How to Rip Wood on a Radial Arm Saw

This gives me anxiety.

I just picked up a 1950s beaver band saw. It came with a sears craftsman 9” radial arm saw.

Your 100% correct. I know this because before I watched this video, i tried ripping with my "new" RAS. The results were VERY bad.

Thank you for the tips

That’s why I don’t make videos any more. Know it all people always bugging me that’s not right when I know it’s right.

Wow, thank you for this video. I was scared as S### using my radial arm saw for ripping before I saw this video. Thanks for making this.

Hi Jim, I have recently acquired a radial arm saw and am practising ripping. The problem I am having is that the wood keeps getting pulled away from the fence when I feed it in. Do you have any tips for me to stop this from happening? Thanks!

Feeding the stock from the left side into the blade is correct as shown here for an OUT RIP. The blade is facing out towards the operator. But you can also feed from the right side if you do an IN RIP cut. IN RIP is where the blade is facing in toward the column. The blade and motor are turned 180 degrees from the setup shown in this video. Therefore you feed 180 degrees from what is shown - from the right side.
OUT RIP is good for wide stock. IN RIP is what I use most of the time for standard size boards, anything up to a 2x12 board. It puts the blade to the rear and the carriage/motor/blade is closer to the support column. This means less flex.

Great presentation and thanks for sharing your time and skills !!

I just bought A radial arm saw and I gotta tell you. You are ripping incorrectly.

Listen to this if you like you're hands and fingers he's 100% correct

Sorry to tell you this Jim, You are doing it wrong, as you are set up the right side of the blade is out facing you and very easy to get your hand or arm into the blade. if the motor and saw blade was set up right the blade would be on the in side an very hard to get to the open blade. Much safer I have been working for over 60 years and you should take the advice from an experienced crafts man . The fence and rotation would also be correct if the blade was on the inside.

All you have to do is rotate your set up to the inside.

you got it right jim, again the way to determine how the blade should enter into the wood , is look at which way a skill saw blade is turning when it enters into the wood.

You are 100% Correct . What your describing that is incorrect , Is called CLIMB Sawing (saw blade wants to CLIMB on to the board ) its a NO NO . Feeding the wood INTO the Sawblade from the LEFT HAND side is called (BACK ) infeed Sawing . It is the EXACT same Operation in Machining Metal on a Milling Machine : ) However, when infeed sawing , its important to place the lift
arm /bar, to prevent the board from lifting due to the blade rotation. I also make sure the saw blade is Perfectly PARALLEL to the Fence
to avoid Binding or Pinching the board between the blade and fence

ALWAYS ! Wear SAFETY GLASSES too

HAPPY SAWING is SAFE SAWING ! Enjoy

third time watching this, always a pleasure, thanks for the video, cheers from Florida , Paul

Thank for posting. I always like to push into the blade. Just for conversation purposes, how do you cross cut do you pull the blade towards you while cutting or do you pull it towards you and then push in while cutting?

I'm a noob at RAS, watched a lot of videos... and as soon as you started ripping at the wrong end I was all... "OH NO... dude.. no... don't do it... seriously no!" I mean I know you know your stuff, but i was getting worried for your safety. Thanks so much for the video, love watching experts use the tools.

I think they may be confused with in-rip vs out-rip - it appears you're using the out-rip position - on mine, I can turn the whole head to the in-rip position (blade between column and motor) - basically just turned 180 degrees the other way. Your set up may provide easier out ripping, but most set ups that I've seen are usually in-ripping. Doesn't matter as long as you do all safely.

the fact anyone said he was going the wrong way in the first place scares the crap out of me LOL.

You aren't wrong. But the motor facing your body, keeps you further away from the blade. The beauty of ripping on a radial arm saw is that the blade is furthest away from your body, behind the motor, and with the Craftsman saws, the blade guard is adjusted to completely cover the portion of the blade facing you, as you are behind the motor and behind the blade guard, pushing the wood along the table. You can rip any way that you would like, because the whole point of a RAS is that it's a "universal" machine for people who are creative.

Radio arm saws can be cut either side based on the saws ability to rotate either left or right. The real answer should be always feed work piece when ripping against direction of the blade rotation to build resistance so the blade doesn't grab the work piece and wedge it under the blade. This dangerous situation is called a climb over where the piece slips out of your fingers causing you to loose balance and fall forward towards blade and getting your hands too close to blade.

Yes, but you can't rip say a 2 1/2 foot wide piece because your arm saw only comes out maybe 20 inches or so. What do you do if you need a 3 foot wide piece?

Good video that helps others. Push the wood into the back end of the blade rotation. Let the blade cut from the underside of the wood, instead of the topside of the wood. Otherwise the saw will pull the wood and your hands into the blade.

Thanks for quality content! I wish I watched this video earlier before launching several pieces 30 foot across the shop doing it the wrong way!

