How the carriage works
On an ordinary table saw a panel is pushed across the table against the fence or the miter gauge, and its weight and friction are the operator's to manage. On a sliding saw the panel sits on a carriage that runs alongside the blade on its own guides. A crosscut fence on the carriage holds the panel square, and the whole carriage travels past the blade, so the cut is guided by the carriage rather than by the panel's edge. Felder describes the K3's carriage as a ribbed, milled and anodised aluminium profile on a guiding system designed for accuracy from the first cut.
The carriage's length sets the longest cut. On the Hammer K3 winner 79 × 48 the sliding table and the cutting length are both 79 in; the 49 in figure is the cutting width at the rip fence. Felder also lists the K3 winner in 31 × 31 and 48 × 48 versions, with shorter carriages.
The scoring blade
Felder's two-part scoring blade can be set to the exact tooth width of the main blade with a ring set, and is driven mechanically to turn opposite to it. How it is set up and adjusted is specific to each machine; follow its manual.
Specifications to compare
| Specification | What it decides | Hammer K3 winner 79 × 48 |
|---|---|---|
| Cutting length (carriage) | Longest crosscut or panel trim | 79 in |
| Cutting width at the rip fence | Widest rip | 49 in |
| Blade diameter | Depth of cut; blades that fit | 10–12 in |
| Cutting height at 90° | Thickest stock in one pass | 4 in |
| Tilt | Bevel range | 90° to 45°, with end stops at both |
| Scoring unit | Chip-free cuts in laminated panels | Two-part, width set with a ring set |
| Motor and supply | Power, and whether a shop can run it | 3 kW (4 hp), single-phase 230 V, 60 Hz |
| Extraction port | Size of dust collector hose | 120 mm |
| Weight and working height | Floor loading and fit in the shop | 617 lb; 33-1/2 in |
Felder Group's published technical data. A long carriage needs room to travel at both ends as well as space beside the saw for the panel.
Safety systems
A sliding saw has a blade like any other and needs the same guarding and habits — the machine's own manual sets out its guard and riving knife. One sliding saw also carries an active system: the CPSC describes Felder's preventative contact system (PCS), offered on Felder's most expensive sliding table saw, which senses movement with a capacitive field around the blade and retracts the blade below the table by reversing two electromagnets. The CPSC's description draws on Felder's marketing. The CPSC's own proposal to set a performance requirement for such systems was withdrawn in 2025. See the safety guide for the habits every saw shares.
Sliding saw or cabinet saw with a sliding table
The other route to sliding crosscuts is an accessory on a cabinet saw: SawStop sells a Sliding Crosscut Table for its cabinet saws, designed to work with its folding outfeed table. An attachment adds a moving table to a saw built around a fence and miter slots; a dedicated sliding saw is built around its carriage, with the scoring blade and long cutting length that panel work needs. For mostly solid-wood work, a cabinet saw with a crosscut sled covers much of the same ground. Choosing the cabinet saw itself is covered in choosing a cabinet saw.
Comparing sliding saws
- Cutting length and width for the largest panel you will cut
- A scoring unit, if you cut laminated or veneered panels
- Blade diameter and cutting height for the thickest stock
- Electrical supply: single-phase or three-phase, and the voltage
- Floor space for the carriage's full travel and the panel beside it
- Extraction port size against your dust collector
- The guard, riving knife and any active system, from the maker's manual
Sources
Specifications are Felder's published technical data for one machine, quoted to show what each figure means; other machines and other makers differ. The CPSC described Felder's PCS from the company's marketing; this guide repeats no performance claim beyond that description.
- 1.
Hammer K3 winner Sliding Table Saw 79x48". Felder Group.
Used for: Technical data for the Hammer K3 winner 79 × 48 in: 10–12 in blade, 4 in cutting height at 90°, 79 in cutting length and sliding table, 49 in cutting width, 3 kW (4 hp) single-phase 230 V motor, 90–45° tilt, 120 mm extraction port, 33-1/2 in working height and 617 lb; the two-part scoring blade, set to the main blade's tooth width with a ring set and driven to turn the opposite way; Felder's statement that the scoring unit ensures chip-free cuts in laminated workpieces.
- 2.
Safety Standard Addressing Blade-Contact Injuries on Table Saws (supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking), 88 FR 74909. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Federal Register, 2023.
Used for: Sliding saws as one of the names makers use for table saws; Felder's preventative contact system on its most expensive sliding table saw, detecting motion with a capacitive field and retracting the blade with electromagnets.
- 3.
Withdrawal of Proposed Regulatory Actions, 90 FR 46541. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Federal Register, 2025.
Used for: The September 2025 withdrawal of the CPSC's proposed table-saw performance requirement.
- 4.
Owner's Manual, Folding Outfeed Table, Model TSA-FOT. SawStop, 2025.
Used for: SawStop's Sliding Crosscut Table, an accessory for its cabinet saws, named as compatible with its folding outfeed table.
About this guide
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