Cabinet saw or slider for a hobbyist?

[Jesse Brown]

My contractor saw is a nice saw, but it has a few shortcomings that bug me:

• It won't cut clean bevels. I once spent an entire Saturday trying to shim it before convincing myself that it's a design limitation
• Cross-cutting panels can be clumsy
• I find it to be underpowered sometimes
• I don't care for the right tilt
• I made a dust panel for the back, but I have to remove it whenever I want to tilt the blade
• The right table extension sags too much to make a good router table (OK, I've been too lazy to fix it )
• I can get pretty clean cuts on veneered plywood, but it take a lot of fussing

I was about to order a Sawstop PCS with the router table when I got interested in sliders. Something like a Hammer C3 is more expensive, but it's close enough for me to consider. I could sell my 12" J/P to make room for a combination machine, and maybe even free up some precious space. An 8' slider would still be too large, but I have a long guide for my track saw in those cases.

What do you think? Is a slider more than shop jewelry for a hobbyist, or should I look to myself for improvement rather than my tools?

[Martin Wasner]

If you can afford the cost and space for a slider, get a slider.

I don't care for sliders, but if I could only have one saw, I would have a slider

[Doug Landphair]

I can see where a slider would be quite handy. I have the SawStop PCS and wouldn't mind adding on either their slider or possibly aftermarket equipment. Can't say anything for or against equipment like the Hammer C3 but I'd really hate to give up the safety features of my SawStop. Just my 2 cents.

[eugene thomas]

I had the add on sliding table same as saw stop sells now on my cabinet saw.. I bought thre grizzly 70" or so slider... game changer. I would hate to go back to cabinet saw.

[John Sincerbeaux]

I bought my first tablesaw before I could drive. I have worked with many hobby-level and true industrial tablesaws for over 40 years. Last year, I replaced my PM 66 with a slider. After a year operating my slider, I can confidently say there is absolutely nothing a cabinet saw can do better than a slider. All sliders are not equal especially in size. My slider is a “short stroke” which takes the “too big” argument out of the picture. Saw Stop is no where as safe as a slider. Some will say sliders are only good for cutting sheet goods? Actually, sliders are the best saw for cutting the tiniest of pieces of wood.
I actually feel every tablesaw in every Hobbiest or Professional shop should be a slider.

[Jim Becker]

I went from a cabinet saw to a slider quite a few years ago and haven't looked back. If I had to downsize, I'd still have a slider, even if it only had a short stroke. The precision, repeatability and safety aspects of the format are valuable to me. Do note that there's a learning curve because we do some things differently on a slider than we might have on a North American design saw. But as John said, there's no limit to what you can do.

For the record, I have no issue with North American design saws, especially high quality ones. I just personally prefer the slider over that design...and this is, honestly, a very subjective thing.

[Mike Cutler]

If you have the room, slider.
I wish I had the room.

[Martin Wasner]

I actually feel every tablesaw in every Hobbiest or Professional shop should be a slider.

If you're using the fence to rip, the slide part really doesn't matter though. Or with a power feed.

Like I said, if I could only have one tablesaw, it would be a slider, but I have basically five set up for different things, only one of which I would consider a slider an improvement over what I've got.

[Bill Space]

I am totally happy with my cabinet saw.

However, if I had the room and could do it over, I would likely buy a slider rather than a cabinet saw.

So I too say go with the slider...

Bill

[Ralph Okonieski]

I went from a contractor table saw to slider. I love the slider. I would make the same choice if had to do again. For me, there is no comparison but it is your decision to make. The SawStop is a quality machine.

[Tom Bain]

I’m a hobbyist and went from a Unisaw to a Felder Slider about 4 years ago. There is definitely a learning curve with the slider (which is not to be underestimated) and I’m still learning :-). I’m very happy with the switch and the Felder is a more capable saw in every aspect. I would say the only thing I miss about the Unisaw is the ease of switching over to a dado stack. While the Felder has dado capability the set-up is not as quick or straightforward, and my saw can only handle a 6” dado stack.

[Rod Sheridan]

Definitely a slider.

I have a 4 foot stroke slider/shaper (Hammer B3) and wouldn't go back to a cabinet saw.

Mine has the same footprint my cabinet saw had yet with the outrigger on I can crosscut a sheet of plywood easily and accurately.

The capacity, capability and accuracy is far better than a cabinet safe, not to mention the improved safety......Rod.

[Frank Drew]

Definitely a slider.
The capacity, capability and accuracy is far better than a cabinet safe, not to mention the improved safety......Rod.

What Rod and others have said; for speed, accuracy and efficiency a slider absolutely makes sense for a professional shop, but if a non-professional has the money and space it will make life so much easier. N.b.: A smaller slider, suitable for crosscutting sheet goods, needs more left to right room than front to back.

[Andrew Seemann]

Cabinet saw for me. I don't have the space or funds for anything more anytime soon. While I could physically fit one in my shop, I'm not willing to surrender what I would have to give up to fit it in.

[Chris Parks]

The largest number of TS injuries is from kick back and Saw Stop haven't worked out how to eliminate that yet. Used with an F&F jig the slider eliminates hand/blade injuries and also eliminates kick back. I use the slider to cut solid wood and it is a rare day I have to use the rip fence for its primary purpose and mine is only a short stroke machine. I don't think the learning curve is all that steep TBH as there is a large amount of video material now available and Hammer is doing a series of project videos which are good to watch. I have yet to hear someone who regretted buying a European slider or even an Asian copy of one.