4-in-1 Combination Machine - opportunity of a lifetime?
Hello to all,
I currently have something of an opportunity that I doubt will ever repeat. I am turning 40 (only happens once! :rolleyes:), and my dear wife has agreed to letting me upgrade some of my machines in the workshop :o. Namely my old 12" Carbatec beast table saw (somewhat unsafe / inaccurate), and my little Jet benchtop thicknesser (because it's the noisiest machine known to man).
I am currently looking at combination (4-in-1) type machines, as my workshop is a simple double garage which doesn't really have the room for multiple standalone machines. To undertake any serious projects, I normally have to move stuff out first.
On my last visit to my local Carbatec (Brisbane) I got to see one of the SCM Minimax C30 Genius machines in the flesh, which was something I hadn't previously considered. The sliding table / outrigger looks like a great feature since occasionally I do cut sheets and have to do them by hand on the saw horses, the spiral head jointer/thicknesser combo looks great, and the spindle moulder looks like a bit of extra functionality that I might get some good use out of later. The only downside I can see is going back to a 10" main saw.
I am looking for opinions on these machines, thoughts on their build quality, reliability / accuracy, longevity (important as this kind of approval doesn't happen often!), and any pain points that might come up. Spending $10k+ on a machine makes it worth doing some due diligence! I got a quote on a Hammer C3-31 machine (~$21k) with similar options, although the Hammer' specs more directly compares to the Minimax Lab300 at ~$16k. Are the Hammer machines that much better, and worth ~$6k more? I just don't want to make a mistake of buying a machine that I realise later was not the right way to go.
I am a hobbyist, and the kind of work I do is generally furniture type projects, almost entirely out of hardwoods. I do have a 20-amp power socket in the workshop.
Appreciate any thoughts or advice the wise old folk of the forum can provide!
Thanks for reading.
-Scott
4-in-1 Combination Machine - opportunity of a lifetime?
Hi Scott,
I can vouch for the quality and support from SCM having used a MiniMax CU-300 classic combo for some years which had an excellent saw,spindle moulder,jointer,thicknesser and boring table. When moving to a smaller premises with a 42 M2 workshop I switched to the smaller Minimax SC-2 panel saw (quite compact) and a separate Woodfast thicknesser and a small jet spindle moulder. I breakdown slabs on the SC-2 and my Hammer N-4400 bandsaw fitted with a Tungsten tipped blade. The key with small spaces is to fit mobility bases or wheels on each machine to make it easier to process larger pieces. If you are doing small work the smaller Minimax C-26 is also something to consider. I have also just organised a new SCM heavy duty band saw again for breaking down larger timber pieces for my woodworking club and not only is the machine first rate but the SCM service was also excellent.
Cheers,
Paintman