Post a Response Subscribe Guidelines

Solid Wood Machining

You are not logged in. [ Login ] Why log in
(NOTE: Login is not required to post)

Gang Rip Saws

8/18/15       
Dave Member

My company is looking to bring our lumber ripping in house so we need to buy a new gang rip system. I got stuck with the job of researching and choosing which saw to buy for our company and could use some advice. After doing some research I have found a few companies that fit what we are looking for. Obviously we want the most bang for our buck but when it gets down to the nitty gritty details I’m trying to figure out things like, what machine is going to last the longest with the least amount of repairs, and what company is going to provide the best assistance when a problem arises? We will need to rip about 9,000 board feet of 4/4 surfaced lumber each day. Any advice would be very helpful, thanks!

8/19/15       #2: Gang Rip Saws ...
Mark Elliott Member

Dave,

In my opinion you have 2 choices. Either Mereen Johnson or Raimann by Weinig.

Anything else you look at will be made in China, at least new machines, and if you're spending this much money it's not the time to cheap out, at least that's the way I look at it.

I think you also need to consider an indeed system for the saw with a scanner that measures the board and sets the blades for ripping.

Now after having written that last paragraph, I am talking about a moving blade gang rip, not a fixed arbor.

After I did my research, I chose an MJ. It's been a solid machine and the factory has stood behind it. There is no doubt either that Weinig would stand behind their's also, they are legendary for their service.

One of the factors that led me choose the MJ was the cost of a chain rebuild. It's a fraction of the price because of the way their's is built. But I'm sure the Raimann would last plenty long.

At 9000' a day an MJ with the Tracker indeed would do you just fine.

This will at least get the conversation going and give you something to start to consider.

Mark

8/20/15       #3: Gang Rip Saws ...
David R Sochar Member

I also have experience with a Mereen Johnson dip chain gang rip. It is solid and dependable and will work at full tilt all day and never break a sweat. We had a motor bearing go bad at first start up, and had 2 replacements the next morning, with a tech cell number to help us get it replaced. We started it up a couple of hours later, and it ran for years with no problem.

It depends upon what you are ripping for. We ripped for molding blanks, and had 2-3 saw sleeves built up and stored on a cart to take up to the saw and exchange sleeves. We also had a pretty elaborate laser and cable system set up since we were pocket ripping for selective widths.

8/20/15       #4: Gang Rip Saws ...
Mark Elliott Member

Dave and David,

The beauty of the moving blade gang rip is that you don't need to have saw sleeves built up to get your rips. You just put them into the cutlist at the saw and the scanners will read the board and the blades can move to the position they need to be in to obtain the rips.

I'm ripping for glue lines not moulder blanks, and we're coming right off the saw into an RF glue press with perfect results.

Mark

8/20/15       #5: Gang Rip Saws ...
Chris

You should look at the scmi M3 gang rip, you can get it with a 60hp motor and it's made in Italy.

9/2/15       #6: Gang Rip Saws ...
Steve

We ran a SCMI before getting our MJ. No comparison in saws. The MJ is a great saw and will run day and night. The inserts in the chain are easily replaced if the blades are lowered too far.


Post a Response
  • Notify me of responses to this thread
  • Subscribe to email updates on this Forum
    • To receive email notification of additions to this forum thread,
    enter your name and email address, and then click the
    "Keep Me Posted" button below.

    Please Note: If you have posted a message or response,
    do not submit this request ... you are already signed up
    to receive notification!
    Your Name:
    E-Mail Address:
    Enter the correct numbers into the field below:
     

    Date of your Birth:



    Return to top of page

    Buy & Sell Exchanges | Forums | Galleries | Site Map

    FORUM GUIDELINES: Please review the guidelines below before posting at WOODWEB's Interactive Message Boards (return to top)

  • WOODWEB is a professional industrial woodworking site. Hobbyist and homeowner woodworking questions are inappropriate.
  • Messages should be kept reasonably short and on topic, relating to the focus of the forum. Responses should relate to the original question.
  • A valid email return address must be included with each message.
  • Advertising is inappropriate. The only exceptions are the Classified Ads Exchange, Machinery Exchange, Lumber Exchange, and Job Opportunities and Services Exchange. When posting listings in these areas, review the posting instructions carefully.
  • Subject lines may be edited for length and clarity.
  • "Cross posting" is not permitted. Choose the best forum for your question, and post your question at one forum only.
  • Messages requesting private responses will be removed - Forums are designed to provide information and assistance for all of our visitors. Private response requests are appropriate at WOODWEB's Exchanges and Job Opportunities and Services.
  • Messages that accuse businesses or individuals of alleged negative actions or behavior are inappropriate since WOODWEB is unable to verify or substantiate the claims.
  • Posts with the intent of soliciting answers to surveys are not appropriate. Contact WOODWEB for more information on initiating a survey.
  • Excessive forum participation by an individual upsets the balance of a healthy forum atmosphere. Individuals who excessively post responses containing marginal content will be considered repeat forum abusers.
  • Responses that initiate or support inappropriate and off-topic discussion of general politics detract from the professional woodworking focus of WOODWEB, and will be removed.
  • Participants are encouraged to use their real name when posting. Intentionally using another persons name is prohibited, and posts of this nature will be removed at WOODWEB's discretion.
  • Comments, questions, or criticisms regarding Forum policies should be directed to WOODWEB's Systems Administrator
    (return to top).

