Which sliding table would be most practical for my space?

[Mike Mercado]

Hi all,
I am new to SMC. I decided to turn my garage into a wood shop after getting tired of hauling my jobsite tools in and out evrytime I want to do a project. I am making the leap to a slider and want to get it right. I have looked at Minimax and Felder and have narrowed it down to either a SC 4 elite or a S 315 elite s, A Felder 700 is not out of the question but price and wait time are making me lean towards the Minimax. I Will be working with hardwoods and reclaimed woods, gluing up panels for doors and some cabinetry all as a hobbiest. I want the longest slider possible for straightlining but also want to use it for all my miters instead of a chop saw. My garage is roughly 18x18 . I am planing on the saw outfeed through the open garage door(florida) with the rip fence side close to the wall and outrigger table towards the center front of the garage. Can I realistically fit the S315? If so am I losing the ability to do smaller miter cuts? Does one crosscut fence have a clear advantage for miters? This will be my first slider and I want it to be my last saw purchase.
Mike (space, not spae)

[Erik Loza]

Mike, I'm assuming that you're talking about a US-spec Minimax machine. If so, the Si315E-S will have a 10.5' slider and need around 25' of real estate from lock to lock on the slider. The SC4E with an 8.5' slider should work though. They're both great machines, you couldn't go wrong with either. Are you dealing with Sam Blasco?

Erik

[Mike Hollingsworth]

My 5.5 foot slider lives in a shop similar in size. A larger slider would take too much space.
Think about a Track Saw.

[Mike Mercado]

I sent Sam an email and he replied but he would not be able to help until next week. I had two opportunities, one used combo, one almost new Felder that was for sale on here so I felt A little pressure to get as much info as possible quickly. You are correct on the slider lengths I'm considering.

[david coelho]

I have a Felder CF 741 S combination machine with full 8' capacity for both width and length, and I'm doing so in a 20' x 20' space. I manage this by getting EVERYTHING off the floor and above the height of the sliding table. This has worked out really well, and I'm very happy with this machine despite the very limited space available. I also went with a rolling work table (Barth 500V) that is adjustable in height, which allows me to have the sliding table roll right over the top of it when it is not in use, and also gives me a very capable table that can be used as outfeed, can raise/lower material, can be used for cabinet construction, etc...

[Erik Loza]

I sent Sam an email and he replied but he would not be able to help until next week. I had two opportunities, one used combo, one almost new Felder that was for sale on here so I felt A little pressure to get as much info as possible quickly. You are correct on the slider lengths I'm considering.

This S315 WS is the same size as the current SC4 Elite...

http://galootcentral.com/membersites/billwebber/BS%20S315.jpg
http://galootcentral.com/membersites/billwebber/S315%20ripjig.jpg

Notice how the owner deleted the rip table to make it fit. May options and possibilities with a slider.

Erik

[Brian W Evans]

Do you really need a 10.5' slider? The 8.5' will handle a full sheet of plywood. I understand about ripping 10' long pieces of lumber but, for me, that is a rare occurrence. It could be done anyway on an SC4 by just using it as a non-sliding saw.

Do you have ceiling/roof supports in your space? I have lally columns in my garage and had to sacrifice a little space to the right of the blade. I recommend looking at the MM catalog (https://www.scmgroup.com/products/docs/rebranding/Minimax%20Generale/Minimax%20Gen._rev00_mag17_Ing_00L0365558F.pdf), which has floor space diagrams in it, and use some masking tape to lay out the maximum area you'll need for each saw.

I bought an SC4 Elite about 6 months ago and I have been extremely happy with it. It is a very solid machine and was easy to calibrate (though not much was needed). The only thing I wish I'd done differently is to get the Minimax overarm blade protection cover. I put a Grizzly on mine and haven't been very happy with it.

No matter which slider you go with, make a Fritz und Franz jig (https://youtu.be/uVUgjr_Iw1w) right away.

Best of luck.

[Jim Becker]

I have the S315WS from a number of years back with the 8'6" slider. That requires about 19' for the full wagon throw. The 8'6" has generally been fine for the type of work I do and there have only been a few times that I've wished for a longer wagon. I could have been very happy with the SC4 type machine, but at the time, had a "smokin' " deal available on the slightly larger machine. :)

I'm glad you're talking with Sam. He's great and that goes way beyond being the rep...he's a user of the machines and one of the foremost experts on the how and why for these machines.

