[OP]
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The only two I've found are Sawstop and Grizzly.
Couple questions for those who have one:
Has anyone installed the SS on a different brand of table saw?
One of my concerns is the part that extends past the front of the saw will get in the way. Has anyone experienced this?
Moderator
Think carefully about what your use is going to be. These are basically big, miter-gauges/fences that happen to be permanently attached to the saw. They can be useful for panel processing and a number of tasks when setup accurately. But as you indicate, they take up space and mount pretty far from the cut line due to the nature of a cabinet saw and if you are not using them constantly, you may or may not find them cumbersome. Unlike the outrigger on a true-slider which often can be popped on and off fast and easy (outside of the weight), these add-on system are a bit more involved to remove if that's allowed at all, to gain space when not in use.
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The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...
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Yes, think carefully. I have a saw stop PCS and often think about getting their sliding table attachment. I also have the fold-out rear extension and the giant overarm dust collector guard - both of which I'm happy with.
Take a look at the installation manual for the saw stop sliding table extension.
On the PCS, you can mount it so it sticks out towards the back, or sticks out towards the front - depending on how you want to use the saw and where it is located in the shop. In either of these configurations the extension table is mounted to the leftward edge of the left cast iron extension wing. You get different amounts of extension depending on how it's mounted. Now...the manual also describes mounting it a lot closer to the blade by *removing* the left-side cast iron extension wing from the saw. You also will need to cut down the the guide rails for the fence. Personally I would have no issue with this, since I never put the fence to the left of the saw blade anyways. Mounting the extension in this fashion would put it a heck of a lot closer to the blade, although maybe not as close as a dedicate Euro slider, but probably close enough I think.
In the meantime, I have the Incra 5000HD miter sled which lets me do accurate cross cuts in pieces up to about 24" wide - and it works quite well. I suppose if I were doing lots of cross cuts in big pieces of plywood could make a shop-made cross cutting sled 3 or 4 feet wide - that would do the trick!
I use a track saw for ripping.
I haven't read anything from owners of the SawStop slider that makes me think it would be worth having. And it's so expensive that by the time you pay for a SawStop & the slider attachment, one might as well get a real slider.
Contributor
Perhaps worth a mention here that SawStop has introduced a new full size sliding table option in addition to the sliding crosscut option. Takes up a lot of room though.
Most of the gripes with the sliding crosscut option seemed to be about the lack of positive stops on the miter head, which Sawstop fixed a while ago. That and the distance from the table to the blade, which can be reduced as described above.
--I had my patience tested. I'm negative--
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I have no experience with a Sawstop or sawstop sliding tables. I did however own an Excalibur sliding table at one time, which I had on a Delta unisaw. It would be like the larger version of Sawstop sliding tables. I had mine installed without the left side extension wing,even at this spacing it is still quite far from the blade. This was an eye opener to me of the usefulness of a sliding saw. I sold it and moved on to a true sliding saw,with the carriage right beside the blade. These saws are even better. I would say if you plan on using the slider for cross cutting smaller pieces the small version will be useful. However if plywood pieces bigger than say 2' square are in the cards the bigger capacity of the large version might be better. They do have a large footprint.
Contributor
Hi Robert,Originally Posted by Robert Engel
I mounted mine so it is basically flush with the front of the table saw, and it extends further towards the rear of the saw. My sliding attachment is mounted directly to the left side of the table (left wing removed).
Grizzly Sliding Attachment 3.jpg Grizzly Sliding Attachment 1.jpg Grizzly Sliding Attachment 2.jpg
The red miter fence is easily removable when not in use. Then lock the slider and use as a conventional table saw for ripping, etc. I have the Incra Miter 5000 sled (with F&F jig) which works great attached to the slider.
Grizzly 1023rlwx.jpg
I also have a small dedicated rip sled fixture that attaches to the slider for straight rips or taper cuts on shorter work pieces.
David
Ripping with Sliding Attachment 1.jpgRipping Fixture bottom view.jpg
Contributor
I considered adding one to a Delta Unisaw that I once owned, but the dealer talked me out of it. He pointed out the issues with getting it square to the blade and not holding its settings. Plus the add-ons do not get the blade close enough to the blade to be truly effective.
Solved my problems with sliding capacity with the purchase of a true slider, with the sliding wagon and fence right next to the blade. The 2 options you stated are budget-friendly ( with the exception of the Sawstop model which is about a grand).
