Photo Index - Cain Machine & Tool, Inc. - Cain mod# 45980 automatic panel saw

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Manufactured/Badged by:
Cain Machine & Tool, Inc.
Alhambra, CA

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Other
Machine Size:	16 - 20" sawblades, 102" length of cut
Submitted By:	stephen thomas

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	Cain mod# 45980 automatic panel saw
Date of Manufacturer:	late 1970's
Serial Number:
Last Updated	1/11/2005 9:53:07 PM

Comments:

Purchased by me ca 1995 at auction from a trucking company closure. Owner was a woodworking hobbiest with (from what I understood) a huge shop in FL with all industrial machinery. He had picked up the equipment wherever it was available, whenever one of his trucks was dead heading or had capacity to either FL or the main depot in Horseheads, NY. There were about 6 various woodworking machines not yet transferred to his FL retirement digs, at the auction in Horseheads. Supposedly, this panel saw had last worked in Tennessee. I was actually not able to attend the auction, due to prior commitment with my son and a Halloween party. But the owner knew of my interest, and we worked out a very advantageous deal (less than a no frills unisaw) after the auction considering the low bid received against reserve. He threw in delivery, and rigging was by a mutual friend. I cut the upstairs loft floor out at one end of the barn to set it up. Rebuilt some of the worn parts and machined some replacement parts for the saw carriage, took out the (aprox) 5 x 5 x 12' long ground finish bar the carriage rides on, and turned it over to use all new surfaces; then realigned and adjusted everything.

Cain was an early innovator when panel saws where the "new thing" in the 1970's and apparently made rugged machines. They may have sometimes been quirky, too. I don't know if any 2 were exactly the same. I have seen references to perhaps a half dozen, and have heard from former salesmen that they were widely sold in the early years. All were apparently automatic beam saws. Most I have heard of were horizontal. Air must be applied for the saw to operate, or the carriage will crash. It operates like a modern panelsaw, but without the cnc pushers, programmable cut list, and measuring system. It's all electro-pneumatic. Upon turning on air to the machine, the clamp beam on the front of the saw opens to admit the stock. The clamp will open and shut with just the air on, and i sometimes use it for a long glue clamp. Once the saw motor is turned on (black button on pendant), pressing the green button actuates the automatic cycle. The clamp closes, the saw blade pops up at the top of the carriage, and travels to the bottom. At the bottom, the saw automatically retracts, and begins traveling back to the top at the same time the clamp beam opens to permit removal or repositioning of the stock. The carriage can be tripped to stop at any point on the up stroke with an adjustable stop, so that time can be saved when making shorter cuts than the full ~102" available. At the top of the stroke the carriage stops until the green button is pressed, and then repeats the cycle.

The motor is a 7.5HP sawmotor (direct drive). I use a 16" blade on it, and can cut up to 2" thick. The saw housing will take up to a 20" blade. The fence is about 3-1/2" wide. Saws of this style were designed to accurately stack cut for production, and presumably with an 18" or 20" blade it would cut a stack of 4 sheets of 3/4" plywood. The carriage drive can be set to one of 4 available speeds (traverse rate). No scoring saw on this one, but have not noticed a need, either. Overall size is about 16' wide, 13' tall, and a bit over 6' front to back at the floor. Made by Cain Machine & Tool, Inc. in Alhambra, CA.

Photo 1:

Comments: open clamp beam, push botton pendant, right side stock fence/stop
Source: my camera

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Photo 2:

Comments: left side view, left side stop & 45 miter made by me
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Photo 3:

Comments: saw carriage is in "home" position at top of beam.
Source:

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