Hypoid, Heavy-Duty, Panel Saw Takes the Place of High Maintenance Worm Drive Saws
If a cabinet shop, a solid surface shop, or a home center store needed a panel saw for heavy duty use, they have traditionally turned to one that used a worm drive motor. These motors use a geared down drive mechanism turning at a slower RPM than a sidewinder saw but has more torque. So with a high cut load, a hard material to cut like man-made counter tops or hard plastics, the worm drive saw was called upon for the job.
Worm Drive Vs Hypoid Saw
The worm drive has a disadvantage, it needs regular oil changes. The first one is after only the first 10 hours of use. Two panel saw companies have used the SKIL worm drive saw in their machines. Saw Trax in its 2052, 2064 and 2076 models and Safety Speed Cut in their 6400 and 6800 models. Since the owner’s manual for the SKIL worm drive recommends checking the oil level prior to each use, the user is in a bit of dilemma. The oil level must be checked with the saw horizontal. With the Saw Trax machine, the saw in the insert can be removed in 5 seconds making it easy to check. The Safety Speed Cut models saws have to be unbolted from the machine, which takes more time to change.
The Hypoid saw does not need the gear oil changed since it uses a sealed motor. The big difference in the motors is the Hypoid is designed to closer tolerances, using tapered gears with larger surface area contacts and hardened steel components which Hypoid manufacturers say make the motors last longer. In contrast, worm drive motors have flat interlocking surfaces.
The need for the oil changes are because like your car, small metal fragments in the worm drive system flake off the surfaces over time. Without changing the oil and removing these metal flakes, they act as sandpaper and prematurely wear out the motor. Not changing the oil, especially on a vertical panel saw where most users don’t even know it is a regular maintenance item, is a huge step in ease of use and longevity of the saw.
A vertical panel saw is a large shop expense with the saw being a small but absolutely critical part of the machine; having a simpler to maintain, more dependable and longer lasting Hypoid saw makes absolute sense for anyone in the market for a heavy duty vertical panel saw.
Saw Trax’s 2000 Series Hypoid Panel Saw
Saw Trax Mfg. has introduced the Makita 5377MG saw in its 2000 series heavy duty saw line at the IWF 2016 show. This saw is 15 amperage power, cutting at 4500RPM.
According to Makita this saw is “a longtime favorite of framers, roofers, and carpenters. And for good reason: the maintenance-free heat-treated hypoid steel gears last longer than bronze alloy worm drive gears. Hypoid gears are engineered to transmit rotation with high efficiency for reduced mechanical wear, increased torque, and less vibration.”
The 2052 Saw Trax Hypoid Heavy Duty Panel Saw starts at $3449 and includes the powder coated 10 foot steel frame, dust hook ups, dust brush and hose, vertical and horizontal tapes, a stop, an attached folding stand, wheels to move the frame, 18 material rollers, an all bearing carriage and the Accu-Square never need to square alignment system. Options include a floating router and a mid level fence system.