# Dimension saw



## Steve Lomas (13 Apr 2022)

Hi folks, I’m hoping to get a steer on a sliding table saw rip and crosscut. I have a small workshop roughly a triple garage size and need one table that can do it all accurately. Most likely will be bought from the used market. My budget is roughly 3-4 k any useful advice welcome .
Thanks.


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## deema (13 Apr 2022)

To me, there are three types of saw (my own categorisation) you need to indicate which flavour your after as they all have their strengths.

Sliding table - I class this saw as a rip saw that has a bolt on sliding table. The table travel is usually limited and some effort is required to cut sheet material, but it can be done accurately. It’s unlikely to have a scribing blade, but some do. The main use of this saw would be for ripping solid wood with the occasional bit of sheet material……however a track saw would in most cases be easier. It has the minimum foot print of all. Example Sedgwick TA315

Panel saw. Large or very large, either 2.4 or 3m typical length of stoke of the slider. Very accurate for sheet material and this is its primary purpose. Ripping of solid wood can be done against the fence but usually awkward due to the sliding table normally projecting into where you would want to stand. Most solid wood ripping can be done using the sliding table. Ideal for straightening wany edge boards. Virtually guaranteed to have a scribing blade. Example Altendorf F45

Hybrid saw, this is a saw with a slider that can cut around 1.2m ie cross cut a panel and you cut it down it’s length using the main fence. A lot have scribing blades. Some have the sliding tables against the main blade, some don’t. They are usually slightly larger than a sliding table saw but no where near the size of a panel saw. Will do everything, but usually not as well as the others which are usually dedicated rip saws or panel saws as there are always compromises. For instance for ripping / certain work in solid wood, a zero clearance table insert is desirable, a panel saw can’t have this, a rip saw can. If the sliding table in this class of saw is next to the blade it is more orientated to panel work, if it’s away from the blade it’s towards solid wood cutting. Having the sliding table run next to the blade is the best for cutting sheet material. Example ……my own personal saw a SCM Si15


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## Steve Lomas (13 Apr 2022)

Hi Deema, thanks for the information. I do have a Festool track saw and am planing to build my own bench with the MFT rails. Seen some great designs for this. I am considering the hybrid saw. How are you finding your own SCM Si15 . Is there anything that bugs you about it and if you could buy another saw similar class what would it be. I do plan on working with sheet goods fairly often. Do you have any pictures of it. 
I am in the early stages of my joinery journey but find that that the rabbit hole is deep and don’t want to make a bad choice on such an important bit of kit. I’ll do some digging regarding the saw but if you have the time to share some more info on it that would be fantastic. Thanks again.
Steve.


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## deema (14 Apr 2022)

Sideways and I are both retired and as a hobby restore wood and metalworking machines, we’ve had the opportunity to see how a lot of stuff is built, compare and contrast. I’ve owned and used a few saws and for me, now doing stuff for home and the grown up kiddies which is anything and everything I have chosen the SCM as being the best for what I do. I’m lucky I have a very large workshop able to accommodate any size of saw and this is the one I chose. They are extremely rare to find, very few come up for sale and are not very popular, ie don’t command high prices. They weigh when loaded with all the options close to a tonne, so not easy for most people to move around. They usually have big 3 phase motors driving the spindle, mines 7.5KW, but again I have 3 phase power. 
I’ve attached the brochure for the saw which gives dimensions and the options that were available.


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## Doug71 (14 Apr 2022)

When I was in a similar situation looking for a new saw I narrowed it down to a Sedgwick TA315 or SCM MInimax SC3.

I ended up with a Minimax SC4 (it came up on here local to me) which is classed as I think a medium stroke panel saw as it cuts about 1.7m.

I do a fair bit of work with solid timber which is why I was looking at the Sedgwick but turns out I'm really glad I ended up with the panel saw style, it's brilliant.

For the odd job where I need zero clearance around the blade I just cut part way through a scrap of MDF and you have your zero clearance.

As Deema says if you were ripping solid timber all day it's not ideal but it can do it, it's just not as handy as on a dedicated rip saw.

I used to cut panels up with my Festool plunge saw but since I got the panel saw the Festool hardly comes out, the speed and accuracy of the panel saw is much better.

