Are radial arm saws too dangerous for today's shops?

[@StumpyNubs]

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[@tredd_dude]

Let's Go LIONS!!! West Side Dude!!!

[@mcyclonegt]

I bought one for my sawstop on your recommendation. I absolutely love it.

[@Youtubeforcedmetochangemyname]

I would never think to do this stuff on my radial arm saw I like my hands

[@StraightRocketFuel]

In my experience most people grossly underestimate the risk of injuring themselves with power tools. Take it from an ER doc who sees someone with mutilated fingers a few times a month. These kind of injuries happen ALL THE TIME, even to experienced craftsman. Just last month I saw a professional cabinet maker with 20+ years experience who is now sans right index finger. Take safety seriously and never get complacent in your shop.

[@qwerty112311]

The best safety is a healthy fear of the tool.

[@custos3249]

To be fair, I can count the number of times I've been hurt by power equipment on one finger. I can count all the times I've been hurt by hand tools on 9.5

[@skilletborne]

@@qwerty112311 *respect, not fear You need to know exactly what can go wrong, how to protect against it, how to deal with the aftermath, and if you're okay with any potential outcomes. If there is any fear or doubt about what you're doing, then you're using the wrong tool or process

[@NazgulGnome]

In my experience, it's the more experienced woodworkers who end up hurt. They get complacent and lose their healthy respect for the power of the tool.

[@bandana_girl6507]

Working in an ER, luckily I haven't seen any woodworking injuries yet (probably helped by the fact that everyone around here probably knows at least one person who HAS had a major issue, so they really enforce safety), but have definitely seen similar issues from metalworking/machining.

[@bd_mayhem]

I love when you make safety-oriented videos. You have the experience to back up what you're saying, and you already blend humor with rationality without any tolerance for BS.

[@glencrandall7051]

My first piece of shop equipment was a Craftsman 10 inch Radial Arm Saw. I used it a number of years before getting a table saw. I still have it 40 years later. I never got hurt using it but there were one or two scary moments while doing something dangerous. I agree with James. It is a good saw but only if used properly. Thank you for sharing. Have a great 2024 and stay safe.🙂🙂

[@nubreed13]

Yeah when used just for cross cutting or making dados it's fine but I would never use my radial saw for rip cuts.

[@chasferr]

I keep hearing the phrase. I would never use it to rip? Where does that come from? Because it is provable that a radial arm rip is much safer than a table saw rip. The board cannot rise over the blade and grab your hand and fingers in the mean time. It has a built in riving knife and kickback pawls to stop ejection. But if it didn't you aren't standing in the path of ejection like a table saw. So how did this fear of ripping come about? Well in the, I believe 50's. A woodworker was doing a rip without the kickback pawls. The board ejected and hit and killed his son who he had standing in the path. "A no no" Well this incident was picked up by The New York Times. And off we went. Now everyone just repeats the phrase like a parrot. Now anyone should know that same thing happens on a table saw. But it doesn't make The New York Times. Ask Yourself. How many times do you see a table saw being used without a riving knife. Let alone kickback pawls. Have you ever met an old table saw user that hasn't been hit with a flying board from kickback. Amazing the power of the press.😂😂😂

[@raymondpetrovits2336]

I purchased a DeWalt radial arm saw at auction for $1.00. It was an 1960’s model in pristine condition. True it came with adapters for drilling and other crazy devices. I use it for repetitive cuts and production work. I love this saw and use it regularly. Like any power equipment you have to be aware and respectful while operating.

[@peterschunk7810]

This is good comedic relief for a dreary day. I appreciate your common sense approach to safety. Thank you James!

[@isaach1447]

Yessss!!!! Another radial arm saw trigger video! Let the battle begin!!!😝

[@papajoe5510]

Excellent video. I get customers at Rocklers every once in awhile asking about Radial arm saws. Now I have a place to send them for more information. Thanks James. Stay warm!

[@michaelshigeta5187]

This is absolutely hilarious. I really appreciate your dry sense of humor and method of instruction! Keep up the great work!

[@MrWesleyDP]

I haven't used a radial arm saw in years, but using one with my father he was clear on two things: 1) It's really good at a few things and 2) absolutely terrifying for literally anything else.

[@jonathantatler]

It made a better chop saw than anything else but still inferior to a real chop saw although the longer stroke was useful.

[@donfolstar]

*absolutely terrifying at all times, even for the things it is good at

[@mailleweaver]

I can't imagine how cross-cutting a sheet of plywood would work that way in the best-case scenario. The weight of the top portion would pinch the blade when you get most of the way through, and then the saw would try to throw the sheet across the room with you in the way.

[@dorianmorrell2725]

To be fair, the motors back then weren't nearly so powerful as they are today. Usually, the blade would bind and seize; the weight of the wood being sufficient for that. Also, we'd put a paint stirrer in the cut about half way through. But that was more to keep the cut straight than for safety. With today's motors, I'd never dare.

[@egdm1235]

Never mind what happens if you complete the cut without binding the blade? The top half of the sheet just falls over? Or are you supposed to be able to balance it on the top edge of the bottom half with your hand grip from one edge?

