All About Radial Arm Saws

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Radial Arm Saws tend to be one of the most under-appreciated of woodworking machines which is disheartening, considering how versatile they are in the range of operations and tasks they are able to perform.

Why opt for a radial arm saw

While they may be on the pricier end of the scale, and they do tend to be both heavy and not typically fit to carry around easily. As a result, they are used mostly in professional shops where portability isn’t a priority.

That said, the variety of operations that a radial arm saw can perform from ripping to cutting bevels or miters, dadoes and rabbets, forming mouldings and in some instances, serving as router guides; is nothing short of amazing. However, like any tool there are trade-offs which come hand in hand with its versatility: difficulty in setting up cuts (as opposed to a compound miter) taking a longer time to rip stock (table saws rip faster). That said, the radial-arm saw is able to perform both these tasks, albeit a little slower than other tools, but again, it is a small price to pay.

Using a Radial-Arm Saw
Always, always follow the original manufacturer’s instructional guide before using or setting up your power tool, which applies to the radial-arm saw as well, since using it to the existing specs is usually a step in the right direction.

When using the saw for the first time during cross cutting, you might end up cutting grooves onto the table top. To avoid that, set the blade depth to just below the surface of the table once the saw’s motor is up to speed. Also ensure that the stock is held securely against the fence and remember that when you pull the saw through the stock and towards you, it can cause the saw to lurch forwards damaging either the stock or yourself. As a result, always grasp the handle firmly not allowing it to determine the speed of the cut. While this may take time and consistent practice, you will get it soon enough.

Working on Dadoes & Rabbets
Radial-arm saws are made for cross cutting dadoes and rabbets especially for producing slots for shelves. Before starting work, set your stacked dado’s thickness as desired and ensure the blade is raised away from the table. When setting the dado stack, ensure that it is installed in the correct direction with respect to the blades’ rotation. Once it has been installed and the (blade) guard reattached, find the appropriate depth of cut for your dado using a scrap piece of wood as a guide. The same dado set can also be used when cutting tenons.

Miters and Bevels
While the saw can cut normally up to sixty degrees in either direction in miters and up to 90 degrees in bevels, the trade off is that it is only in one direction. And though the radial-arm saw is able to cut more non traditional angles than compound miter saws, it is a lot more difficult to get the angles of the cut just right. So before commencing, always ensure that clamping levers are locked into place.

Ripping Stock
Radial-arm saws can also be used for ripping stock and are often no less harder to use than table saws, provided they have been set up properly. During the setup, ensure  you use the anti-kickback assembly making use of riving knives and pawls. Riving knives are used to prevent stock from binding onto the blade although should the blade jam, the pawls will grab the stock protecting it from a possible kickback. One important fact to remember: pawls might not grab the stock during ripping plastic laminated or melamine stock, should there be a kickback. In fact any non-coated stock might face this issue.

Safety Tips
When using your radial-arm saw, be aware of the blade guard—never turn on the saw without the guard in place and without ensuring the guard’s lower section has not been tampered with. Also ensure that the guard can be lifted easily during the saw’s operation and that it drops back into position on release.

It is usually safer to set up the unit with a slightly backward slope, preventing it from sliding towards you.

Other important tips to keep in mind:

• Don’t begin a cut without waiting for the blade to hit its maximum speed.
• Always control the speed of the cut.
• Ensure that the hand holding the stock piece is well away from the path of the blade.
• Remember to use feather boards and push sticks as and when necessary.

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Of all the woodworking power tools in your shop, the radial arm saw is probably the most important tool to make sure you get the right blade for. It is VERY important to have to correct tooth angle and if possible, has anti-kickback features. These will help make the radial arm saw safer to use, give better cuts and make it easier for the woodworker to use.
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One Option for a good radial arm saw blade selection ...

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All About Plate or Biscuit Joiners

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Although plate or biscuit joiners have little to no use beyond the one task they’re built for, they complete the task so diligently, that they are a must for every woodworking environment. Referred to as a biscuit cutter, this miniature saw cuts thin slots into edges of wood boards which are then used to hold two pieces of stock together via a biscuit. Hence the name.

What is a biscuit?
Before getting into the nitty gritty of biscuit joiners, it’s helpful knowing what a biscuit is and does. Biscuits are thin, oval-shaped slices of wood and are usually made from compressed beechwood. They are glued to a slot on the edge of one board and in a corresponding slot on the other, and are especially useful when gluing together individual boards when making table tops, cabinet constructions, etc.

