woodnthings

I'm looking for ideas and suggestions. I'm going to make one after see a Holz-Her $15,000 used for $550 on Craigs List. There seem to be many advantages, besides smaller foot print, less lifting of heavy particle board and plywood. You do need between 10 ft and 20 ft of wall space depending of the type, whether a sliding beam or a fixed vertical like a Saw Trax. I found these plans for a sliding beam: http://www.plansnow.com/dn3099.html
I'd like to use steel in place of the wood however. Who own's one here, and what is your experience(s) with it? Is it necessary to clamp or hold the workpiece in place when ripping to keep the kerf from closing down? bill.

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Never stand directly in front of a horse or tablesaw that's running!
If you're not making dust, you're gathering it. After I reread my own posts, I agree with myself even more.

jraksdhs

you saw a $15000 panel saw on CL for $550 and didnt buy it? Why is in the hell not?

jraks

woodnthings

Then he called me to "rub it in" and that's when I volunteered to help him pick it up, just so I could see with my own 2 eyes. Sure enough, 8 ft high, 14ft long and 3 phase, Holz-Her sliding beam, where the wood stays put and the saw slides to rip!!!! I would have bought it. Then I saw one for $575 and missed that one a Milwaukee, conventional style. I want to build the sliding beam type for myself. I'll use some of the ideas from his, and some of my own. bill

__________________
Never stand directly in front of a horse or tablesaw that's running!
If you're not making dust, you're gathering it. After I reread my own posts, I agree with myself even more.

David K

I built the panel saw from plans in Shop Notes. They were very clear, so it wasn't hard to do. The price was right (about $200 in materials).

I'm fussy, so I use it to get a panel within 1/4" of size, then make final cuts on the table saw. Two reasons: 1) The panel saw uses a portable 'skil saw', clamped into a carrier. Better-quality blades are available for the portable saw, but they're not like the Forrest blade designed for plywood that's in my table saw. 2) Try as I may, my measurements on the panel saw aren't as good as the ones on my table saw. (Panel saw is often off by 1/8")