Kolle Slider

[Kurt Wyberanec]

I don't really know anything about the brand. How are these? Looking at a used one and curious if it is worth it. Seems like a beefy machine. Any info appreciated. Thanks guys.

[Brian Holcombe]

Kolle is pretty dang good.

[Robert LaPlaca]

Actually during a lot of ease dropping on discussions of high end European machinery on this forum, lots of members feel Kolle is better than Martin. So in a nut shell, pretty dang good..

[Kevin Jenness]

They made nice gear, but are no longer in business. A shop near here had one for sale at least in part because they were concerned about getting replacement parts for the electronic controls. A fully mechanical one could be good.

[Kurt Wyberanec]

One I am looking at said it needs computer upgrades but fully functional... have to take a closer look but it's a formatic model and has the overarm controls... are any parts available anywhere? Are they totally gone?

[Phillip Mitchell]

I saw one on Woodweb in New England a few months back (might be the same one?) and it was a model with a fair bit of electronics on it. I don’t know the answer to those questions - but I’d say Kolle is on par with Martin in terms of build quality / engineering from what I’ve seen and read, so yeah, top of the heap. I am hesitant to invest in machines with heavy amounts of electronics, though and would really do my research and due diligence on what it would take to source and repair / program them if I were considering it.

[Brian Holcombe]

I’d be pretty nervous about anything with a computer that’s fairly old unless the components themselves are able to sourced directly from their respective suppliers or if you are willing to replace the whole system if need be.

[Rod Sheridan]

I’d be pretty nervous about anything with a computer that’s fairly old unless the components themselves are able to sourced directly from their respective suppliers or if you are willing to replace the whole system if need be.

And you can get the software for the computer…..Rod

[Kurt Wyberanec]

I'm trying to understand what the electronics issues are from them, it's a 98' machine and the price is right....they say that everything functions on the saw but the electronics need repair....I don't know if they've done work arounds or what....they also said they have a line on the parts needed....anyone here ever do any repairs or work on one of these beasts? It's also over 1000kg and is an 8.4kw machine....they said they were running it on a 40 amp circuit which means I will most likely have to upgrade something on my electric system not to mention add a convertor....they sent me a pic of the interior electronics panel, which is nicely laid out, but I can't believe how much stuff is in there....this is not an automated machine, what is all this circuitry for??????

[Jared Sankovich]

I'm trying to understand what the electronics issues are from them, it's a 98' machine and the price is right....they say that everything functions on the saw but the electronics need repair....I don't know if they've done work arounds or what....they also said they have a line on the parts needed....anyone here ever do any repairs or work on one of these beasts? It's also over 1000kg and is an 8.4kw machine....they said they were running it on a 40 amp circuit which means I will most likely have to upgrade something on my electric system not to mention add a convertor....they sent me a pic of the interior electronics panel, which is nicely laid out, but I can't believe how much stuff is in there....this is not an automated machine, what is all this circuitry for??????

Likely a 40amp 3 phase circuit with it being a 11hp motor.

[Kevin Jenness]

this is not an automated machine, what is all this circuitry for??????

Even on a manual European machine there are safety interlocks to ensure that access doors are closed, sometimes multiple kill switches, a scoring motor will have its own starter. If the saw has an electronically positioned fence or saw unit there's another level of complexity. If they have a "line" on a fix, why haven't they fixed it? Will the saw do the necessary without a fix? Better make sure you can get what you need up front. If it's just plugging in a circuit board that's one thing, if it needs hours of diagnosis by an electrician skilled in controls that's another story.

[Lisa Starr]

Does the photo they sent you show circuit board(s), or a batch of relays/contactors. If it is the later, you can often source replacement parts thru electrical supply houses. Make certain the manuals for the machine are available and include wiring schematics. Circuit boards are a different story and a much more likely to be OEM only.

[Mark e Kessler]

Doubtful the circuit boards can be sourced with that vintage, most boards of that time and before would have been single purpose designed for that saw and not from commodity parts. If the saw runs and there is a workaround the failed electronics and you are ok with that fine but don’t expect to ever be able to replace the boards if that what is failed unless you know how to build them or have $$$…$$$$$$$$$$$ to have them made.

I would touch it a 1’ pole…or is it 10’?

[Joe Calhoon]

Kolle are solid machines, I had one of their slot mortiser drills. Similar build to Panhans. Reibling company brought them in to the US after they lost the Martin dealership. They sold them for 2 or 3 years till Kolle went out of business. They had a big display of them at IWF around 2000. If the machine is in good condition they are a better build than anything Italian or Felder. Certainly would want to know what is going on with the electronics though.