Why Use Plate Joiners?
Plate joiners eliminate the common problems associated with using a slot-cutting router bit for cutting grooves in biscuits since it is generally impossible to continuously insert routs bits into the edge of boards at a perfect perpendicular angle.
Blades of plate joiners spin at speeds of up 10,000 RPM and is embedded within the guard of the saw, before being plunged into a stock piece. Additionally, its guide systems effectively guarantee perpendicular cuts to a stock’s edge, leading to a snug fit.

Plater Joiner Features
High quality plate joiners feature a fully adjustable depth scale, a bevel for cutting slots at a 45-degree angle, maximum; and a sawdust port for dust collection. Some plate joiners come with the feature for cutting grooves in the edges of stuck but we feel there are other (not to mention, better and safer) tools on the market, for cutting T&G joints.

How to Use a Plate Joiner:
There are a number of steps to follow in order to use a plate joiner in successfully connecting two boards’ edges.Check the boards (both should be of the same thickness) to ensure they line up (ie full contact across their lengths)*.

1. Place the two correctly aligned boards on your work table in their final positions.
2. Pencil in evenly spaced out markings across the joint, where each biscuit on the board will fit in.
3. Using the plate joiner, put the guide fence flat on top of one board’s surface, lining the cutting guide with the pencil. (Work on one board at a time)
4. Turn on the saw, inserting the blade into board up to the stop line.
5. Remove and repeat at each pencil mark.
6. After completing all cuts, put glue on the slots of one board, inserting a biscuit into each and sliding the second board onto the biscuit.
7. Use clamps to hold the joints together as the glue dries, also ensuring not to tighten the clamps too tight so as to squeeze out the glue trapped within.
8. *If the two edges aren’t matching up, using a pass through jointer to machine-plane the two stock pieces ensures two straight edges.
   
   Plate Joiner Safety Measures
   Before using the plate joiner, it’s always useful to carefully follow all the safety rules listed in its instructions manual.
   Ensure you use only sharp blades in the biscuit cutter and NEVER use it without its blade guard.
   Be absolutely positive that its motor is running at full speed before inserting into a board and never (in)advertently apply any pressure to slow down a spinning blade.

9. Lamello 145001 Self Clamping and Gripping Plates available from Amazon

Jigsaws for Woodworking

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Though jigsaws have earned a bad rep in the woodworking community for their blades’ knack to bend resulting in cuts that aren’t angular, the upsides are too great to not have this power tool in your toolbox. When curved cuts are called for, particularly on thin surfaces like plywood, etc few power tools are as diligent as the jigsaw .


What you need to Look For when buying Jigsaw

High-end jigsaws include two main features that factor into their elevated costs: Variable Speed and Orbital Action. While variable speeds aren’t necessary for woodworking, adjusting speeds to make complicated and delicate cuts can be particularly useful, especially when dealing with metals. If you start out with a high-end jigsaw and switch to a single speed jigsaw, you’ll miss the flexibility and if you start out low and go high, you’ll never want to switch again.

The Orbital Action feature allows higher end jigsaws to angle the blade into the stock on the upswing, in contrast to standard-action jigsaws which work solely in an upwards and downwards motion. This allows for lesser flexibility.

What Else To Look For

Other features to look for include dust collection, for the super neat freaks out there; a trigger lock which locks into a particular speed and a splinter control shoe. This last helps keep splintering to a minimum, through a small insert on the shoe of the jigsaw.

Jigsaw Cut Depth

Many jigsaws are able to cut through 2” deep in woodwork and about ½” in metals and while some are able to cut deeper, that may not be the best thing as it increases the chance of the blade bending and breaking. More often than not, this will result in a badly angled cut.
To counter this problem, leave about 1/8” of material from the cut line uncut; using an oscillating sander to finish .

Cordless vs Corded Jigsaws

While cordless jigsaws sport the advantages of no cords, they also tend to suffer in performance and should be largely avoided. For starters, cordless jigsaws are not nearly as powerful as their corded counterparts and as a result will not be able to cut as quickly or handle the thickness of stock. We would recommend NOT using these varieties, regardless of the manufacturer.

Scroll Saws

Scroll Saws, as their name suggests have a blade steering knob on their surface that allows their blades to turn as opposed to having to turn the jigsaw as a whole, itself. Issues that arise have to do with pressure; it needs to be applied consistently for the cut to remain clean and consistent. This can be difficult if the knob is turned at a sharp angle and can as a result, be counter-productive as opposed to helpful in the process.

Concluding, while extra features are great to have the only really useful one is variable speeds. Sure, oscillating action models do have their advantages but don’t provide as much bang for buck as expected and the money saved there can easily be invested in…say, a band saw. A much worthier investment, if you ask me.