Ive had a curiosity towards sliding table saws for a few years. Mostly because of how i loved working with a jessem mast r slide on my first table saw--a used delta contractor saw. The motions and work flow clicked for me, and i always imagined a real slider was 100x better. Space, budget, and existing layout always prevented me from even considering one. Im currently in a basement chocked full of machines, and i do not want to rework all my ductwork, electrical lines, and machines to fit one. However, im looking at a move within the next few months and see it as an opportunity to pick up a slider. I always shy away from new unless i absolutely have to. I like a 'deal' and with enough patience, just about everything comes up on the used market. With that said, buying a slider isnt like waiting for a unisaw to pop up locally. From searching forums and craigslist daily, these are pretty rare birds. Two, i havent seen two of the same machine for sale in the last two months. From reading old threads here, i have in my head that i want a Felder 700 series, and preferably a saw/shaper. I know SCM/Minimax is also popular here, and i wouldnt say no to one of their machines. Part of my problem is i have never used a slider. I pushed the table around on an old Holz-Her in a local shop and that is the extent of my experience. It increases the likelihood of error when you arent knowledgeable on the subject, which is why i want to ask you all for tips:
- Simply, am i making a mistake with wanting to save money and buy used? I feel like i need to stick to low volume one man shops or ideally some rich hobbyist machine. I know these machines can get expensive in a hurry with parts/labor.
- Are 3 phase machines significantly less than single? Adding in a phase perfect or similar means i need to get one hell of a deal on the original purchase.
- Has anyone moved their saw or shipped one? I shipped in my 12" jointer and 20" laguna bandsaw very affordably and easily. I perceive sliders to be very fragile machines and their size worries me. Comments on difficulty and cost would be appreciated.
- Should i hold out for the shaper/slider combo, or pull the trigger on the first machine that checks most of the boxes? I havent used a shaper, but ill be in a 2 car garage and gaining capability in one footprint is appealing.
- Is it stupid to get a slider stroke less than 8'? Im a 90:10 solid wood to sheet goods user, but with a new house come new vanities, closets, and maybe even kitchen cabinets. In a 2 car garage, i dont know if i can effectively fit and use a 10' machine. Is it as simple as changing workflow, or is it the main limiting factor? This comes back to not having full comprehension of machine workflow. Do you straightline the 8' length of a sheetgood first before crosscutting, or can you begin crosscutting first? There happens to be a felder 700 shaper/saw with an 80" stroke within day driving distance of me, which is why i ask.
- Other than here, woodweb, CL, and Felder owners group, are there sites i should be checking?
- Is it dumb to think i can get a good condition machine for $4-5,000? 5 would probably be top of my budget if it was a shaper/saw machine. Closer to 4 for just the saw. I havent seen enough market comps to glean what the going rate is. I saw a felder 700 in michigan sell for $3000 or so, which i thought was a steal, and ive looked at a tricked out 700 saw/shaper in dallas sit and sit for two months. Generally, does the 50% rule apply to euro machines?