Move the RAS or No?

[crokett]

My goal for the weekend is to be ready to move the tools from my Dad's to my new shop. One of them is a Craftsman RAS. I am not sure whether it will be allowed to make the trip. Assuming it does, is it worth moving it? I already have my Delta CMS but it is limited in the width of stock it can cut and is on a portable base. The RAS would be for cross-cuts and mitrers, no ripping.

[pelligrini]

I'd say it probably depends...

How often do you exceede the width of the delta?
Would the RAS make cross cuts and miters easier & accurate than the methods you use now? (sleds etc.)

Can you afford the space for it? You do have a larger shop now, but aren't there a couple table saws and a large jointer?

[Eric]

I'm going to bring my RAS into the shop. Really handy for the extra cross cut ability, but they're also handy for putting dados into shelves and the like too.

[headhunter636]

When we moved to the Seattle area, I decided to leave my RAS in storage because I didn't think I would have the room for it. The footprint on those things is rather large and without a mobile base of any kind, it had to have a dedicated spot. Now that I do not have it, I wish I did. The RAS was my first saw and I used it for everything before I got my BT3000. I especially like it for longer miters and dados because it seemed I could line it up better, however that is a lot of blade sticking out of the motor which sometimes scared the **** our of me.

If you have room, I would take it. That's my vote.

[scmhogg]

I have one of those old unsafe 8" Craftsman RAS. I have it semi-permanently set up with an 8" dado set. As a result I use a lot of lap joints.

I say take it. Just keep your hands out of the way.

While we are talking about safety, your little ones are big enough to be curious about the noisy tools. Consider a lockable power kill for your shed. Or, utilize the removable switches on most new tools. My little one was about 5 or 6 when he flipped the switch on my old $100 Delta 10" saw. Luckily, he could reach the switch but none of the spinny sharp parts. That saw was really loud. I set a new speed record getting to the attached garage. It scared the crap out of him. And, me too.

Steve

[Pappy]

Move it, David. Once properly set up it will see more use than you think. Biggies are faster, easier dados and cross cuts.

[dbhost]

Sell the CMS, and the RAS and pick up a decent sliding miter saw, kill two birds with one stone, and save a mess of floor space in the process.

[drlien]

If you have the room and are comfortable with the safety aspects of a RAS, they are a nice machine to have. The radial arm saw was the first serious shop tool I had from back when I did more framing and deck projects before I switched to more furniture related projects. I sold it because the other tool aquisitions started to take a lot of room. I miss it at times and wish i had it for making dadoes or quick cross cuts. If I ever have a shop with more space, I'd like to have one again.

[crokett]

Steve,

My shop is already locked when I am not in it. I did install a power lockout in the basement shop since there wasn't a way to lock a door. Even so, my kids want nothing to do with the noise I make when I am using power tools. My youngest one day might come out there to use a hammer but would leave the minute I fired up a tool.

[LinuxRandal]

How long have YOU used it? (do you know how it keeps its accuracy?)

If it isn't accurate, unless your doing a lot of construction grade products, skip it. A good RAS is a good thing (even though I am getting away from them), a bad one, is a waste of invested time (moving, etc).

[wardprobst]

Gave mine to Habitat and bought a sliding 12" compound Makita. Haven't missed the radial arm much as I thought I would.
DP

[woodturner]

One of them is a Craftsman RAS.

Which type? If it is the type with the metal rods bolted to the sides of the arms as the bearing surface, it will be difficult to get it to make a good cut without burning. The only way I have found to fix those is to have a machine shop true the groove that the rod sits in, then replace the rod with drill rod - which is ground straight and true. Even then, they are hard to keep adjusted and the carriage still tends to wobble and cause burning.

[pierhogunn2]

here is my good reason to take it...

if it has a Shaft sticking out of the other side of the motor you can put a drill chuck on it, or rig something sturdy and then use it as a

1. Horizontal boring rig
2. Drum Sander
3. Disk Sander
4. One end of a belt sander
5. The drive source for a shop made squirll cage based air cleaner
6. only your imagination can fill this one it...

not to mention being able to check the yes box on some of the disability insurance forms that ask if you have a Radial Arm Saw ( haven't ever seen this question, but if it is asked, you will be able to proudly answer in the affirmative)