DIY sliding table saw table crosscut 'extension arm' - any problem?

[Bill Kugler]

I have a Minimax ST3c (the SC3 with a shaper), and I am thinking about making a modification to it, and am wondering if I am missing any downsides/protential problems.

I am thinking about adding a bar to the crosscut, to make it easier to crosscut wide panels.
https://www.scmgroup.com/en_US/scmwo...imax-sc-3g.746

To be clear, I have the saw in the link above, and I'd like to drill two holes and attach a 4' bar to the end of the sliding table crosscut, because if I have to crosscut 1' off of a 4'x8', the sheet wants to 'tip up' ever so slightly, causing it to miss the scoring blade, and just generally be a pain in the butt.

The saw is out of warranty, so it won't have an impact there, the bar wouldn't be that heavy, so I can't see it being a problem based on it's weight alone, and I am already crosscutting sheets, just not comfortably.

Opinions? Ideas?

Thanks,

Will

(PS: to be clear, I am after something like the crosscut on this saw, with the long bar: https://www.haco.com/en/our-services/panel-saws-ps400, only a homemade version)

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I'm 99% sure that you can buy it as an accessory somewhere if you wanted, so no it is not a bad idea. When crosscutting long boards on my felder, they sit on a little "shelf" that is on the end of the crosscut fence. You could do that too.

felder_430-134_03.jpg


Forgot to add, if you do the bar, it doesn't need to be 4' for a 4x8 sheet, a little over 2 will work fine.

[Erik Loza]

IMO, the panel is still going to sag/arch at the blade unless you actually increase the support area, i.e larger frame table for the outrigger. To the OP, rather than modifying the existing crosscut fence, I would call Parts Pronto and see if you can order the steel support table that mounts T-slot in the side of the sliding table. The outboard end of the panel will still want to sag but if you had the side table, you could at least flatten the area the blades will be cutting if you use an eccentric clamp. Hope this makes sense.

Erik

[Derek Cohen]

Bill, if you want to prevent the sheet lifting at the scoring wheel, the add a hold down at that side of the slider ...






Regards from Perth

Derek

[johnny means]

I clamp a stick to the crosscut fence that serves a hold down for that corner of the material.

[Jim Becker]

Derek pointed out what I was immediately going to say...clamp the material down to the wagon so it can't pull up from the scoring blade from "sag". If the outrigger fence doesn't already have some form of extension to help support the length of the sheet, that would be where I'd want to get creative, too. The MM slider I owned had a native extension for that.