[@jodilea144]

@@egdm1235I was trying to picture the scenario too. A sheet of plywood is heavy enough, without attempting a balancing act, managing to keep oneself from tipping forward, onto the blade, while trying to catch the top half…🤔

[@eloscuro704]

@@jodilea144 My only serious wood working injury occurred at Home Depot. I was making kitchen cabinets and stupidly tried to get a 3/4" birch veneer sheet off a top shelf. Of course it fell on my toe, breaking it and putting me in crutches for 6 months. 25 years later, I still have a limp from that injury.

[@cyberwolf6667]

You guys are too young to understand real wood working. Back in the early 50’s the laws of physics wasn’t understood well enough yet so those laws didn’t work yet, the plywood levitated across the cut until you finished the cut. Just like the magicians and the levitating women or sawing her in half. Plus grandpa was much tougher than today’s men, put a nail thru your hand, pull it out with a claw hammer, pour salt on it and get back to work.

[@57RGilbert]

Friend told me the radial arm saw was the most dangerous machine in the shop. . . he had a shop teacher who lost a couple of fingers in class using it demonstrating some technique. Didn't stop my friend from losing his own hand to the saw.

[@bobp3738]

My shop teacher said the same thing. Sound advice. (He had all his digits.)

[@Dragon.Slayer.]

My dad wrecked his fingers on one hand while ripping fascia boards on a radial arm saw... I've never touched one since that

[@drrocketman7794]

I've used radial arm saws...

[@warrenwerks]

I’m only 27 but when my 15 year old self told my shop teacher that I’d bought a radial arm saw at a tag sale over the weekend, his eyes nearly popped out of his head. His concern was valid, thankfully I still have all 10 and that saw still lives in my parents basement instead of my shop now

[@GaryLiseo]

I've heard at least one teacher describe it as a "spinning metal deathtrap" which no one uses anymore. I had one in high school (2008-2012) and used it almost daily

[@dsmith7455]

Some good safety points here. I am one of the old guys using RAS since age 11 or so. Dad had 8" Craftsman which he replacedin the 80's with a 10" which I now own. I also bougt my own 10" in the 80s. Just tuned them both up. I have made an awful lot of cuts with the saw, crosscuts, rips (in knotty 2x lumber), bevel, mitered and mitered and beveled. Having learned what forces the cuts will put on the piece helps you place hands and push sticks , even clamps as appropriate. I routinely make pointed stakes out of ~1x2 wood for the garden. These are done freehand with a small point of the piece against the fence (not recommended!). I have a 3 blade shaper head with guard for mine, used once. A RAS will never be as precise as a table saw can be. Now in my 60's I will be buying a Sawstop table saw in the next year. As an experienced RAS user I am afraid of doing something wrong with the table saw which is also a dangerous powertool. Wodworking is a fun hobby that can be dangerous. Be careful out there!

[@leroyolson4349]

I have been a cabinet maker for 30, of the 64 years that I have been wood working. The Radial Arm Saw, as with any other tool can hurt you. You must respect it, use proper jigs, and fences, thinking that safety is first. Every time I start a power tool, rather it be a Radial Arm Saw, Table Saw, or surface Planer, I am cautious, respecting that tool, double checking my setup for the job I'm doing. I still have all my fingers, and no stitches from careless use. Respect it!

[@DarkVegetaman]

I used the radial arm saw that came with the house to work on my garage and build a new porch. It wasn’t too bad other than two times it launched a board out doing a rip cut… which makes me extremely leery of said tool. Definitely a tool you have to respect and use extreme caution around.

[@Ray-r5j9u]

I love my $30, 9 inch craftsman 1963 ras. It's the first stop for most projects. I treat all of my tools with a certain degree of fear and respect. There isn't a thing in my garage incapable of doing bodily harm. You're right about that DeWalt ras, really beautiful!

[@stewartbrennand4987]

It seems that in your family, as in mine, multi-generational lessons included a clear sense of safety. I was on my father's construction sites as soon as I was old enough to follow him there, and have since also worked in numerous factories, open pit mines, road work, forestry and surveying, retaining along the way all of my digits and a nearly perfect safety record ( a broken ankle on office stairs w hen returning from the field with icy boots was my only incident resulting in more than a bruise or scrape). Nor did a helper or associate working along side me ever fare badly. Now past my mid seventies, , the "worst case scenario" is still always considered and hopefully always avoided through careful planning. Nothing less is acceptable. As always, thanks for your serious side on this issue.

[@pattyofurniture100]

I still use my dad's old 77 craftsman ras everyday for breaking down boards from the mill into rough lengths. It's great for that purpose and I enjoy saving my nice 12" Diablo blade on the miter saw for the cuts that need to be pretty and accurate

[@Timber2Toothpicks]

OMG! I never realized why my father told me to never buy an arm saw. He was a safety supervisor for NASA. But it was all they knew back then. They truly thought it was ok to push things over the line. Build it and sell it. Nobody knew how many people were getting hurt. You did a solid presentation.