Last week I had to cut a lot of beads at a tight angle angle that the mitre saw couldn't do, took about 1 minute to make a jig so the panel saw could do them.








I thought this looked like a lot of saw for the money









SCM Panel Saw. NOW SOLD. ROBLAND E300 IN STOCK IF YOURE LOOKING FOR SIMILAR | eBay


Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for SCM Panel Saw. NOW SOLD. ROBLAND E300 IN STOCK IF YOURE LOOKING FOR SIMILAR at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!



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## Hornbeam (14 Apr 2022)

I have had 3 circular saw benches. 2 Wadkin AGs10s, 1 with and 1 without a sliding table and currently have a 12" Casadei with 1300mm sliding table. My workshop is around 5.5m X 4.5m slightly smaller than yours but I can open the door for bigger material.
The wadkins are a saw for life (and teh next few people) but terrible dust extraction and I found the sliding table not tjat accurate. A table with a slider is much better for panel work and for joint cutting etc. You can reduce the footprint of the saw by reducing the rip fence capacity (I reduced mine from 1250 down to 800mm.) Also consider 3 phase machine with conversion by a number of options. Mine has a 2.2Kw motor but originally has 3kw. I am not sure whether you really need more power than that for a 12" saw
For panels I tend to break down with a hand held circular/tracksaw and then finish on the panel saw, partly due to the size of my sliding table and partly due to space restrictions


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## Steve Lomas (16 Apr 2022)

deema said:


> Sideways and I are both retired and as a hobby restore wood and metalworking machines, we’ve had the opportunity to see how a lot of stuff is built, compare and contrast. I’ve owned and used a few saws and for me, now doing stuff for home and the grown up kiddies which is anything and everything I have chosen the SCM as being the best for what I do. I’m lucky I have a very large workshop able to accommodate any size of saw and this is the one I chose. They are extremely rare to find, very few come up for sale and are not very popular, ie don’t command high prices. They weigh when loaded with all the options close to a tonne, so not easy for most people to move around. They usually have big 3 phase motors driving the spindle, mines 7.5KW, but again I have 3 phase power.
> I’ve attached the brochure for the saw which gives dimensions and the options that were available.


Thanks Deema, for sending the spec through. On first glance and after what you said in your last message I think it may be a bit too big for the space I have. The workshop is not yet a completed building and I still have the electrics to consider. I’m quite rural so will ask the sparky what it would take to get 415v to the workshop. Do you sell the machines you re condition? Thanks for the info Deema.


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## Steve Lomas (16 Apr 2022)

Doug71 said:


> When I was in a similar situation looking for a new saw I narrowed it down to a Sedgwick TA315 or SCM MInimax SC3.
> 
> I ended up with a Minimax SC4 (it came up on here local to me) which is classed as I think a medium stroke panel saw as it cuts about 1.7m.
> 
> ...


Hey Doug, thanks for the reply. Yep checked the saw out looks about right. I just wish I could get to check some of these saws out In the flesh before I bought one. It’s hard when you are buying used just have images to go on. Thanks for all the info I’m searching and reading what you are sending so thanks for that.


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## Steve Lomas (16 Apr 2022)

Hornbeam said:


> I have had 3 circular saw benches. 2 Wadkin AGs10s, 1 with and 1 without a sliding table and currently have a 12" Casadei with 1300mm sliding table. My workshop is around 5.5m X 4.5m slightly smaller than yours but I can open the door for bigger material.
> The wadkins are a saw for life (and teh next few people) but terrible dust extraction and I found the sliding table not tjat accurate. A table with a slider is much better for panel work and for joint cutting etc. You can reduce the footprint of the saw by reducing the rip fence capacity (I reduced mine from 1250 down to 800mm.) Also consider 3 phase machine with conversion by a number of options. Mine has a 2.2Kw motor but originally has 3kw. I am not sure whether you really need more power than that for a 12" saw
> For panels I tend to break down with a hand held circular/tracksaw and then finish on the panel saw, partly due to the size of my sliding table and partly due to space restrictions


Hi Hornbeam, I have looked at the machines and Though I like the look and the brick outhouse hardness of the Wadkin i really need it to be on point accurate. This is why I’m looking at this sort of equipment. I want my joinery to get better. I’ll check out your newer recommendation. How hard is it to convert the power from 415v to 240v. Cheers for the info really appreciate it.


