Mini Max S315 WS - Installation, Adjustment and Group Frolic

[Wayne Watling]

Wayne,
I suggest setting up your slider parallel to the blade. Then set your crosscut fence 90d to the blade. Set your rip fence 90d to the crosscut fence. This way your crosscut fence can reference off of the rip fence when the need arrives. I never had to adjust the slider on either my S315 or on my current Formula S35. The neat thing about the S35 is there is no adjustment needed! It was set at the factory dead on. Any slider over 8.5ft or so gets the sliding carriage shipped unattached. That is how my 10.5 ft slider arrived.

Thanks Paul and Todd,

That is a great tip for setting up the fences Paul, I'll give it a go on the weekend.
I just checked the slider with a dial meter and the slider seems to be quite close to parallel with the blade about 0.001" over the width of the 12" blade. That was just one of a number of questions that have been swirling around my head since taking delivery of the slider/combo.

I noticed while turning the blade around that there was up to 0.004" variation between the different parts of the blade. I'm not sure where to start with improving on this or even whether I need to improve on this.

Regards,
Wayne

[John Kain]

Thank you Jim.

For awhile there I was all set on buying the Sawstop. Now, once again, I am rethinking that.

Between Paul, and now yourself, I still haven't made a decision.

How's the safety factor so far for you? Obviously it's improved on cross-cutting. But what about precise measured rip cuts where you must use the fence like on a typical cabinet saw? Any difference?

Oh yeah, congrats on that monster!

[Wayne Watling]

Jim,

Now that you have your new saw, you need a cart to haul all the accessories! The attached photos show a cart I just completed for my MiniMax 410 Elite Combo. I call it my Tool Mule. Many folks probably are unaware of how many pieces of add-ons the machine handles. The cart shown is carrying all combo stuff except for the Spindle sander and some Festool abrasives on the top shelf. The rack also doubles as a wood clamp rack (see the Besseys mounted on the back) and a base for my drafting table (which swings up when in use).

Jeff, I really need a cart like that too and great idea with the clamps. All those accessories are scattered around the place here and badly need a home. I might try to design something that also takes the mortising attachment, that way it could be wheeled up alongside of the J/P and mounted/demounted as/when required.

Thanks,
Wayne

[Jeff Wright]

I noticed while turning the blade around that there was up to 0.004" variation between the different parts of the blade. I'm not sure where to start with improving on this or even whether I need to improve on this.

It's been recommended to turn the blade by pulling on its pulley rather than spinning it by the blade itself when measuring for runout. If you turn it by the blade itself, you might introduce some deflection. Also, maybe one of those smallish anti-vibration dampening discs would help. Also, make certain no sawdust is caught on the spindle when mounting the blade.

[Pete Brown]

Jim,

Now that you have your new saw, you need a cart to haul all the accessories! The attached photos show a cart I just completed for my MiniMax 410 Elite Combo. I call it my Tool Mule. Many folks probably are unaware of how many pieces of add-ons the machine handles. The cart shown is carrying all combo stuff except for the Spindle sander and some Festool abrasives on the top shelf. The rack also doubles as a wood clamp rack (see the Besseys mounted on the back) and a base for my drafting table (which swings up when in use).

Hmm. Is that some Oneida ductwork I see in the background in that "Fragile" box. Better install it (I have a couple such boxes in my shop)

Nice mule. I can see where that would be a huge help.

Pete

[Pete Brown]

Wow - I'm an engineer and that machine is a marvel. Only problem I see is that machine is the woodworker now not you ... well sort of - you still need to feed it.

Nah. You still need a lot of skill for a machine like that.

My dad was down a few months ago and looked in my shop. He told me that if he had great tools like that, he'd have no problem turning out stuff too. Umm no. I was actually a little insulted, but I let it slide.

Pete

[Jeff Wright]

I might try to design something that also takes the mortising attachment, that way it could be wheeled up alongside of the J/P and mounted/demounted as/when required.

While you can't see it in the above pics, my mortiser is on one of the lower shelves behind the stowed drafting table top. The second shelf is about the same height as the mortiser attachment points on the combo. Also not on the cart at the moment in the photo are the longer slider table fence (which mounts vertically on one side of the cart) and the squaring table (which mounts on the other end with its long post resting on the top shelf and its bottom cradled by a ledge on the side of the cart).

