Let's Get This (Slider) Party Started

[scott vroom]

If hobby and you have no professional/commercial background then I suppose anything from a grizzly, hammer or felder k500 will do to keep cost down

I had to chuckle reading this...I upgraded from a Grizzly to a Hammer and they are definitely not in the same class....not even close.

[Mark e Kessler]

I really would have no idea, I kinda made that statement assuming someone would chime in...

MK

I had to chuckle reading this...I upgraded from a Grizzly to a Hammer and they are definitely not in the same class....not even close.

[Patrick Kane]

I’d also cut the door opening. Easy as can be.

I’d really consider used. A old Scmi the green years David Kum will maybe chime in on exact models or a used Martin I’d say Also 80’s ish T72

Recently and local to me there was a t72 in great shape selling for $3500. If I didn’t already have a slider I would have purchased it. Almost did and put it into storage For when I have more space..

Funny you mention that machine. I saw that one along with probably 3-4 others across the country that I thought were “inexpensive”. The one in Cali had shot DRO on the rip fence, but the saw was $2500 out of a one man shop. Another one down in Georgia or Tennessee was under $3000. That one near you for $3500, and there was another one in there under $4000. Maybe Long Island. I’m not really in the market for another machine right now, but I’d love to have a 10’+ dedicated saw one day. Are the 71 and 72 solid machines? The hydraulic controls are kinda cool. Not sure if that is ideal for setting an unusual bevel, but I haven’t used it, so what do I know? The hydraulic blade height is definitely cool. Not much on the internet about those two models. Seems more people have things to say about the 17 and 75 than the aluminum extrusion table 71 and 72.

[Kevin Jenness]

Patrick, I used a T71 for a number of years- it was a great saw. "Solid"? Well, yeah, it's a Martin. Different from the cast iron machines of the previous era but not in a bad way. The hydraulic controls may be a weak point as I was told by Edward Papa at Symantech that Martin was no longer stocking parts for the pump, but they were very convenient. You could pump the arbor all the way vertically or from 45 back to zero with about ten strokes, small pumps would get you very small increments (like 1/10 degree) and you could drop the spinning blade below the table in a couple of seconds. It made panel cutouts easy too as you could hold the panel with both hands while raising and lowering the blade with the pedal.

That saw got replaced with a T60-C as the shop got nervous about its age, but I guarantee you that the dealer rebuilt it and it will last another 30 years if taken care of. No electronics to crap out. The only thing I prefer on the new saw is the rip fence adjustment, lock and DRO left of the blade.

The thread got kind of hijacked as I don't think the OP is really in the market for one of these beasts. I will say I operate a used Paoloni 260 as it fits my shop layout (tight) and my budget, probably on a par with lower end Felder. It's a step down, but I can do pretty much the same work as on a Martin as long as I pay attention to the settings. A Martin is built to take the abuse of commercial shops without babying.

[johnny means]

well, i have a Martin T60, and it most definitely doesn't feel dinky.

I think you misread my statement.

[Patrick Walsh]

I was told the same about the rise and fall.

However after my t75 restoration my opinion is as follows.

Anything can be fixed that’s mechanical if your motivated. And I’m pretty sure in most cases more easily and for less than the complicated cnc machines today. Even a machine with electronic rise fall and tilt of the blade has a giant maze of electrical stuff going on. Electronics have a shelf life, at some point they will fail, will no longer be supported with replacement parts and actually render a machine usless.

A mechanical part of any sort can be replicated and replaced by the motivated and for much les than the cost of one of these modern machines riddled with electronics.

That’s just my believe system and what suits me and my needs. I was once smitten by the idea of electronic everything. For me that time was before I had much experience actually operating Woodworking machines. Now with a good amount of experience under my belt it see it’s applicable applications but in my opinion it’s more of a liability to a small and or hobby shop than a asset. Again that’s just my beliefs and what I have found suit me.

I also like big and for me feel big is better. Others value the open space more. It’s all comes down to perspective like anything.

Patrick, I used a T71 for a number of years- it was a great saw. "Solid"? Well, yeah, it's a Martin. Different from the cast iron machines of the previous era but not in a bad way. The hydraulic controls may be a weak point as I was told by Edward Papa at Symantech that Martin was no longer stocking parts for the pump, but they were very convenient. You could pump the arbor all the way vertically or from 45 back to zero with about ten strokes, small pumps would get you very small increments (like 1/10 degree) and you could drop the spinning blade below the table in a couple of seconds. It made panel cutouts easy too as you could hold the panel with both hands while raising and lowering the blade with the pedal.

That saw got replaced with a T60-C as the shop got nervous about its age, but I guarantee you that the dealer rebuilt it and it will last another 30 years if taken care of. No electronics to crap out. The only thing I prefer on the new saw is the rip fence adjustment, lock and DRO left of the blade.

The thread got kind of hijacked as I don't think the OP is really in the market for one of these beasts. I will say I operate a used Paoloni 260 as it fits my shop layout (tight) and my budget, probably on a par with lower end Felder. It's a step down, but I can do pretty much the same work as on a Martin as long as I pay attention to the settings. A Martin is built to take the abuse of commercial shops without babying.

[Matthew Hills]

...you will see a stack of offcuts, a cutlist, and yeti mug or coffee cup on ...

Made me smile.