Scoring

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Many folks like it for materials like melamine coated sheet stock.
I have seen some oak vinear ply tearout issues and know that other's have had tearout in oak also.

So then do you think that scoring ( at about $500.00) is likely to be a worthy investment if the user never works melamine?
Yea
or
Nay
And please, do tell - why ?

[tod evans]

cliff,
if you`re speaking of scoring as in an attachment for a conventional saw then no it`s not worth the money. you`ll have a cabinet saw with more aftermarket stuff bolted to it. if you`re asking about the scoring systems designed into a panel saw then heck yes they`re worth it, i get no tearout cross grain on oak plywood, or cherry or walnut,ect.
scoring for a fellow who only works hardwoods is senseless though...02 tod

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Thanks.

This is not as to an aftermarket item. I ordered the saw with scoring from austria. The scoring got lost in translation I guess as I have a hundred dollars worth of scoring blades which they provided in the crate but no scoring mechanism. Just empty places to mount it.
So if I order it it'll be the factory unit.

I mostly work solid wood but I do use sheet stock in the form of vinear ply.

[Paul B. Cresti]

Cliff,
I always use my scoring when cutting any kind of sheetgoods. I even have used it on solid wood at times with good results. If you paid for it or had it on your order I would be quite "annoyed" I would not like the idea of after thought bolt on unit unless it is a factory standard accesory item installed by a factory tech.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Cliff,
I always use my scoring when cutting any kind of sheetgoods. I even have used it on solid wood at times with good results. Thanks.
I was wondering if I'd see a benefit in some solid lumber.
& I have seen folks have tear out in oak ply. Whether it was a dull or wrong blade is a thing I can't say.


If you paid for it or had it on your order I would be quite "annoyed" Yah huh? It was on the order. then it got lost in the shuffle while the rep and I were worling out details.
I didn't pay for it so If I want it I'll have to pony up the cost.

As it stands I am already getting some freebies - maybe I'll ask for more. Cry rant sweart etc till the rep bends.


I would not like the idea of after thought bolt on unit unless it is a factory standard accesory item installed by a factory tech.
Now, now don't sell me short. I am every bit as competent as any factory tech - proobably more so. 15+ years as a machinist toolmaker and R&D engineer and Manufacturing engineer I have set up more than my fair share of machine tools - even modified & repaired a few including hand scraping the ways of a surface grinder and retrofitting a conventional bridgeport miller with a south bend lath thread chasing gear head to cut involute geometry. Management didn't want to spring for a CNC.

IT's the time, bother and additional cost.
Do I want to? is the question.
Will I see a meaningful gain?
Maybe I should put it off for a while and come back to it?

That is the decision nexus for me just now.

[Paul B. Cresti]

Cliff,
Oh I am not doubting your skills as a machinist but tap into you other title as ESQ..........non employee installing equipment on a factory waranteed machine = non warantee/negating the original OEM one

I do not use melamine, I hate the stuff. I have used melaply though (plywood core, pl laminate) and the scoring worked great for that. Since you have a slider I would most definately opt for scoring.

[tod evans]

cliff, now that i know what`s going on, yup get the scoring but also get it in writing that your warranty is intact if you install it! and not a note by the salesman......02 tod

[lou sansone]

Ditto what Tod and Paul said. I think that if you install it ( or what ever you method you use to remedy the situation ) that you will like the fact that you have it on board
Lou

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Thanks guys. Now the decision devolves upon the tawdry subject of coin.

Felder claims I can install it in two hours.

I may have to grow an extra joint on one of my arms the access to the underside of the table isn't generous.
OKJ it's pretty much non-existant. While positioning bolts for the parts that go on the right hand side of the table I couldn't get my pinkies in so I used Saran wrap around box wrenches to hold the bolts so I could slip 'em into position.

An alternative to encouraging a mutation in my arm might be simply to raise the machine so I can crawl under. There is access from the floor. It's directly under a 19KiPs 8" wide-flange steel beam.

I'd hate to have to re set the table.

[tod evans]

cliff, the simple solution is return it and get what you ordered.......remember you`re the customer...02 tod

[Norman Hitt]

ONE thing to point out to them, (IF you got the scoring blades from THEM), is that WHY would YOU, or ANYBODY in their right mind ORDER Scoring Blades when ordering a machine, if you hadn't ordered THE machine WITH a Scoring Attachment ON it.:confused: (might kinda put the ball BACK in their court).;)

[Paul B. Cresti]

Cliff,
That really gets me. You go through the preorder process, most likely sign off on it, do the final order and then your wishes get dropped by the salesman. This is not a personal statement against the salesman or the company but in my opinion he did not do his job. That is why he is there, to talk to you, find out what you want and then tranfer those wishes into the machine for you. If he can not do that correctly then why even deal with a salesman? Why not go directly to online ordering, drop the salesman, and thus lower the price of the machines?

I believe Mark Singer went through a similar experience with MM, (documented here on SMC) and they stepped up to the plate and delivered him the machine he really wanted. Before you start climbing in there and building your own machine I would really get the machine you truly wanted. Good luck

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Thanks guys.
It's settled. I get a written authorization of warrantee and I get a $500.00 scoring unit for $179.00 (the cost of a small router).

So thanks for the input had you all not indicated what you had I'd not have pushed the sales rep.

[Paul B. Cresti]

Cliff,
I am glad it turned out OK for you. Also glad you recieved the Customer service you deserved....

[lou sansone]

well you will get to know the machine much better now.
best wishes
lou

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

well you will get to know the machine much better now.
Especially now that I figured out how to turn it on.

I set it up and set the table and fences to true in about 6 hours over two days. I didn't have to reference the manual once it was so straight forward.
The slider was a tad off but easy enough to true. The rip fence required assembley so it had to be trued up for sure.

My first cuts:
I grabbed an old piece of 3/4" ply about 6' long that had been chopped on with a skillsaw and set it against the croosscut fence on the sliding table & shoved it through.
Great cut, smooth clean easy and fast. OK I laid the new edge against the fence and cut the corner to get square. Checked it and it was perfect. Then I did the other sides in series and flipped it to see how it repeated. It was perfectly true not taking anything off on a taper.

I think I'll like this thing.