[@russbetts1467]

Thanks for this video. I have personal experience of working in engineering facilities where potentially dangerous equipment was being misused by the people working there, because workshop managers were not enforcing Safety Standards. The number of 'near misses' I observed in one month, boggles the mind. I worked for that company for 15 weeks and quit when I was accused of being a trouble maker, when I complained to the boss about safety issues and misuse of machines. He told me if I didn't like it, I could leave; so I did. I also reported the matter to the local Employment Exchange, who clearly had no idea what was going on in the company, despite the fact they were sending people there for jobs. I then reported the company to the Health and Safety Executive in England and they investigated the company, after which, the place was closed down until the management had been restructured and educated in Health and Safety Legislation. Three years later, there was a major accident there and the company got sued out of existence. Some people just never learn. Russ. Portsmouth, UK.

[@northernprepper6981]

Wouldn't they actually be near hits, if no one got hurt?

[@garymiller5937]

I certainly enjoyed the humor you injected here and there. I never used a radial arm saw but they don't look safe from a first impression! Thanks for the safety lesson Stumpy. I enjoy your videos a lot. Keep them coming please. And thank you for all of your content!! 😊😊😊

[@keithbetscher2660]

When the compound sliding miter saws came out, I sold my DeWalt radial arm saw and never looked back. I agree with everything you said. Keep up the great work.

[@davidcurtis5398]

I wish I still had the radial arm saw that we had many years ago. The picture of the cutting of the plywood is just insane!!! We had, and used< them in shop class back when I was in Junior high school, back when shop was a required class. Wow, some of the ideas for using the saw are insane. As a router, or a shapper, never!!!!! Last radial arm saw I used was at our model train club. One of the "I know it all members" was using the saw wrong, was splitting down a piece of 1 X 4 and sent it across the room and shot it into the wall about 5 inches. That was the last time he was able to use the saw.

[@tabitha2706]

We had radial arm saws in our high school woodshops back in the early 80's. I loved it and uses the heck out of it for what it did well: crosscuts, dadoes, rabbits and the like. Even miter cuts. It was perfect for those operations and I look back on it fondly. Just like with anything, the right tool, used for the correct operation, used correctly

[@falxonPSN]

You guys used to cut rabbits on them? Really? Seems like it'd be really messy.

[@tabitha2706]

How do you think we got all the rabbit foot charms we used to carry everywhere? 😂

[@jodilea144]

@@tabitha2706I just got the craziest image in my head of a bunny being held down on the table for foot removal…it shouldn’t be funny…😁😁😁

[@mrcryptozoic817]

Elmer Fudd - "I'm goin' ta cut me a wabbit'.

[@johnhaller5851]

​@@falxonPSNI cut 45 degree rabbits to put a deck railing which blocked the view from the street. Lots of 1x4 were placed into that railing. Luckily, I only borrowed the radial arm saw from a friend, so my only souvenir is a radial arm saw dado blade. It was, of course, the middle blade at an angle dado blade, because, why not.

[@brockwaymt]

I've used those ancient 16" DeWalt radial arm saws at several employers. One saw was from the 1940s I believe. They look scary but they are relatively not scary to use (as far as saws go). In proper working condition they are rock solid, butter smooth, and super powerful. They cut anything in their path but in a predictable fashion. The most dangerous part is they have no blade brake so it spins for several minutes after you shut it off. A $50 Black & Decker circular saw scares me more than those big old radial arm saws. The low dollar, sheetmetal homeowner radial arm saws from the 70s & 80s are a little more hazardous in my opinion due to their light weight. But properly used they are a great crosscut tool for long stock. In my area you can almost always find them on craigslist for $25-$50.

[@troystallard6895]

I worked for a set building company in Hollywood many years ago, and we had one of those old monster radial arm saws for cross cutting. It would smoothly cut through anything you put in front of the blade, because its own weight would carry it on through once you started it moving. One of our bosses (who should've stuck to office work) came out one day to cut up a few small pieces of wood for some home project, and turned the motor around so the blade was cutting up instead of down. Two of us tried to warn him, and it just pissed him off. On about the second or third piece he cut, the blade grabbed a chunk of wood and flung it into his hand. I still remember him running in circles in the parking lot holding his hand, and whining nonstop like an oversized puppy. Our other boss finally managed to corral him, stuff him into a car, and take him to the E.R. That was the only time I ever saw that old saw bite someone. But one of my co-workers was ripping 1x12's into 1x3's on our table saw, and took two of his fingers off. Months later, he quietly admitted to me he had smoked a joint during lunch, and just spaced out..

[@vicf5726]

Bought into the hype, small shop needed something that did everything DOH! well first kick back whilst ripping scared me, then fitted the scariest spindle moulder fitting I have ever used the noise alone said 'come on give me your hand now' sold it after a kick back went through the garage door, yeh I was in-experienced, wished I had seen this content first, but then I am talking thirty years ago, still got all my appendages ( so far) best of luck and happy new year.

