The radial arm saw is used for making precise crosscuts, miter cuts, bevel cuts, and even some specialized ripping operations on wood. It is a versatile woodworking cutting tool famous for its ability to swing the saw blade across a stationary piece of lumber held firmly on the table below.
The radial arm saw holds a unique place in the history and ongoing practice of woodworking. Unlike stationary tools like the table saw, the radial arm saw brings the cutting head to the material. This design offers distinct advantages, especially for cutting long or wide boards, or when repetitive, accurate angle cuts are needed quickly. This guide explores the many uses of this powerful machine, detailing how it performs tasks often associated with other saws, and highlighting its unique strengths.
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The Core Mechanics of the Radial Arm Saw
To grasp what the radial arm saw does best, we must first look at how it works. The key feature is the motor and blade assembly mounted on a carriage. This carriage rides along a horizontal arm. This arm pivots from a vertical column, which is bolted to the saw’s base.
This setup allows the saw blade to move in three primary directions:
- In and Out (Along the Arm): This movement performs the crosscut.
- Rotation (Around the Column): This sets the miter angle.
- Tilt (Of the Motor Housing): This sets the bevel angle.
Because the blade can move across a wide area while the wood stays still, it is excellent for handling large stock.
Primary Cutting Functions of the Radial Arm Saw
The radial arm saw is a true all-in-one cutting station. Its adjustability makes it suitable for a wide array of common shop tasks.
Crosscutting Lumber
The most basic and frequent use is the straight crosscut. This means cutting wood across its width.
How the Crosscut Works
The user sets the arm to a 90-degree angle (no miter or bevel). The blade is brought down through the wood. Since the arm extends outward, the saw can handle boards much wider than the saw’s own footprint. This makes it superior to many portable saws for wide panel work. This function often rivals the speed of dedicated miter saw applications when making repetitive, square cuts.
Performing Miter Cuts
Miter cuts are angled cuts across the face of the wood, essential for framing picture frames, baseboards, and crown molding.
The radial arm saw excels here because the arm assembly pivots around the main column. You simply unlock the mechanism and swing the arm to the desired angle (e.g., 45 degrees). Lowering the blade makes a perfect angled cut. This makes it a very effective adjustable cutting angle saw.
Achieving Bevel Cuts
Bevel cuts angle the cut along the edge thickness of the board. This requires tilting the motor head assembly.
The tilt mechanism allows the blade to angle away from the vertical plane. This is crucial for joinery and trim work where the board must sit flush on a surface while the top edge is angled. Combining a miter and a bevel results in a compound cut, similar to a compound miter saw function, but often with a larger capacity on older, heavy-duty models.
Compound Miter Cuts
When both the arm is set to an angle (miter) and the saw head is tilted (bevel), you achieve a compound cut. This is vital for inside and outside corner moldings where both angles must be accounted for simultaneously. The radial arm saw handles this complex setup reliably once the angles are dialed in.
Specialized Cutting Applications
Beyond simple straight, miter, and bevel cuts, the unique movement of the radial arm saw allows it to perform specialized tasks.
Dado Blade Operation and Grooving
A dado blade operation involves stacking two outside blades with chippers in between to cut a wide, flat-bottomed groove (a dado) across the wood.
Many older, heavy-duty radial arm saws are robust enough to handle dado stacks safely, though modern safety guidelines often recommend using a dedicated table saw for this, especially on smaller machines. When set up for dado cuts, the operator moves the spinning dado stack across the stationary wood to create the groove. This is often faster than setting up a router table for certain wide dados.
Ripping Wood with Radial Arm Saw
Ripping wood with radial arm saw means cutting wood lengthwise, along the grain, rather than across it. This is perhaps the most debated use of the machine today due to historical safety concerns.
In the past, radial arm saws were often used for ripping. The process involves pulling the spinning blade through the wood, moving from the back of the fence toward the operator. Because the motor is pulling the blade toward the user, there is a risk of the blade grabbing the wood and throwing it violently (kickback). Modern radial arm saws often have safety features or operational guidelines that discourage this, preferring a table saw for ripping. However, on very large, powerful shop models, this function remains possible with extreme caution.
Creating Rabbets and Chamfers
Rabbets (L-shaped recesses cut along the edge) and chamfers (angled bevels along an edge) are easily achieved. You simply set the appropriate miter and bevel angles, and then use the saw to move across the edge of the board. The depth is controlled by how far you lower the blade, or sometimes by using the carriage travel distance.
Radial Arm Saw vs. Other Saws
The radial arm saw often competes with the table saw and the modern miter saw. Its place in the shop depends on what you prioritize: mobility of the blade, fence support, or table surface.
Radial Arm Saw as a Table Saw Alternative
For many cuts, the radial arm saw can serve as a table saw alternative.
| Feature | Radial Arm Saw Advantage | Table Saw Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Stock Handling | Excellent for very long or wide boards since the wood stays put. | Best for small to medium pieces; requires stable infeed/outfeed tables for long stock. |
| Angle Adjustments | Fast setting of miter and bevel angles by swinging the arm. | Requires tilting the blade mechanism; miter adjustments are made via a sliding fence guide. |
| Precision | High repeatability for angled cuts once locked. | Superior precision for straight, long ripping operations. |
| Ripping | Possible, but often discouraged due to kickback risk. | Designed specifically for safe and accurate ripping. |
Complementing the Miter Saw
While modern compound miter saws are excellent, the radial arm saw usually offers a larger cutting capacity, especially in depth and width, making it better suited for heavy timber or wide panel glue-ups. It effectively functions as a large-capacity, fixed-location compound miter saw function station.
Achieving Precision Woodworking Cuts
The defining characteristic of a good radial arm saw, especially vintage models, is the ability to make precision woodworking cuts. This relies heavily on proper calibration.
