Has anybody added a slider to their cabinet saw for cabinet building.

I’m going to get a cnc next year but for now I need an easier way to crosscut sheet goods for base cabinets.

I have a jet exacta saw but I think I can make a powermatic slider fit on it.
Any suggestions.

I used two Powermatic sliders mounted on a Rockwell Unisaw. Worked real well for what it was. Held the panel on the left, squared the end then slide it right against a stop. I didn't use the articulating arm that was mounted under each slider. Having two tables bolted together made the arm unnecessary. Also the arm was a bitch to get set up. I had a different saw to rip sheets with.

A vertical panel saw would be choice over rigging up some kind of slider to a table saw. The fences on those kind of attachment sliders is horrible. The usually don't have pins to relocate the fence to 90 degrees and you have to recalibrate it every time you remove the fence.

The problem with any slider attachment is the stroke. Your only gain will be short crosscuts which is fine but you'll still be breaking down material some other way. Not sure of your shop but we do varied work and wouldnt be without a slider in the shop period. If your only doing boxes then as Rich says a vertical panel saw is a smart investment even with the CNC. Otherwise I'd be looking for a 10' slider to have in the shop even after your CNC. It will get you through and you can ditch any jointers etc with a well tuned slider.

I have a Excalibur brand on a Rockwell unisaw. Not sure if this brand is still around. I also have 10’ slider but before the slider I used the Excalibur for cutting cabinet parts. You can cross cut 24” wide on it, I think it will crosscut 30” so 24” no problem. There is a 1/2” pin with molded plastic top on it that is your pivot point and this is next to saw. On other side there is an attachment that slides in extrusion so you can cut square or any angle up to plus 45 degrees. As Rich said it’s a pain to always set that up the way that it comes. It came with a 1/4”x 3” threaded bolt also with the plastic molded top. There is a piece of steel with a tapped 1/4” thread that slides in the aluminum extrusion. You find where you want it and tighten with the 3” bolt. It is very easy for angles. But we all cut square 99 percent of the time. I mounted a hardwood block on the sliding table and where that 3” threaded pin would go I found square and drilled 1/4” hole in hardwood block and just drop a steel pin to secure it. Fence can be taken on and off in ten seconds. Although I use the 10’ slider I use the Excalibur a lot and would not get rid of it. I have had it since 1993 and got 10’ slider in 95. I made many cabinets with the Excalibur.

If you are getting the version of slider from Powermatic that used a drill press column for the support those had a four foot stroke. I bolted mine on solid across the two tables so it didn't come off. There may be other ways, better ways or different ways but this will work. I traded mine in when I got a Striebig panel saw, sorry I did. Tried to buy it back but it was gone.

I've had an exaktor sliding table on a powermatic saw for 15+ years, it will cut 60" with score. I added a second clamp and have it bolted to an outfeed table which is bolted to the back of the saw. Works better than my 2800mm Austrian slider.
The more ridged you can make the setup the better. I use it only for square cuts.
I do think Rich C is correct about vertical panel saws being a much better way to make small rectangles out of big rectangles though!

When I bought my cnc, a bunch of people asked me if I was going to keep the Striebig.
YEP!

It doesn't see the traffic it used to, but there's a ton of things that cutting on the cnc makes no sense. Still have a tablesaw dedicated to sheet goods, and a dado saw. The dado saw doesn't get used much.

All the trouble you guys put into making an aftermarket sliding attachment work! I bought an old Paoloni/SCM slider for $1800. It is reliable and you can't stall the 9hp motor.
The argument that you don't have the space for a slider is moot when you think that you always need the space to push a 4 x 8 through any saw

wasnt about space for me. It was what was right at the time, I set up like the guy I learned from. One saw for ripping, one saw for cross cutting. Sold stuff I had and money bought six new machines.

As well three phase was not an option and not till many years later I learned about roto phase,. Then never anymore new machines. Smaller slider was under 1,000.00 in your dollars. 9HP, up to 16" blade, outstanding dust collection, rip fence to another level and more. even the blade raise and fall is nicer. The only thing is working behind it is not as easy as the cabinet saw as its more comfortable on a cabinet saw to stand there and not have to reach as far as the slider the blade is further back. Im used to ripping off the fence when I get a full size ill keep this smaller one as you can rip on it standing behind it.

Im sure the sliding table i had is now is over 2k in our dollars which is over double what the used saw cost. Totally agree with you on cost.

I worked more solid than anything and on sheet stock the odd job was too large for a table saw or not right, then a skill saw and a router to make the edge before a bullnose went on worked fine. Figure it out to get the job done. The small sliding table worked great for rail and style and raised panel work all smaller stuff, it was light simple and easy. .

It wasn't about space or money for me either. Nor was it about electrical requirements.
It was about productivity ,efficiency and reliability.
Personally I find format style sliders to be awkward and slow.
As far as initial setup on the exaktor goes it did take about half a day in 2005ish but I rarely had to do anything since.
I'm sure I spent at least that much time on the format style saw. To be fair I only paid $600.00 for a 10 year old saw.
So I got what I paid for.
Allen

Thomas, out of curiosity is your saw a Paoloni or a SCMI?
I thought they were two different companies.

SCM is an acronym for something like society of construction of machinery. My understanding is that it is a group of manufacturers in Italy. My saw is a Paoloni but is identical to an Scm from the eighties/nineties. My bander is an Scm but looks nearly identical to a Casadei.

Thank you Thomas

Thanks for all the responses.

I would like an 8 foot slider if possible but all the sliding saws I see are three phase which I do not have.

I don’t know much about phase converters.

Would it even be worth getting a slider if most of my work will eventually be done on cnc.

Yes (IMOP) it would be worth getting a slide saw. I have both a slider and cnc. Many things need to be cut that are not on going on the cnc. You can run it with a phase converter, do get a rotary one and not a static converter.

not sure how many years i was into this before I found out about a rotos. The brand I bought had three levels for whatever HP you choose. Each one had more gizmos inside than the one below. I picked the medium one and it worked on anything even one hard start machine the same HP as the roto. I was later given a 3HP that had next to nothing on it, some caps but no fancy stuff. That one at 3HP started the 4 HP mortising machine easily.