[@fredburban8219]

Nice video, I remember my 1st shop set up with a Craftsman table saw & radial arm saw, both as marketed for a complete shop. I still have my radial arm saw but it is best used to hold my coffee cup (since it has a wood top) and sanders as I sand projects. I had a piece of wood kick out once while making wine glass racks. Since then only for cross cuts. I must say my sliding compound miter is a Cadillac compared to a model T. Thank you again for your fine videos.

[@k1992boone]

I was going through some wood working books and found my Dad’s Dewalt 1965 Radial Arm Saw, “Newest Ways to Expert Woodworking”, revised and expanded. It’s full of bad ideas to do on a radial arm saw. It scares a person to look at the dumb ideas they had. Keep up with these great videos.

[@crxess]

In order to have what we have today, we had to be willing to start with an Idea. That first vision rarely ever becomes the end product. I'm 70yrs. old, a Great Grandfather(several times over) and Boy did you jump back in time. Back well before I even reached middle school and my first shop class. The Radial Arm Saw progress over time. Most of the attachments were discontinued and the Safety recommendations took priority in the first pages of the owner/operators manual. Unfortunately, just like the 3 wheeled ATV, Corvair(and Pinto), and most firearms, there are people that just ignore basic Safety and others that feel anything that can be used unsafely - Should not exist. I did not even know, until a decade later, Sears had put out a Recall on all their Craftsman Radial Arm Saws. Basically - Cut the Power Cord at the Motor, take a Picture of the Cutoff and Sears would issue a $100 Credit. *Well, the Recall has long since expired and I decided I wasn't about to discard a perfectly good tool I know how to use. You a right about - Way Back When..... But so will be the people 50/100 years into our future. Take Care.

[@norm5785]

Thank you for sharing this with us today. They have a place, to be used by someone who has learned to use. Everyone stay safe, warm, happy and healthy. From Henrico County Virginia

[@burntsider8457]

I've had three RA saws in my various shops over the years. I'm down to one that I use for crosscutting long workpieces. I occasionally rip with it when I have my TS set for dados or some precise cut that I'll be repeating. I've used it for dados with a stack set but I take only shallow bites. For vary small pieces, I'll trap the workpiece with a jig to keep my hands away from the blade. I don't use it for bevel or miter cuts anymore since I got a miter way. A good tool that needs to be respected and should be asked to do only what's safe with it. As with any power tool.

[@fcschoenthal]

I remember using my dad's Craftsman in ways that I can't imagine doing today. Of course there are a lot of things that I did back then that I probably shouldn't have gotten away with. 😁 - Chris

[@justinharper6909]

As a safety inspector in Germany, I can give some numbers about reported accidents from 2023 (January - November): 38.902 accidents with table saws, 5.444 accidents with planers, 8.612 accidents with moulders, 812 accidents with miter saws/radial arm saws. Of course table saws are more common as well, but if you calculate it down to hours in professional shops, you are around 85 times more likely to suffer from a cut on a table saw than from a miter/radial arm saw.

[@SteamCrane]

Either not many people use radial arm saws, or they are so obviously dangerous that people are careful with them.

[@sapelesteve]

Great video on safety in the shop James! ALL tools & woodworking machinery can be extremely dangerous if not used correctly. Always think safety first and never ever perform any shop procedure that you feel unsafe about!

[@dutchwalters4450]

Radial arm saws are definitely a tool of the past. I owned a Craftsman from 1972 to 2020. It needed constant adjustment, I made one rip cut (yes just one), I purchased the Craftsman 3 wing molding set ( still use it on my table saw - not very often). Smartest thing I ever did was to take it to the dump and get a compound sliding miter. Why the dump - because in 2020 I did not want to be arrested for assault or murder, it had a better home away from any woodworker I know. The BOW system is as good as it gets. There is also a hold fast for resawing on the band saw. All of the tools in the group are definitely worth purchasing. Thanks for a "fun" video, keep up the good work James.

[@georgeallen3547]

I used one when I started work as a sign maker. Used to cut perspex panels. Great saw.

[@collinsganson5115]

My Dad bought a Sears radial arm saw in about 1960. He also purchased a shaper set for it, however, I'm pretty sure he never used the bits. When I inherited the radial arm saw I tried using it without injuring myself, which wasn't easy, and eventually bought an old Sears table saw, which I tweaked with a good fence and new smaller sheave and link belt. I still use it today. I have used the shaper set on the table saw, however it's still a little scary. Thanks for this video. I had no idea they tried to get people (probably including my Dad) to believe they could do all this crazy stuff.

[@Techreux]

Learned how to use a RAS in 'H.S. shop in '71. I ended up doing a lot of plywood.. mostly ripping and crosscutting. I DID do a 45 degree crosscut fairly often.. and did a 45 deg. rip.. just like the picture showed on this video ONE TIME. I always found that keeping the RAS "true" was a great challenge.. and it was worse with some units than others - and not always by manufacturer! One thing I had beaten into my head from the shop days was: KNOW WHERE YOUR HANDS AND FINGERS ARE.. AT ALL TIMES. I even used a Dado blade to crosscut dados for book shelves. It was an amazing tool to me, but vastly prefer the contemporary Miter Saw, table saw and router table for all the "scary" stuff I used to do on the RAS. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

[@michaelkeating635]

Love this video! I can't believe that manufacturers actually encouraged some of those stupid cuts you showed in the video. I learned on my Dad's Craftsman RAS and inherited it when he passed. Also got his Delta table saw so I only use the Craftsman for rip cuts. As a dentist I need to be super respectful of these tools and the damage they can do. I enjoyed the humor in this video and went back and watched the previous one. Was quite surprised at all the harsh commentary...James was just trying to state the fact about these machines and boy, can people get defensive in a hurry!!!