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## deema (17 Apr 2022)

@Steve Lomas We do usually sell the machines we restore, we don’t do it commercially and we don’t do it to any timescale as it’s a hobby to keep our grey matter occupied. There are a couple of threads on here of stuff we have done. The last one complete was a SCM bandsaw written by Sideways.









SCM Minimax S45 Bandsaw Teardown & Overhaul


This thread is to share a (hopefully quick) overhaul of a secondhand Minimax S45 bandsaw in real time. I'm working on this with my buddy Deema and our aim for the saw is to give it a good clean, a thorough mechanical overhaul and ensure the electrics are safe and robust. We both share the view...




www.ukworkshop.co.uk





I’m writing one on here which in on going about a Sedgwick MB planner Thicknesser we are presently restoring.









Sedgwick MB Planer Thicknesser Full Refurbishment


The next project Sideways and I are going to get are teeth into is a Sedgwick MB planer thicknesser. This is the 12” wide model, which sits in the middle of their range. The largest they make is the CP at 16” and the smallest the PT at 10” wide planning capacity. This machine is one of the...




www.ukworkshop.co.uk


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## deema (17 Apr 2022)

I wouldn’t dismiss Wadkins’ as being inaccurate, they can be as accurate or more accurate than any modern stuff.
Take a look at Wallace’s work on his large Wadkin sliders, they are superb. Something a little smaller is one we restored recently.









Wadkin BGS10…The rarest table saw Wadkin made. Full Restoration


I’m sure very few people will know of or have seen a Wadkin BGS 10 table saw. What’s so special? Well, the BGS10 is basically the much loved Wadkin AGS10 with a sliding table, a genuine cast iron slider that sits right up against the blade. This makes it far more versatile than the AGS10 which...




www.ukworkshop.co.uk


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## Hornbeam (17 Apr 2022)

Converting 3 phase to single phase is really quite simple. There are a number of ways of doing this. The 2 ways I have done are

Change the motor over to a single phase one. This is quite simple but you need to check the frame sizes on the motors as single phase motors are usually a little larger for the same power so you need to make sure everything fits and possibly go for a smaller rated motor
Use an inverter drive with 240V 3 phase out. To do this you will need to check that you have a dual voltage motor or can access teh star point and reconfigure the motor. I have used expensive and cheaper inverters and now would probably go for a £100 chinese version. Ny control circuitry is based on car 12 volt relays to work with the low voltage control circuit. Note the inverter can be programmed to give soft start and effective emergency braking.
There are other approaches using digital phase conversion, rotary and static phase converters but I have no experience of these


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## Sideways (17 Apr 2022)

It's worth thinking hard about the nature of work you want a saw to do before you buy.
In the early days of my acquaintance with Deema, I used his Si15 and was won over by the quality of it. Eventually I bought one myself, refurbished it and it now sits in a single garage workshop ! And yes, I did measure it to the centimetre and draw it out in advance to make sure it would fit. Having a large part of a ton on rollers on your drive is not the time to start playing trial and error.
With the front door open, I could rip a 5 metre plank, but I don't have the width to do large crosscuts so my saw isn't fitted with the long fences and support arm for the slider. That's OK because I have a good sliding mire saw and tracksaw to handle those tasks and my interest is more solid wood furniture than MDF built ins.
I love the slider for accuracy and safety.
Most of all I appreciate the massive and absolutely rigid rip fence arrangement. A tablesaw can be accurate to a fraction of a mm.

Having now refurbed SCM, Wadkin, Sedgwick and Startrite saws, I can see pros and cons in all of them. The right saw will be out there waiting for you.


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## Steve Lomas (27 Apr 2022)

Thanks very much for all your advice. I will be doing a mixture of work with the saw. Making wardrobes and storage units, custom made fitted furniture for private and commercial clients and the odd garden gate or doors. Mixed materials mdf sheet materials and hardwood soft wood. Would you mind if I send over a link to a saw I’m considering just to get a feel for you thoughts or insight. 
really appreciate everyone’s time responding to my questions. 
thank you all.
Steve.


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