Hammer A3-31 J/P

[Mike Gottlieb]

I know several of you own this machine. I am awaiting shipment of the 12" J/P and would like to prepare a mobile base for same. Could one of you please tell me the dimensions of the base so that I can get the base ready in advance? Many thanks.

[Mike Gottlieb]

Surely someone should be able to tell me the answer.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Surely someone should be able to tell me the answer.

You'd sure think, there are a few owners here! Maybe enjoying the pregame festivities?

[Doug Shepard]

I'm watching this too. I've been sort of on the cusp about going with an A3-31 and would also need to go mobile (maybe with casters?). Need to see what my Tax return comes to, sell some blood, rob a few banks, then just maybe....

[Narayan Nayar]

Surely someone can indeed.

By my tape, 25 11/16 wide x 19 3/8 deep.

If you're making your own mobile base, you should know the base of the unit is not a rectangle, per se. Pic attached to help you figure it out. This picture is looking at the base on the left side of the machine.

The Hammer mobility kit is good, albeit expensive.

[Doug Shepard]

Based on Narayan's measurements, just for kicks I checked HTC's catalog to see what off the shelf welded frame types of bases they had that would fit. This seemed as good a place as any to store the info, and someone else might find it useful.
This is their current online catalog but it's titled 2006, so the prices on the end may not be current. These are all their "Style D" (Heavy Duty Style - 476 to 1000 lbs. of support) with measurements that put the wheel on the depth end. The Hammer mobility option forces it to be steered from the wide side which wouldn't work for me and a number of other posts I've read. There are a few bigger as well but I discarded it, if it was over around 3" bigger in either direction.

ENCO 14 3/4" Model #135-1545 HEM-1944 19.62 x 25.75 D 229.99
(This one might be tight? Only 1/16" clearance on the width)
ENCO 20" Model #150-4245 HSG-341 23.50 x 27.75 D 229.99 (Amazon has this one for $169)
(same model fits GRIZZLY 20" Model #G-1033 & JET 20" Model #JWP-208-1,3 )
GENERAL INT’L 20" Model #30-325 HSO-1565 19.63 x 28.13 D 258.99
BRIDGEWOOD 20" Model #BW-20PV HSD-979 20.00 x 28.00 D 229.99
BRIDGEWOOD Model #BW-550SR HSO-1565 19.75 x 28.50 D $258.99

HTC catalog here:
http://www.htcproductsinc.com/downloads/HTC_Catalog_2006.pdf

[Narayan Nayar]

Perhaps my brain isn't imagining the potential difficulties, but what difference would the wheel orientation make? Given that you have to feed wood over the length of the beds, it's not as if the unit can go into a recess in the wall. My shop is relatively small; I pull the unit out about 2 feet to use it, then push it back towards the wall. Sometimes I steer it around the shop if I'm working on particularly long boards, I guess.

My bandsaw is on one of those heavy duty HTC stands and I wish I could orient the wheels the other way (similar to the J/P), as I have to perform a similar move if I'm working on a board over 14".

I know shops are strange beasts and often require maximum resourcefulness to have an even moderately useful space. But I'm having a hard time imagining how steering from the long side, if you will, on the Hammer unit, would be better. Help?

[Doug Shepard]

Narayan
In my case if I can end up $getting$ one, it will have to be rolled out for use. When not in use, it would go into a corner with the 12" table end up against a wall as well the long side and be sitting next to a Performax 16-32 on mobile stand, and a MM16 on casters. In order for me to move it into or out of it's storage spot and steer it from the long side I would have to first move the other 2 machines out and then back. That's just too much machine jockeying for my tastes to get at just one of the 3,

[Narayan Nayar]

Ah ok. That makes sense. I hadn't thought of storage that way.

Well, for what it's worth, I really like my A3-31. So much so that I'll strongly consider their other machines in the future. If I ever move somewhere with a larger shop, their sliding saws look like a nice match. :)

[Mike Gottlieb]

Thanks for the answer and discussion. What I did was to take a Shop Fox Super base that I had lying around and drill it for installation of four fully swiveling Zambus casters. I can swivel the base in any direction and lock down all four casters. It should work well.

[Doug Shepard]

Yeah the Zambus (or GLC equivalent) would be my preference too, but from what I've read you cant attach them directly to the A3-31 like you can a MM16. My welding skills are non-existant so I'd have to do something similar to what you're doing but dont have a spare base lying about. Please post some pics when you get your base set up before the machine is on it and blocking the view.

[Rod Sheridan]

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=88687&highlight=hammer+mobility&nojs=1#goto_threadtools

Hi, I posted a photo of the base I made for my machine in the above thread.

The Hammer base moves along the wide dimension of the machine, which wouldn't work for my shop, so I made the above base.

Regards, Rod.

[Scot Ferraro]

I have an A3-31 and I attached the Zambus casters to it without much difficulty. There are two holes in the corners on one side that need to be enlarged slightly for the post of the Zambus to fit in. For the other two corners you have to drill a hole in the bottom. You can remove the rear access panel in the back and slip in there to put the nut on the post -- it is a very tight fit but manageable. I mounted the Zambus casters before taking the machine off of the pallet -- it was easier using a floor jack and jack stands to raise the machine high enough to drill the corners. It works great and the machine is extremely mobile. It did raise the overall height of the jointer by a couple of inches so this is something to consider too.

Good luck.

Scot

[steven sherman]

JET Mobile Base by HTC ~ Fits Most 20" Planers, & More on ebay

I purchased this mobile base for a grizzly G0634 jointer/planer. I installed a plywood base. It works great and much less expensive option

[Don Abele]

I have all my tools on HTC universal bases and have had great success with them.

For my AS-31 I used the 3000 model (though the weight limit is being pushed). It's stable and moves easily. I get no flex whatsoever in the rails. And my concrete floor is anything but smooth.

Be well,

Doc