CL Tool Gloat: '97 Minimax EuroShop SC-30 (aka LAB 300N)

[Mark Denovich]

My habit of checking CL on my iPhone (i.e. when I'm on the toilet) has paid off. The ad warned that some parts might be missing, AS-IS, etc. The seller didn't know much about it as it was acquired in a package deal (seller works for construction materials recycling operation.) The machine was only 3 miles away. I had never seen a European combo machine in the flesh before, but I did my homework, poured over the parts manuals I could find, and went and checked it out.

The specs: 10", 3HP sliding table saw with scoring blade and riving knife (5' slider), 2.5HP shaper, 3HP 12" Jointer/Planer, with a horizontal mortising attachment (an XY table which mounts to the side of the machine, the boring bit driven by a chuck integrated into the end of the J/P cutterhead.) 830lbs.

No chance to try it, but it looked good. Worst case, I'd throw it back on CL. So it wasn't long before it was forklifted into the back of my truck. I couldn't talk him into following me home with the forklift to unload it, but the saw was unloaded fairly easily thanks to the integral wheels and a patio which at one end was level with my tailgate and with the driveway at the other.

Once in my garage, I spent the next week going over the machine with a fine tooth comb. It had obviously been subjected to some ham-handed adjustments over the years. I found paper shims, hinges installed upside down, shot belts, a stripped grub screw or two, and probably 10lbs of sawdust in the cabinet. But after careful study, I figured out how everything should have been put together, cleaned everything, replaced all the belts, and got it all properly adjusted (and wow, there a lot of things to adjust.)

The moment of truth... I plugged it in, flipped the switch and... Ta Da! Everything works! Only missing items were the jointer fence and a bracket for the riving knife (welded up a new one.) I only have a few cuts on it so far, but I am very impressed. I have a Grizzly 1023RL, but this thing makes cutting sheet goods a breeze by comparison.

I paid: $600.


Minimax Euroshop SC30 (LAB 300N)

[Rick Fisher]

$600 .....

lol..

Wow.. That's crazy cheap..

[Bill ThompsonNM]

You SUCK!

Wow!
As my dad would say "you done good!"

[Mark Denovich]

The only thing that would have made this deal better would have been if I got it back in May... before I had filled my shop with tools. I have a 6" Powermatic jointer, a Dewalt 735 planer, and a new Grizzly 1023RL that are now possibly redundant. Since I've given up parking in the garage this winter, I'll keep them all and see how my workflow develops... what machines I favor, before I start making decisions about things I should consider unloading. I know I've already recouped a good portion of my investment in the fun I've had restoring it to its proper condition.

[Peter Aeschliman]

That deal is ridiculous. You could turn around and sell it for at least 3x what you paid. AT LEAST.

[Chris Tsutsui]

Good score on the rare find.

I should add mini max to my list of key words heh..

[Mike Wilkins]

Great discovery on a fine machine. You could sell the jointer and planer and recoup your cost easily. SCMI/Minimax should be able to help you find a fence for the J/P machine, or use your welding skills to fabricate a new one.

[Chip Lindley]

Good Catch! Mark! $600 was a Steal! Best of luck finding a jointer fence. Go back and pick the seller's brain as to where he acquired the machine, and where the fence might be. You may be able to track down the fence. If that dead ends, advertise for one on CL and you may get lucky. Would MiniMax still have parts for this machine over a decade later? hmm...

[Mark Denovich]

The seller did gather up everything that looked like it went with the saw... to the extent that I have a box full of parts ( an aluminum extrusion, a jointer guard, a splitter, and a small unidentified Grizzly-green piece of cast iron) none of which went with the Minimax. Although there is a good chance that Minimax could supply me with a fence (either an original part or one from a later model as the LAB300N of today looks pretty similar to mine) I suspect that the price of the fence would be a significant portion of the price I paid for this machine.

Luckily a jointer fence doesn't need to be fancy... I can't remember the last time I wanted to edge joint something at an angle that wasn't 90 degrees. It doesn't even need to be perfectly 90 degrees to the cutterhead... a bit of skew might even be a feature. Heck, with a sliding saw, I almost don't need to edge joint, as I can clamp the board to the slider and straighten an edge with the saw. The shaper hood even has independently adjustable fences so I could even use it to edge joint. I'm thinking a nice shop made fence with a pair of MagSwitches to hold it to the table would be nifty.

[Greg Portland]

Heck, with a sliding saw, I almost don't need to edge joint, as I can clamp the board to the slider and straighten an edge with the saw.

I have used some sliders and prefer that method over using a jointer. Face joint first then use the slider to establish a straight edge. You will want a 2nd clamp...

[Mark Denovich]

I have used some sliders and prefer that method over using a jointer. Face joint first then use the slider to establish a straight edge. You will want a 2nd clamp...

Yes, I just need to fabricate some bigger T-nuts... I have a number of clamps that work with my Kreg Klamp track that should do nicely. I've also seen that just adding a simple rearward pointing wedge that attaches to the slider is good for holding down boards in conjunction with the clamp.

[Mark Denovich]

I installed a new set of knives into the J/P cutterhead today. I'm really impressed by both functions. The planer is significantly quieter than my Dewalt 735. I had a board halfway through before I realized my earmuffs were sitting on the slider and not on my head. I did get some snipe on the planer, but that was easily remedied by lifting up on the board as it entered/exited the rollers.

On a side note: Next thing on my todo list is grounding the dust collection hose connector in the garage. I've never used that port before (my main shop is next door to the garage.) I was sucking up some sawdust with one hand and leaning against the machine with the other. I nearly defibrillated myself.

[Chris Fournier]

Do you really need a jointer fence or do you only need to mount a square guide bar on the jointer infeed table like you have for the saw fence as pictured? Then you can use the one fence for both functions. While the machine may have come with two fences I think that you could easily get by with the one that you have. This manufacturer's parts manuals should only be taken as "approximate guidelines for parts that may or may not exist or be shipped with any given machine." Three machines into this manufacturer I can tell you that decifering and interpreting their documentation is actually the same as learning a second language. Great machines, dodgy manuals.

[Mark Denovich]

Chris, I had thought of that and dismissed it... but as I was deciding how to tell you why I dismissed that idea I thought of a way around the problem.

Problem: The infeed table casting is different from the outfeed casting. It lacks the two "ears" that extend down which are drilled and tapped for the guide bar. If I drilled and tapped the infeed table it would be 1/2" too high. I'd need to make some sort of bracket...

But: Being a 1/2" or so too high really doesn't matter for the infeed. In fact, it's a bit of a feature since the fence needs to clear the outfeed table which would be higher. 1/2" would be more than enough for most purposes... and I could always add a sacrificial piece to the fence to close up the gap if I wanted to.

I'll have to think about that one.

RE: manuals. I used to maintain a small personal fleet of Alfa Romeos. Decoding wiring diagrams labeled in Italian was good practice for dealing with the Minimax docs... they are a piece of cake by comparison.

[Chris Fournier]

Sounds like you can make it work with your plan. I have a personal fleet of Ducatis and have waded through their wiring schematics. I am thankful that they are not Alfas! The wiring schematic for my MiniMax CU410 Elite S is nausiating. Should it ever break down I am going with flat belts and a line shaft drive system. Wooden pulleys.