Getting close to buying a compound sliding miter for all my 1×8 T&G, trim, exterior 2×8 log siding, etc.
Is there any reason to consider a radial arm saw instead? Miter is more portable…maybe a little less versatile?
I can’t imagine buying a radial arm instead…but thought before I did I’d ask.
Just saw the review on FHB or JLC on sliding miters. I’m leaning towards the Hitachi 10CFS. Comments?
Thanks,
Bruce
Replies
A radial arm saw has the ability to rip wood.
Also it can be adapted as a rudimentary drill press, sanding drum, disk sander and planer. The RAS is the king of woodworking tools. Not very portable tho.
-Peter
A radial arm saw may do all those things, but none nearly as well or as safe as the tool it would replace!
RAS is the king of woodworking tools
Maybe the jester!
the only job a RAS excells at is cross cutting and dadoing.
For all else they are cumbersome, fussy, and dangerous.
Get the Hitachi 10" scms, I love mine!
JMNSHO
Mr T
Do not try this at home!
I am a trained professional!
Mr T
You left out the most important application for the RAS and NOTHING else is as good.
It is just the perfect height to catch of the stuff that have in my hands and need a place to put it.
No wimpy SCMS is anygood at that.
Nor is my tablesaw as I need it to cut stuff with.
The arm on a RAS is an excellent place to store your air and garden hoses!
Extension cords too!Do not try this at home!
I am a trained professional!
A radial arm saw has the ability to rip wood........ Just keep your butt out of the way - it throws wooden spears farther than any other machine in the shop.
yah, I was ripping some 2x one day and it thru the 2x like a spear and penetrated and stuck in a sheet of osb I had covering an exterior window.Half of good living is staying out of bad situations.
I honestly can't remember any scarey stories re: ripping material with my radial arm. Mine has a follower with little fingers (dogs) that is adjustable to the thickness of the material, and digs into anything that is trying to get away. It works well.
I have however, had the wind knocked out of me, while cutting fence post caps with my table saw! Every tool has it's strong or weak points...for dados I'd use the RAS in a heartbeat over a slide saw. The depth adjustment on a RAS is hands down more stable and accurate than the one's I've seen on the SCMS's out there.
This must be why someone coined the phrase "Different strokes for different folks."
May the wind always be at your back. Good luck.
Ya, a lot's happened over the years. I use to try stuff I wouldn't dream of attempting now. Part of the ever expanding learning curve.Half of good living is staying out of bad situations.
Have the Hitachi, and an old Rockwell 12" Radial, don't use the Rockwell much any more. Use and almost abuse the Hitachi daily. It's great! Going to get another for my helper soon. Might get the 12" though. You can't go wrong.
Brudoggie
I have a radial arm saw I would just about give you. Actually, for you Dewalt fans, it is a Dewalt 8", made the last time they were a real company. Nothing wrong with it, but it is hardly worthy of plug space.
The only ras that ever impressed me cost a hell of a lot more than you want to spend, buy the slider.
My RAS is in the hayloft of my barn to provide ballast in the event of a big windstorm. I will gladly trade it for something equally useless of similar weight.
I'll buy that (or any other DeWalt cast iron arm) RAS from anyone who doesn't want it. Free up that valuable basement space and sell it to someone who will use it
Mike Prisbylla
Why would you want that old thing?
Just curious, if you want to resell you can give me the $75 I paid about twenty years ago. If you have a really good answer you can have it.
Hmmmm....
Why DID I want that old thing? Oh yeah, I think that a well set up (which they almost never are) RAS is superior for cabinetmaking to a tablesaw. The DeWalt (pre B&D) has the best arm design and an accurate miter system. I don't own a table saw and don't really want one (read - can't afford one that suits me and have a small shop) I guess I'll get a table saw one day (they ARE better for ripping) to supplement the RAS, but I'll never give up a RAS completely. I'm looking for a better one than my old Sears. I learned to do woodworking on a RAS and am used to it.
No, I'm not looking to re-sell, but use.
If you're serious about selling, email me and I'll gladly drive from Pittsburgh.
Mike Prisbylla
PIRGERBRUCE ,
My brother-in-law bought the Hitachi 10CFS about four years ago and I used it several times prior to buying a SCM for myself. The Hitachi is a great saw although the detents are a bit on the soft side and the scales are difficult to see, as well as being somewhat cryptic. His is very accurate and performed well, however he does have a gripe; he can’t seem to get parts for it. He’s tried various different routes but all to no avail. As for myself, I ended up buying a DeWalt 12†SCM. The first one I brought home had the arbor shaft bearing mounted crooked on the shaft which made the blade wobble as a result, so I had to return it. Found one at the same store that didn’t have this problem and am very happy with the machine. It only has three-thousandths runout at the outer edge of the 12†blade. He’s used mine now a few times and is ready to sell the Hitachi and get himself a 12†DeWalt. The detents on the DeWalt are firm and numerous other features are just handier/faster than on the Hitachi, IHMO. I don’t have anything against the Hitachi, I just like the DeWalt better.
about the only thing I use my radial arm saw for since I got a compound miter is dado cuts
Just picturing a dado hangin' off a RAS sends chills up my spine, always imagine my hand cut off at the wrist.
