: 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.

Hi George

With ALL due respect for you and your friends, if they lost fingers on a table saw from kickbacks they were breaking about every safety rule there is using the Table saw. Their hands had to be past the blade, which is the biggest NO NO in tool use. And only speculation: but they could have tried to pick up or otherwise grab the work piece while it was still in contact with the blade. NO NO number 2. If one uses the push sticks and stands off to the side when working, It won't happen. Kickbacks yes, but no loss of fingers. I've personally seen several fingers come off and EVERY ONE was due to negligence and unsafe tool use. If set up and used properly there is no reason the table saw should get you into trouble. Sometimes the wood can bind and kickback, but, that is not the table saw. Also, I have seen more kickbacks with the factory blade guards installed than when they are off. People get curious and start looking closer and sticking fingers where they shouldn't be. Not recommending anyone toss them, but, I would not use one. I just know what the saw is capable of and learn to respect it. I however, can't agree that the radial arm is more safe than the table saw, but, that's a matter of ones own experience. I use the tools for exactly what they were designed for. The radial saw was NOT designed for ripping. It was designed for cross cutting and angle cutting. The idea of ripping came from folks that didn't have a table saw and decided to experiment and made it work Most of your earlier saws didn't have the swivel head/motor and could not do it. That was added as a feature to sell more saws with " More Versitility." In reading the posts, I see that folks have their own idea of how to eliminate the kickbacks and material from jumping around, and also, to cut smaller items. Not Design features of the tool, but, after market ideas, and mostly homemade. There's clues in there for those who look. Yes, it can be done, but at what cost, added shims, stops and so forth, not to mention safety. The table saw is actually the more versitile tool. You can rip and crosscut, and both are design features, with and without the use of the mitre. If all you have is a Radial arm then you use it, but, be damn careful. Personally, I would rather use a tool that is open and I can see everything that I'm doing. The motor of the radial arm is always on top of your work and with smaller material, it's difficult to see. Again, with the proper/recommended push sticks, the table saw is much better for small stock, and You can see what you are doing without getting within inches of the blade. The Radial arm saw is better at what it was designed for and that would be CrossCutting with the material up against the fence/stop. Food for Thought.

Rehd