On Second thought......

Another convert… come on over to the RAS side!

-- Brian, Lebanon PA, If you aren’t having fun doing it, find something else to do.

Compound mitre saws have their place, usually on a building site or weighing down a lobster pot. Welcome to the brave new world of the Radial arm. Obviously these comments were made with tongue planted firmly in cheek for all the CMS fans out there, i wouldn,t really use one on a building site. :-)

-- if the hand is not working it is not a pure hand

kiwi,

LOL, I was more stating how my perceptions before really using the RAS vs the reality of the RAS once I used it allot. The CMS still has its place in the shop however the lesser role planned for the RAS is changing. ;)

-- //FC - Round Rock, TX - "Experience is what you get just after you need it"

Yeah I actually do like them, but it was a slow day and I was just trying to a fight, can,t believe nobody reacted. Oh well .

-- if the hand is not working it is not a pure hand

I’ve been pretty anxious to swap CMS for RAS one of these days for the greater capacity. Is there a downside? Is there an upside to the CMS I’m not seeing? I didn’t realize there was a debate here. I got the CMS because it cost a lot less than an RAS.

-- Gary, Los Angeles, video game animator

dang ive always used kiwis to weight down my pots ! lol in my opinion each saw has its place . i gave up my ras some years back to gain space , i do miss it quite often

Hi sIKE;

What was once a very prominent disagreement among woodworkers, has certainly dwindled by the invent of the CMS.

Many woodworkers had no table saw, as they felt the RAS was a safer, and with the available attachments, a more versatile tool as well. I spent a number of years early on in that camp.

Unfortunately, Sears in particular, switched from a cast iron track, which was very well machined, to a pressed steel track that more often than not couldn’t cut a straight crosscut.

There are dead on accurate commercial Radial Arm Saws, but they tend to be out of the price range for most of us.

In addition to this, they do take up a considerable amount of space, and certainly aren’t portable. The CMS offers some of the main features of the RMS, yet are job site friendly.

It’s been more than ten years since I had a radial saw, and I rarely miss it.

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

I got this one on the cheap and I have only used it for 90 degree cross cuts and at this point has seemed to stay dead on for me. When I change the blade I do have to realine it though.

Agreed on not being portable. But if I were to drop the money on a top of the line CMS/SCMS I wouldn’t take it out in the field any how. I have an older B&D 8 1/2” CMS that is used for carpentery and don’t hesitate to chunk it in to back of my without any reguards to its welfare. >:)

-- //FC - Round Rock, TX - "Experience is what you get just after you need it"