This Old Workshop, Rigid Radial Arm Saw Review, woodworking

Tool Review: Ridgid Radial 10" Arm Saw

One of the most anticipated tool additions to our shop was that of a radial arm saw. The versatility and ease of use made this tool one I did not want to live without. When it came time to pick one out, budget was a factor. But regardless of the budget, it is never my choice to settle for low-grade tools. Your work is only as good as your tools, and settling for junk just to fill a space in the shop isn't an option. When you can also find a tool that offers some excellent versatility, and multifunctional operation, the space and money are well spent.

When you have been woodworking for quite a few years it's easy to become a tool snob. Brand loyalty is as fierce in tools as it is in automobiles. Some of brand loyalty is based in fact, but a lot of it is based on nothing more then choosing a side and sticking with it. With a shop filled with Delta, Jet, I was a little guilty of that.

We have been watching Ridgid Tool Company for a couple years as it has filled our local Home Depot with tools dressed in bright red and tan. My first impression was that these low-end garage tools were not really worth a look. However, curiosity and necessity brought me back to the showroom to look again.

The first couple pulls on the saw felt solid, well built. I continued to turn the adjustments, and switch the leavers. I was surprised by a quality feel, not the tinny, plastic feel I had told myself I would experience from the cheaper stuff. This felt like a real tool, something I would not be afraid to feed an expensive piece of cherry or oak.

The heart of the saw is its 13/6.5 amp motor. A solid 3450-rpm power plant holds the 10" blade. The compound angle adjustments were easy to change, and felt tight. The price tag around $600 wouldn't take too large of a bite out of the shop budget. I decided to take a chance on Ridgid and add its radial arm saw to our shop. The overall specifications are impressive.

Specifications
Motor 13/6.5 Amp, 120/240V
Motor RPM 3450 RPM
Blade 10" 40 Tooth Carbide
Blade Guard Fully enclosed, manually operated
Table 40"x27" with 3 position fence
Cutting Capacity:

Rip 26"
Cross cut 15 1/2" at 1" depth
Depth of Cut 3" at 90°

2 1/4" at 45° bevel
Blade Miter 45° left/45° right
Bevel 0-90° left
Shipping Weight 170 lbs.
Net Weight 150 lbs.

Hunting down a clerk in the store, I pointed out the saw and asked her to bring one out for me. After waiting a moment, I was told they had no more, except for the showroom model and they were reluctant to sell that one. After a moment of persuasive dialog, I was instructed to bring my truck around and they would load it up for me. Inside, I was cheering! For the same price, I had purchased a fully assembled saw. With the addition of the mobile base to make the saw more shop friendly, I quickly drove off and headed to the shop with my prize.

Arriving at the shop, we unloaded the saw and took awhile to poke and prod at the new member of our team. As I boasted about my negotiation skill at getting them to part with the assembled saw, Lance spoke the foreboding words, "I wonder if they assembled it correctly." A dark cloud began to gather above as my throat began to dry and my voice cracked. "Well, um… of course they would. Wouldn't they?"

With a wariness born of experience, we opened the manual and began checking the assembly from the start. Checking each part, we quickly learned the worst. No, they hadn't done everything. Oh, it was assembled all right, but not one of the calibrations and adjustments were correct. It was as if some evil wrench monkey had laid a trap for me, grinning from the shadows as I happily loaded my "prize" into the pickup.

I had assumed I was going to get away without having to assemble my new saw! Instead, I had to take it apart and then assemble it all over again, correctly. A humbling experience, but one that gave me the chance to familiarize myself with the adjustments and calibrations of the saw. Luckily, the detailed manual made that task reasonably painless. I have read my share of manuals and instructions and I can tell you there are some bad ones to be found, but Ridgid does not fall short in the documentation department.

Finally the time came to try it out, and to my pleasure, it performed excellently. The smooth action of the arm and firm cutting power easily impressed. After turning a reasonable stack of wood into smaller pieces, I yearned to put the stack dado head cutter into it and plow out some dados, rabbits and lap joints. Removing the guard system was a bit of a challenge, but once the method was learned, it is not all that difficult. Again, the saw performed better then I expected; my prejudices were quickly falling away. Perhaps Ridgid is a serious tool company after all.

In addition to the saw, I purchased the mobile base for it. Working in a small shop we require all our large tools to be mobile so we can shift things around to make more room to work in. It was money well spent for such a large saw. The Ridgid Base cost an additional $99.

I have been using the Ridgid Radial Arm Saw now for about 13 months and I can see it is performing serious work in the shop reliably and accurately. I can say I have learned two things out of my purchase. One, Ridgid Tools is definitely a company to consider for your home shop equipment, and two, never assume anything when it comes to buying an assembled tool; check everything carefully. If something is assembled or adjusted wrong, you should have no one to blame but yourself.

Ridgid has built a solid machine here, it performs very well.

The investment for this tool is not out of line with its usability and workmanship.

Although you can live without a radial arm saw, having one definetly extends the function of your home shop.