I do not have a table saw, and I built my bench work with a miter saw and a circular saw. I had the lumber yard rip my plywood. Cost me 50 cents for each cut. I have no other use for a table saw and I prefer to die with the 10 fingers that I was born with. And I would never ever buy any kind of used power saw, since there is no idea of how it has been treated over time by the other owner.
After my step dad gave up using power tools, I couldn’t give his RAS away. It was practically new, with extra tables for each side.
I think my sister gave it to a neighbor.
Mike.
Thanks for all the good information!
I think I’ll go with the Mitre.
That is the one feature of the track saw, but as a profesional carpenter I can be just as accurate with a circular saw, 8’ level, and two good clamps.
Sheldon
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I just got rid of mine and replaced it with a simple miter saw after this injury, and then reading about how insanely dangerous a radial arm saw can be.
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Yes… I had gloves on, no the blade did not get me, this is a compression injury.
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-Kevin
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Unfortunately, only industrial models from the Original Saw Company seem to be currently available new.
I have had my Craftsman radial arm saw for 40 years now and it’s great. I have no need for a table saw as the RAS does just about everyt
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The router was my Dad’s favorite tool for wood joining. I never used it for joints, and I am not good with a router yet… but I am getting practice.
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-Kevin
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A very useful tool for cutting plywood is an 8-foot aluminum channel (architectural grade, straight, lightweight).
It can be clamped in place to act as a guide for Makita circular saw or Bosch jig saw. Can also be used as guide for router with straight bit to clean up long freehand cuts made with jig saw; a kind of portable jointer. Edges as clean and straight as table saw.
Robert
But tools are only as good as the user. When I moved from one coast to the other I gave up my Delta table saw (it was on steady loan as I had a unused basement). Once on west coast I picked up a Hirsh table saw, never bought a better one even though I could have for cheap, and yes I rebuilt houses as part of my work and at times needed precision work like when I rebuilt furniture.
I’ve only heard my British wife refer to carpenter as a “joiner”. They never taught us that word back in wood shop jr high and high school.
The one I bought was a Dewalt, and I don’t remember paying anything even close to that amount. But then, that was over 40 years ago.
Since the current ones are $4K plus, it is obvious to me that they don’t want me to have a new one.
[quote user=“IRONROOSTER”]
ATLANTIC CENTRAL
j. c.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL
j. c.
.why not get a radial arm saw .
Because they are big, heavy, and dangerous - nobody uses them anymore.
https://www.rockler.com/are-radial-arm-saws-a-thing-of-the-past
Sheldon
if nobody uses them why do they still sell them , i my self have never had a use for one but know several that use them alot
Does anybody have new ones for sale? I don’t see any in the tool stores where I shop?
There are only a few on the market, and the good ones are very expensive, like $4,000.
If you look up radial arm saw on Home Depot’s web site you get sliding compound miter saws…
Sheldon
Unfortunately, only industr
A few more thoughts about tools.
I have both a portable DeWalt table saw, and a large Sears/PorterCable shop table saw. The shop table saw has attachments which allow it to also be a router table, and my oldest router is perminately set up on a removable table section for that saw.
Opinions about brands vary, but most of my power tools are DeWalt.
I have gotten good serive from most every product, and the features and ease of use are at the top of the industry.
And, with so many battery tools, it is good to limit the number of battery types/systems. Currently we use only DeWalt 18 volt and 20 volt systems.
I use my tools nearly every day…
Most of my pneumatic tools are PorterCable or DeWalt, the DeWalt brad nailer is hard to beat.
The PorterCable trim nailer and framing guns are the lightest in the business, and they work…
We have to take the shop to the job, to build on site stuff like this:
Sheldon
Sheldon,
I agree that for hauling to job sites the more portable tools are the way to go.
In my case, woodworking is a combination of hobby, saving money, and getting the job done the way I want it. So I have home shop that doesn’t travel.
You’re right, but I think that’s really been a shame. My home shop has never been more than a corner in the basement or a wall in the garage (I have this “other” hobby that needs a lot of space [(-D]) and the space saving of the RAS has really been critical for me. I know that when I talk to most people who like me are amateurs and have one, they really love it.
I can see you like good tools and know how to use them well.
Paul
Thank you for the kind words. I
Nice work Sheldon.
Dave
We would have got along great Sheldon, looks like you are well rounded in the trades and one of my major jobs through the years has been as a kitchen designer, my specialty was designing kitchens for people with champagne taste and beer budget with no one being the wiser.
Yes, from all our conversations on here over the years, I sure we would be right at home with each other on a job site or a model train event.
And thanks to all for the kind words. It’s fun to build beautiful houses, big or small.
Sheldon
It may sound weird but i kinda miss the percise chisel work to install a century old lock or repairing the skeleton key locks or just cutting new keys for them.
As a woodworker, I have a table saw (actually, two of them), a compound miter saw, and a skil saw. For work on the railroad, you cannot beat the table saw. With care, it can do everything a miter saw can do, and then some.
Get yourself a good contractor’s table saw . . . they aren’t too expensive . . . and take some time to learn its capabilities.