[Kurt Wyberanec]

Does the photo they sent you show circuit board(s), or a batch of relays/contactors. If it is the later, you can often source replacement parts thru electrical supply houses. Make certain the manuals for the machine are available and include wiring schematics. Circuit boards are a different story and a much more likely to be OEM only.

From what u could see there was only 1 medium sized pcb, and then mostly repairs and distribution blocks.... they mentioned something about a chip but weren't very clear, but they also said everything works so I'm a bit confused ... coming out of what looks like a decent sized very clean decent sized cabinet company... if they didn't state the year I would have thought a 2010 machine based on the pics. It's appealing just need to make sure everything is working or ready fix before investing... about 3.5hrs away so not very very far

[Mark e Kessler]

Is it the one in Waterbury with the 12’ slide? If so hard to tell but looks like the overhead display is for power up/down blade and power tilt with dro for both and no power fence so the components are not as complex but i can tell you if there is a circuit board issue you will more than likely not be able to get something from a supply house to replace it. Relays and contactors should be no problem, also a 12’ slide is a monster to calibrate, not impossible but a challenge. Ask for a pic of the plate on tha machine it will have the year built on it if it’s the one in Waterbury it’s older than 2010, my guess is pre 2000.


From what u could see there was only 1 medium sized pcb, and then mostly repairs and distribution blocks.... they mentioned something about a chip but weren't very clear, but they also said everything works so I'm a bit confused ... coming out of what looks like a decent sized very clean decent sized cabinet company... if they didn't state the year I would have thought a 2010 machine based on the pics. It's appealing just need to make sure everything is working or ready fix before investing... about 3.5hrs away so not very very far

[Kurt Wyberanec]

Is it the one in Waterbury with the 12’ slide? If so hard to tell but looks like the overhead display is for power up/down blade and power tilt with dro for both and no power fence so the components are not as complex but i can tell you if there is a circuit board issue you will more than likely not be able to get something from a supply house to replace it. Relays and contactors should be no problem, also a 12’ slide is a monster to calibrate, not impossible but a challenge

Yes, that's the one... price is certainly right but almost seems too good...I imagine they don't hold as good of value being hard to find parts but still... the 12ft is actually a detriment for me since 10 is pushing it in my shop... it'll fit but might take more space then I'd like.

They say it rises falls and tilts... I'm thinking maybe the display isn't working right.... what else needs to work if the power switches work?

[Mark e Kessler]

If it starts, stops, rises, falls and tilts it “works”. The displays probably does not work and it could be just the readouts themselves or/and hardware that is actually doing the positioning part. The displays do not have any smarts to them they are simply displaying the number that is being measured.

Does the blade brake? All newer German saws brake, I think this vintage would as well but not sure. Brake boards fail over time and need to be replaced, you can choose to not replace, I happen to like that feature. The exact replacement brake board for that saw is probably not available anymore but it might be possible to retrofit it with another.

Sounds like you need to ask a few more questions, why exactly are they selling, why the low price, is there any runout in the arbor, any slop in the ways, how accurate is the cut over 8’, how about 10’ , does it hold calibration day in and day out…ect…


I suspect the low price is a few things could be they probably didn’t pay much to begin with and they got their money’s worth, it needs a part/s to make it 100%, it’s a brand that is no longer supported…ect… It could be they are just interested in making money with their new saw that is coming and want to get rid of it because it is a boat anchor.

I (and others) have said it before and am gona say it again, if it were me starting out I would be looking for an scm, there are tons of them out there, parts are available even for 20+ years old and there is a pretty large community out there for help if you need it.

And one more thing, if it sounds to good to be true it usually is….


Yes, that's the one... price is certainly right but almost seems too good...I imagine they don't hold as good of value being hard to find parts but still... the 12ft is actually a detriment for me since 10 is pushing it in my shop... it'll fit but might take more space then I'd like.

They say it rises falls and tilts... I'm thinking maybe the display isn't working right.... what else needs to work if the power switches work?

[Kurt Wyberanec]

If it starts, stops, rises, falls and tilts it “works”. The displays probably does not work and it could be just the readouts themselves or/and hardware that is actually doing the positioning part. The displays do not have any smarts to them they are simply displaying the number that is being measured.

