: I plan on starting to build my first kayak in a few months. I am currently
: gathering the tools that I will need. I recently went to a woodworking
: store to purchase a thin kerf blade for my radial arm saw. When I
: explained to the store employee what I was going to use it for, he stated
: that using a radial arm saw to cut thin strips is very dangerous. I've
: been working with wood for many years and have never heard this before. He
: further stated that the wood will have a tendency to kick up. Is this
: true? Does it present a manageable problem? (I don't own a table saw)
Well here's my two cents worth. I've owned and used a Sears (Emerson Electric) radial arm saw for 30 years. It just got recalled! Seems that Emerson's lawyers want to protect me with a full blade guard. I built my first stripper with it along with a couple of houses. I now have an old Sears table saw and while each tool has its strengths I've found that the table saw is more dangerous that the radial arm. I'm typing with all of my fingers, but have two friends who aren't because of table saw kickback accidents. Generally, if you're ripping a big work piece the table is safer. For smaller work its safer to move the blade through the stationary work piece as is done on the radial arm. The greatest danger is kickback. If you haven't ever been hit with a work piece thrown by a circular saw you can't understand the speed and force with which this happens. Even a small piece of stock feels like a gunshot and can be just as damaging. So get a good book on using the radial arm saw and use the accessories and techniques recommended.