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If its for your home use not on a job site, I just make a panel cutter for my table saw for accurate cross cutting and use the mitre saw for smaller stuff.If you have a sliding compound mitre it think cross cuts to approx 12″. Oh yea with a home made panel cutter you can cross cut almost any width you need to. That is if you have a contractors saw or better.
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If its for your home use not on a job site, I just make a panel cutter for my table saw for accurate cross cutting and use the mitre saw for smaller stuff.If you have a sliding compound mitre it think cross cuts to approx 12". Oh yea with a home made panel cutter you can cross cut almost any width you need to. That is if you have a contractors saw or better.
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Sliders: Great for super accurate cross cuts, miters, bevels, and compound cuts. Maximum cross cut length is 12". You can not: Dado, cut lap joints, or cut tennons with them.
Radial Arm Sawss: Good for cross cuts, miters and bevels, if adjusted fairly well, and if you have a quality saw. Maximum cross cut length is 25-24", depending on saw. You can fit one with a Dado, you can cut lap joints and it is one of my favorite tools for cutting tenons safely and accurately.
If I had to choose between the two? Wow, I think I'd go for the slider, but jeez, you can pick up a used Radial Arm saw for about $100 now, you can own both if you have the shop space. I own a Hitachi CF8 which I love, and an old beat up Sears Radial Arm Saw which I use probably more than the Slider, but just because of the set up I have.
*One thing I always disliked about the sliders is the lack of table support. Kinda scary when you're using one and, because of the gap between the half-round table and the fixed side tables, your stock is maybe only half on something. Cut lots of BIG (8-12") crown on Hitachi 8-1/2" and Makita 12" and always made me nervous. These things are designed to be portable and you trade off support and safety for portability. I can still count to 10 on my fingers at age 47 and intend to keep things that way. These things make me nervous.If you're setting up in a shop, go ahead and spend the bucks for a good radial arm with plenty of power. They can do so much more than the sliders. I've always considered the sliders to be good bookshelf and big crown saws for on-site use.To answer your first question, there ain't nothing a slider can do that a radial can't do better, except be toted around. Also, don't think you can get a dado set on a slider.P.S. Shouldn't this have been posted in Tools?
*Try to find an old shop/school radial arm. There's a place about an hour north west of Pgh, so close enough for the Ohio folk, that sells old and used tools. They always have a few cast iron radial arms for sale, usually $250-$500. These old things just hum. Solid as a rock too. I don't have the room, but there's a perticular old DeWalt that the same guy has bought, used and returned three times! If it's there next time I am, I may have to make the room for it. Probably a similar store near you, or try http://www.toolsupermarket.com Jeff
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Not to dig up old dirt, but what exactly does everyone find wrong with a radial arm saw that a 10 or 12" slider can do better? I'm thinking of buying one myself and find it hard to justify paying $500 to $700 for a portable slider. (In my case the saw stays home, no jobsites.)
Now I realize that a dedicated woodworker would probably get more use out of the radial arm than a contractor(who probably loves their slider) but for a dedicated space, would a radial arm be a much better buy? Can a slider dado? Hey even Home Depot's use a RA for crosscutting customers lumber. All opinions welcome.
Thanks Jeff