Does the blade brake? All newer German saws brake, I think this vintage would as well but not sure. Brake boards fail over time and need to be replaced, you can choose to not replace, I happen to like that feature. The exact replacement brake board for that saw is probably not available anymore but it might be possible to retrofit it with another.

Sounds like you need to ask a few more questions, why exactly are they selling, why the low price, is there any runout in the arbor, any slop in the ways, how accurate is the cut over 8’, how about 10’ , does it hold calibration day in and day out…ect…


I suspect the low price is a few things could be they probably didn’t pay much to begin with and they got their money’s worth, it needs a part/s to make it 100%, it’s a brand that is no longer supported…ect… It could be they are just interested in making money with their new saw that is coming and want to get rid of it because it is a boat anchor.

I (and others) have said it before and am gona say it again, if it were me starting out I would be looking for an scm, there are tons of them out there, parts are available even for 20+ years old and there is a pretty large community out there for help if you need it.

And one more thing, if it sounds to good to be true it usually is….

All good things to look at....I believe they told me that everything is working, but the brake is a good question. I believe they said they are getting a modern machine which seems to be the biggest reason, but I agree, a lot to probably check before getting into it.

As for SCM, I haven't ruled them out at all...in fact I'm looking at 3 used units there too. 2 of them are at auction though, one is a Tecnomax that actually has just about everything I'm looking for and looks very clean. The other is a pretty new SC4e, I believe both said shop closure being the reason. But they are auctions and carry all of those risks....and too far for me to see them, and who knows how much they go for. If I had done it before probably wouldn't be too hesitant, but......The other is an older Si16 that is at a reasonable price for a beefy machine, but I still just feel like I might be inheriting problems that if they're not there now will soon be. The Kolle is only really appealing for it's age because of the supposed quality at a price that's probably less than what I can get for my cabinet saw (which at this price I might keep both, but a 12'er might take up too much space to let that happen).

Anyway, all of this is helpful stuff from everyone so thanks!

[Richard Coers]

If you know a hobbyist that really knows CNC, it would be an easy buy. For everybody else, it could easily be a nightmare with very expensive repairs.

[Patrick Kane]

That saw has been for sale for months, i feel. That group must have just upgraded equipment, because i remember they had a 20-25 year old Martin shaper, T43 planer, and 30+ year old martin jointer. I assumed it was a going out of business sale. I remember asking, why do they have a Kolle saw with the rest being martin kit? I also remember it seeming to be a great deal, but its been a great deal for months. Why hasnt someone moved on this yet?

Theres a Felder Kappa with shotty electronics for $2900 out towards you too. I am so so skeptical of early 2000s electronics. Ive read enough on Woodweb that i would barely buy a Martin saw from that era for $1,000. Its all but guaranteed you will be hit with a $5,000 repair within a few short years.

[Kurt Wyberanec]

That saw has been for sale for months, i feel. That group must have just upgraded equipment, because i remember they had a 20-25 year old Martin shaper, T43 planer, and 30+ year old martin jointer. I assumed it was a going out of business sale. I remember asking, why do they have a Kolle saw with the rest being martin kit? I also remember it seeming to be a great deal, but its been a great deal for months. Why hasnt someone moved on this yet?

Theres a Felder Kappa with shotty electronics for $2900 out towards you too. I am so so skeptical of early 2000s electronics. Ive read enough on Woodweb that i would barely buy a Martin saw from that era for $1,000. Its all but guaranteed you will be hit with a $5,000 repair within a few short years.

Hey Patrick, good to know...I only recently found the listing which appeared new... for the kolle is going to require more investigation...

I've been talking with the felder guy, again price is right but another one that claims electronics issue but saw working with work arounds... they can't find the blade guard or the rip fence dro which is disappointing... I'm guessing that's 3k worth just to replace is they have replacement and who knows about the electronics... otherwise seems like another good deal... there's another one like that down south asking 4500 but supposedly in good shape....

I dunno, solid mechanical is the most important but electronics can cause a headache I'm sure

[Kevin Jenness]

Here's a link to the Kolle I mentioned earlier, and they obviously just want it gone. https://vermont.craigslist.org/tls/d/waterbury-german-panel-saw/7449791019.html Looks as though the carriage slides fore and aft like the old Martin T75.

[Kurt Wyberanec]

Here's a link to the Kolle I mentioned earlier, and they obviously just want it gone. https://vermont.craigslist.org/tls/d/waterbury-german-panel-saw/7449791019.html Looks as though the carriage slides fore and aft like the old Martin T75.

