The Petersfield-based company, a registered charity run by the Edward Barnsley Educational Trust, invested about £14,000 in the F45 unit, which replaced an ageing sliding table saw.
The F45 is used by apprentices and experienced craftsmen to make furniture for places including the Palace of Westminster, Hoare’s Bank and Canterbury Cathedral.
Stephen Rock, craftsman/tutor at Edward Barnsley, said the F45’s digital readout was a “big step up” from the previous machine, while sawing operations have speeded up and improved.
Edward Barnsley plans to add other machines, including a heating press, thicknesser and a sander.
The trust runs a three-year apprenticeship scheme offering training, practical experience and a wage to college leavers wanting a career in fine furniture making.
