radial arm saw vs. sliding compound miter box saw

So I was talking to a guy who's in a position to know and he says all radial arm saws - even new ones - have slop in them and you're never gonna get a perfect cut on such a saw. He went on to laud the Dewalt 12" sliding miter saw as one of the best on the market - it darn well better be for 600 bucks. I went into the local Sears and, lo and behold, the brand new floor model radial arm saw had slop in it.

So, should I pluck down WAY more than I ever imagined on a new toy or get a used RAS like I was gonna and live with a bit of slop?

My saw serves me well. Not the intended use but, with a good tablesaw, miter saw, routers and alot of costom made jigs, this is all I need it for.

1. A 35 year old Craftsman 10" radial
2. A 25 year old Craftsman 12" table
3. A 5 year old Hitachi 8-1/2" sliding compound miter

I use the radial no more than 5% of the time. About the only use it now sees is in some dado work and as a third set-up in a multi-saw usage sequence. Over the years I have found the radial to be too "finicky" in adjustments. Once the arm is rotated to a different position, accurate repeatability back to 90 deg is poor. I have never been able to correct this despite numerous alignment attempts done "completely by the book". The arm also has a little deflection in it which may or may not be a problem depending on what you are doing. Using it for accessory work with a moulding head is unsafe. Such things should be done with the correct tool -- a router or shaper.

Depending on your usage, you may not need the big 12" miter saw. My 8-1/2" one will crosscut a 1"x12" board easily at 90 deg. And the angles are accurate and repeatable. Of course the miter saw does not rip nor does it do dado or sheet work. However, for most 2x and finish cross and angle cuts, it can't be beat.

I started out with the radial as my only saw but if I had to decide my purchases all over again from the beginning, It would be a sliding miter saw and a table saw in that order, forgetting the radial altogether. If you do cabinet work, you need the table saw but the miter saw is an excellent addition to it and is actually better for general construction. My particular, all around usage is probably about 60% miter, 35% table and 5% radial. If I didn't have the radial, it would be more like 63% miter and 37% table. I would get along fine without it. The radial is great for doing multiple dados on long pieces such as sides to tall bookcases but that can be done with tools other than a saw -- such as a router, which is pretty much a necessity for a lot of cabinet work anyway.

I guess I would summarize my opinion by saying that the table saw is king for cabinet work and the miter saw is king for general construction work. With those two tools, you don't need the less effective and "finicky" radial for anything. If you can have only one saw, then I suppose the radial would be an appropriate choice, especially if the price is right. However, a good used 10" table (if you can find one) plus a smaller-than-12" miter would be a better choice, IMO.

Rod

In answer to questions on what I'd use it for - both. I've framed up small lawn sheds, made feed bunks, and constructed machine shed shelving. I've also made nice bookshelves and entertainment centers out of oak veneer. A table saw is nice until you're trying to crosscut a 7 foot board.

Look for an OLD Craftsman that has the Sears and Roebuck label. If you can find one that has not been used till it's worn out, you will have a very good saw. Another thing to remember, just because you have set the saw at say the 45 degree mark for miter cuts doesn't mean that's what you will get. You always want to make some test cuts on scrap pieces and test the fit, then dial it in. Once I get my old craftsman set where I want it, it will repeat itself very well.