Sliding Table Saw
A sliding table saw (Formatkreissäge) is a (much) bigger, professional version of a table saw.
It can be used for a variety of cuts. Most of these can also be made on other saws, but are much easier on the sliding table saw:
Ripping
This cut allows you to cut your workpiece to a specified width
Straight line ripping (German: Besäumen)
This cut allows you to create a straight edge e.g. on solid lumber. Always use the edging shoes when performing this cut on thick and/or warped boards that Fritz & Franz can not hold securely!
Crosscutting
This cut allows you to cut your workpiece to a specified length
Miter Cut
This cut allows you to cut into your workpiece with a specific angle
Hidden Cut
This cut allows you to not cut through your entire workpiece by setting the sawblade to a height lower than the thickness of your workpiece
Altendorf F 45
| MachineInfoBox Altendorf F 45 (1985) | |
|---|---|
| |
| Synonyms: | sliding panel saw, horizontal panel saw |
| Type: | Sliding Table Saw |
| Material: | wood, engineered woods, many plastics |
| Location: | Wood Workshop |
| Access Requirements: | Sliding Table Saw Introduction |
| Status: | In Commissioning |
| Manual: | 1990 version (Daltons-Wadkin.com) |
| Tutors: | Lukas |
| Similar (More or Less): | table saw |
We were able to afford this used sliding table saw from 1985 with donations from a past bonus program and a (still active!) betterplace campaign.
This tool is not ready for use yet since not all commissioning steps have been completed. The process is also tracked on GitHub. Feel free to contribute to making it usable, any help is very welcome!
| Task | comment | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Name the tool: | - | done |
| Take a picture | - | done |
| Find the manual as PDF | a) 1990 version (Daltons-Wadkin.com): close enough? /// b) spare parts manual (1993 version, Daltons-Wadkin.com): still useful? | Done - close enough |
| Documentation | this page, status: in commissioning | done |
| Print QR-Code | use the wikicrawler | pending |
| Introduction | Sliding Table Saw Introduction | done |
| Security Check | needs blade guard for miter cuts | pending |
| Test | to be done or witnessed by a manager | done |
| tool's name, owner and approx. value | provide to Johannes for inventorization | done |
| Last step: make it available | physically and in the wiki - then delete this template | pending |
Specs
These are the correct machine specifics - information in the (newer) manual may differ!
- workpiece
- max. length: 250 cm
- max. width: to be verified - approx. 150 cm on either side of the cut
- main blade
- max. diameter: 350 mm
- central bore: 30 mm
- guide pins: 2 8 60 (matching holes appear to be 2 10 60)
- 3000/4000/5000/6000 rpm
- currently installed: freud LU2A 2800, Ø350x3.5/2.5x30 Z54 HW, max. 5500 rpm (massive wood: min 3000/max 5000 rpm) [1]
Hood
The protective hood must be installed for all cuts. Before you start, make sure it is set to the proper height and does not touch the blade!
Extra wide hoods that allow miter cuts cost a substantial amount of money, would require extra attention and last but not least intuitive storage space. Therefore, we [modified https://github.com/comakingspace/do-something/issues/305#issuecomment-2690405041] our original [https://www.altendorf-shop.de/hood-narrow-90-wa-107.html narrow WA 107) to make it 65 mm wider.
Fences
Crosscut Fence
Please do not move the table extension with the crosscut fence along the sliding table! It should remain in the back or you will mess up its accuracy.
Last calibration 2025-2-5: right angle accuracy < 0.5 mm per m, further improvements would require extended test cut series.
Caution: the sliding stop on the crosscut fence is bent so that workpieces of different thickness are stopped at slightly different lengths! The scale is only accurate for 9 mm workpieces at the moment (see [2])
Parallel Fence
This fence is the most accurate guide on the sliding table saw, featuring screw-driven fine adjustment for the final cm.
For reliable alignment, make sure you press the fence down onto the table with one hand while tightening it with the front lever!
Never use both fences at once - however, you can use the parallel fence pulled all the way back to align a workpiece held on the sliding table! The important point is that only one constraint (sliding table OR parallel fence) is acting on the workpiece anywhere it touches the blade.
Accessories
Click the photos below for more information!
Potential Upgrades
- elongated crosscut fence (something like this would also fix the problem with the slanted stopper)
- miter fence
- "butt handle" for hands-free table pullback after a cut (part 7.02 in the manual)
- scoring blade/Vorritzer
- NOT installed!
- if you need this feature and are willing to contribute to the necessary upgrades, reach out to Johannes