Like the one user that Erik illustrated, I reduced the right side space requirement to better support workflow in my particular shop environment.

https://zfyzua-sn3301.files.1drv.com/y4mheSABjIjESOkKAJvOcPqSyfn37FZNzzWWJ1cWavVYtnEw_t huyskvLEqvJxLm0A8u9dlAYaTbBcZVAmZlf7dsEUOVtzfYjdtr ou2rzAn_2bb7XQLkZdwbXrfJ8TDK7cQd8p5motG_JZ62bEf2LW 3xLmCuU4stk6gg1HQJRtHLvghlKdXSuKEm9Ir_wqD24xSzvk7L ThAoFkrvdM-Vw2gUg?width=660&height=299&cropmode=none

[Mike Mercado]

thanks for the pics, I am getting a better picture now.

[Mike Mercado]

Thanks Brian,
No supports in the way and no, I don't "need" a 10.5' slider.. but ...

[Mike Mercado]

Thank you Jim,
reducing the right side may be a good option for me as well.

[Erik Loza]

...no, I don't "need" a 10.5' slider.. but ...

Either the Si315 E-S is not available with a 2600mm slider or we (at the time) made the decision to only bring it in in 3200 so as to not compete directly with the SC4 Elite in the US market. I don't remember which. Anyhow, the SC4 Elite of today is very much like Jim's earlier S315WS (with the exception of a slaved scoring blade as opposed to scoring with a dedicated motor) whereas the Si315E-S has much beefier guts than earlier models. Also, when I was with SCM Group, the US-spec SC4E's came with the accessory short mitre fence, which is a "must" as far as I am concerned. The US-spec Si315 E-S's came with the steel side table (nice but not as mandatory as the short mitre fence) and "maybe" the mitre fence but you would need to confirm that with your rep. Where I am going with that is the Si315E-S is an awesome machine but that the SC4E will probably do everything you need, for sure come with a very important accessory, and also perhaps fit better. Again, your choice. Best of luck, whatever you decide to do.

Erik

[david coelho]

Here's a Felder CF 741 S combination machine sitting in 20'x20' space, setup to handle full 8' length and 8' width sheet goods. You need roughly 16' of clearance wall to wall to make this work. Note that all storage is mounted on walls above height of slider, and the 362722362723362724work tables are height adjustable to allow slider to float over them.

[Mike Mercado]

Here's a Felder CF 741 S combination machine sitting in 20'x20' space, setup to handle full 8' length and 8' width sheet goods. You need roughly 16' of clearance wall to wall to make this work. Note that all storage is mounted on walls above height of slider, and the 362722362723362724work tables are height adjustable to allow slider to float over them.

Great pics, I'll be starting from scratch so I guess I'll clear the floor space. which includes tearing down the shelving I just built to clean up the garage... I still think I can push the saw closer to the garage door opening to gain room towards the back. I rarely do any work with the garage door closed so cutting out into the driveway for longer material shouldn't be an issue

[Andrew Hughes]

David you should get a award for the coolest shop in the smallest space.
:cool:

[Mike Mercado]

David,
I see in the pics you have the precision miter index system on your outrigger table. Do you think it is a significant upgrade over the standard miter index? would you mind saying why you chose to add it and what you feel it adds to the saw in practical terms?
Mike

[Brian W Evans]

David you should get a award for the coolest shop in the smallest space.
:cool:

I'll second that!

[scott vroom]

David you should get a award for the coolest shop in the smallest space.
:cool:

Ditto that!

[Tom Bain]

David you should get a award for the coolest shop in the smallest space.
:cool:

I second that, and also one of the cleanest I've ever seen. Can I hire you to come clean and organize my shop?!? :-)

[david coelho]

I don't use the precision miter index system all that often, but what I do use ALL the time is the DRO, totally love that.

[Kevin Jenness]

I can't comment on the specific Minimax models, but given that you can outfeed through the door I would suggest an 8.5' stroke saw. A longer one may prove a bit awkward in your space with the door closed to walk around the table and fit in other equipment. A thorough mockup in CAD will tell you a lot. As you can see from these photos you can fit a fair bit of gear in a relatively small space with good planning. The machine room shown here is 720 sq. ft.363155363154

[Rod Sheridan]

David,
I see in the pics you have the precision miter index system on your outrigger table. Do you think it is a significant upgrade over the standard miter index? would you mind saying why you chose to add it and what you feel it adds to the saw in practical terms?
Mike

Hi, I have it on my machine, it makes angles completely repeatable, no trial and error required............Rod.