Panel saw

A panel saw is any type of sawing machine with a sliding table that cuts sheets into sized parts.

A sliding panel saw was invented by Wilhelm Altendorf in 1906 in Germany. Its invention set a new standard in woodworking, with dramatic differences from traditional machines. Up to that time, a conventional table saw had no mechanism for edging. Meaning that for the first and second longitudinal cut on untreated massive wood, the lumber always had to be fed manually through the saw blade. The new system accomplished the task more elegantly by allowing the work piece to be fed through the saw blade while lying on a sliding table. Thus cutting becomes faster, accurate and effortless.