Here's the saw we use for cutting raised access floor panels
Here's the saw we use for cutting raised access floor panels
Hey there, I know this reply is a few days after the post, but I thought this information would be helpful to you anyways.
I have no connection with the saw dealer or manufacturer other than having purchased from them. It's almost like an unwritten law in this industry that you need to have a few of these band saws if you are going to install raised floor.
They have a big "throat" so you can get a wide panel in there. They are easy to open up and clean (to remove debris). And it's easy to change out the blade. It's also lightweight (surprisingly) and easy to setup on site. Thats probably the biggest feature: how portable it is, yet still strong. It's a very simple band saw. I don't know if they use any magic; it seems simple to me, but when 95% of the raised floor installation industry uses the same saw, that tells you something.
I *think* they're manufactured in the U.K. (maybe someone can correct me on this). I only know of the United States distributor. Please see the pictures below.
Again, I'm not trying to sell you on this particular saw, but I am saying this is what we, and virtually any raised floor installer, will use. Whether it's a factory installer or an independent installer, this is the saw they use.
The only other major alternative that we do is to pre-cut panels at the factory. We can do this with a few different technologies, depending on the needs, but a water jet (like several others have mentioned) is one of the best ways. But we typically reserve this for pre-cutting or drilling (holes for conduit) at the factory, when the floor layout is known ahead of time and we also know where the customer will want cable access.
Thank you for reading, and I hope this helps!
-Ryan Hulland, Netfloor USA