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I am setting up to do a significant number of framing projects at a local development and was thinking of bringing in my radial arm saw for its large capacity and versatility. Anyway, before I go to the trouble I wanted some feedback regarding its usefulness out of the shop.
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Hey it is just a tool. Like all tools it will either have a lot of value or be a waste, depending on how you use it. So, since this is a minor decision and it isn't a huge task to get the saw on the job site, take it there and try it out. If it works for you great. If it doesn't then move it back to the shop.
*I think it also depends on how familiar you are with it; if you're used to cutting your rafters, plates, and other framing with a Skilsaw, and you switch, it's going to take a while to get used to new techniques and shortcuts. I'd say unless you have a specific need for it, try it out for a day against your old methods; but don't expect to be making as many cuts on a new process as you did before for the first couple days.
*used one for the first 10 years... in order to get production.. we needed a 12 inch dewalt and to give it some zip.. we wired it for 220 (you could wire it both ways , if i remember)we had to trailer mount it.. and it really needed rolling side tables to handle heavy framing..we do all our framing with skill saws now..... maybe we'd use a dewalt chop saw for studs and cripples... maybe.. or maybe for a lot of little repetition work..b but hey whadda i no ?
*Erik,The radial arm saw used to be the saw of choice for framers. Somehow, it got put aside. A good framer with a 12" radial who had a good lumber swamper could stay ahead of a crew no problem.Ed. Williams
*"...a good lumber swamper..." great term Ed. I haven't heard that in a long time.
*Radial arm saw? Maybe I am missing something here but I have found as far as site work is concerned there is nothing that my radial arm saw can do that I can't do just as well with a big compund miter box and the compound miter boxes are sure a lot easier to move around and set up. If I was cutting timber frame joinery on site yeah then I'd like to have the radial to dado cut tenons but other than that....?My good radial (a 40 year old DeWalt) sits in my shop and is used primarily as a variable position tilting arbor shaper nowadays as well as a few other neat set ups but I rarely ever use it anymore to cut-off anything.