SL-65 Straight Line Rip Saw

The Diehl SL-65 is a full sized rip saw built for one job done perfectly: a dead-straight, glue-ready edge. As a single blade rip saw, it drives each board through a single arbor under pressure rolls to produce the industry’s most accurate glue line cut, guaranteed — straight or hollow-ground. With a 20 HP arbor and variable feed to 200 feet per minute, this glue line rip saw pairs Diehl’s 85+ years of rip saw experience with the durability demanding production shops depend on.

Diehl’s Full-Sized Rip Saw, a machine with the speed and performance to meet the most demanding applications and with guaranteed glue line accuracy. All this coupled with our legendary quality and durability.

SL-65.pdf

Specifications

High Quality Dependable Machines at an Affordable Price

Over 85 years of rip saw manufacturing experience has been put to use developing the SL series of full-sized straight line rip saws. The SL-65 features a 20 HP arbor motor, vertical arbor adjustment, a maximum stock capacity of 4.25” and a 3 HP variable speed drive for maximum speeds with any stock.

Diehl’s proven chain/race, spindle/arbor and pressure roll system make up the foundation for this saw that produces the industry’s most accurate glue line cut, guaranteed. The Diehl SL-65 is the rip saw that you can depend on for demanding production operations.

Front

The front view illustrates access into the electrically interlocked saw pit area, the dual anti-kickback finger system, pivoting pressure beam side guard and the standard rail mounted stock guide.

Back

The machine’s back side is shown with the arbor drive housing removed to depict the automatic arbor brake and the “Poly-Vee” arbor drive belt. Also shown are the adjustment handwheel for positioning of the saw blade for varying thicknesses of material; and the 5 HP feed chain drive assembly.

Optional Add-On

“Wise Guide” Automatic Stock Guide System

The system allows the operator to easily program a cutting list of multiple widths with the touch screen. It then calculates the best possible yield from each board, automatically positions the guide before each cut and tallies the cut piece against the cutting list to eliminate over production.

Optional Add-on

No-Hassle Anti Kickback Control

Automatic raising and lowering of the lower kickback fingers is available as an option on all Diehl rip saws, and is especially recommended for operations where shorter stock is being processed. The feature provides two alternative methods to sense stock presence and lower the fingers below the worktable for easier and faster feeding.

To momentarily drop the lower kickback fingers for lateral positioning and feeding, stock may either be passed over a table sensor or brought into direct contact with the fingers.

Then, as the stock is being fed into the machine, feed roll sensors determine that the piece is securely held and allow the fingers not being held down by the stock to return above the table.

This entire lowering and raising of fingers not held down by the stock takes place before the material makes contact with the blade, insuring that a safe environment is maintained by the dual anti-kickback finger system.

Any fingers held down by the stock as it enters will automatically return to their up position as the trailing edge passes through the fingers.

Optional Add-on

Diehl Machines Return Conveyor

Adding a Diehl Machines Return Conveyor to a straight-line rip saw is a strategic move that can bring multiple operational benefits, from increasing productivity and improving safety to optimizing workflow and reducing costs. The investment in a return conveyor can pay off quickly by enhancing the efficiency and profitability of woodworking operations.

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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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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How the SL-65 Works

A straight line rip saw makes one precise, straight rip along a board — the glue-quality edge that edge-gluing and joinery depend on. Here’s how the SL-65 does it:

Feed. Diehl’s chain/race feed carries each board in a dead-straight line past the blade, held firmly by the pressure-roll and pressure-beam system so the cut can’t wander. Feed speed is infinitely variable from 75 to 200 feet per minute to match any stock.
Rip. A single arbor-mounted blade — 14″ or 18″ — makes one clean, straight (or hollow-ground) cut, driven by a 20 HP motor through a “Poly-Vee” belt at 3,450 RPM, with an automatic arbor brake for safety.
Set the width. A rail-mounted stock guide sets the rip width; the arbor raises and lowers by handwheel to match material thickness up to 4.25″.
Stay safe. A dual anti-kickback finger system, an electrically interlocked saw pit, and a pivoting pressure-beam side guard protect the operator on every pass.

The result is a single blade rip saw that turns rough or wavy edges into straight, glue-ready ones — the foundation for edge-glued panels, straight-line joinery, and accurate downstream ripping.

Applications

The SL-65 is the straightening and glue-line step ahead of gluing, ripping, and joinery:

Glue-line ripping — straight, glue-ready edges for edge-glued panels.
Edge straightening — turning rough, wavy, or bowed edges into a true reference edge.
Ripping to width — accurate, repeatable widths with the rail-mounted or optional Wise Guide stock guide.
Straight or hollow-ground cutting — the cleanest possible glue joint for demanding panel work.
Yield optimization (optional Wise Guide) — programmed cut lists that position the guide and tally parts to maximize yield and eliminate overproduction.

As a full sized rip saw, the SL-65 handles heavy, demanding production where edge quality and durability matter most.

Industries Served

The SL-65 supports solid-wood operations across:

Furniture — glue-ready edges for panels and frame stock.
Cabinetry — edge-glued panels, face frames, and door parts.
Flooring — straight-line ripping of solid hardwood.
Custom Millwork & Mouldings — accurate blanks and straightened stock.
Doors — panel and component stock.
Panel & glue-up shops — the straight-line step ahead of the clamp carrier or glue line.

Emerging applications: mass timber and engineered-wood glue-ups, where straight, accurate edges are essential to large, high-strength panels.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a straight line rip saw?

A straight line rip saw makes one precise, straight rip along a board to create a glue-quality edge. Unlike a gang rip saw that makes several cuts at once, it uses a single blade to produce the dead-straight, glue-ready edge that edge-gluing and joinery require.

What makes the SL-65 a glue line rip saw?

Diehl’s chain/race feed, single spindle/arbor, and pressure-roll system hold each board dead-straight through the cut, producing the industry’s most accurate glue line cut, guaranteed — straight or hollow-ground.

Is the SL-65 a single-blade saw?

Yes. It’s a single-blade straight line rip saw: one arbor-mounted blade (14″ or 18″) driven by a 20 HP motor makes one clean, straight cut per pass.

What does “full-sized” mean?

The SL-65 is Diehl’s full-sized straight line rip saw — the larger, higher-capacity model in the SL series (the SL-30/35 is the mid-sized machine) — built for heavy, demanding production.

What stock can it handle?

Material from 3/8″ up to 4.25″ thick, with a 19″ throat (rip) capacity standard and 24″ or 48″ throat options, at feed speeds from 75 to 200 FPM.

What is the Wise Guide option?

Wise Guide is an automatic stock-guide system: the operator programs a cut list of multiple widths on a touch screen, and the system calculates the best yield from each board, positions the guide before each cut, and tallies parts against the list to eliminate overproduction.

How does the SL-65 keep operators safe?

A dual anti-kickback finger system, an electrically interlocked saw pit, a pivoting pressure-beam side guard, and an automatic arbor brake. An optional No-Hassle Anti-Kickback Control auto-raises and lowers the lower fingers for easier feeding of shorter stock.

Is it made in the USA?

Yes. The SL-65 is built by Diehl Machines, a Mereen-Johnson company, in the USA, with more than 85 years of rip saw manufacturing experience behind it.

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SL-65 Straight Line Rip Saw