Radial Arm Saw Table/jig

[Brendon]

Thanks for your comment Tom. I am assuming from your comment that you don't have much experience with the RAS.
So do proceed with caution, Radial Arm Saws are wonderful machines but very unforgiving,
especially when ripping. But then all saws and machines are unforgiving.No machine has a consciense.
Make sure everything is straight and clamped down. When ripping, if there is the slightest tendency for
the blade to bind or stick, be ready to back off from the blade. To do this you will need a solid
pull handle of some sort on the table. There must be no sideways slop on the table but it must be smooth running at the same time to enable a back-off if required. Always make sure anti-kickback pawls are in place.
Check what sort of blade is in the saw; make sure it has a negative hook angle and is sharp.
Never stand directly behind the saw when ripping, or let anyone else stand directly behind it (you don't want to be in the line of fire if there is a kickback).
I never rip heavy boards on it but do find it very useful for ripping, edge-trimming and straightening boards and jointing boards
up to about 3/4" or 5/8" thick. That's about as heavy a board that I use anyway.
Never rush a rip cut (or any cut for that matter), keep the feed rate slow.
Some people seem to think the RAS is best suited to cross cutting 2x4s and such.
I don't. In my view it is much better suited to doing the tasty work for joinery.
That's what I designed this system for.
That's what The RAS was designed for in the first place.
I will be posting another article on my blog: waneyedgeworkshop.com very shortly. It details how the RAS should tuned and set-up. You could have a read of that. The RAS must be kept tuned and in proper adjustment.
Make sure you undrstand the concept of "Heel" in regard to the RAS and learn how to eliminate it.
If you take note of all safety precautions you should be fine and have fun with your saw
but then safety needs to be observed with all saws and machines.
I hear people say that the RAS is a dangerous saw and that they wouldn't use one
and then see them doing blatantly unsafe things with chop saws and table saws.
That doesn't make sense to me.

Good luck and think safe
B