OMG How I Miss My Prior Fixed Shop Setup

[Jim Becker]

Yea, I don't consider the 60 second changeover to be an issue at all and like Curt mentioned, I work in batches with flattening as the first step regardless of what comes next. But it's a subjective thing for sure...

[Alex Kapl]

Mini gorilla is not designed to run 2 tools at the same time. Your table saw and overhead arm are technically 2 4" tools. Mini gorilla is designed to run one 4-5" tool thats pretty much it. For anything more you need to go with bigger unit. Supercell might be able to do it or the bigger 3HP or 5HP Oneida units

[Greg Parrish]

A couple things make using a jointer/planer less of a pain. One is to try to do things in batches rather than serially so fewer changeovers. A second I've found is to have a Digital Readout on the planer bed. It's a lot quicker to return the planer bed to a previous setting with a DRO.

Yea, I don't consider the 60 second changeover to be an issue at all and like Curt mentioned, I work in batches with flattening as the first step regardless of what comes next. But it's a subjective thing for sure...

Curt / Jim, I do get that batching helps make the combo machines easier. When I had the Hammer A3-31, I did have the digital readout on the adjustment wheel. That was a nice feature and I do miss that for sure. However, as a very small hobby workshop, I sometimes find it difficult to purely work in batches unless I'm doing something like cutting boards where every piece is cut to similar dimensions. Honestly, the best bet for me would probably be a 12" combo machine, but also keeping my DW735 on a cart tucked under another machine. That way, I could quickly run individual items through a planer while still jointing other items, but not requiring the full footprint of two separate machines. Either way, I'd much prefer two full floor machines if space were not limiting.

Mini gorilla is not designed to run 2 tools at the same time. Your table saw and overhead arm are technically 2 4" tools. Mini gorilla is designed to run one 4-5" tool thats pretty much it. For anything more you need to go with bigger unit. Supercell might be able to do it or the bigger 3HP or 5HP Oneida units

Alex, I certainly agree. The mini gorilla does just fine on a single tool with more than enough airflow. It does pretty well on the sawstop with the floating overarm but not quite where it needs to be. When I had my Oneida V-3000 before, it would have had enough power to run both for sure with the full room plumbed with pipe to each machine/location. In fact, the way I had it setup before, the over blade collection had to be throttled down with a gate or it would remove workpieces from the saw top and deposit them in the sawdust bin. LOL Unfortunately, I don't have the space for a dedicated cyclone at this time but if I ever go back to a fully permanent shop setup, I will for sure look for another 3hp or larger cyclone like the V-3000 or similar.

[Greg Parrish]

If you go to the first post in this thread, you will see my prior shop with the Felder, Hammer and MiniMax equipment that I sold off back in 2020. After 2 years, I couldn’t stand it and started collecting equipment again during 2022. When I started this thread, I was really missing my prior setup. Well, after a little more time rounding out my newest shop and working with the equipment I have now, I no longer long for my prior equipment. I love my new space and layout. I have way more room I feel like with this setup. I really only miss my prior Hammer J/P and my Axiom CNC. At some point I’ll get another combo J/P to replace my current 8” jet and dewalt planer, but for now I’m making out fine.

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[Jim Becker]

I'm glad things are working out for you!

Shops evolve and woodworkers adapt. Temporarily being in the "gara shop" for a year and a half plus before I had a building at this property was a challenge for me, but I made it work. If anything, it also reinforced my longer term choices for certain thing...the cut down SS PCS I used in that space was a nice machine, for example, but "for me", I was joyful to get back to the slider.

[Christopher Charles]

Great to see you're feeling back up to speed in a nice looking space! Curious what you think of having gone from a slider to the SawStop, as more folks seem to go the other way?

Best,
Chris

[Greg Parrish]

Great to see you're feeling back up to speed in a nice looking space! Curious what you think of having gone from a slider to the SawStop, as more folks seem to go the other way?

