Panel Saw

[TheSellOut]

I am thinking of purchasing a panel saw and was wondering if anyone here has one, what brand it is, and what they like and dislike about it!

Here are links to a model that N. Glantz and Son carries that looks pretty nice! It cuts vertically and you can rip boards through it horizontally, plus you can interchange the saw with a router or an Olfa blade for cutting plastic substrates!

https://beavertools.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=15330

 

[ABPGraphics]

I have worked on both Safety Speed Cut & Saw Trax - I do not have to the room right now for one but I promise you I would cut my left arm off for a Safety Speed Cut Panel Saw

 

[ABPGraphics]

Safety Speed Cut might be more expensive but in my opinion they are worth it - The one thing I did not like about Saw Trax is I would have to remove the whole cutting unit to change fron vertical cut to Horizontal cut - Not with safety

 

[d fleming]

Safety Speed Cut, 12 years old only on second blade, cuts like butter and always safe. Made my table saw all but obsolete for most general cutting jobs.

 

[TheSellOut]

I have seen the Safety Speed in N Glantz's catalog too but from their video I wasn't sure if you could rip horizontal. The Saw Trax has an optional accessory that will flip the saw from vert. to hori. without removing the saw unit for $100 at the time of purchase.

Was there anything else that you liked better about the Safety Speed?

 

[ABPGraphics]

Is there a sign show coming up? - usually Safety Speed is always there with a panel saw
My Local Lowe's Has one - Lowe's guy like his!

seems to hold big material better - Longer extensions

 

[Westcoast Sign Guy]

I have a SSC too. Just buy the bigger sized saw motor, don't cheap out.

 

[sardocs]

I have a Safety Speed as well. It cost about $2,200 more than 15 years ago. It has cut a million miles of crezon. It won't replace a tablesaw or your chopsaw. You can't cut bevels on it or anything but horizontal and vertical straight lines. It's not good for cutting small pieces under 20" or so. But when I need 66 24x32 coro blanks or rippin' up a bunch of crezon, it's really fast and accurate. The downside is all your cabinet makin', speakerbox buildin' buddies will be dropping by to borrow it all the time....

 

[Westcoast Sign Guy]

Also, these are a pre-requisite if you own a CNC

 

[d fleming]

Mine flips for hor. cuts no problem. Pull 2 indexing pins and remove chipboard directly under blade (2 wing nuts) and you're ready to go. I keep saying I'm going to get the extension legs for the short bottom runner, sooner or later it'll happen. Mine was 1200 years ago, not the biggest one they sell for sure but a workhorse that doesn't take up much space, extension legs will help with horizontal rip now that I have room for them.

I have seen the Safety Speed in N Glantz's catalog too but from their video I wasn't sure if you could rip horizontal. The Saw Trax has an optional accessory that will flip the saw from vert. to hori. without removing the saw unit for $100 at the time of purchase.

Was there anything else that you liked better about the Safety Speed?

 

[ABPGraphics]

I liked using accessories with Safety Speed Cut like ....stop bar guage.... you could preset different lengths for multi cutting - The wheels were important if you had a very long piece to rip - you could move the saw easily....ya know I could go on and on - I guess I just really miss it

 

[Malkin]

We also have a SSC
It easily cuts sheets up to 5' x 10', saw rotates to cut horizontal in a matter of about 3 seconds.

It has a hold down bar and wheels on the bottom so the substrate glides along real nice.

We bought it about 5 years ago for roughly 3K (including delivery)
Be sure you buy a blade appropriate for the material.

My only complaint is that when I go to rip a board down by about 1 inch, it runs into this safety thing that is supposed to bend out of the way, but instead it catches on the bolt/nut.
Other than that, it's great!

 

[raider]

check ebay for Saw Trax - company there sells at a pretty low price/freight. I bought the longer one so I could handle 4x8 sheets by myself. Saw changes from vertical to horizontal cuts by pulling two pins and rotating. Also comes with attachment/knife for coroplast. I think it was pretty much assembled when it arrived - just had to make adjustments make sure vertical cut was true - was very simple. Also had a dvd with some good info. Can be wall mount but comes with rollers - on person can move it. I think ours was less than $3k delivered and received it in less than a week. Seller was very helpful with info before the purchase. Have cut max metal, alumacorr, plywood, and hardi-backer board. Would hate having to go back to cutting a $100 sheet of alumacorr with a jig saw and a couple of saw horses.

 

[cartoad]

We have the Saw Trax and use it all the time. Can't compare to any others, but well satisfied with it. We recently purchased the dibond cutting attachment from Saw Trax that fits in where the saw goes. Works fairly well, but the handle bracket is too light and is bending with the use to push down on it to slice thru the dibond. Other than that it is fine.

 

[Sign Works]

My Safety Speed Cut Panel Saw has been in use for 10 years without any problems whatsoever.

http://www.safetyspeedcut.com/products_saws_hseries.htm

 

[andy]

Personally I hate panel saws... the best thing we did was get rid of ours.

If you want to chop down a big sheet to a measurement of "ish" then a panel saw is great... if you want some serious accuracy and precision over multiple panels they're useless.

 

[iSign]

Personally I hate panel saws... the best thing we did was get rid of ours.

If you want to chop down a big sheet to a measurement of "ish" then a panel saw is great... if you want some serious accuracy and precision over multiple panels they're useless.

you musta had a crappy one... I mean honestly, what is better? besides a CNC?
My SSC cuts straight every time.... would be some kind of miracle to figure a way to not cut straight with one... and it cuts square every time, although I could see that getting out of whack & needing adjusting.. I hear the sawtrax does that a lot & is difficult to square & maintain square... but that was just a few reports... I never had the sawtrax.. but my SSC has stayed square for 5 years... so it's straight & it's square... the only other thing is where you put the cut. if you can measure & you can draw a nice sharp mark... well, if you put the blade in the right spot for the cut... there ain't no "ish" about it...

 

[Gene@mpls]

SSC all the way- built like a tank- zero problems in 8 years- would not want
to think about everything I have cut with it.

 

[ABPGraphics]

I would really look at the difference between the two when it comes to changing from Hor. to Vert. to cut - SSC WAY more simple!!!

 

[sardocs]

I cut a little window in the guard on our SSC so I can line up the blade with a pencil mark on the edge of the substrate easily if we need to. Maybe things are different in the UK but here in our shop the cuts are not "ish", they're right where they need to be.