Format sliding saws [Archive] - Sawmill Creek Woodworking Community

Mark Singer

10-12-2005, 11:45 PM

Dan Larson

10-13-2005, 12:04 AM

It is Felder's flagship line. Just got their catalog in the mail the other day. Looks like beautiful stuff, although I have no hands on experience with any of their tools. Needless to say, very high end. I think their Kappa X-Motion saw would look rather dashing in your shop...

Dan

Charlie Plesums

10-13-2005, 12:58 AM

I believe John Renzetti has one. As I understand it, the Felder line goes from Hammer, Felder 700 series, Felder 900 series, Format 4, all coming out of the same factory with some overlap of components and features.

Rob Russell

10-13-2005, 7:37 AM

Format-4 is indeed Felder's top-of-the line. You'll drop $25K+ on one of those saws. They're really intended for the professional shop or the serious hobbyist for whom money isn't a real concern. I still believe that the best choices for a typical home shop from the Felder line would be the 700 series "S" (long chassis) saw/shaper and the 951 (20") jointer/planer. If you have the space and money and plan to do a lot of shaper work, then moving to separates for the saw and shaper makes sense and upgrading to the 900 series.

Frankly, if I were going to look at a Format-4, I'd consider spending the extra and go all the way to a Martin.

Jack Easton

10-13-2005, 9:37 AM

Frankly, if I were going to look at a Format-4, I'd consider spending the extra and go all the way to a Martin.

I saw the SCM Vangaurd in Vegas. It won some award for tool of the year or something and it is, without a doubt the nicest slider I have ever seen... Maybe they would take a trade in on a car, a truck or a kid...:D

The Format 4 stuff looked pretty too, but not sure if it has caught up with the big dogs yet, SCMi, Altendorf and Martin.

John Miliunas

10-13-2005, 10:11 AM

This is an Austrian Company similar to Felder....does anyone know about the company and machines?

http://www.format-4.com/fs_main.php3?id_lang=00002&id_matchcode=maschinenprogrammid_lang00002=&id_kategorien_lang=00032&id_matchcode=maschinenprogramm

Uh-ooooohhhhh.... I think someone is going to have to bump out the back end of their shop!!! :eek: Can I have your square store front window extrusion???:D :) :cool:

Frank Pellow

10-13-2005, 11:17 AM

Thanks for the link Mark. It's nice to dream, isn't it.

lou sansone

10-13-2005, 11:59 AM

hmmm I smell an upgrade in the works :rolleyes:

lou

Mark Singer

10-13-2005, 12:46 PM

hmmm I smell an upgrade in the works :rolleyes:

lou

Well....thinking always thinking... I do have a new J/P on order...:confused:

Dan Larson

10-13-2005, 1:24 PM

Well....thinking always thinking... I do have a new J/P on order...:confused:

Which J/P did you buy?

Mark Singer

10-13-2005, 3:07 PM

Which J/P did you buy?

Dan,
MM FS 41.....is that a good choice?

Dale Rodabaugh

10-13-2005, 3:30 PM

Very nice looking equip.but alas,.its a way out of my ballpark.Been fighting with myself concerning buying a new Shop Fox,Unisaw,or General.Dont know who is gonna win,me or myself.:confused: :confused: :confused: :eek:

Dan Larson

10-13-2005, 4:18 PM

Dan,
MM FS 41.....is that a good choice?

I looked at the FS30 very carefully when I was shopping for a J/P last year. I was particularly impressed with the overall fit & finish of the machine, and the jointer table raising & tilt mechanism. Very tight and smooth. Your machine has a different mechanism for the jointer tables, I think? Well anyway, considering that the FS30 is the entry level model for MM and that it is impressively refined, I can only imagine how nice your FS41 will be. I look forward to seeing the projects that this addition to your shop will spawn.

Dan

Scott Coffelt

10-13-2005, 4:50 PM

I think Chris P has one of them fancy aircraft carrier looking thingy bobbers, but bet it ain't been used for more than a picture prop and box holder.....:D

It's just a little drive up the coast for you Mark (what like 8 hours) to take it for a test drive.

Jim Becker

10-13-2005, 6:38 PM

The Format-4 is nice stuff, Mark! Ya better like "Blue" however... ;) Seriously, these sliders are the cat's meow in many ways. I hope to have one in my stable someday, although it will likely not be the Format-4 only because of cost. (The Prize Patrol always misses my driveway and I keep forgetting to buy a winning PowerBall ticket!) Probably MiniMax for me...but you never know!

John R can give you all kinds of information about the Format-4 as he's pretty intimate with the line!

Michael Ballent

10-13-2005, 6:53 PM

Aren't all the Format 4 machines 3 phase? That would also add to the cost, of course if you can afford 25K for a machine then the cost of a converter would be small ;)

nic obie

10-14-2005, 3:02 PM

MM FS 41.....is that a good choice?

You betcha!

It's hard to go wrong buying anything Mini Max sells.

When at the big Vegas WW show I made a off hand comment to Jim Strain (the owner) and Dain K. (my salesperson) about the new style roller guides that they are now using on their band saws and out of the blue, he said, "I'll send you a set". They showed up yesterday. I wasn't even charged for them. However, that might be because he's trying to talk me into a J/P like you bought. :D :D :D

In my opinion, it's hard to go wrong when dealing with a company that does things like that.

Be sure to post pics when you get your new toy.

Greg Ladd

10-15-2005, 1:54 AM

Nic,

Are the new style bandsaw blade guides much different than the euro guides? If they are similar to the Carter style setup, I might try to get a set myself.

Thanks for the information.

Greg

Mark Singer

10-15-2005, 2:12 AM

You betcha!

It's hard to go wrong buying anything Mini Max sells.

When at the big Vegas WW show I made a off hand comment to Jim Strain (the owner) and Dain K. (my salesperson) about the new style roller guides that they are now using on their band saws and out of the blue, he said, "I'll send you a set". They showed up yesterday. I wasn't even charged for them. However, that might be because he's trying to talk me into a J/P like you bought. :D :D :D

In my opinion, it's hard to go wrong when dealing with a company that does things like that.

Be sure to post pics when you get your new toy.

Nic,
Thanks that is great to know!!!
I am getting excited!

nic obie

10-15-2005, 1:53 PM

Greg,

The new guides are similar to the old ones. The biggest difference is that they don't need the locking ring to keep from moving out of adjustment.

They are not like the Carters at all.