Radial Arm Saw or SCMS

[Scott Rathburn]

Hi everybody, I'm a everyday reader of SMC and have gained a lot of knowledge from this site. I've been thinking about this for quite a while. I now have a Makita SCMS that is about 15 years old and has had a lot of use job site and shop. I want to buy a dedicated saw for my shop and I am wondering if a RAS would be better. I have no experience with a RAS so I'm not sure what the benefits would be. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Peter Mc Mahon]

I bought my first scms about 5 years ago. I have not used my radial arm saw even once since then. About a year ago I remember a guy on Knot's wworking site give his radial saw to another guy who was thinking about buying one. Peter

[Jerry Clark]

Scott, I have an RAS and the only thing I use it for is cutoff. If I change it for angle cuts I have to "Tune" it again. I consider it the most dangerous tool I use. I also have two SCMS and for angle cuts I use these. I would get rid of it but it has storage drawers under it! Buy another SCMS!

[John Miliunas]

Scott, ditto to what the other guys have said! If you have stock to crosscut, which is too wide for the SCMS, then just use your circular saw. Unless, of course, you have the $$$$ for one of those real high end saws, none of which will come from Sears or similar!

[Mitchell Garnett]

...and here's yet another vote for the SCMS. I replaced my RAS earlier this year for one and haven't regretted it once. My bigger decision was whether I wanted a 10" or 12" (and I decided on the 10 in the end after realizing it would handle 99% of what I might want to cut).

I got the Bosch in case you are interested.

[Scott Donley]

OK, I admit it , I love my RAS, so maybe a love affair? Have had it for about 25 years and it really is a piece of junk, but I have used it for everything from crosscuts, ripping, even a drill press, did all the miter cuts for the molding in my home with it. Perfect, no, it is now used for crosscuts only, but my CMS is not used as much as the RAS. Nothing like being able to cut a 12 ft.8/4 maple board into 1 5 and 1 7 footer. Need a bunch of 16 inch boards? nothing in the home shop is faster, plus, they can be 18 in. wide. I do all miters and 90's with my sled on the TS.
That all said, if I was buying new, I would get the SCMS, just because it would be cool to have.
Remember, this advice is worth what you paid for it

[Scott Donley]

Scott, ditto to what the other guys have said! If you have stock to crosscut, which is too wide for the SCMS, then just use your circular saw. Unless, of course, you have the $$$$ for one of those real high end saws, none of which will come from Sears or similar!

John, congats in order for the Moderator job, I have learned a lot from your postings. That said, your Sears comment is a bit out of line, if you have used the high end line of the new Sears RAS, then the comment is justfied, if not , I just hate to see the countinued Craftsman bashing.
No, my old RAS is not a Sears, but my new TS is. Things can change, sometimes for the better, not saying the Sears RAS is a great saw, just I have not used one, to say one way or the other.
If your ever in this area, stop by, I'll buy you a beer and we can talk wood.

[Chris Rosenberger]

I have both saws & use the RAS more than the SCMS.

[Bart Leetch]

Scott, ditto to what the other guys have said! If you have stock to crosscut, which is too wide for the SCMS, then just use your circular saw. Unless, of course, you have the $$$$ for one of those real high end saws, none of which will come from Sears or similar!

Well now John I wouldn't call it high end but I just can't get my heart to sell or give it away this 12" 1967 Craftsman RAS was my Dad's framing saw he still has a 10 Craftsman RAS in his shop that was used for cabinet making which is a few years older.

When I received this saw the guide bars for the motor carriage that should have been round were flat but I was able to purchase new bars from Sears along with new bearings for the carriage for $60. The saw is fairly accurate & real solid & heavy. I don't have occasion to turn the saw very often & yes it does take a little time to reset it but I don't mind. This saw is the reason I decided to just purchase a 12" CMS. Of course the RAS was free

[Dev Emch]

If you really wonder what a RAS can do, you should read the book written by Wally Kunkel, aka Mr. Sawdust just prior to his death. Mr. Sawdust was on the sales circuit for DeWalt and sold more DeWalt RAS machines than any other single person. He was also quite the craftsman.

There are a number of RAS makers and even more models to choose from. I personally like the OLDER DeWalts (cast iron humped backs) and the Northfield/Monarch X-36 Unipoints. I also like the Irrvington articulated arm saw. But these irrivingtons are extremely rare.

The RAS is a very capable machine. I personally own a DeWalt GE with a 7.5 HP, three phase motor. Its a joy to use. I got this saw as a rust bucket and had to rebuild it but I think it was worth it. Its great for cross cutting and cutting dados. I can run a 12 inch forrest Dado King stack on this beastie. I think its a worthwhile tool to have.

Incidently, I also use a Makita 8 inch sliding chop box mitre saw when i need something lightweight and powered by 110 volts. This is great for doring on site work like flooring installations and some final trim.

[Gary Sutherland]

I like RAS's and have one, but I wouldn't be without my SCMS, because it's much faster to set up for some cuts.

The large RAS I have, which I bought used, is actually very accurate and a joy to use. I love having it.

Gary

[Roger Everett]

I have an old RAS, generally use it only for rough cuttting rough stock to rough over length. Although there have been times when I've attached jigs to it's table for repetitive angle cuts ( leaving the saw at it's 90 degree to fence). For that it was handy as h*ll, Only use it once in a blue moon, but I'll not get rid of it.
Roger

[Jim Dunn]

Hasn't Se-rs, because of the "somewhat" poor quality of past models, given the RAS a bad rap?? I too have read a book on the abilities of the RAS and was more than impressed. Course that particular book featured a Delta saw. My only actual experience with a RAS is helping a friend set up his saw. Then reset it up and again and so on He used it to cut kindling.

[David Wilson]

Shortly after I got a SCMS I donated my RAS to habitat for humanity.

[John Miliunas]

John, congats in order for the Moderator job, I have learned a lot from your postings. That said, your Sears comment is a bit out of line, if you have used the high end line of the new Sears RAS, then the comment is justfied, if not , I just hate to see the countinued Craftsman bashing.
No, my old RAS is not a Sears, but my new TS is. Things can change, sometimes for the better, not saying the Sears RAS is a great saw, just I have not used one, to say one way or the other.
If your ever in this area, stop by, I'll buy you a beer and we can talk wood.

Hey Scott, it was NOT meant as a Craftsman "bash"!!! I have read many, many posts and comments about the new TS line they have and most folks are really quite happy with them. It appears that one or more of their routers are also private labeled Bosch units, which is hard to beat, while others have been happy with their drills and other such items. OTOH, I can't say the same for their RAS's. I owned one myself and, after a LOT of tweaking, tuning and resetting, as soon as I had to make any off-90° cuts, I found myself having to go through much of it again to regain any semblance of accuracy with the 90° I started with! I've even seen comments of the same anomalies with the low-end Dewalts and such, as well.

Just by virtue of their general design, they have to be extremely rigid and positive in their settings when moved from side to side. That translates into weight and, a LOT of it! It's not entirely easy but, one can still man-handle a Craftsman and similar by one's self, if really necessary. My that, I mean, a reasonably large guy can dead lift it and move it. The units I infer to, which you won't find at Sears or similar will be virtually impossible to do this without the aid of some mechanical lift or several sturdy guys providing the "mule power"! Mainly older iron and units even produced today and mainly intended for production/industrial applications are the ones I refer to. Again, NOT Craftsman-specific, although when most people think RAS, that's what most folks are familiar with.

Now, about that beer.... Back at 'ya! If ever in the area, swing in and I'll give you the nickel tour, talk WW and have a cold one or two! Creekers are always welcome!