Calibration for Accuracy
To ensure accuracy, the saw must be perfectly square to the fence and the table surface in its default positions.
- Checking 90 Degrees: The arm must be perfectly perpendicular to the fence. If it’s off, all square cuts will be slightly angled.
- Checking Blade Height: The blade must enter the table at the exact center point of the arbor.
- Checking Leveling: The entire machine must be level on the floor or workbench.
Once calibrated, settings remain consistent, allowing for rapid, accurate production work.
Using Jigs and Fixtures
Like any good machine, the radial arm saw benefits from jigs. For making multiple identical angled cuts quickly, a stop block system attached to the fence rail is invaluable. This speeds up tasks that might otherwise require setting up precise measurements repeatedly.
Advanced Techniques and Accessories
The versatility of the radial arm saw expands significantly with the use of specific accessories and setup methods.
Specialized Sleds and Jigs
While a crosscut sled uses typically refer to jigs used on table saws for safer crosscuts, similar concepts apply. For extremely accurate, repeatable cuts, some woodworkers build custom fences or fixtures that slide along the arm’s travel path, guiding the workpiece or the saw head itself for complex joinery cuts that aren’t just simple angles.
Using Different Blades
The type of blade drastically affects the outcome.
- Crosscutting Blades: Have fewer teeth and a higher tooth angle. They shear the wood fibers cleanly for smooth finish cuts.
- Ripping Blades: Have more teeth than a dedicated ripping blade but are designed to handle the forward cutting action safely when ripping.
- Carbide-Tipped Blades: Modern saws universally use carbide tips for longer life and cleaner cutting compared to older steel blades.
The Tilting Arbor Saw Use Analogy
When discussing the radial arm saw’s ability to handle bevels, it often draws comparisons to the tilting arbor saw use found on table saws. In a table saw, the blade tilts. On the radial arm saw, the motor head tilts. The function—creating an angled cut through the material thickness—is the same, though the mechanism of positioning is reversed (operator moves the blade setup vs. moving the material).
Safety Considerations for the Radial Arm Saw
Historically, the radial arm saw developed a reputation for being dangerous, primarily because early models were often used for ripping wood incorrectly or were poorly maintained. Modern machines incorporate better guarding, and strict operational procedures are key to safe use.
Key Safety Rules
- Never Rip Against the Pull: Always ensure the blade is moving away from the operator’s body, or that the wood is secured against the fence and the cut is made by pulling the saw toward you (if ripping is necessary), but only after fully confirming safety protocols are met.
- Keep Hands Clear: Never reach around or near the blade path, especially when setting up or adjusting angles.
- Use Appropriate Blades: Never use a ripping blade for crosscutting, or vice versa, unless the saw is specifically designed and guarded for the task.
- Lockdowns are Critical: Always ensure the miter lock, bevel lock, and carriage lock are fully engaged before starting the motor. Any drift during the cut is extremely dangerous.
Maintenance for Optimal Performance
A radial arm saw requires more frequent calibration checks than a simple miter saw because it relies on several moving joints (the arm, the pivot, the tilt).
- Lubrication: All moving joints, especially the carriage slides, need regular lubrication to prevent binding, which causes inaccurate cuts.
- Cleaning: Dust buildup in the pivot points can throw off the setting of the miter and bevel locks. Keep the column and arm tracks clean.
- Blade Inspection: Check for loose carbide teeth or signs of overheating, which can degrade cut quality.
Summary of Applications
The radial arm saw truly shines when multiple types of cuts are needed in sequence, or when dealing with very large sheets or long lengths of lumber where moving the wood is more cumbersome than moving the saw.
Here is a quick review of its capabilities:
- Standard Cuts: Crosscuts (square cuts across the width).
- Angle Cuts: Miter cuts (pivoting the arm) and Bevel cuts (tilting the motor).
- Combined Angles: Compound cuts (miter and bevel simultaneously).
- Grooving: Cutting dados or rabbets using specialized blades.
- Shaping: Certain chamfering and shaping tasks can be performed by moving the blade across a stationary edge.
The machine remains a cornerstone in many custom millwork shops due to its unmatched ability to quickly transition between precise angled cuts on dimensioned lumber. While table saws dominate ripping and many woodworkers prefer handheld or portable miter saws for small jobs, the radial arm saw still offers superior capacity and highly repeatable angular accuracy for high-volume angle production. It is an extremely capable woodworking cutting tool when operated correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is the radial arm saw obsolete today?
No, the radial arm saw is not obsolete, though its popularity has decreased compared to the past. Modern shops often favor dedicated miter saws for quick angled cuts and table saws for ripping. However, large, heavy-duty radial arm saws are still used extensively in industrial settings or custom millwork shops where cutting very wide or long stock repeatedly is necessary due to their superior capacity and fast angle changes.
Can a radial arm saw replace a table saw completely?
For most hobbyists and many small shops, the radial arm saw can cover most miter saw applications and can serve as a table saw alternative for crosscuts and simple bevels. However, it is generally a poor replacement for the table saw when it comes to long, accurate ripping wood with radial arm saw. The table saw provides better material support and safer operation for lengthwise cuts.
How difficult is it to learn to use a radial arm saw safely?
It requires more training than a basic miter saw. Because the blade is cutting toward the operator during the crosscut motion, and because the machine has so many moving parts that must be locked down, proper setup and technique are paramount. New users must learn to respect the machine’s travel path and always verify that all locks are tight before starting the cut to ensure precision woodworking cuts.
What is the main advantage over a compound miter saw?
The main advantage is capacity and stationary setup. A high-end radial arm saw can typically handle much wider and thicker boards than even the largest compound miter saws available today. Furthermore, because the wood is stationary and clamped down, it often leads to better repeatability for high-volume angled cuts.