Let's Get This (Slider) Party Started

[Mark Hockenberg]

I'm about ready to retire my Unisaw and move up to a slider. I welcome your advise.

Here are my requirements/constraints/questions:
- I'm located in the Denver area.
- Thinking about SCM and Felder. I suppose these are the default choices. What else should I look at?
- I frequently work with 4' x 8' sheet goods. My understanding is that a 9' - 10' slider is best to accommodate 8 foot sheets. I have the space for either length. What length is ideal?
- My shop door opening is small at 32". The Felder K500S should fit through as the width of the main machine is 759mm. Not sure about SCM or others yet.
- Since most work is the the left of the blade, and I almost never use the 48" capacity on my cabinet saw, will I regret getting a slider with a 31" rip capacity?

Thanks in advance
Cheers,
Mark

[Erik Loza]

Well, I can’t really give you an impartial answer except to say that the K500S is a GREAT entry-level professional slider. The 9’ slider and 48” rip capacity are standard for the US market. I guess you could order with 31” rip capacity but there would probably little to no price difference. Most of the shops I go into, you will see a stack of offcuts, a cutlist, and yeti mug or coffee cup on that side of the saw. So, people find a use for it. Hope this helps,

Erik

[Bill Dufour]

I would suggest cutting the wall and framing in at least 36 inch door. Maybe even a french door. Tell the keepper of the purse it will improve energy efficiancy with a new well insulated door.
Bill D

[John P Clark]

Mark

i have a felder k700 and it is a great saw - do you have three phase or single phase? I would get in touch with Kevin Slaugh from Felder - if you want to see a saw and cut something, let me know, I am in Brighton. I do not thing you could go wrong with either saw, but I am slanted towards Felder

John

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi, since you feel you have a need for an 8 foot straight line capacity, go for it.

I have a 49 inch capacity straight line and it's perfect for me as I make solid wood furniture.

I also have no use for a 49 inch rip capacity on a slider, to me it's a waste of shop space.

You'll love having a slider, my one comment is that if you wish to use dado capability, you'll need an overarm blade guard. I had to add that to mine...........Regards, Rod.

[Dave Cav]

I went from a vintage Delta 12/14" cabinet saw and a Powermatic 65 10" cabinet saw to a Minimax (SCM) SC4E, which is their basic 8.5 foot slider. I kept the Powermatic and installed it in the "outfeed" position of the slider and use it for smaller joinery work. I very seldom use plywood as I mostly build furniture from solid, but after having used the saw for about six months there isn't any way I would go back. Sam Blasco, one of the Minimax sales reps, has a good Youtube channel with lots of slider info. Another Youtuber, Extreme Woodworker, has a number of slider videos and although he uses a Felder, most of it is applicable to any sliding table saw.

The Minimax probably won't fit through a 32" door. I brought mine in through a 10 foot garage door with a pallet jack and it was still a fussy job.

[Mark Hockenberg]

Mark

i have a felder k700 and it is a great saw - do you have three phase or single phase? I would get in touch with Kevin Slaugh from Felder - if you want to see a saw and cut something, let me know, I am in Brighton. I do not thing you could go wrong with either saw, but I am slanted towards Felder

John

Thanks a lot for the offer, John. I may take you up on a visit. I would much prefer a K700 over the 500, but as mentioned the shop entrance is a constraint for now. I have single phase, so I'll stick with that.

[Peter Kelly]

I would suggest cutting the wall and framing in at least 36 inch door. Maybe even a french door. Tell the keepper of the purse it will improve energy efficiancy with a new well insulated door.
Bill D

I agree. Even though that Felder K500 is 2" narrower than the existing opening, it weighs more than 1,300 lbs and will likely be a massive PIA to wrestle through that door. A 36" or larger would make things considerably easier.

[Patrick Walsh]

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....

I have seen both for sale recently for much less money than new. Like 1/3 of new in great condition and you will have a way nicer machine without all kinds of electronic stuff to worry about.

Or I’d go no lower than the Martin T-60c. Surely the T60 is not rinky dinky but by comparison to a older Martin 72-73-75 it is. But not compared to new scmi Or Felder the Martin T-60 will be like a Mazda to 5 series BMW. Entry level Scmi and Felder are like tin cans by comparison.

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.