Ken Hill
Not meaning to sound like a "know it all" or "wise guy" but I actually use both. If you have room in your shop for the radial arm then thats fine. Then you can use the scms as your "portable" machine.
However, there are advantages to the radial arm over the slider saw. For example, when cutting bird's mouths in rafters and notching studs etc, because you can raise the arm to a fixed height and it will stay there so you can stand the boards (several) on edge and make your cuts.
Thinking outside the box here, another cool thing about radial arm saws is that you can get them with some big #### blades, a heck of alot more capacity then a simple miter saw. I know that delta makes an 18" model (cat # 33-220) and maybe there is a bigger one out there.
I think alot of people (myself included) have been disappointed with the garden variety 10" ras. I think a big part of it has been the over dramatization of their capabilities and glossed over half truths about their accuracy specifically by retailers and manufacturers. Anything to make a buck, I guess.
Happy woodcutting.
I've got two boat anchors, RAS and 15" hitachi trim saw. There was a time,these things made a lot of dust, now they just seem to collect it.no turn left unstoned
Back in the 'old' days, the bigassed Dewalt (the original, not the yellow candyassed one we have now) radial arm saw was set up prominently at the jobsite.
Ken Hill
Wow, a lot of negative comments about the good ole RAS. Mine is an old Dewalt purchased new in about 1976. I love that saw. Nowdays it sits in the back of my storage unit, but I will never part with it.
Very accurate, and versatile. And I have done many a dado, building cabinets and shelves. I have ripped a few miles of material on it also. Not very portable though. Years ago, before I purchased my first portable miter saw, you might have caught me at work with that old RAS set up (without the legs) on my tailgate though!
If you go for a SCMS instead, get the Makita LS1013 10" saw. Spendy, but king of the hill in my book. Good luck.
I predict that eventually some manufacturer will get around to the idea of adding an adjustable depth setting to the CSMS [so it can do dados]. And then someone else will go a step further, add a yoke and then it will be a "Multi-Purpose Cross-Cutting Compound Sliding Miter Saw" and VIOLA - you get a Radial Arn Saw without legs!
-Peter
My slider has a depth setting for just such a purpose; Makita 1013 and others I've used do also.
I don't think you'll ever be able to do dados on a SCMS: to do dados at least 1/2 of the blade would have to pass behind the fence in order to get a flat bottomed dado. On the average SCMS you'd only get enough travel be able to cut a flat dado a few inches. Of course, you could build a SCMS with a 3' deep table; but then, of course, you'd get the same problems of precision, adjustment, and weight that troubles people with the RAS..
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
I have read, somewhere, that scms could cut dados...and one has said so here.
Can the Makita cut dados?
I have heard such negative things about the RAS before...so it is as expected...but thought I'd ask.
Thanks guys!
The L103 can cut dadoes.
I own a 10 inch B&D RAS and a Hitachi 10 inch SCMS. I have used my SCMS to cut all my framing boards; including 4X4s, 4x6s, and various sized joist stock.... vinyl siding, vinyl soffit panels...even aluminum soffit panels, all with the same factory blade attached. I have even used it to cut interior door and window trim ( after first cutting the aluminum) and as of yet, have experienced no noticeable tear-out.
You can do it all with a SCMS. It's portability is what sold me on the deal. The two, 72 tooth carbide blades that came with the deal also was a plus.
Do buy a decent stand to mount your SCMS onto. It makes a big difference. At first I mounted mine on a board resting on 2 saw horses, but later I spent a $100 and bought a STABLEMATE (made by Iowa Manufacturing) sold at my local Home Depot. This stand has 4 folding legs that when opened, are locked in place and are splayed for directional stability. The stand is 6 ft long, comes with 2 adjustable rollers, and comes with a saw mounting device. For my Hitachi, I mounted the saw to a piece of plywood and then attached this to the supplied mounting device. Simply place the saw onto the mounting rails of the stand, turn the hand cranks of the mounting device, and the saw fits tightly onto the rails in a vice like manner. I mount an 8ft, 3/8ths ply board on top of this stand and saw, screw a wood fence to it, and use this when cutting trim or vinyl or aluminum panels. A shallow kerf cut into this board allows me to keep tear-out to a minimum.
When I'm cutting normal framing, I cut the boards using a forward, pushing motion, but when cutting thin vinyl or aluminum, I pull the blade backwards through the stock.
LOL.
Davo
Lets see...My Hitachi SCMS can cut boards up to 12 inches wide. It has a depth stop that allows me to cut dadoes at any depth I set it to. I can easily cut dadoes 10 inches long...if I need a 12 inch long dado, I cut as far as the blade will allow me, then flip the board end for end and finish the cut..."PRESTO" a 12 inch long dado.
Davo