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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Cache Valley, Utah
    Posts
    1,722

    New slider in the shop

    My new MiniMax SC4E arrived on Wednesday. We got it in the shop and uncrated that day, Thursday afternoon I got it assembled, and yesterday I spent fine tuning the location, getting the wiring and D/C hooked up, and making adjustments. Today I'm going to try to get the rest of the shop put back together with a few machines in new locations, and maybe cut some wood. To make room for the slider I had to sell my Delta 12/14" table saw with a huge outfeed table, a Delta cabinet shaper, and I still need to sell a big Rockwell 12" RAS on a large cabinet base. I did keep my Powermatic 65 10" cabinet saw for fine joinery, box joints, and because it's got a nice router lift installed on the right side.

    Now I have to learn how to use the slider. I'll probably build a Fritz & Franz jig, and will probably order an Incra positioner to build a parallel table for ripping. (If anyone knows of a more economical alternative to the Incra positioner I'd like to hear about it.)

    My main question here for those of you who've transitioned to sliders is how did you train yourself to use the slider? I've watched most of the Extreme Woodworker sliding table saw videos as well as a few that Sam Blasco has posted, and I think I understand the basics. I know you don't use it like a cabinet saw, and there are at least three or four ways to do just about every operation. Any advice?

    I'm also looking to retool my blade collection. I would like to put one blade in that will do 90% of my rips and crosscuts, and will only switch if I'm doing a heavy rip, or if I'm using some sort of solid surface material, both of which will be relatively rare. I mostly build furniture and use hardwood up to about 8/4 or rarely 10/4, and seldom use sheet goods.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,688
    Congrats on taking delivery of that great machine!

    Fritz and Franz will handle your parallel ripping just fine, BTW. As to blades, I'm using a 12" 48t Forrest WW-II on my slider these days...the 12" version replaced the 10' 40T blades I had carried over from the Jet cabinet saw I owed prior to buying the S315WS slider.

    As to "training"...I just dove in and tried real hard to keep an open mind rather than defaulting back to cabinet saw methods that could be awkward, at least on my particular saw.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Posts
    547
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Cav View Post
    My new MiniMax SC4E arrived on Wednesday. We got it in the shop and uncrated that day, Thursday afternoon I got it assembled, and yesterday I spent fine tuning the location, getting the wiring and D/C hooked up, and making adjustments. Today I'm going to try to get the rest of the shop put back together with a few machines in new locations, and maybe cut some wood. To make room for the slider I had to sell my Delta 12/14" table saw with a huge outfeed table, a Delta cabinet shaper, and I still need to sell a big Rockwell 12" RAS on a large cabinet base. I did keep my Powermatic 65 10" cabinet saw for fine joinery, box joints, and because it's got a nice router lift installed on the right side.

    Now I have to learn how to use the slider. I'll probably build a Fritz & Franz jig, and will probably order an Incra positioner to build a parallel table for ripping. (If anyone knows of a more economical alternative to the Incra positioner I'd like to hear about it.)

    My main question here for those of you who've transitioned to sliders is how did you train yourself to use the slider? I've watched most of the Extreme Woodworker sliding table saw videos as well as a few that Sam Blasco has posted, and I think I understand the basics. I know you don't use it like a cabinet saw, and there are at least three or four ways to do just about every operation. Any advice?

    I'm also looking to retool my blade collection. I would like to put one blade in that will do 90% of my rips and crosscuts, and will only switch if I'm doing a heavy rip, or if I'm using some sort of solid surface material, both of which will be relatively rare. I mostly build furniture and use hardwood up to about 8/4 or rarely 10/4, and seldom use sheet goods.
    Two items that are absolutely fantastic to have are a pair of parallel fences from Brian Lamb, and a pair of Mac Campshure's air clamps. Highly highly recommended.

