Compound miter saw or radial arm saw or both?

[Cabin Fever]

I have has a radial arm saw for many years. I am getting a brand new compound miter saw from my employer as a retirement gift. Do I need both? I am thinking of selling my radial arm saw.

Another way of phrasing my question is, is there anything a radial arm saw can do that a compound miter saw cannot do?

 

[Neb]

I have has a radial arm saw for many years. I am getting a brand new compound miter saw from my employer as a retirement gift. Do I need both? I am thinking of selling my radial arm saw.

Another way of phrasing my question is, is there anything a radial arm saw can do that a compound miter saw cannot do?

Rip boards lengthwise.
Dado head to cut notches.
Molding head cut molding
Pivot the angle with carrige locked to do a concave depresion.
Sanding disk you have a sander
Cock blade at an angle to create raised panels.

I have th types of saws and if I had give up one I would keep the radial arm saw.

Ben

 

[Bacpacker]

Good list Neb.
If it were me I'd keep both.

 

[Weedygarden]

Good list Neb.
If it were me I'd keep both.

Me, too. If you have a two step project you are working on, both can be set and left and then all cuts will be the same. I do this with my cordless and old corded drill. Use both and while one has one thing set, the other has another. Do you have an issue with space?

 

[SheepDog]

I would trade the miter saw for a table saw.

 

[SLADE]

I hate radial arm saws.

 

[joel]

I have both & I used the compound miter saw more than any saw, then the table saw & band saw.

 

[Neb]

I hate radial arm saws.

Why

 

[SLADE]

I consider them antiquated and dangerous.

 

[Bacpacker]

The radial has its use. And like Weedy pointed out, being able to run 2 set ups at once

 

[backlash]

Radial arm saws are the number 1 thumb remover in a woodshop or were at one time. I was going to replace my radial arm saw with a sliding compound saw but they need to be set pretty far from the wall because of the sliding rails plus they are expensive.
Getting one free like you are would push me to replace it.
I actually have my nonsliding miter saw and my radial arm saw mounted on the same bench in line with each other so I can use either one.
Around here very few people want old radial arm saws, they buy sliding saws and you just about can't give the old saws away.
I can do anything a radial arm saw can do with my other machines but I have it so I just keep it.
I count my finger before I start the saw and again when I turn it off just to make sure.

 

[joel]

They are, but I worked for a professional woodworker for 36 months in the 90's & used one for rough cuts. Never had a problem using it in the whole time I worked for the Fine woodworker, cabinet & Furniture shop. If you follow the rules, it is easy work, his five horse table saw scared me more.
I saw a man all but lose his thumb at the hand/ bottom joint, he was rushed to hospital, I got to clean the clear jelly off the table saw, no blood, just a clean fast cut. They saved the hand & in six weeks he was back to work.

 

[SLADE]

I have a 5 hp table saw that has a power feed.
My hands never go near the blade.
I also have a radial arm saw in storage as an interesting antique.

 

[Bacpacker]

Like any power tool, hand tools for that matter, first thing is SAFETY. There are no exceptions.

 

[Cabin Fever]

Rip boards lengthwise.
Dado head to cut notches.
Molding head cut molding
Pivot the angle with carrige locked to do a concave depresion.
Sanding disk you have a sander
Cock blade at an angle to create raised panels.

I have th types of saws and if I had give up one I would keep the radial arm saw.

Ben

Thanks, Ben (Neb). I think I will sell my radial arm saw.
I can rip boards and use a dado on my table saw.

How do you use a sanding disk on either saw?

 

[Cabin Fever]

I would trade the miter saw for a table saw.

I have already have a table saw and band saw.

 

[joel]

I have a 5 hp table saw that has a power feed.
My hands never go near the blade.
I also have a radial arm saw in storage as an interesting antique.

I am thinking about getting a 5hp power feed table saw, because it is safer then standard table saw.

 

[SLADE]

How do you use a sanding disk on either saw?

You can buy a sanding disk for a table saw.

 

[joel]

At one time craftsman tool company had shaper bits for table saw.

 

[Neb]

Thanks, Ben (Neb). I think I will sell my radial arm saw.
I can rip boards and use a dado on my table saw.

How do you use a sanding disk on either saw?

It is a disk the radius of a saw blade but very thick that you could attach sand paper to and use like a disk sander. It took about 3 minutes to spin down.

Ben

 

[backlash]

At one time craftsman tool company had shaper bits for table saw.

I have a set that has never been used.

 

[Neb]

I have a set that has never been used.

I have a set that has been used.

Ben

 

[LadyLocust]

The only thing I might add is depending upon the saw(s) is the price and availability of the blades. A few of the brands use specific or "specialized" blades which can be a pain. Probably not an issue, but might just keep it in mind.

 

[hashbrown]

Miter box for me if it can do 6" cuts

 

[Cabin Fever]

You can buy a sanding disk for a table saw.

It is a disk the radius of a saw blade but very thick that you could attach sand paper to and use like a disk sander. It took about 3 minutes to spin down.

Ben

I had no idea that one could purchase a sanding disc for a table saw. I have always used a table top sander like the one below....

 

[UrbanHunter]

My thinking about tools and guns, I have never sold one that I didn't regret it later....


But that's just me.