300 Series Fixed Arbor and Moving Blade Rip Saws

The Mereen-Johnson 300 Series rip saw is an affordable, entry level gang rip saw built as a self-contained ripping cell. As a single cell rip saw, it delivers heavy-duty, glue-joint-accurate gang ripping for any shop cutting up to 10,000 board feet per shift — and larger operations run multiple ripping cells for flexibility instead of one centralized saw. Available in fixed-arbor and moving-blade (Select-Rip) versions, the 300 series rip saw brings Mereen-Johnson quality to a lower price point.
The Mereen-Johnson 300 Series rip saws offer all the quality, heavy-duty construction, and precision glue joint ripping capability you expect. What you would not expect is how affordable this machine is for any shop ripping up to 10,000 board feet per shift or for large operations that need multiple ripping cells for flexibility.

312-DC-Fixed-Arbor.pdf

312-DC/SR-Moving-Blades.pdf

Specifications

Capacity	12″ arbor space; thickness to 3-1/2″, 30″ min. length for glue-joint accuracy, 22″ min. length bust-up only. Left side open for ripping wide panels.
Arbor Drive	50 HP, 3,600 RPM TEFC direct arbor drive.
Feed Drive	Posi-Feed friction feed bed with 5″-pitch Mereen-Johnson Double-Vee chain and extruded aluminum feed slats with replaceable steel-backed rubber inserts. Oil-mist lube. 30–235 FPM via frequency control.
Hold Downs / Bed Plate	Four 3″ dia. air-loaded press rolls. Full-width spring-loaded bed plate.
Saw Sleeve	12″ capacity saw sleeve. Arranged for 10″–14″ dia. × 3-1/2″ bore tooling.
Saw Spacers	One set included.
Dust Collection	One 8″ and one 5″ dia. upper; one 5″ dia. lower. 3,110 CFM total.
Anti-Kickback	Single bottom and double upper infeed. Single upper outfeed.
Stock Guide	Slide-type adjustable guide.
Electrical	Arranged for 3/60/230 or 460 volt power supply (other electrics available).
Shipping Wt.	6,500 lbs (3,000 kg) approx.
Warranty	2 years.
Options	Powered vertical arbor adjust; TwistLock saw collars; sound enclosure; laser lights / stand; power feed table.

Features

Field Proven Quality, Reliability, and Lowest Cost of Ownership

Posi-Feed dip bed for absolutely straight line feeding.
Cast Iron Mereen-Johnson built motor with precision tolerance spindle for true running performance.
Press Roll/Hold down bed plate arrangement for positive stock containment, quality ripping, and extended tool life.
Open Pressure Head design for access of saw blade alignment to optional laser lights and exclusive TwistLock tool change system.

Applications

Moulding Stock – Random width or full panel sheet.
Dimension Stock – Precision components, S4S blanks, salvage, reclaim.
Edge Glued Panels – Solid wood for panel stock.

How the 300 Series Rip Saw Works

The 300 Series is a single-cell gang rip saw — a complete ripping station that gang-rips each board to width and can stand alone or run in multiples:

Set the blades. Saw blades and spacers mount on a 12″ saw sleeve (or optional TwistLock collars) at the widths you need — and TwistLock lets you change a single rip pocket without disturbing the rest of the setup.
Feed straight. The Posi-Feed friction dip bed with Mereen-Johnson Double-Vee chain carries each board absolutely straight, while four air-loaded press rolls and a full-width bed plate hold it for a clean, glue-joint-accurate cut.
Rip to width. A 50 HP direct-drive arbor rips the board into finished strips at feed speeds from 30 to 235 FPM, with the left side open for ripping wide panels.
Scale by cells. Because each 300 Series is a self-contained ripping cell, a small shop runs one; a larger operation deploys several for flexibility and redundancy.

As an entry level gang rip saw, the 300 Series gives you Mereen-Johnson’s heavy-duty construction and glue-joint accuracy at a price that makes single-cell — or multi-cell — ripping affordable.

