Thread: Combination machines

Hi Ricardo,

I bought a combo machine last year, and beaing an obsessive type spent 6 months working out which to buy - Sicar Bravissima- the right choice at the time, but I may not buy it now. From what you are saying, you have a reasonable budget. Here are some suggestions:
1. the hammer looks nice - by the time you specify what you want to bring it up to scrath it costs as musch as the others
2. expereinced people will tell you that the larger the table the better - they are right. Also a sliding table that goes right to the edge of the saw blade is better. That rules out the basic Robland and some of the older minimax's. To me the saw is the best part of the machine
3.Thay also counsel wisely about a spindle molder - usually better for longer, professional production runs and also with a power feeder. Hence thay may be of little interest to the hobby woodworker like me. As well,apparently an accident with a
router table can lead to the loss of a finger. With a spindle molder it can be a hand.Combo machines devote one 2 hp moter to this feature which you may not use.
4.The mortise units are really worthwhile.
5.If you have the space a separate panel saw and planer thicknesser with mortise attachment may be better. Minimax make a small panel saw. I would go this way next time
6.The best machine I saw was a tecnica, sold by a place at Wetherill park - Sydney. It was just too big.
7.From what I have seen the new Minimax with inward opening tables is one I would consider if I went the combo route again.
8.Remember dust extraction

Mick,

thanks for your reply. Can you explain what you mean by, 'a sliding table that goes right to the edge of the saw blade is better'. Is the CU300 smart an example of this type of arrangement (http://www.scmgroup.com/ing/minimax/index.html)

Regards,

Enrico.

Originally posted by mickey:
Hi Ricardo,

I bought a combo machine last year, and beaing an obsessive type spent 6 months working out which to buy - Sicar Bravissima- the right choice at the time, but I may not buy it now. From what you are saying, you have a reasonable budget. Here are some suggestions:
1. the hammer looks nice - by the time you specify what you want to bring it up to scrath it costs as musch as the others
2. expereinced people will tell you that the larger the table the better - they are right. Also a sliding table that goes right to the edge of the saw blade is better. That rules out the basic Robland and some of the older minimax's. To me the saw is the best part of the machine
3.Thay also counsel wisely about a spindle molder - usually better for longer, professional production runs and also with a power feeder. Hence thay may be of little interest to the hobby woodworker like me. As well,apparently an accident with a
router table can lead to the loss of a finger. With a spindle molder it can be a hand.Combo machines devote one 2 hp moter to this feature which you may not use.
4.The mortise units are really worthwhile.
5.If you have the space a separate panel saw and planer thicknesser with mortise attachment may be better. Minimax make a small panel saw. I would go this way next time
6.The best machine I saw was a tecnica, sold by a place at Wetherill park - Sydney. It was just too big.
7.From what I have seen the new Minimax with inward opening tables is one I would consider if I went the combo route again.
8.Remember dust extraction

Enrico,
I have been trough the same process a short while ago and I still have not made up my mind, one week I am set on the combination, the next on separate machines. There is another option you may want to consider, it is a machine called Casadei pravda, similar functionality and price range. http://www.ronmack.com.au/htmldocs/new_machines.html
I do not recommend or not recommend that machine, I just mention it exists, is in the category and price range.

About the sliding table being close to the blade I think Ricardo refer to a difference you can see between Lab260 and Lab300 machines, when the sliding table goes right next to the blade you can cut slightly smaller pieces of timber (of course they still need to be properly secured.).

Good luck

Jack

Both Shane Watson and I have the older Lab 30 which by comparison with the 300 @ the Melbourne WW Show still hasn't corrected the problematic fence which a new buyer may not be aware of.

This fence flex's when running heavy work thru the saw and they still haven't corrected the problem.

When the bloke at Gabbett asked what I thought of the new machine I let him know in no uncertain terms of this lack of attention to what must well known as a design flaw...in fact I'm seriously thinking of emulating the the fence mounting on the outfeed side of the bench to give that rigidity to the machine.

Apart from that I've no other complaints on an otherwise handy machine for the ordinary guy who wants some solid base machine.

Cheers

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Johnno