    Carefully review your message before clicking on the "Send Message" button - you will not be able to revise the message once it has been sent.

    You will be notified of responses to the message(s) you posted via email. Be sure to enter your email address correctly.

    WOODWEB's forums are a highly regarded resource for professional woodworkers. Messages and responses that are crafted in a professional and civil manner strengthen this resource. Messages that do not reflect a professional tone reduce the value of our forums.

    Messages are inappropriate when their content: is deemed libelous in nature or is based on rumor, fails to meet basic standards of decorum, contains blatant advertising or inappropriate emphasis on self promotion (return to top).

    Libel:   Posts which defame an individual or organization, or employ a tone which can be viewed as malicious in nature. Words, pictures, or cartoons which expose a person or organization to public hatred, shame, disgrace, or ridicule, or induce an ill opinion of a person or organization, are libelous.

    Improper Decorum:   Posts which are profane, inciting, disrespectful or uncivil in tone, or maliciously worded. This also includes the venting of unsubstantiated opinions. Such messages do little to illuminate a given topic, and often have the opposite effect. Constructive criticism is acceptable (return to top).

    Advertising:   The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not an advertising venue. Companies participating in a Forum discussion should provide specific answers to posted questions. WOODWEB suggests that businesses include an appropriately crafted signature in order to identify their company. A well meaning post that seems to be on-topic but contains a product reference may do your business more harm than good in the Forum environment. Forum users may perceive your references to specific products as unsolicited advertising (spam) and consciously avoid your web site or services. A well-crafted signature is an appropriate way to advertise your services that will not offend potential customers. Signatures should be limited to 4-6 lines, and may contain information that identifies the type of business you're in, your URL and email address (return to top).

    Repeated Forum Abuse: Forum participants who repeatedly fail to follow WOODWEB's Forum Guidelines may encounter difficulty when attempting to post messages.

    There are often situations when the original message asks for opinions: "What is the best widget for my type of shop?". To a certain extent, the person posting the message is responsible for including specific questions within the message. An open ended question (like the one above) invites responses that may read as sales pitches. WOODWEB suggests that companies responding to such a question provide detailed and substantive replies rather than responses that read as a one-sided product promotion. It has been WOODWEB's experience that substantive responses are held in higher regard by our readers (return to top).

    The staff of WOODWEB assume no responsibility for the accuracy, content, or outcome of any posting transmitted at WOODWEB's Message Boards. Participants should undertake the use of machinery, materials and methods discussed at WOODWEB's Message Boards after considerate evaluation, and at their own risk. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages it deems inappropriate. (return to top)



    • Forum Posting Help
    Your Name The name you enter in this field will be the name that appears with your post or response (return to form).
    Your Website Personal or business website links must point to the author's website. Inappropriate links will be removed without notice, and at WOODWEB's sole discretion. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    E-Mail Address Your e-mail address will not be publicly viewable. Forum participants will be able to contact you using a contact link (included with your post) that is substituted for your actual address. You must include a valid email address in this field. (return to form)
    Subject Subject may be edited for length and clarity. Subject lines should provide an indication of the content of your post. (return to form)
    Thread Related Link and Image Guidelines Thread Related Links posted at WOODWEB's Forums and Exchanges should point to locations that provide supporting information for the topic being discussed in the current message thread. The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not to serve as an advertising venue. A Thread Related Link that directs visitors to an area with inappropriate content will be removed. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links or images it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    Thread Related File Uploads Thread Related Files posted at WOODWEB's Forums and Exchanges should provide supporting information for the topic being discussed in the current message thread. Video Files: acceptable video formats are: .MOV .AVI .WMV .MPEG .MPG .MP4 (Image Upload Tips)   If you encounter any difficulty when uploading video files, E-mail WOODWEB for assistance. The purpose of WOODWEB Forums is to provide answers, not to serve as an advertising venue. A Thread Related File that contains inappropriate content will be removed, and uploaded files that are not directly related to the message thread will be removed. WOODWEB reserves the right to delete any messages with links, files, or images it deems inappropriate. (return to form)
    Related Information:
    Products: Machinery
    Forums: Sawing & Drying
    Knowledge Base: Solid Wood Machining

    Recent Threads at all Forums