[@douglasclerk2764]

I was once told that the most dangerous part of a car is the nut that holds the wheel. The same probably applies to the workshop.

[@kevchard5214]

Very true.

[@jodilea144]

Indeed!

[@illwerral]

I dunno... I've often thought the most dangerous part of my car was the nut driving the car behind me 😂

[@starboard9551]

Only if they aren't tightened or if some are missing. The nut itself can hold the weight of multiple vehicles without issue though, so it's actually probably the safest mechanical piece on your car. I mean when's the last time your wheel randomly fell off? Only if you didn't put it on right.

[@jrclark222]

We used my dad’s RAS to make wheel wells on skateboard blanks in the late 70’. Put the blank against the fence, turn the blade sideways and pull it towards you through the material to make a round bottomed groove. We had no problems but it freaks me out to think about it today.

[@eloscuro704]

That sounds absolutely insane. Then again, when I was a teenager in the 80's, I rode a ten speed down San Augustin pass - a drop from 5,700 feet to about 4,000. As fast as I was going, I wanted to go faster. So I put that 10 speed into top gear and peddled as hard as I could. At one point, I was able to get into the car lane on highway 70 and not get passed by cars. And from riding in other peoples cars, traffic going downhill is at least 65 MPH. Of course, I wasn't wearing a helmet or anything like that. Because: teenager. What could possibly go wrong riding an 80's ten speed at over 60 MPH with car traffic?

[@johnrussell4861]

Grew up with my dad's Dewalt he bought new in '55, still have it and use it for cross cuts. Couldn't imagine, then or now, doing some of those things with it. I try to be very cautious around it and give it a lot respect. Sketchiest thing we did with it was using the sanding disk with a 4x4 block as the "table".

[@richpeggyfranks490]

Thanks for a great info-taining video. I hope folks don't misconstrue your meaning. I worked in a cabinet shop that had a RAS locked at 45 deg for cutting miter corners. It was NEVER moved from that setting. I rarely used it, but it always gave me the "willies" when I used it.

[@davidlyons7238]

Another great video .I have and use a radial arm saw . Its great for cross cuts. Those pictures of cutting a sheet of plywood are what night mares are made of . Thanks entertaining and informative .

[@rickcunnion881]

Bought a Craftsman RAS in 1986. Used it for all kinds of home projects and I still have all my fingers. Watched your earlier video on RAS and thought huh? wha? a negative hook blade for RAS? Way more expensive than a Harbor Freight table saw blade but... I bought one and can say you are right! You should start all future videos with a PSA to put only neg rake blades on RAS and sliding miter saws. I thank you and my fingers thank you.

[@vernhart]

Just last week I got around to dismantling my Craftsman radial arm saw. I didn’t avail of the $50 recall because that 2.5 hp motor is useful but I chucked the rest of it. It’s so nice to reclaim that space in my little shop.

[@cyberwolf6667]

I just commented on your old video about this when I watched your wearing gloves and power tool video. Watching this gave me a big smile. It’s 7 degrees out today in Columbus,Ohio and I needed a good laugh Safty equipment was made because someone had to get seriously hurt by the tool, common sense doesn’t always work, enjoy the craft and be smart doing it.

[@jstan7311]

The absolute most dangerous woodworking tool. The first one I owned worked well, but almost every task exposed you to some exposure to a large part of the blade. I appreciate you wanting to bring your family’s historical tool into your shop, I have tools that belonged to my grandfather, but do yourself a favor and cut the cord off of it! Thank you for your informative videos.

[@edwardgonfindini7295]

When I was 14 ish I was dreaming of a radial arm saw just like a red Ryder bb gun! A few years later I got a used craftsman and built some neat things. I was always Leary of some of the proposals I saw on attachments. I had often wondered whether this was more useful than the table saw? When I got my first job in a millwork shop I was amazed to see 10 table saws and one huge DeWalt overarm saw! Reality hit. I will say this though, I built a set of decorative oak angled stake racks for my El Camino with interlocking lap joints. The craftsman was great because the one thing a miter saw cannot do is hold a depth and that operation was safer than a table saw.

[@billhart2746]

I sold my dad's 36 inch radial arm saw asap. One is was way too big for my basement but with the sliding miter saws the radial arm saws are dinosaurs

[@eileencollins3126]

When I was married and we were building a house, we had a radial arm saw, and I loved using it, but never imagined using it in some of these ways!

[@scottakam]

People were tougher back then. That's what my uncle "Three Finger Tony" told me anyway!

[@chuckschillingvideos]

They were certainly smarter. And didn't expect others to prevent them from doing dangerous things nor did they expect to be indemnified against their own stupidity.