[Jeff Wright]

Hmm. Is that some Oneida ductwork I see in the background in that "Fragile" box. Better install it (I have a couple such boxes in my shop) Nice mule. I can see where that would be a huge help.

Yes, you're right . . . some left over Nordfab duct work for my 3HP Gorilla. The Nordfab has spoiled me . . . just like Middleton's Tavern did in Annapolis for Jimmy's black bean soup!

[Jim Becker]

Mike, it's just a tool...and yes, it's true that without direction it just sits there. The trick now for me it to learn to orchestrate it!
------

Jeff, very nice idea with the cart. I don't need anything that elaborate, but I do need to come up with a solution for stowing the outrigger table. It's too heavy for me to put up on the one wall I have available at a height that will not interfere with my sheet goods rack...that leg that sticks out makes it more complicated.

[John Miliunas]

Well done overview, Jim! I thought I was a bit envious before the detailed looksie....Now I know I am!!! Congrats, dude!

[Frank Snyder]

I came to the party a little late...excellent pictorial, Jim, and thank you for sharing this experience with us. It's like being a kid on x-mas morning again . I look forward to reading more about your new adventures with your wagon .

[Rick Williams]

Should have bought the S350WS Seriously, nice overview. Is my envy showing? You've come a long ways since your days as a host at the Wood mag forums. Enjoy your new tool.

[Roy Wall]

Jim,

I'm extremely happy for you to get such a nice machine! Moreover, you chose to put your close friends "first" in the assembly party......which is fitting - and typical for your generous demeaner (sp?).

Enjoy your new saw and work safe. I look forward to all your continued production! I know it will see a lot of use

[Paul B. Cresti]

Thank you Jim.

For awhile there I was all set on buying the Sawstop. Now, once again, I am rethinking that.

Between Paul, and now yourself, I still haven't made a decision.

How's the safety factor so far for you? Obviously it's improved on cross-cutting. But what about precise measured rip cuts where you must use the fence like on a typical cabinet saw? Any difference?

Oh yeah, congrats on that monster!

John,Hard to explain with out a pictoral but I will try none-the-less. There a couple of different ways to rip with a EFSTS (these are just two that I have used) First is if I will be doing mutiple of very small pieces, etc....that require the utmost of accuracy I will use my slider ripping jig I made (check the archives here for my setup). I also have used the regular rip fence at times. This is how I stand. Picture the outrigger table removed so that all you "see" is a "T" shaped saw. I now stand to the left side of the blade or on the side where the hand wheels are (we call this the left side , Europeans call it the operator position). Since I have a over head guard the blade is completely covered! so remember this! I position the rip fence as needed, then start the cut with both hands on the stock before the blade (I am now facing the side of the blade) as the stock passes through the cut I now place my other hand against the stock against the fence on the back side of the blade. So I now have one hand pushing the stock into the blade (right hand) my chest is facing the blade side and my left hand is guiding the stock against the fence on the back side of the blade. This works for longer stock not real short ones (but no many people would rip real short stock on a saw anyway unless you have a handy dandy EFSTS ). I do not use this methos often but when I need to make one single rip I do or If I need to make a very long somewhat narro rip.Many manufacturers, including MM, offer parrallel ripping jigs which you can use on your slider in conjunction with your main crosscut fence. It is basicly an extra measurement guide that allows you to reference the opposite side of the stock your are ripping...once again best shown in a pictoralHope this helps a bit......maybe I need to start some new EFSTS installments ;>)

[Jim Becker]

I decided to post these pictures in the existing thread as they are a continuation of "installation", for the most part.

One thing I couldn't complete last weekend was the dust collection for the blade guard as the hose I ordered had not arrived yet...it managed to make it mid-week. The standard blade guard quickly clamps to the top of the riving knife and moves up and down with it. There is one ratchet bolt that allows fast connection and disconnection. That bolt slides into the slot shown at the top of the riving knife in this picture:

S315-dc-3.jpg

A few quick turns of the ratchet bolt and the guard is then secure on the knife, ready to do its work.

S315-dc-2.jpg

The guard is sized for a 2 1/2" hose. When I reconfigured the shop for the new saw, I rotated the 5"x5"x3" wye such that it was in position to hold the hose in a convenient plane when using the guard. The hose doesn't require any extra support and the length was cut to provide just enough slack for convenience without looking or being clumsy.

S315-dc-1.jpg

For times when the guard is not being used, this simple accommodation keeps it up and out of the way:

S315-dc-4.jpg