is cheap watch out for flying wood. Just got done calibrating my RAS, now I can once again just set the pointers on the length in inches I want to cut and it gets done, today I cut a 26 x 19 inch top on a radial arm saw and it was straight just like my Circular saw table saw with Harbor Freight 4 foot clamp fence. Where is my table saw, sitting in pieces out at the dump, going to build a John Heinz table with the old table saw motor and electric parts.
Well, I like my RAS primarily because it will crosscut up to about 20", and when used for partial depth cuts, it is extremely rigid and consistent. Putting a thin-kerf negative-hook blade on it has made it WAY safer in terms of its tendency to grab and climb. In the course of tuning up my saw, I have used some RAS enthusiast web sites for reference. Some are quite dogmatic that: 1) The RAS is the most perfect, safest tool ever, and can be used for anything, and 2) a negative hook blade is not necessary and some argue less safe than a regular blade. The denial of basic logic on these web sites is jarring. There is nothing in your video that I disagree with in the least, although I am sure that you will very quickly get flamed for suggesting negative hook blades from members of the church of radialarmology.
We're probably thinking of the same guy, 'Big Tuna', or something like that, he's absolutely positive that the RA is safer and better than a table saw, and eliminates all comments that might support a different view. Scary.
Always be careful, about those who appear to get angry, when countering someone else's opinion. But always cut the YTer some slack, when addressing a bunch of negative BS.
I never even considered how a RAS would break down plywood til Stumpy's video. It makes sense that someone who never uses sheet goods would see it as a "perfect tool" since he wouldn't need half of the tablesaw's intended uses
I recently moved and upgraded my shop. My old shop has a radial arm saw and I have been debating whether to bring it forward. I, like you, have not used the radial arm saw for years. You video helped me make up my mind - it is time to retire/sell/donate the saw. Thank you.
I have a DeWalt radial arm saw that I have used professionally for many, many years safely. Six months ago, while making a gift for a friend, my judgement lapsed. I stress, I did nothing overtly dangerous or stupid but I could have been more careful. As a result, one of my fingers had the tip bone split down it's length and shoved out the end. The bone has healed (ish) and the nail continues to grow but it's at a very odd angle. I continue to use my saw (did today in fact) ANY tool, power or otherwise has the capacity to hurt you. Well done Stumpy, if this video prevents one person experiencing the pain I did, then you, sir, have done a fine job. FWIW, it was very clear that your previous comments referred to the questionable use not the machine itself
I grow up around radial arm saw and I feel more safe using them than table saw ! It is the skill you inherit …
I completely agree. I had my grandfather’s radial arm saw for years. Grew up with it. But it was so difficult to keep aligned properly. The simple math is that the more moving parts, the harder it is to keep perfectly aligned. My Delta sliding compound 12” miter saw is so much easier to use and convenient for most things I used to do on the radial arm saw.
I acquired an old De Walt radial arm saw that needs renovation. This is not a particulary difficult job, but your very informative video regarding the use of more suitable alternatives has convinced me to scrap it.
As always, you provide a straight forward, thoughtful and objective discussion even in the face of criticism. Thank you and Go Wings!
Some commenters will argue with the statement “Water is wet”. The world has gone mad. 🤪
No, the world is as it always has been. We just hear more about it, these days.
@@zapa1pnt Yep the whole "everything is going to hell in a handbasket" has been said by every generation ever. Things have only mostly gotten better. They're still shit, but better.
Lane, proof is enough idiots voted for Biden.
I tried a radial arm saw made by Sears when I was in my twenties. After trying a few of the cuts it was supposed to be able to do, it threw a piece of 2x4 past me into a sheetrock wall. The things they claimed it would do is not only wrong, but it's hurt a lot of people. Safe to say, I got rid of it, and I'm 73 now and still don't miss it.
