Hi all,
First post and happy to finally tell you all how much I appreciate this forum.
Kind of a two parter here.
Is there anyone here with experience using a FELDER FB710 in a commercial/semi production shop environment?
How would you rate this machine in over all durability
Please : I am absolutely uninterested in suggestions for a minimax. I have a brand new one in the shop that after two weeks is still non operational. The tensioning mechanism shattered upon tensioning a 1" CT blade up to 17k psi. Not to mention the slew of factory defects.
Anyway,
I make custom furniture and high end cabinetry for the residential and commercial market. A large part of what I do involves making shop sawn veneers and using them to spread a grain pattern across the face of a set of units or within a given piece.
I'm looking at 2 saws
FELDER FB710
OLIVER 217D
Im basically wondering if the 710, which is essentialy the largest non industrial unit Felder sells, would put up with long term medium use and occasional heavy resaw use.
I understand that this unit really can't be compared to the iron giants of old, I just need to know if it can take a beating since it is a significantly lower investment than would be the Oliver.
I was trained on an Oliver and know it will outlast many contemporary saws, in fact it is a dream saw for me, but this decision is for the business so saving money is most important. Plus the Felder has a few bells and whistles that the old guy doesn't including a much higher resaw capacity. Obviously the resaw capacity is irrelevant if the machine can not take a large enough blade or tension it properly but it has a larger clearance so theoretically it is better. Thats what I am hoping you all can tell me. Does it cut the mustard??
Thanks so much for any and all your experience.
Daniel