Replies

1. 
   hammer1 | Mar 14, 2006 06:08am | #1

   Hi Manny,
   What do you want the sliding table to be able to do? I had the large Excalibur. I think the two are similar. I had more than one saw so I made the one with the Excalibur dedicated to sheet goods. I had a large 14" Delta and the sliding table channel stuck out, kind of trapping you between the channel and your fence. You can lift the sliding part off but there is still a very large framework to work around. It makes doing ordinary table saw operations a bit uncomfortable for me. You have to remove the left side extension table on your saw and you will also need to move or cut your regular fence mounting bar.

   The adjustments for the fence on the sliding table are/were bush league. Sort of like the T-track fixtures but not as nice. Because of the way it worked, it was difficult to swing the fence to an angle. There aren't any reliable stops for the common angles and you really have to make a cut and then tweak things. You still have to throw a sheet up on the table and get it lined up with where you want to cut. It will make passable cuts for most work as long as you are careful setting it up and pushing the piece through.

   I also have a vertical panel saw. I sold both. It's easier for me to just tip or slide a sheet on some horses, square a line and just eyeball it with a circular saw. Then I have a couple of pieces I can handle easily on a normal table saw. I mark my wavy cut so I don't use that as a reference, it gets cut off anyway. On the rare occasion that the job calls for large panels like 3' x 7', I'll use the circular saw and a straight edge.

   These tables are not very well suited to finer work on small solid lumber, at least compared to a sled or even a miter bar. Throwing full sheets on the Excalibur is still better done with two people. It's a long walk from the front of the saw, around the sliding table and to your off feed table to move the piece for your next one. I actually mitered some postform countertops with it, after a lot of fussing to get the angle just right and carefully clamping the countertop. I wouldn't want to make a habit of it.

   Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

1. 
   Manny | Mar 14, 2006 03:19pm | #3

   Thanks for your comments.. Basically I want to cut sheet stock on it. Main reason. I recently purchase a vertical panel saw and it is great to bring down pieces to manageable sizes to cut in the Unisaw. I am making little kitchens , but my space is limited to a 2 car garages, plus all the other machines I have. So far, I found this workflow better than others that I 've tried:

   I bring the sheet stock ( several, let's say for a project) , from my truck onto my assembly table ( which is lower). By the time I have 10 sheets is almost at the same height as my Unisaw. From there I start cutting lenghts of 12" or 24" wide depending...

   Then ,I take the long pieces and put them to the vertical saw and cut them almost to size, then back to the unisaw for final sizing.

   I guess with a panel saw , I can eliminate the vertical and maybe a step. These sheets of melamine are heavy.. and we are getting old...:)

   Thanks

1. 
   pbcarch | Mar 15, 2006 01:42am | #4

   Manny,
   If you are handling that much in the way of sheet goods but yet still want the ability of a table saw why not consider a European Format Slider? It will eliminate the need of the vertical saw & Unisaw step entirely. You place the sheet down do two cuts on perpendicular edges, to square up the panel, and then directly to final sizing....all on one saw.

1. 
   Manny | Mar 15, 2006 01:59am | #5

   That will be great... what brand you recommend...?

1. 
   pbcarch | Mar 15, 2006 03:58am | #6

   In the "reasonable" price range I can only recommend one manufacturer, MiniMax. I have a lot of their tools in my shop and I can not ask for anythin more of their stuff. High quality, robust, accurate and repeatable. If you want electronics then the price can escalate very quickly...MM does have some new models coming out, so I have heard, but otherwise IMHO it would be SCM or Martin.

2. 
   Adrian | Mar 15, 2006 10:44pm | #7

   I'm hearing lots of complaints about quality on current SCM machines, and I even had a dealer once warn me about Mini Max.