[@Yakomoe]

Modern man is moronic.

[@benjaminbrewer2154]

Thanks for the new ideaa. Never dreamed of using a RAS as a sander. Probably should dig up that manual for other creative ideas.

[@61rampy65]

Way back in 7th-8th grade (1966-67) I learned how to use a radial arm saw in shop class. I always called it a Radar Alarm saw. Sadly, I don't remember anything about it other than I liked to use it. Years later I wondered why I don't see them anymore, and your excellent and funny video explains why. BTW, nobody got hurt in our class!

[@Charon-5582]

The woodshop at the highschool I went to had one. They only used it to rough cut lumber like a chop saw. The teacher showed us the old manuals and told us not to do any of it.

[@toche207]

If the intent of this video was to make my skin crawl, well done because it did!!

[@tonybaggett1984]

Love my Radial Arm. It’s a huge Delta 240 volt 12 in blade just like Norm’s. Love using it for cross cuts and repeatable dados/ lap joints. It can make some cuts that are difficult to impossible using any other tool. It’s the commercial grade so it can do angles without falling out of tune. It also takes up less space than most sliding miter saw and can be bought for a song. However I would never use it for anything shown in this video.

[@TheThriftyWoodworker]

Love my DeWalt RAS. I use it for cross cuts and with a dado to make 1/2 lap joints. Absolutely nothing else. I can’t imagine using it for anything else. Great video.

[@jonathanrodley4986]

I picked up a Dewalt Powershop RAS for my workshop two years ago at auction for £75 (about $95). I've turned it on about three times, the first to make sure the motor worked, and twice to cross cut larger pieces than my mitre saw could manage. Each time I ended up going with the tracksaw instead because it just didn't feel safe. I value my fingers so much more.

[@DiHandley]

Happy new year. You never fail to provide cleverly written and humorous content about woodworking subjects. Very enjoyable to watch. P.S. I have one of those DeWalt radial arm saws. It always scared me. I love my table saw!!

[@tommythompson6278]

I donated mine to my brother in law who was very happy to have it. He worked framing and drywall for 40+ years and he knows how to use it safely.

[@TrapDoorWoodworks]

One of the shops I worked in had a big 16" DeWalt radial arm saw that was used for most of the cross cutting in the shop. It was pretty insane cutting 2" frame stock on that monster! Like you were saying, it was fixed at 90° - not sure if it was welded there, but it was not adjustable. I'm guessing it was from the 40's, but may have been a bit newer. Some of the machines there were from the turn of the century, and converted to electric motors (originally ran on overhead belts). Even with a 90º cut they could be dangerous. They have a tendency to climb on top of the wood if you didn't have full control. They were a nightmare for the new guys! The place also had an Oliver 24" jointer. That was a scary machine to operate!

[@billoxley5315]

Had a 16 in. Dewalt motor bearing completely come apart while sawing platestock. Tore off the stop at the end of the arm and landed about 10 ft. behind me on the ground. Needed clean shorts after that. It mangled its way through 4 or 5 2by 4 on the way out.

[@Kurt-the-Electrician]

4:08 “Goodbye panel, hello hooks for hands.” 😂 -Dying laughing-

[@TehButterflyEffect]

My dad used to have a craftsman radial arm saw, but it was a rip saw and I don't think you could adjust it to do all those crazy things. You could change the blade angle but that's about it. It wasn't any more dangerous than a table saw. It was probably less dangerous because anything that shot out of it gets shot away from you instead of toward you. It was, however, extremely useful for dadoing and was probably the safest dado tool you could ever have used.

[@dobrovik]

I was watching a lot of Frank Howarth radial arm saw videos and lusted for one; I found a liquidation and got 2. After about 60 minutes of runtime I was already listing them on craigslist and couldn't get them gone fast enough. It takes one climb cut gone wonky to convince someone like me the hard way that a mitre saw was what I really needed all along

[@dorianmorrell2725]

50+ years ago, a piece of angle iron braced between the arm and the floor joist for the floor above (basement workshop) prevented that climb. As did a sharp blade and, like Stumpy said, lots of adjusting and tightening. Not to say the thing was ever safe, but safety is an illusion - there are only degradations of "safe" - and we did what we had to with the tools available.

[@RinoaL]

I'll probably have to start using my radial arm saw for crosscuts because I can't keep using my tablesaw for it. Got my hand once and took a month for the bone to heal. For the radial arm saw I should be able to add clamps to hold the work piece down, and maybe even maybe the arm auto-feed with a screw drive so I just press a button and stand back.

[@1873Winchester]

Very interesting video Stumpy, particularly the bit about the odds! Now I don't have a piggly wiggly in my country so I reckon what you're saying is it's safe for me to use all these techniques!

[@edeyden1326]

I was given a radial arm saw. Once I set it up, which took foreverto get it accurate, I can attest to the inaccuracy of moving the saw to different positions and then back again. This was a top notch Craftsman saw too After using it once or twice, I packed it back up and gave it away. Thank god I never used the machining head for raised panels. It looked too scary to even use!!