Industries Served

The 300 Series supports solid-wood operations across:

Furniture — dimension components and edge-glued panel stock.
Cabinetry — S4S blanks, face-frame, and door stock.
Mouldings — random-width solid lumber and full-panel sheets.
Flooring — solid hardwood strip ripping.
Doors — component and panel stock.
Rough Mill — cut-first, salvage, and reclaim ripping.
Custom Millwork — flexible ripping for varied stock and short runs.

Emerging applications: growing shops and multi-cell operations that want to add ripping capacity one affordable cell at a time.

Optional Add-On

Twistlock Blade Setting System

TwistLock saw collars are manually locked into the desired position with the supplied “T” handle wrench providing positive locking power. Great for narrow rip application requirements.

Fast changeovers and reduced down time increase your productivity and enhance production flexibility.
Change one rip pocket without disturbing the remainder of your arbor set-up.
More reliable than expanding arbor or key mechanisms which can fail, causing machine down time.
Collars are individually locked for greater accuracy.
Eliminates saw sleeve and spacer handling and maintenance.
Easy to add or subtract rip pockets as needed.

Automation & Robotics

Tailored Solutions for the Solid Wood Sector

Mereen-Johnson stands at the forefront of delivering cutting-edge automated handling solutions that will streamline your workforce and wood machinery assets. Our smart, automated handling solutions are meticulously crafted to enhance your machine throughput and efficacy while substantially trimming your labor expenses.

Our complete spectrum of services ranges from conceptualization and design of production lines to installation, personnel training and ongoing maintenance, and we cater to a wide array of client requirements, offering both standardized system solutions and fully personalized options to suit your specific needs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 300 Series rip saw?

The Mereen-Johnson 300 Series is an affordable, entry-level gang rip saw built as a self-contained ripping cell. It gang-rips boards to width with glue-joint accuracy, in fixed-arbor (312-DC) and moving-blade (312-DC/SR) versions.

What is a “ripping cell”?

A ripping cell is a complete, self-contained ripping station — a rip saw with its feed and controls. The 300 Series is designed as one: a small shop runs a single cell, while larger operations deploy multiple ripping cells for flexibility instead of one centralized saw.

How much can it rip?

It’s a strong fit for any shop ripping up to 10,000 board feet per shift, with a 50 HP arbor and feed speeds from 30 to 235 FPM.

What’s the difference between the 300, 400, and 500 Series?

The 300 Series is the entry-level, single-cell gang saw. The 400 Series is the higher-capacity fixed-arbor line (up to 40″, up to 150 HP), and the 500 Series is the Select-Rip (shifting-blade) line. All share Mereen-Johnson’s Posi-Feed and TwistLock technology.

Fixed arbor or moving blade?

The 300 Series comes both ways: the 312-DC is a fixed-arbor gang saw (blades set at fixed spacings), and the 312-DC/SR is the moving-blade (Select-Rip) version that shifts blades for yield.

What is TwistLock?

TwistLock saw collars lock into position with a T-handle wrench, so you can change one rip pocket without disturbing the rest of the setup — faster changeovers and more reliable than expanding-arbor mechanisms.

What size and power?

A 12″ arbor space, stock up to 3-1/2″ thick, a 50 HP direct-drive arbor, and a 2-year warranty.

Is it made in the USA?

Yes. The 300 Series is designed and built by Mereen-Johnson in the USA.

The Mereen-Johnson Difference

Made in the USA Quality

Vertically integrated manufacturing in the USA means we control every step of the process to deliver the performance and longevity that the industry has grown to expect from us.

Turnkey Custom Solutions

Listening to your specific needs, we will adapt a standard machine or develop a fully custom solution, including automation and robotics, and manufacture it in-house.

Excellence Under One Roof

Our state-of-the-art production space has room to build, test and prove large-scale design solutions. Design-build teams work together to make your custom concept a reality.

Parts, Service & Training

We will always support your machine. From training programs to replacement parts, schematics to software support, we’ve got you covered, remotely or onsite.

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