Most of the time, as long as you know what you are doing and take your time, they will do everything they advertise they will do. There are many variables to take into consideration when using one, just like any power tool. Is your fence true? Are you using the proper blade or cutter for the material and type of cut? Proper feed rate? Is you blade dirty or bent or dull? Is the wood flat and true?
I am 70 and enjoy mine every day. I thought it was neat that I could cut a piece of wood by just putting it in the RAS and let it pull it through for the cut. Of course my garage has cement walls. Why I could cut 12 2 x 4 's in half in a about 12 minutes and then just gather up the stacked cuts after they got stopped by the wall.
When you showed the dewalt manual picture of using the radial arm saw for panel cutting, I NEVER forgot that! How incredibly DANGEROUS that is!!!! WOW! I have inherited my Father's 1960 era Craftsman RAS that he used ALOT. He kept it in fantastic condition and now I have it (he has passed)....
Love your videos James! I love my old DeWalt RAS’s too! YOU are the softest, most easiest damaged thing in your shop! Use ALL tools accordingly! Be safe and make stuff!
Great video. Very informative. I've used my dependable radial arm saw for probably 40 years. I have never ever even cut or nicked a finger using it. It all comes down to common sense and knowing what you are doing. Yes, a radial arm saw can climb on what you are cutting. I have had it happen about two times in 40 years. Not a bad record. I would not trade my radial arm saw for a table saw. I put a lot of thought into getting my radial arm saw back when I purchased it. I knew I could do more of what I wanted to do with a radial arm saw. At that time it was a one tool multi purpose item. My take on this is, if you are building furniture, a table saw is the way to go. But, if you are not only building furniture but doing construction, the radial arm saw is the better choice. Try cross cutting a 2" x 16" x 20' length of lumber in half on a table saw ! Remember, I said a one tool do all. I've never made cuts were I could not see the blade all of the time nor have I ever removed the guard to make a cut. I also never use any power tool if I am not wide awake or not feeling well. It's all common sense and safety. Watch what you are doing and always be aware of where the blade is. Barry G. Kery
I see what you’re saying about a one tool option, but most of us have more than one tool. Cutting a large piece of lumber is usually done with a circular saw and a square, even easier than moving a 20 foot hunk of wood around. Growing up we had a table saw and my friend next door had a ra saw. Loved his saw for cross cutting but absolutely hated it for ripping. Pushing the wood through in that small space with 3 1/2” of blade exposed is just dangerous no matter how you cut it (pun intended).
I remember years ago, back when those manuals were brand new, wanting a radial arm saw. However, over time and with experience, I came to realize that table saws could do more and were over all safer than radial arm saws. Yes I have seen many videos of radial arm saws climbing up on wood. Like you said James, any tool with a powerful motor can do many unexpected things. Case in point: 1/3 rd horse motor isn't that powerful, but tell that to my left index finger. It was an old vacuum cleaner motor and I wanted to see if I could use it. Like an idiot I took off the vacuum blade guard and the suction was enough to pull my finger into the blade. I almost lost the end of my left index finger. I had to have surgery on my finger and was out of work for 3 weeks as an RN. You never know what will cause an injury without the proper guards in place.
Good presentation! I am a cabinet maker and I grew up with a 1961 dewalt radial arm saw and it was a staple in the workshop. But it always just had its place in the shop just like every other tool in the shop. It is still n my shop but it makes great long cross cuts at 90’ with a great way to jig up for precision repeatability for the exact same cut over and over. Safety is a must in a shop with tools that just want to keep going. And if you think a radial can not climb you have not used and experienced a radial enough. You must always keep your guard up a stay in control. Thanks again Stumpy. The Scottish Craftsman out of Ohio
Excellent presentation. My radian arm saw is a cherished tool in my shop. But it is reserved for specific applications. Thankfully I have all my fingers, not that I haven't had close calls, which have increased my awareness for the need to be extra cautious. I appreciate your videos.
