What would you do w/ 2 TS & 1 RAS?

[davidtu]

Somehow I've ended up with a BT3000, BT3100, and a Craftsman 10" RAS

Anyhow, not sure how best to employ these saws. I am thinking perhaps to set up one for ripping, one for crosscutting and one for dado. Do you have suggestions of which to use for what? OR What would you do?

Thanks!

PS: yes I have got the RAS recall kit on order---say better check on that, as it's been 3 months!

[jackellis]

I'd do what you're thinking of doing. One saw for rips, one saw for crosscuts, and one for dados. You might want to use the RAS to cut dadoes if you have a 8" set and can use the whole thing on your RAS.

[jeff_1064]

I have a delta rockwell 10" RAS and 2 Delta Unisaws in my shop along with a DeWalt 12" power miter saw. I use the RAS for rough sawing to length....one table saw for ripping, the other for cross cutting with a sled, and the Miter saw for angles.

[dkhoward]

I have one RAS and one TS. If I had the room I would have another TS set up just for dados and tenons. THe other would be set up for rips. I use my RAS for almost all my cross cut operations with the exception of miters. I have a dedicated MS for that operation but it shares a long table with the RAS.

[LarryG]

This doesn't exactly address the question, but FWIW ... would it really be all that much of advantage to have a second TS dedicated to dadoes?

My thinking is that if you had a production shop and cut exactly the same size grooves every time, then maybe it'd be worthwhile. In fact it almost surely would be worthwhile. But if you have to break the saw down to adjust the dado width every time anyway, it'd be just as easy to do that on one's primary table saw. There'd be no second saw taking up floor space, or needing infeed/outfeed tables of its own (granted, these could perhaps be shared with the primary TS), or needing to be maintained, etc.

Am I missing something? It just seems to me that the advantages of a second TS for dado duty only would be more theoretical than real.

[tropicaffair]

I have a Ryobi RA-2500 10" RAS and 2 BT3100's. The RAS is used for crosscuts, the left BT (I have a Frankensaw in progress - i.e. temporarily set up for the forseeable future) set up for rips and crosscuts, and the right BT setup with my stacked dado. For miters I use my Delta 10" CMS. I have plans to assemble a miter tabletop setup for the RAS, we'll see how long it takes for that to actually happen. I'm quite happy with the setup, when you're in a project it's nice to fine tune the dado for the majority of the work, or if your lucky, all of it.

Russ

[Tom J]

I don't own a RAS, but as my most recent post shows I am interested in acquiring one. I have always thought, without the benefit of any experience, that a RAS would be great for dados. Maybe it is just me, but I like the idea of seeing the dado cut from the top, but as I said this is just a theoritical view at this point in my woodworking life.

[mleichtle]

I'd sell 'em all and get a nicer table saw. Not ripping on the bt, I own one, and have zero complaints, but there are times when I wish I had something bigger. But as far as owning all 3, I have nither the space, time, or finances to deal with them.

[lrr]

I don't own a RAS, but as my most recent post shows I am interested in acquiring one. I have always thought, without the benefit of any experience, that a RAS would be great for dados. Maybe it is just me, but I like the idea of seeing the dado cut from the top, but as I said this is just a theoritical view at this point in my woodworking life.

My first big power saw was a Craftsman model I bought in 1976 -- just redid the top on its 30th birthday. I lived without a table saw until 2-3 years ago (I have a BT3100, and like it very much). Add to this a really good miter saw (I have a 10" Ridgid), and you have the perfect setup. I do all crosscutting and dadoes on the RAS. Miters on the CMS, and ripping on the TS. I also think the sliding miter table on the BT 3100 is fantastic, especially when you can clamp down the piece you are working on.

You will truly appreciate an RAS when you are doing dadoes in long boards, such as for shelves on the end pieces of a bookcase. No way are you going to feed a really long and narrow board across a TS to do a series of short dadoes for shelves.

The RAS is a very versatile saw. I'd look for an old Craftsman/Delta/DeWalt or a new Delta or Original Saw (very nice, and EXPENSIVE!).

My dream shop would have a Powermatic TS, and an Original Saw RAS.