Thank you. I totally would think do it the wrong way at first. I appreciate the demo Sir.😉

I want to thank you for this demonstration. I also love a good radial arm saw for many special cuts. Your video explains the correct way to use it.
Nice work.

You are right, but you should have said left to right since it is out-rip.

In-rip right to left.

Do not just say always left to right. Look at the guard and its features. If you understand the features, and the reasons for these features (against ejection), you will rip from the correct direction.

Don't know about Ridgid, but with the DeWalt and the Craftsman, the guard should be rotated so that the front aids in preventing the work from being lifted, ideally no more than 1/8" higher than the thickness of the work. The rear of the guard will be the pawls attached from quite high up from the guard. Also, stay very clear away from the rear. The blade is very exposed at the rear.

Does it matter if you have the saw turned to the narrow setup?

Slow down, Jim. Getting blasé ain’t healthy.

Looks good to me as long as it is safe and you obviously know what you are doing. Nice demo except I would have demonstrated statically from the wrong side because you don't want to teach that way but that is because you have never been trained to teach or instruct.

For cross cuts just use clamps. Way better than holding the wood with your hand.

All my years of used radial arm saw I never pulled out the saw all the way out pushing back ward towards the work piece carps gotta get ""kick back "" sheep 🐑🐑🐑 got hit the fence (sh*t got hit the fan face and hand 👏👏 you trying to grabbed the work piece// some time you're pulling into the saw not looking good 🙉🙈🙊🤔💯🔥🕳️🕳️🕳️🕳️🔥🔥🔥🔥⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️))))

Of course, an in-rip would require the board to be fed right to left.

I can tell you for a fact . It will suck it in and jam also will throw the wood. Thanks !!!

Depends on which way you turn the head

You can rip from either "side". In rip and out rip. You just have to spin the saw around so the blade side is facing the column. But more importantly, where TF is your anti-kickback device? And WTF were you doing raising the hold down while the blade is spinning still in the cut? Then WTF were you doing when you pinched the blade with the offcut? Dude! Slow down, take a deep breath and count to ten. It'll be ok. YT is full of dumb comments, like mine here. Don't take it personal. It's the internet. Where lizard people rule the baby blood drinking government and the Earth is flat. Think about it maybe, but don't let it get to you.

You’re absolutely correct! You go against the rotation of the blade just like if it was a tablesaw.

Your definitely right. Ripping are in conventional cut, if you rip in climb cut, it's going to grab and pull you in and the guard is on the other side and your going to loose a finger or two. Only dummy argue with you.

The safety in my experience is most effective in comfortably executing tasks. Everyone is different, and we do things differently. So whatever you feel is most “natural” so long as you aren’t putting yourself in the line of fire/danger, you are probably in better position.
Gloves are the same. I hate gloves, I feel gloves can get caught on stuff, but if used to them, then dexterity, and grip benefit others and they are safer with them.
The beauty of a radial arm saw is that either direction you’re getting down force, and lift will only happen if feeding too fast, or not positioning properly.
If you’ve worked around shops since childhood you know what has kept you individually safe this long. So I always hesitate to say: “your doing it wrong”. There may be a better way, or less risky way, but, if your body mechanics do not match it, it’s no more risky or unsafe.
Agian, just the experience I’ve seen from working in shops, farms, and explosive manufacturing plant

I like the Bungee cord!

By ripping or cross-cutting from the wrong side could undo the blade holding nut which is left thread!

Well dang, I learned two things in this 1 video. Thanks for explaining

GREAT VIDEO...GREAT ADVICE! THANKS

What blade are you using?

Your awesome thanks

You always avoid "climb cuts" where the teeth of the blade/cutter are pulling themselves into the work piece. The principle is true for any circular saw, router, or planer. And Jim, where are your anti-kickback pawls ?? Please revise this video to show their correct use. You should explain that crosscuts on a radial arm saw are the only time a climb cut is recommended. Also, I see you are placing your hand within 3 inches of a running saw blade. And I saw you removing offcuts while the blade is still spinning. Bad idea. You can get away with it sometimes,, but not every time.

oh dear god, your second demonstration sounds like an untrained lowes employee trying to cut wood 😂 and im stealing the bungee cord idea

Do it either way, as long as the teeth are running away at the bottom of the cut. Some rips are done on very wide pieces such as plywood and you may be ripping a sheet inhalf at 24". This is done the way he shows.

But heavier or thicker pieces can be done theother way, feeding from the right by rotating teh head 180 degress. This way, you benefit from the maximum stiffness of the position closest to the pillar.

No matter: Follow ALL the ruiles and the odds are no worse than using a table saw. Personally, I would favor using the old cast iron DeWalt or early Delta/Rockwell saws. They are more sturdy, rigid, and may I say, quieter.