Don't put people off till I've sold mine! I really wanted one for years. Finally picked one up secondhand. Used it for a few months, was useful but not as life changing as I'd hoped and it did frighten me. Now been hidden untouched at the back of the workshop for over 5 years. Listed it for sale just a few days ago. Mind you, I'm in France, so hopefully there are people here who've not seen your videos and still want one!
Yeah, I bought mine secondhand hoping to get into woodworking on the cheap, and I just never could get comfortable with it. I finally sold the RAS, but not before tripping over it for eight years.
To use a radial arm saw to make some of these cut is like using my lawn mower to trim my hedges. Can it be done? Sure. Is it wise to do so? No.
Am I trimming my hedges wrong?
@@christopherbiomass7155 No. You're just not using your lawn mower to it's fullest capabilities.
Always appreciate your wisdom and insight. I have a radial arm saw and I enjoyed the first video and appreciate this one. Thank you for keeping us informed and thinking.
I had a radial arm saw i inherited from my Father, when it finally crapped out I did replace it with a mitre saw. I found radial arm saws good for cross cuts but when doing any angle cuts the adjustment process was a pain. And yes I did succeed in getting the saw to climb over the work piece a couple of times, no blood was spilt. Keep doing what you do.
Thanks for this explanation. I owned a Sears Radial Arm saw in the early 70s and really liked it. I think the main reason I liked it was because I could see the blade cut into the wood better than I could on a table saw which I had used in shop class in school. I fell into actually making money with it because my wife's weaving teacher kept buying looms with missing parts very cheaply and then asking me to make the parts. I never did anything where I had to take the blade guard off, but I liked it because I could always figure out a way to make it do what I wanted and then be able to see the saw doing it. That difference in visibility may be a key factor for those that like them today. It was a fun challenge and I learned a lot and lost no fingers. I gave it away when I moved to Australia in 1976, and have a sliding chop saw but have never seen a radial arm saw here. I always believed radial arm saws would be less precise than a table saw and wondered if that was a reason they seemed to fall out of favor. I never had the blade climb, but I recall I came to appreciate and always set the anti kickback pawls carefully. Given the choice I probably would still prefer the radial arm saw simply because I like and know how to use them. Truth be told, I now do most cuts with a circular saw and some kind of guide - and am therefore considering a track saw.
To me you have to look why they went into favor vs. falling out of favor. They were in favor due to the fact that most men had the ability to craft and use tools back then, but were limited by space in either a garage or a basement workroom and since an RAS went up against the wall and did not have to move it fit the bill. Sears more than anyone else jumped into this niche. However, as subsequent the generations of men who craft with bench power tools has dwindled and since the advent of sliding miter saws and portable table saws have become more prevalent, the RAS became obsolete.
Who keeps flipping between 1:29 and 1:30 trying to spot all the tools and their new places.
Sharpener moved, different planers on left, ....
I just watched your excellent, balanced presentation, and enjoyed it very much. I have had two radial arm saws in the past, and enjoyed using them both. I never 'tested the limits' of either tool, and never had a problem. I like your philosophy of using the proper tool for the job. If I could figure out a way to make room in my current shop for a radial arm saw, I would pick one up in a heart beat. However, my mitre saw and my table saw (and occasionally my circular saw) seem to be filling all my needs. Thanks again for the well thought out and presented video. And for the chuckles at those old manuals, too! Dave.
I teach building construction at a juvenile correctional facility and I have been a Project Manager, a General Contractor and a Journeyman Carpenter in the Union! Needless to say have used different types of saws and tools over the years. I agree with your comments! Radial Arm Saws are very versatile but are very dangerous!!!! I would say that the Radial Arm Saw is “The Great White Shark” of wood working tools and you must be extremely careful when using this tool! I own one and am very fond of it and I love it and respect the tool! I have an old Craftsman Contractors Saw that I love and don’t use it as much any more but I love that saw! A lot of memories and I respect the tool! You should respect your tools otherwise you’ll get hurt or killed! Keep up the good work!