dugman

I have to add another comment. Delta could have built their RAS with cross supports on the legs so the table wouldnt go out of square so easily. I had to add some angle iron to mine so it would not wriggle so much. I also had to redo the table so it could be tuned correctly. They obviously did not know what they were doing. I will say that now that I have UPGRADED my Delta that it is a fine workhorse, but out of the box it was a piece of crap. I own a lot of Delta tools and would recommend them to most shops. But the their RAS needs improvement.

My first radial arm saw was purchased at a garage sale for $30. It needed a new cord, new blade and new table. It was a DeWalt 2horsepower. I used it a bit but was kind of afraid of it. I then got a copy of How to Master the Radial Saw by Wally Kunkel (email Sawdust@maracorp.com). I soon realized that there really is not too many things I cannot do with a radial arm saw. The tips from that old guy were nothing short of a miracle. Wally Kunkel was the original Norm. He was the very first person to operate a power tool on T.V. I now own two radial arm saws as well as a table saw. I also use my Festool hand saw for sheet goods. But for production work I find there is nothing better than my radial arm saws. Once they are properly tuned and adjusted you cannot get a smoother cleaner cut. No burns, no blade marks, just nice clean cuts. I can understand why many people are confused and afraid of them. Improper use of any power tool can be dangerous if not fatal. Too many amatures with little or no training and a lack of respect for sharp spinning blades that can eat fingers like popcorn. I just turned fifty this year and the only time I have ever gotten so much as a scratch, I was putting the first blade on my table saw with the piece of crap tool that the manufacturer supplied with the saw. Three stitches (thanks Delta). I recently made some custom picture frames for a neighbor and was able to make both the left and right hand cuts without moving the blade on my radial arm saw. Even if my saw was a full degree off (it was) the corners went together perfectly.
Why buy three saws to do the work of one radial arm saw.