Next best option if you are going to stick with a cabinet saw is a good quality miter sled, either the Incra set up or a hand made version. Versatile and you can make more than one.
Contributor
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Member
I have the Delta version on an old Delta Unisaw. The part that sticks out does sometimes get in the way but you get used to working around it. I have found it easy to set up and it is always square to the blade. I don't use it much but do find it very handy when I do use it. I should add that it came with the saw and I didn't have to shell out big bucks for it.
Contributor
That set up does not look too bad at all.... About the same realestate as a left side table.
Any regrets or things I should consider before buying? I have been ripping some precision cuts at an angle on my mid right tilt Unisaw, and each time I cut one, I wish I had a slider. I have both Incra miters and a TS sled, but neither help, and any sled used reducing cutting capacity (due to the sled base material), so having the board flat to the table is needed for 45deg rips.
No point buying a new TS or a slider, as I plan on moving in a year, maybe two. I need something to use for the next couple of years. This Grizzly attachment looks like a good compromise.
Member
Ok I know I'm bad because I'm not a contributor any more because I have not renewed. Hopefully I will because I can't send pictures of what I did because if I did I couldn't see what I posted.
Ok not sure when I first started seeing the sliding table saws in the video's I thought this really made sense to me. So about 7 yrs ago at the Grizzly Springfield store I bought the Grizzly sliding table attachment for about $ 570 with store discount. If I would have had it shipped to the house it would have been $ 644.
Now the Grizzly sliding table is rock solid with no side to side play, rolls easy and quiet. This also crosscut 4 ft.
The miter gouge and fence are very heavily made but there is slop in the detents in the miter gauge which you may or not have a perfect 90% or a perfect 45%. So I had to put a square on it and than once it was locked down it was good to go until I change angle or removed it.
The flip stop on the fence same problem slop in it maybe a 1/4 either direction until putting a squire on it
Now as most know on a true sliding the sliding table is within a fraction of missing the blade which in turn what ever your cutting is on the sliding table and not dragging on the cast iron table. And I know for yrs we have had what ever we are cutting sliding on the cast iron surface and we got buy.
So what I did was make a runner to fit in the first slot in the sliding table. Than I took a 24" by 48 " plywood and put it on the slider and let it over hang the blade about a half inch. Fastened it to the runner after squaring it up with my rip fence. Than I made a cut which give me a zero clearance cut and than knowing exactly where my cut line is. I than put a 4 ft miter track in and put a Incra 1000 miter gauge in the track and fastened it to the track to freeze it there. I also made two Fritz and Franz fences. Now I know a little under 4 ft but the fritz and franz even on this setup really works good Cutting small pcs is so easy and safe. And with the fritz and franz I can get cleaner rip cuts.
The main reason I love this setup is it makes cross cuts much more safer and more accurate. And handling big panels is much easier.
I know that it will never be as good as a true sliding but for me it really works good. With the plywood on the slider what I'm cutting is totally on the slider and not dragging on the saw table.
With this set up I do not use the rip fence unless it is a bigger pc that is to big to rip on the slider. I forgot to mention that fences on the fritz and franz have a tape and adjustable stops. So I can cut pcs to the enact width. For got to mention the Incra miter gauge has a 27" by 49" fence with an Incra double flip stop.
The plywood is fastened on the slider by one of the big handle off of the original miter fence and kept straight by the runner in the slider miter track.
Hope I made sense out of all of this but it really works good for good for me and it is a joy for me to use and as close as having a true slider as I will ever have at my age. Thanks for looking, Bob
Last edited by Bob Potter; 12-20-2021 at 10:28 PM.
Contributor
It apears that Grizzly no longer makes a sliding attachment. They only have the SawStop on listed on their web site for ~ $1300. https://www.grizzly.com/products/saw...achment/t30440
Contributor
Harvey also make and sell a slider attachment.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Contributor
I'm beginning to wonder if the Grizzly/Jessem/Harvey/SawStop slider attachment is the same? They all look very similar. Most likely made in the same factory in China, or wherever it is.
I bit the bullet and had my local SS dealer ordered me a slider attachment. Probably my best option with the current saw I have. I'll most likely buy one of the 'real' slider saws when I get the new shop built in a couple years.
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