[@rthomas42069]

Love the videos still watching after a few years

[@davidwilliams1060]

Thanks, that was fun. Glad I never owned one since Murphy’s Law gets me too often. My worst shop injury was from a sanding disc- seemed relatively harmless but a slight touch removed a wide area of skin that took months to heal.

[@gmmeier321]

I still have my Craftsman RAS that my dad bought for me as a high school graduation gift. It was used and was older than me at the time. Still running strong at 65 years old. They made things to last back then.

[@garyboughton2386]

Kid of the early 1950s. I have cut many raised panels with a radial Arm saw. The panel lays flat, not like a table saw where it's vertical. Not a big fan of the shaper blades for the Radial, but it works just like a shaper. There was not a lot of machinery available. If you were lucky maybe the local hardware store had one you could actually look at. If your town had a large? Sears Store was one of the best stores to see woodworking equipment. My worst accidents were from a table saw. A finger hanger and a head wound. Head wound? Yes, when I was 5 years old, I was with my father, a builder; he had a table saw with extensions at a house he was building. I was very proud to show my father that I could hang from the extensions. I ran to get him, ran to the saw extension, but this time a little farther out, and it tipped off the base and fell on my head. (Still suffering from effects). Blead all over my father's new 1955 Chevy Pick Up. And, did he catch H??L from my mother. I always had fun with my father, even after he bought a stone-crushing plant.

[@Temachyotl33]

My dad who was a master carpenter for over 40 years. He always said that you could tell someone's intelligence in the trade by how many fingers they still had.

[@dutch1777real]

My friend and I recently got a DeWalt 3 horsepower radial arm saw with a 14-inch blade. 240V. We already have a 10 inch half horsepower Craftsman. The Dusty Lumber Company channel uses his big radial in a lot of videos. He often takes small bites/passes at a time and doesn't just try and go right through on a 4 inch deep pass. Also you have to rember you push the wood into the blade. Never with the blade. As far as sketchy stuff, I'd like do planing of rough planks, boards, logs... in various ways, but probably in small bites, once again. Some saws have a built-in place on the back of the motor for drill arbor. Then you can chuck in a router planing bit. Or just pass the blade over the rough board. Or use a dado blade.

[@drskvch5768]

Just remove your saw fence, tip it on i's side and break down some sheet goods.. in a suite and tie... with no dust collection! Crazy video, but that's how is used to be. Please everyone just be safe there really is no reason not to. Keep them coming Stumpy.

[@frankdesantis452]

I, like you, grew up with a radial arm saw, a dewalt as a matter of fact. The old cast iron arm with the AMF tag on it. I digress. I think they are wonderful for simple cross cuts and I used it extensively for simple cross cuts before I bought my first miter saw. We had the shaper attachment which was never used for all the obvious reasons. I did find the saw very easy to use for crosscut and dados. Alas, it now sits in a storage container because the wood shop that I lease space from does not allow them. Doh! Thanks for all the great videos.

[@sockmonkey4484]

When I first got into woodworking, I was gifted an early sixties Craftsman RAS and I used it for a year or two. I remember it had amazing bearings and no brake, so it took over a minute to spin down after shutting it off. I was very happy to replace that demon with a miter saw as soon as I could afford it.

[@swohs100]

I'm 73; I bought a Rockwell Delta 10" saw when I was 21 from J.C. Penny. I agree with you; other than cross cutting and edge sanding, they suck. Adjustment was always a pain. I do know a house builder that uses one on the job for cross cutting cutting 2x's.

[@HighWealder]

Had a RAS for many years and built loads of cupboards etc without problem. When the motor burnt out I got a 12in chop saw, couple of months later it cut half way through my left index finger when it dragged a piece of wood in!

[@CNKXU1]

Very amusing/terrifying, I love the references to the old TV shows. I picked up an old DeWalt radial arm saw recently but I just might clean it up and sell it.

[@scottparkin4439]

I picked up two identical 1980s-vintage Craftsman radial arm saws several years ago for no cost (one to use; one for parts) and I use it regularly for straight cuts and dadoes; arm never swings and arbor never tilts (though I might be willing to swing the arm if strong need arose). Setting depth for a dado is wonderful, and seeing the entire cut clearly calms my troubled heart. That may be under-utilizing the tool, but I'm content and have had fewer near-misses with the radial arm than with my table saw. FWIW.

[@kimgardner4464]

i agree with everything you said. it is a great tool IF used correctly.

[@wayner806]

Never operated a RAS but I was born in ‘71 and I do have memories of 3-5 years old and steering the wheel while sitting in dad’s lap as he drove down the highway. I was driving 5-10 miles on my own when I was 2nd and 3rd grade. We did a lot of unsafe things back then!

[@bmwtravel1100]

in honor of this video I just rip sawed some 1" pine on my (47 year old) Dewalt radial arm. Set the guards and anti-kickback just like the manual says. Used a push stick and stood off to one side just like always. Smooth as ball bearings! However, I will never again use the shaper head/knives on this thing. I have some gorgeous cabinet doors I made on this saw, but it scared me good! ANYTHING with a 2+ horsepower motor and sharp teeth demands your undivided attention and a be-safe attitude.

