ShopSabre SideKick 8

Q: How much does the ShopSabre SideKick 8 cost?

The price estimate for the ShopSabre SideKick 8 is uncertain: we have no price for it that we can cite and no estimate we can stand behind, so we give no figure. Configuration, tooling, automation and installation move the final price substantially. A specific price can be requested at https://machinetoolindex.com/machines/shopsabre-sidekick-8#price; the request is passed to ShopSabre or an authorised dealer.

Specs verified 2026-10-05 · shopsabre.com Updated 2026-10-05

ShopSabre SideKick Series CNC plasma table (SideKick 10 shown)

Image: shopsabre.com, ShopSabre

Key Specifications

Rapid Traverse

1,500 ipm (38.1 m/min)

Repeatability

+/- 0.002 in (0.051 mm)

machine dimensions

81 x 118 x 67 in (2,057 x 2,997 x 1,702 mm)

cutting area

52 x 98 in (1,321 x 2,489 mm)

z clearance

8 in (203 mm)

z axis travel

9 in (229 mm)

How much does the ShopSabre SideKick 8 cost?

Price estimate

Uncertain

We do not have a price for the ShopSabre SideKick 8 that we can stand behind, so we show no number. Configuration, options and installation move the final price a long way: a quote is the reliable figure.

Overview

Sized for the standard 4x8 steel sheet, the ShopSabre SideKick 8 has a 52 x 98 in (1,321 x 2,489 mm) cut area. It belongs to ShopSabre's light-industrial SideKick plasma series and is the size most general fabrication shops will measure first, because a full sheet goes on without pre-cutting.

A plasma table spends its life being loaded with a forklift or by two people sliding plate over the slats, so the frame matters more than it does on a router. The SideKick 8 stands on six welded steel tube legs with cross-bracing, carries a steel table bed with reinforced slats and brackets, and uses a structural steel gantry with 8 in (203 mm) of clearance. Nothing is extruded aluminum or bolted together on site.

Drive is by ShopSabre's inverted floating rack and pinion on X and both sides of Y, turned by closed-loop brushless motors through direct-drive planetary gears. The inverted layout keeps the rack teeth facing down, away from falling dross and plasma dust. Rapid traverse is 1,500 ipm (38.1 m/min), positional repeatability +/- 0.002 in (0.051 mm), and the ball screw Z has 9 in (229 mm) of travel.

In the Well Equipped package the table arrives with a Hypertherm Powermax45 SYNC, XY zero laser sights, electronic torch collision detection and a 12-month license for Hypertherm ProNest LT and EnRoute Fabrication. Pipe and tube work is covered by two rotary options, an on-table 4th axis and the SideCar 4th axis. Floor space is 81 x 118 x 67 in (2,057 x 2,997 x 1,702 mm).

Full Specifications

Parameter	Value
Machine Dimensions	81 x 118 x 67 in (2,057 x 2,997 x 1,702 mm)
Cutting Area	52 x 98 in (1,321 x 2,489 mm)
Z Clearance	8 in (203 mm)
Z Axis Travel	9 in (229 mm)
Cutting Capacity	Up to 2 in (51 mm); oxy-fuel recommended for over 1 in (25 mm)
Repeatability	+/- 0.002 in (0.051 mm)
Rapid Traverse Rate	1,500 ipm (38.1 m/min)
Drive Motors	Closed loop motors with planetary gear drive
Drive System	Ball screw Z-axis with planetary drives; rack-and-pinion X and Y axes with ShopSabre Floating Drive Technology
Linear Guides	25 mm linear guide rails and bearings on all axes
CNC Control	Ethernet/network-ready controller with an at-machine PC running Windows OS
Torch Height Control	Digital torch height control with Ohmic Touch material sensing
Software	Hypertherm ProNest LT and EnRoute Fabrication (12-month license)
Well Equipped Plasma Cutter	Hypertherm Powermax45 SYNC with machine torch
Well Equipped Water Table	Welded, leak-tested 3 in (76 mm) water table

Specifications sourced from shopsabre.com — verified 2026-10-05

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

52 x 98 in (1,321 x 2,489 mm) cut area takes a full 4x8 sheet
Inverted floating rack-and-pinion drive on X and dual Y with planetary gear reduction
Electronic torch collision detection and XY zero laser sights in the Well Equipped package
On-table and SideCar 4th-axis options for pipe and tube
Steel table bed with reinforced slats and brackets on a six-leg welded frame

Limitations

Listed repeatability is +/- 0.002 in (0.051 mm)
1,500 ipm (38.1 m/min) rapid traverse, against 2,500 ipm on the ShopMaster Pro 8
The packaged water table is 3 in (76 mm) deep, far shallower than the 24 in table of the ShopMaster Pro 8
Nesting and CAD/CAM software is licensed for 12 months

Best For

General fabrication from 4x8 mild steel, stainless and aluminum sheet Job shops cutting parts for weldments and brackets Farm, trailer and equipment repair shops Shops that want to add tube cutting with a rotary axis later

Frequently Asked Questions

01 Does a full sheet fit on the ShopSabre SideKick 8?

Yes. The cut area is 52 x 98 in (1,321 x 2,489 mm), which covers a 4x8 sheet with a couple of inches of margin. The table's footprint is 81 x 118 x 67 in (2,057 x 2,997 x 1,702 mm).

02 What plasma cutter comes with the SideKick 8?

The Well Equipped package lists a Hypertherm Powermax45 SYNC with machine torch connectivity and full system integration. ShopSabre also lists cutter options from Thermal Dynamics and Hypertherm, and oxy-fuel attachments for thick plate.

03 How does the SideKick 8 differ from the ShopMaster Pro 8?

Both cut 52 x 98 in. The ShopMaster Pro 8 has AC servo motors, a 2,500 ipm rapid traverse, a 24 in water table with an air bladder and a listed cutting capacity of up to 6 in. The SideKick 8 has closed-loop motors, 1,500 ipm and a capacity of up to 2 in.

04 Can the SideKick 8 cut pipe and tube?

With an option, yes. ShopSabre lists on-table 4th axis rotary indexing heads and a SideCar 4th axis for pipe and tube. For dedicated tube work it also builds the TC-12, a separate tube cutter that takes lengths up to 12 ft.