    Mike

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    East Coast of Florida
    Posts
    107
    Congrats on your new slider, I too just put a slider in my home shop a week ago. I went with the Felder K500P, it does take up more room than my cabinet saw with large outfeed table. I temporarily setup dust collection and have made a few cuts using the slider. Really like the slider and looking forward to learning to use this slider after 20+ years of using a cabinet saw. Cut up a large panel of melamine and totally loved using the slider which made quick work of squaring up the panel. I am looking to make a Fritz & Franz jig when I get a spare moment. The Airtight Clamps look fantastic but at 1/3 the cost of my new Felder slider just can't afford that.
    Last edited by Pat Rice; 08-17-2019 at 10:08 PM.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Mackay, ID
    Posts
    32
    Dave, congratulations on your new SC4. You're going to wonder how you ever got along without it. Get the Incra positioner and make the Fritz and Franz jig and they will teach you how to use your new saw. I use the 12" 40t Forrest WW-II blade 95% of the time. You will also want to make a zero clearance plate for the saw.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Toronto Ontario
    Posts
    11,248
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eV8A3XK3R0I

    Congrats Dave, try the above video and watch some other Felder and Hammer videos.

    I had my blades bored to fit so I kept most of my previous blades, it was about $20 per blade......Rod

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Southeastern PA
    Posts
    140
    Congrats Dave. The MM SC4E was my first slider and it changed the way I worked. I was very similar to you. I loved the slider to breaking down sheet good accurately and quickly but that ended up being the tip of the iceberg for me.

    A few suggestions based on my experience. First, spend all the time you need to get the saw tuned perfectly. Get the rip fence dead accurate and get it toed out by a few thousands of an inch. Get your crosscut table accurate and square with the 5 cut method. One of the best things I've experienced is using the cross cut fence with the rip fence (when the rip fence is pulled back to be clear of the blade of course) to super accurate and simple cuts.

    I also am a big fan of using a dado blade for my grooves. I know a lot of people don't like that and I get their arguments. I just loved the accuracy, squareness and repeatability of using the dado with the slider.

    Lastly, I agree with all the people talking about the Fritz and Franz jig. This was something I did not use on my MM mostly because I only had the 5.5' slider and when you account for the fence and jigs, I was under 5'. So I'd go from ripping the traditional way to ripping on the slider. Since I upgraded and got the 10' slider, I don't rip on the right side of the blade anymore at all and use the Fritz and Franz jig all the time. Yesterday, I ripped 40 2 and 3 inch wide boards between 50 and 70 inches long and my hands were never within 18 inches of the blade.

    Enjoy the saw, you'll have a lot of fun learning.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Posts
    547
    Blog Entries
    1
    Instead of the 5 cut method, use a dial caliper and a large square -- more accurate, less hassle, and doesn't waste material.

    Mike

  9. #9
    Congratulations on your new MM Slider! I have the smaller SC2 and went through a lot of sheets using the five-cut method for setting the crosscut fence (I was a slow learner).

    The next time I do any adjusting, I'll use Sam Blasco's Three-Cut Method to check my crosscut fence:


  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Cache Valley, Utah
    Posts
    1,722
    Thanks for all the comments. I'll be ordering an Incra positioner to make a parallel fence. The Brian Lamb positioners looks very nice but I can get two Incras for what one Lamb costs. I got the long and short (with the quadrant) fences squared up using Sam's 3 cut method and a 3x3 foot sheet of hardboard. I have used the five cut method before, and it usually drives me nuts; the 3 cut method seems to work fine. I also just realized that I need to zero the long arm at the back position on the sliding support table, too. I'll be digging through the scrap bin later today to find the material for a F&F jig, and stock to make some ZCIs, too. I got all the measuring tapes calibrated, but I still need to put a dial indicator on the rip fence to check for toe in/out.

  11. #11
    Congratulations on the new saw, Dave. Once you get used to it it will make things a lot easier. I envy you the space that allows for keeping the cabinet saw.

    I do use the right side parallel rip fence most of the time, whether pulled back for crosscuts or forward for rips. My carriage is narrow enough that I can lean over it comfortably. I use the carriage mounted width gauge and Fritz und Frantz more for oddball taper cuts.

    I too struggled with the 5 cut method for a while before I discovered the 3. I fine-tune the fence position by crosscutting two panels, flipping one over and checking the fit.I have a fine sharpie line marked on the left end of the extension table under the fore and aft edges of the crosscut fence so I can see at a glance if the fence has been knocked out of whack.
    Last edited by Kevin Jenness; 08-19-2019 at 6:43 PM.

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