[@trentthompson2928]

My father in law had one, still in his shop. He only used it as a chop saw to cut long thin boards to size. He had made a long “table” to handle 10’ boards. 220 plug for that beast.

[@johnwhitehead3685]

This was a great video! I bought a brand new Craftsman Radial Arm Saw in 1978 and I still have it sitting in my shop. It hasn't even been plugged in for about three years, every since I got my sliding compound miter saw. But I used it a lot for many years. Probably the scariest thing I used it for, which I did a lot, was using a wobble dado to make half-laps for cabinet fronts. It worked great, but looking back I can't believe that I was OK with having this sharp 6" diameter cutting tool wobbling at 3200 RPM inches from my hand. And no guard, either! The regular saw blade guard wouldn't fit over it, so the entire tool was spinning with nothing covering it. I still have a planer tool attachment, too. I've never used it but the idea was that you turn the arbor so it was perpendicular to the table, then this disk with something like small jointer blades on it, fastens to the arbor. You could then pass the wood under this to flatten it. I never had the nerve to try it.

[@ropable]

Re that horizontal sawing technique: is the work piece not going to pinch the blade immediately after the halfway point?

[@johnfithian-franks8276]

Hi, I have a radial saw in my shed, and I use it to make dados in wood because I live in the UK and the authorities will not allow table saws to have a spindle that can carry a dado blade. I find it very safe to use but I would never use it in the way that manual suggests.

[@robw2379]

Oh God, please do a segment about Shop Smith Mark V. Those seem like the craziest, most underpowered and dangerous tools, but they have a nearly cult-like following.

[@stevenboelke6661]

Our shop in school had a radial arm saw, but we only used it for crosscuts. Even then, we were taught that it was one of the most dangerous tools in the shop.

[@J.A.Smith2397]

N now I need to check out those gather boards. You've never let me down with a tool recommendation, you n James Wright sold me on Richter chisels n wood owl bits, you with wood cutters wonder. You stay with solid dependable quality tool specs n recommendations!!! Tks blue

[@itsamindgame9198]

The first half of a tummy tuck! Brilliant.

[@QualityRecord]

When I was younger I had to have a RAS. Once I got one, it scared the crap out of me. I got a shaper set. I called it "The whirling blades of death". Never had the guts to try it. Later sold the RAS for a fraction of what I bought it for.

[@dremein]

As a long time radial saw owner and user, I gotta agree. If you do dumb things with a power tool you can inflict serious damage to yourself. On the other hand if your careful you can do a lot of things with a radial arm saw, or most power tools, even a table saw. 🙂

[@johnnylightning1491]

I have a radial arm saw and 2 table saws, all of the Craftsman so they're not great but OK. I find myself using the radial arm saw more than the table saws because of the ease of cross cutting long boards which I do alot. That said I use my table saws when I need to do finer work or work on smaller pieces. It all comes down to the right tool for the job. Keep the good stuff coming.

[@danrogers4617]

I still use my RAS with a wobble blade. It does not feel completely safe, but it works so well for quick rabbits or dados.

[@stanleyone5222]

Our father brought home a Sears Radial Arm 10" home in the late 60's, my brother and I would use it occasionally. We found out quickly that the motor/blade would "run-back" way too often. We kept that saw for years and made a few nice projects. The one thing in their favor they make a good crosscut-dado for shelving. Later on, there was a $100 buy back for the motor assembly, which he took advantage of. I salvaged the metal base and turned into a router table. Prior to this, mid 80's found a 12" Black&Decker/Dewalt for $100, still have that here, but rarely use that machine. Not easy to keep them square, but mine is fine and ready to go. I did read a old catalog with all the crazy setups -- without hold down devices, whoa, what were they thinking!! We never tried standing-up-plywood ploy - yikes!

[@garychaiken808]

Very scary. Good job. Thank you 😊

[@qapla]

Thanks for this video. I remember all those crazy things they said you could do with a RAS. I bought Craftsman 10" RAS in the early 1970's ... still have it. In fact, when I bought a 12" miter saw, I did NOT by the sliding one since I have the RAS. I don't use it often, but I still use it for when I need to cut boards that are too wide for my miter saw. There are a few other things I find it does easier than my table saw. I have never had an accident with my RAS, not even a close call - but then, I do not do those crazy things they said it could do. My dad, however, lost two fingers to a jointer/planer and a friend lost some of his digits to a table saw. I l also know some who have incurred serious injuries with the band saw. All power tools are dangerous if you don't follow safety protocol.

[@lewisbyerly9831]

I have a table saw, jointer, planer, lathe, shaper and bench top sanders but when someone comes in to work with me the tool I warn them about the most is the band saw because it doesn't look dangerous and complacency will lose you a finger faster than anything.

[@jimrosson6702]

Wow never knew that the advertisement for a radial arm saw suggested you do some of these things . Thanks for sharing as always

[@kenbrown2808]

yep, used a few radial arm saws in the past - for repetitive cross cutting of longish stock.