Best,
Chris

Thanks Chris. I had a cabinet saw before the slider. A nice, restored PM66 that had been returned to like new condition. It was another of those tools I regretted getting rid of as soon as I did. So, the Sawstop feels more natural to me like the Powermatic before did. To me, the slider just felt awkward. I liked the idea of the slider but.................... I know most love them and say they would never go back, but I just didn't feel that way. One issue I had with the KF500 was the space requirement. I had a mid length slide with full outriggers. When they were in use, it filled the room. When not, they created a storage issue because they were fairly heavy. The one area I did like the slider was for straight line cuts on rough cut lumber. If you go through my old posts, I'm sure there are some where I've made positive comments on the slider, and others where I've not. At the end of the day, once I moved to the slider I literally slowed down making things. Anyway, live and learn.

In a perfect world, I'd have both. Cabinet saw for some cuts and a slider for others. If I could pick and choose from my prior shops on things I wish I hadn't sold, the list would include my Axiom CNC, Oneida V-300 and the Hammer A3-31 Jointer/Planer. I have a really nice setup now that in many ways is more functional and well rounded than my prior shop and I'm appreciative for what I have.

[Christopher Charles]

Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I have the 1.75 hp SS and frankly it is fine, but have been considering upgrading to the 3hp since getting it (used at a very good price)… Or saving change for a slider, but I am also tight for space. I also make mostly small to medium scale pieces, so the advantages of a slider over a cabinet saw don’t seem as great. Nonetheless, fun to think about and I am also grateful to have reached a similar stage where I am feeling very well set up.

Best,
Chris

[Greg Parrish]

Chris,

I just did the 3hp upgrade to mine and it's night and day difference if you cut thicker pieces or hardwood pieces. My prior saws were 3hp and 4.8hp so I didn't have a reference point before now on how life is with a 1.75hp saw. I managed to bog mine down a few dozen times just building my recent workbench build. It was on rip cuts in 2" or thicker hardwood materials that did it. I even switched out to a 24T rip cut Freud blade. granted, I didn't try a thin kerf blade which may have helped a little more, but regardless I just got tired of having to reset the saw and start over. It caused burns and mis-cuts every time I had to reset the saw and start the cut over. In many ways, it's much the same issue you face with the DW735 lunchbox planer versus a 3hp to 5hp floor planer. Anyway, the process was very simple and didn't take very long. I did the switch by myself using a simple step stool and a rope. The stool caught the old motor on the way out, and it positioned the new motor on the way in. The rope wrapped around the motor allowed me to lift and slide into place while I set bolts with my other hand. Only 3 simple parts needed for the upgrade: Motor, Gas Shock and Contactor (or full switch assembly). I went for the full switch because it was only $12 or so more than just the contactor and gave me a complete spare switch assembly (which is $130 on its own). I followed someone else's lead here: https://www.festoolownersgroup.com/o...-75hp-to-3-hp/

Here are the parts I used. Ordered via the Sawstop Parts store. https://www.sawstopstore.com/ Even changed out my sticker on the front. LOL

PCS-072 3hp motor
PCS-133 Gas Spring
PCS-260 3HP label
PCS-WA-010 Switch Assembly with Contactor

Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I have the 1.75 hp SS and frankly it is fine, but have been considering upgrading to the 3hp since getting it (used at a very good price)… Or saving change for a slider, but I am also tight for space. I also make mostly small to medium scale pieces, so the advantages of a slider over a cabinet saw don’t seem as great. Nonetheless, fun to think about and I am also grateful to have reached a similar stage where I am feeling very well set up.

Best,
Chris

[Christopher Charles]

Thanks Greg, that's the same list they gave me a couple summers ago. Had all the parts in a basket, then stalled and then the inflation spike hit The upgrade is still attractive though honestly there are other toys that will probably come first given how I use a TS. Keep us up to date on your shop's evolution.