   Martins are great saws, but they are also very expensive. My vote would be for a Griggio or Casadei as being good value for money (I have a Casadei Shark in my shop). There are lots of used Casadei's (and EMA's, their previous name) around too.Cabinetmaker/college woodworking instructor. Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

3. 
   DJK | Mar 18, 2006 02:56pm | #8

   Master Adrian, long time no chat with. Please point me to the used sliders and a good source for FS blades and cutters.Thanks,
   DJK

4. 
   Adrian | Mar 19, 2006 02:25am | #10

   Mr. K sir....good to see you're still around these parts.

   For sliders, there's a Canadian company called Akhurst that I deal with a good bit....they're all across the country, but my branch is in Moncton, New Brunswick (http://www.akhurst.com). I think they may be in the Staes also.They always have a fair bit of used equipment, and there is lots around right now as shops are moving up to CNC beam saws and routers. I also always check with http://www.m-mls.com and http://www.exfactory.com, but it always seems to come back to Akhurst or word of mouth.

   For FS Tools, the best source I have is J.R Normand in Quebec and Ontario (http://www.norman.ca)     a 10" combination blade is $59 Cdn. Actually, they're another good source of used gear.Cabinetmaker/college woodworking instructor. Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

5. 
   DJK | Mar 19, 2006 02:58am | #12

   Thank you for the info. I know a number of used machine dealers from the auction circuit but I can't seem to find that decent short stroke slider. Overabundance of Unisaws and PM66s. I have three Unisaws and one PM66 and want the slider. Need to move up from the Exactor add on table. I'll check Norman for the FS. Been buying direct from them and picking them up from the inlaws in ON. The local FS dealers are a ripoff.DJK

6. 
   Adrian | Mar 19, 2006 02:03pm | #13

   When I checked Akhurst list yesterday, they had three short-stroke machines, including a Griggio and an EMA/Casadei;might be worth looking at.Cabinetmaker/college woodworking instructor. Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

7. 
   pbcarch | Mar 18, 2006 08:58pm | #9

   Not sure what dealer you are talking about up in Canada (I assume) but a friend of mine in your neck of the woods also was looking at sliders one of the dealers up there talked down MM and tried to push him to SCM...sounds like you got someone trying to sell you a bridge. I have a mixture of MM/SCM machines they both are good to me.

8. 
   Adrian | Mar 19, 2006 02:39am | #11

   I see a lot of gear, and I'm pretty good at knowing when I'm being fed a line.....I was at the big woodworking shows in Germany a couple of years ago, and was able to compare every slider I was interested in from Altendorf to Martin to Casadei to SCM and Minimax and lots more. Everyone has virtually their whole line on display at that show. I was most impressed with Martin; least impressed with SCM....some of the other Italian brands seemed to me to come in with excellent value for money. That was confirmed when I bought the Casadei; I had bid prices on 17 machines in total, including several SCM's from more than one dealer. In my part of this country anyway, with sliders, you get more machine for the money from Griggio and Casadei.

   I'm not against SCM in general....I have some, and would consider them for future purposes. But keep your ears open.....I've been hearing a good bit about SCM quality sliding lately, and not just from dealers of other brands.Cabinetmaker/college woodworking instructor. Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

9. 
   pbcarch | Mar 19, 2006 03:57pm | #14

   I have seen a few machines also and I am sure you are more than capable to decide what is a good quality machine. All I know is that the MM/SCM machines I have/had work great for me, no quality control issues or such. I do not go by what "others tell me" anyway, I like to see for myself. If I had listened to others and not my own inspection, I would have bought something like a Felder...now there is one hyped machine. Just for kicks, I have not heard the best about Casadei...I KNOW of a friend that went to look at a used Casadei...it had plastic trunions!!

10. 
    Adrian | Mar 20, 2006 09:48pm | #15

    I find that very hard to believe.....maybe your friend got the brand mixed up. I've seen lots of Casadeis....they're not perfect, and they aren't the very best saw on the market.....but I've never seen or heard of one with plastic trunnions. Mine sure as heck doesn't have them.Cabinetmaker/college woodworking instructor. Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

11. 
    pbcarch | Mar 20, 2006 10:13pm | #16

    I know it just does not seem correct but it was true. I tried to find the saw, as it was listed on Woodweb, but it is no longer on the current list. I do know it was a Ema and thats all I really know. I thought maybe it was an attempt to try carbon fiber trunions in order to use the same vibration dampening technology that is used on racing bicycles . Either way it does not sound right but i do know it was plastic!

