Quote:
|
Originally Posted by littlegreenman
you can't set the depth of the blade on the radial arm saw...
|
sure you can -- you turn the crank under the tabletop to raise or lower the post that holds the saw arm.
a radial arm saw would be perfect for slotting frets, after you clamped an edge board to the neck exactly perpendicular to the fret slots. it would also let you see the top of the neck and the fret slots while you saw, unlike a table saw. the sliding miter saws i've seen did not have a way to adjust the cut depth with precision [only by how far down you pushed the saw handle].
table saws take a lot more precision of operation to get accurate crosscuts, like you'd need for fret slots. it would be even harder with a cut not to the full depth of the wood, like slotting fingerboards, and the fingerboard would have to be face down on the table.
the radial arm saw vs. table saw debate is kinda like Strat vs.
Les Paul -- lots of people favor one over the other, but each has strengths and weaknesses. the radial arm saw is ideal for crosscutting but requires setup and caution to rip long boards to width. table saws are great for ripping, but you'll need lots of practice and maybe a sled instead of the stock miter handle to get really accurate crosscuts. radial arms saws start around $600, but table saws range from super cheap up to very solid at $450 and up.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by littlegreenman
the radial arm saw is one of the most dangerous tools you can buy, I know many carpenters who are short at least one finger from those things.
|
it's certainly a dangerous tool, but just like many others, you can live to a ripe old age with all your digits if you use it right.
