On Apr 8, 2025, at 8:57?PM, Stan K via groups.io <4279427@...> wrote:
A little update to wrap this thread up.
After deciding to go with a short stroke B3 I have discovered that a custom order would not be ready until October. That was not ideal for two reasons. One, I expected tariff situation to be uncertain for some time and two, I am kicking off a kitchen remodeling project and having a format saw would be quite useful.
The only B3s that are regularly stocked stateside are of the Comfort spec, with a 6' 8" slider and 1250 rip table to boot. Not a lot of choice but to rearrange the whole shop around the slider, something I really hoped to avoid. Still, after a few late nights a layout emerged that just about worked. And right about when I was ready to put the deposit, the stock B3 that was scheduled to arrive in April went to another buyer, pushing me out into June in the earliest.
Feeling a bit miffed, I started looking for alternatives and stumbled upon a canceled KF700 delivery. That one was even bigger with a 9' slider and 1500 outrigger, but by this time I had a shop layout that could conceivably accommodate one. I took the plunge and expect the machine to arrive before end of month.
That's if I figure out how to get it off the truck. Anyone willing to teach me how to use a forklift? :)
Thanks again for helping me figure this out. Glad to become a part of such a patient and welcoming community.
Stan
On Mon, Mar 24, 2025 at 16:03, Stan K <
4279427@...
> wrote:
Hello, you excellent people,
First time to the group, looking to take the plunge on (relatively) big iron ownership, hoping to run my selection process by you and hopefully reined in if it gets too crazy.
I am a hobbyist woodworker, averaging few hours a week in my two-car-garage-turned-shop. While I used Unisaws and Sawstops in the past, I never bought a table saw for myself, making do with a bandsaw, track saw, lately a miter saw and a peculiar contraption that goes by the name Shopsmith. After ten years in this mode, I just about had it. Sliding table has been on my mind for some time, though I never used one. Long story short, over several months I persuaded myself that I need one in my life.
Most of the work I do is with solid wood, though a recent remodel forced me to deal with cabinetry. Generally, while having a capability to work with sheet goods is appreciated, this is not where I see spending the majority of my time.
Given that I do not have a big space, I made a couple optimization decisions. First, I'd like a saw-shaper combo. While I never used a shaper before, I can see the usefulness of the tool. It also synergizes well with a sliding table, making the combp significantly cheaper than having it a standalone tool. I expect to use it as a router half of the time, and to mill end grain joints — most of the other half.
Second, I am seriously considering a short stroke. Cross-cutting a baltic birch sheet is the largest job I see myself doing, so a 1550mm table should be enough. For long boards, there's the rip fence and from what I understand, a shorter table actually makes it easier to access. This goes against my natural "more is better" instinct so I would appreciate pointing out if I am about to make an expensive mistake.
With that in mind, I have narrowed my Felder options to KF500 and KF700. The more expensive option is in the consideration mainly because of the DROs available for tilt and rip fence. Is it really worth the 40% higher cost? (For that matter, might I be equally happy with a Hammer option?) I am considering a belt-driven scoring blade and a dado option no matter the model I end up with.
Sorry for the long form. Please roast my selection and thought process. Any feedback is highly appreciated.
Cheers,
Stan
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