Just noticed that... is that a good thing or inconvenient? I would imagine it's for increased stability, but I'm wondering if you lose convenience... do you have to change that each time to go from a rip to a cross and for how long? Any thoughts?

[Kevin Jenness]

If I am right about the beam sliding, it's a convenience in that when biased toward the outfeed for crosscutting you don't have to walk as far around to get to the fence. For normal use dicing up sheet stock the beam would be centered on the blade. On the old Martins the beam could be positioned more or less even with the front of the saw table, and could be cranked sideways as well to accommodate a dado set.

Anyway, there's a saw that's in service and they're practically giving it away. The pitfalls of buying an electronic control saw with a defunct brand should be obvious, but if it's not a matter of unavailable proprietary circuit boards it could be a good deal. If I were to buy a saw like that I would unplug it when not in use as I do my lathe's vfd.

[Kurt Wyberanec]

Looks like they say sold now, so moot point....can't wait too long on these things I guess

[Andrew Hughes]

Looks like they say sold now, so moot point....can't wait too long on these things I guess

Could be somebody from the other side of the creek poached it.
Anyone have a trailer I could borrow asking for friend. :)

[Kurt Wyberanec]

Could be somebody from the other side of the creek poached it.
Anyone have a trailer I could borrow asking for friend. :)

Wouldn't that be lovely.

[Jared Sankovich]

Wouldn't that be lovely.

Even talking about something in generalities will have it sold out from under you before then end of the day if its a good deal. That isn't limited to any one site or location its just the way it is.

[Michael Schuch]

What makes you think it has been sold? I see the add is still up on Craigslist. Did you call them?

Offer them $1000, they might say yes. I also would be worried about the electronic controls though. The controls could last another 30 years... or be your worst nightmare.

The guys I bought my Casedia sliding table saw from let me have it for $400... you never know what they will accept, especially when the new machine is arriving. My Casedia is all manual so there is nothing to it... except for a WHOLE BUNCH OF METAL!

[Kevin Jenness]

That's a perfect situation for getting low priced equipment, a shop that has a new machine coming in and needs to have the old one gone. Doesn't mean it's the right machine for you, but there is a motivated seller. The shop I used to work for replaced a Martin T71 in good working condition with a new T60C a few years ago. They put it on Craigslist to no avail and wound up taking $2k for it from the dealer. I'm sure he listed it for at least $10k after a thorough going through.

[Mark e Kessler]

I just noticed that the Kolle looks like it has a parallelogram xcut fence with readout, that’s pretty awesome… if you are not familiar with that it is where the outrigger moves to adjust the angle. Could be wrong, hard to see if there are pivot points in the pic, but the DRO and the half moon are kinda a giveaway…

This saw is definitely worth the trip to check out for the price.

I also noticed this…
“We are selling because we have purchased a brand new saw currently this saw is still being used. We will be taking it off line next week Come check it out price is negotiable.”

A little more digging and found that they had it listed on the WW for $6500 in November


I also found a similar saw with more better pictures for your viewing pleasure https://psauction.com/item/view/542102/format-saw-kolle-formatic



475391475392475393

[Kurt Wyberanec]

I just noticed that the Kolle looks like it has a parallelogram xcut fence with readout, that’s pretty awesome… if you are not familiar with that it is where the outrigger moves to adjust the angle. Could be wrong, hard to see if there are pivot points in the pic, but the DRO and the half moon are kinda a giveaway…

This saw is definitely worth the trip to check out for the price.

I also noticed this…
“We are selling because we have purchased a brand new saw currently this saw is still being used. We will be taking it off line next week Come check it out price is negotiable.”

A little more digging and found that they had it listed on the WW for $6500 in November


I also found a similar saw with more better pictures for your viewing pleasure https://psauction.com/item/view/542102/format-saw-kolle-formatic



475391475392475393

Mark, what would the DRO on that fence do? It looks like it would display the angle yes? Not a xcut DRO, is that right?

[Mark e Kessler]

yes, that dro would be for the angle. It doesn’t look like there is DRO on the xstops but hard to tell from the pic. No dro on xstop shouldn’t kill it though at this level assuming all is good they are surprisingly accurate, even the Felder K700 non dro stops were very good.

I almost feel like if I bought this thing, cleaned it up a little took better pics and a video I could resell it for more than they are asking.



Mark, what would the DRO on that fence do? It looks like it would display the angle yes? Not a xcut DRO, is that right?