If I was gong to buy anything entry level it would be a Griggrio if they are still in business. They used to make a entry level machine for Martin that was re badged and sold just under the T-60. I’d never pay for the Martin branded one but if the Martin was to expensive for me and new was important Griggrio would win hands down without question.

Also bar none get the 52 rip fence. It becomes a bump stop and a integral way of at least how I use a slider. And if you have the room get 10hp’ sliding table anything less will become annoying. The first time you can’t do something on your “new very expensive space hog toy” you will surely be bummed out.

[Matthew Hills]

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

Made me smile.

[Mark e Kessler]

Rod, why do you need the overhead guard with a dado? UK requirement?

Mark K

Hi, since you feel you have a need for an 8 foot straight line capacity, go for it.

I have a 49 inch capacity straight line and it's perfect for me as I make solid wood furniture.

I also have no use for a 49 inch rip capacity on a slider, to me it's a waste of shop space.

You'll love having a slider, my one comment is that if you wish to use dado capability, you'll need an overarm blade guard. I had to add that to mine...........Regards, Rod.

[Rod Sheridan]

Rod, why do you need the overhead guard with a dado? UK requirement?

Mark K

Hi Mark, I'm actually in Canada.

The standard guard is splitter mounted so it can't be used for a non through cut.

I put a modified overarm guard on mine as per the photograph....Rod.

Completed Installation.jpg

[Mark e Kessler]

Is this for Hobby or Biz? If Biz 9’ min 10’ if you can, if felder min 700 series and I haven’t had my hands on a 900 series but If I was still in biz I would want a stronger build. i had an SCM for years and never had an issue, again if in business today I would be looking for a used Altendorf, Martin, scm there are others...

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'm about ready to retire my Unisaw and move up to a slider. I welcome your advise.

Here are my requirements/constraints/questions:
- I'm located in the Denver area.
- Thinking about SCM and Felder. I suppose these are the default choices. What else should I look at?
- I frequently work with 4' x 8' sheet goods. My understanding is that a 9' - 10' slider is best to accommodate 8 foot sheets. I have the space for either length. What length is ideal?
- My shop door opening is small at 32". The Felder K500S should fit through as the width of the main machine is 759mm. Not sure about SCM or others yet.
- Since most work is the the left of the blade, and I almost never use the 48" capacity on my cabinet saw, will I regret getting a slider with a 31" rip capacity?

Thanks in advance
Cheers,
Mark

[Erik Loza]

Mark, not sure I agree. There are two shops in my area with K500's. One in my neighborhood, in fact. That customer bought his about a year ago. The others are the second owners (they bought it, used) and that machine is about 6-7 years old. Zero issues with either. In fact, both guys love them. I think it's easy to say "if you are a pro shop, you must have this beefy thing", and do I sell a lot of beefy sliders, too, but try to remind myself that for the one-man shop doing a kitchen or so a month, something like a K500S puts them light years ahead of a standard cabinet saw and also makes a lot of sense from cost/benefit standpoint. Just my experience. Pic of 7-year old machine for proof.
1A4202E2-ADC4-418C-A094-745ED5E2AD59.jpg

Erik

[Mark e Kessler]

Erik,

That's fine - the k500 will work for some folks for sure, when I quoted the k500 and the k700 there wasn't a huge dollar difference and I wasn't willing to live with the Hammer internals and I think a few other things for that amount of money. For me it was either Hammer or k700 at the time. But that's me willing to spend a few thousand more as at the time it would have been at the time the last saw I would buy so not a lot of dollars over 25-30 years, I think some forget to think this way when purchasing a piece of equipment like this... .

Mark, not sure I agree. There are two shops in my area with K500's. One in my neighborhood, in fact. That customer bought his about a year ago. The others are the second owners (they bought it, used) and that machine is about 6-7 years old. Zero issues with either. In fact, both guys love them. I think it's easy to say "if you are a pro shop, you must have this beefy thing", and do I sell a lot of beefy sliders, too, but try to remind myself that for the one-man shop doing a kitchen or so a month, something like a K500S puts them light years ahead of a standard cabinet saw and also makes a lot of sense from cost/benefit standpoint. Just my experience. Pic of 7-year old machine for proof.
1A4202E2-ADC4-418C-A094-745ED5E2AD59.jpg

Erik