questions about minimax CU300

[Bird Cupps]

I lurk here but don't usually have much to offer because there are such good responses. But today I've splurged on the $6 hoping this community can help me make a decision. I'm considering a minimax CU300 combination machine. Do you have one of these with the 8.5' slider?

My main question is whether I can clamp a sheet of plywood to the slider and still have enough stroke to clear the saw blade? Or will I end up ripping along the fence as I would an American-style saw?

I am trying to decide whether the 8.5' will suit me or if I might as well stay with 5.5'.

[Matt Schrum]

I have a Chinese version (more or less) of the CU300 and I can clamp a full sheet of plywood on the slider with the leading edge short of the scoring blade, push it through, and have the trailing edge clear the main blade. This is in the 8' direction. 4' is obviously a piece of cake.

[Bird Cupps]

Thanks Matt. If I understand you right, you can rip a sheet entirely on the slider, then? It's kind of frustrating to buy one of these things without actually seeing it in the flesh. . . . er, steel.

[Matt Schrum]

Correct. My slider was advertised as 8 foot-ish (or the metric equivalent) and I have not actually taken a tape measure to it, but the layout and stroke length allow me to load a full sheet of 4'x8' plywood, start the machine, make an 8' cut, and finish with the plywood clear of the main blade by a few inches.

My disclaimer is that I have not actually used a legitimate CU300 with an 8.5' slider, but my understanding is that any 8.5' slider has the same ability-- load, cut, and go clear past the blade with a full sheet of plywood. This is the primary reason I did not go with a smaller slider, I just didn't want to pre-process my sheet goods.

[Jim Becker]

My MiniMax S315WS slider is the 8'6" version and yes you can rip a typical 96-97" long sheet on the wagon. It's tight, of course, but doable.

[Bird Cupps]

Oh yeah, I keep thinking of it as 8' 5'' but it's not. It's 8 and a HALF. :D

I kept getting my head wrapped up thinking about clamps and the shoe at the end of the slider, etc. and wondering how much room all that would take up. But that's what I want to do: rip, slide it off onto a cart or something and make another rip without too much bullshit--the way I can do on my Jet saw with outfeed table.

Thanks so much for the replies.

[Jim Becker]

You only use the shoe for straightlining material like boards on the wagon. For sheet goods, you'll be having the outrigger fence as far forward as you can make it to do the rips you asked about. I honestly don't think I've ever actually used "the shoe" since I bought my saw in the mid-2000s... :) ...I park the back end of a board against the short miter fence for doing that first straight edge.

[mark mcfarlane]

Bird, I have a 2016 CU300 and it has no problem ripping an 8' sheet of plywood. Like Jim said, put on the large outrigger table as far to the leading end if slider as possible, leaving room for one of the clamps. Then, if you want you can put a second clamp on the trailing edge of the slider and the space between clamps is about 8' 1". Fits and cuts 8' panels just fine.

I too have never used the shoe, the outrigger pretty much stays in place on the leading edge of the slider. I use a homemade Fritz and Frans jig with stops and rules for most non-panel cuts. I just put Fritz against the outrigger and sometimes clamp it in place.

FWIW, I posted a youtube video on my approach to setting up the CU300 saw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_HbyPzzhDk).

I am happy with my purchase.