Minimax Combination Review

by Arthur S. Liebeskind

INTRODUCTION

Why would someone who had realized all of his shop ambitions consider selling all his individual machines to buy a Minimax combo? Especially since I had an almost new Delta Unisaw equipped with an Excalibur sliding table, a Delta DJ20 jointer, a fine Makita 12 inch planer, a sliding compound miter saw, and an older Delta mortising machine (made by Multico)? There was no woodworking task I could not accomplish with this equipment. However, a man named John Renzetti is to blame, because he cut fine veneer plywood panels for a major project of mine (See Figure 1, The Chicago Cabinet) on his Felder, using its huge sliding table and scoring unit. These cuts were simple, clean and easy-to-do, whereas I would have had to drag my long-suffering wife down to the shop to help cut a 4 by 8 panel.

TOOL LUST

Tool lust takes many forms. Trying to duplicate the Felder's performance, I decided to add a scoring blade to the Unisaw, and bought a Modulus. ($400). Then, to get nice square cuts and miters I bought an Incra miter gauge ($180). Finally, to cut large panels I added the Excalibur sliding table ($595). I admit that for just a moment I also thought of trading the current Mrs. Patricia Liebeskind for someone six-foot two inches tall, 200 pounds and a retired cabinetmaker. But only for a moment!

Still not satisfied despite the upgrades, I asked Renzetti about a Felder. The base price was just too high, not to mention a big investment in accessories such as a mobility unit, miter gauge, table extensions, outfeed tables etc. etc. etc. John helpfully(?) suggested that I look at MINIMAX as a possible alternate solution. After I bought a MINIMAX 16 bandsaw, an irresistible urge came over me.

After seeing the MINIMAX Combo saw in use in Paul Dibiasio's shop, I ended up ordering not one, but two MINIMAX 300 Smart combination machines. Why a pair? You may well ask. I really only wanted to buy one, but when a friend with a fork-lift truck helped me bring it into the shop, it got dropped. Upside down. The irony is that we had just worked very hard - almost standing on our heads - to install the mobility wheels. We looked at the (expensive) mess and thought how much easier it would have been to install them while it lay upside-down. To make matters much worse, while righting this iron beast some wooden wedges slipped, and I broke my artificial hip. Long story short, I promptly ordered another one of each (hip and machine both). It really must be a good machine because I love it even after it attacked me!

Here's my MINIMAX 300 Smart with an eight foot sliding table. I have been using it for almost eight months and am ready to share its good and bad points with others who may be interested. There have been subesequent improvements and additions to the 300 line, and I will comment on them as appropriate.

WHAT IS IT?(See Figure 3 My MINIMAX)

The MINIMAX 300 Smart in my configuration is an impressive 5 function woodworking machine that offers a

4.8 HP single phase 12" x 5/8" arbor Panel/Tilt Arbor saw with 36" rip capacity
4.8 HP Single phase Shaper
4.8HP Single phase 12" wide Jointer
4.8 HP Single phase 12" wide x 9.5" thick Planer
4.8 HP Single Phase Slot Mortiser

The unit has 3 motors with the Jointer/Planer/Slot mortiser sharing the same motor. It weighs close to 1500 pounds. I bought the 8 foot slider although the more popular and less costly model has a 63" slider. Included as standard with the 300 Smart at my time of purchase(variations are now available) was a miter Gauge, mobility kit, Tersa planer/Jointer blades, scoring unit, and a slot mortising unit. Many of these items are extras on competing machines if they are available at all.

CHANGEOVER

Everybody, but mostly those who have never seen or worked with a Combo other than a Shopsmith, has an opinion on the "Heartbreak of Changeover" Just not so. I am not so efficient as I would like to be, and rarely plan my machining to get everything done with one setup before changing! Not a problem. Changeover is very simple, with the toughest part moving the dust collection hose from one port to another.