2. 
   walkman | Mar 14, 2006 06:09am | #2

   I have the Jessem and LIKE IT A LOT!

   Very well made. Stays in adjustment when I move the table. Has a lot of capacity yet takes very little space. Fence is very nice.

1. 
   Marty_S | Apr 14, 2006 08:54pm | #19

   Walkman,

     Hi, I'd like more info about your Jessum system as I'm considering investing in one myself.  Please email me at :[email protected].  I have a Delta Unisaw and unfortunately there's not enough space in my small workshop for something as large as the Excalibur cut-off table...

     Any advise you may offer would be appreciated.

   Marty

1. 
   walkman | Apr 14, 2006 10:20pm | #20

   I love mine. I also have a basement shop and need the ability to move my TS around. The Jessem easily allows this. One of the complaints I heard about the Excaliber was that it was very easy to knock out of alignment -- I have never had that happen with the Jessem.One downside is that it prevents the rip fence from being placed on the left side of the blade -- but this hasn't been a problem for me yet.I really feel like it improves the accuracy and safety of my TS.

1. 
   philip_r | Apr 15, 2006 12:03am | #21

   I have an Excalibur that I recently purchased from tools-plus.com.  The instructions that come with it are a little out-dated (2001, I think).  With a little patience (several hours), the table works great and I have not had any problems with maintaining alignment.  <!----><!----><!---->

    <!----><!---->

   Originally, I set the table 1/16th of an inch above my TS table – as the instructions recommend.  Since the initial setup, I decided that I would like to set the sliding table even with the table, vs. the 1/16th recommended.  After 15 minutes, the task was complete.  After doing so, I checked the travel of the table for parallel… and it was still perfect.  Though I’m sure you could knock it out of alignment… the force required would probably send one of those Jessem tables crashing to the floor ;0)<!----><!---->

    <!----><!---->

   With that said… if you plan on using a mobile base and do not need to cross-cut a 4x8 sheet – the Jessem is definitely the way to go.<!----><!---->

1. 
   walkman | Apr 15, 2006 12:41am | #22

   While I'm sure the Excaliber is easier if you have enough room for a fixed positioning of your TS, just so you know, I have an outfeed table and I frequently cross-cut 4x8 plywood on my TS with the Jessem. I wouldn't have tried it before I got the Jessem.

2. 
   BCBryan | Apr 15, 2006 03:49am | #23

   This discussion thread likely has a wide appliction, considering some of the new products reaching the market. I would appreciate feedback on the Jessum set up for someone who wants to keep the basis Table saw fucntions while adding the slider function. My appliction would be on a Unisaw - I have a kitchen to do but normally do cabinet work.

   The combination machine is an entirely different option at over ten times the cost, so contrasting the two approaches would be useful. Obvious that would lead to a complete change over of equipment.                         

3. 
   kugiman | Mar 22, 2006 02:40am | #17

   Manny,
   I have a small/med shop and had to save as much floor space as possible. I did a lot of research and ended up with the exactor. The inventor of the excaliber is also the inventor of the exactor. His name is Phil and his company is out of Canada.

   With the left cast iron wing off and the Exactor bolted on, it is only about a foot wider than the stock saw. I can crosscut a full sheet of plywood when the miter gauge is reversed (on the front edge of the piece to be cut).

   The Exactor takes a little time to set up, but then you can appreciate how well built it actually is.

   kugiman

1. 
   Manny | Mar 22, 2006 03:24am | #18

   Kugiman, Thanks for your reply.. Right now I have a Unisaw and a Vertical Panel Saw from Speet Cut.. I have combined my work with both, getting good results, but I just want one operation. I have been doing a lot of cabinets ripping and crosscuting plywood. WIth the exactor, am I able to rip a full sheet of ply?

   Thanks