STOP! Hammer time...........

[Dave Lehnert]

I have been looking on the web but see no pricing on combo machines like the hammer or the like units. What is the ball park price on a combo tablesaw based unit. At this point I am just curious, not exactly looking to buy (for now. LOL!!!)

[Charlie Plesums]

Look at the MiniMax-usa web site for equipment with prices. I love my CU410 Elite combo - far from the low end, but if I had to replace it, I would do it again (or even upgrade). 8 1/2 foot slider (normally kept within .001 inches for years at a time), 5 hp shaper, 5 hp 16 inch jointer and planer, plus mortiser. Figure around $20k for mine, but you can get smaller, lighter units with reasonable quality for half that price. For a quarter that price you can get units that will just irritate you.

For example, I had a visitor to my shop who had a cheap combo. As we talked he paniced because I was leaning against my machine. On his, he said, he would then have to recalibrate it. On mine, I said I weigh a lot less than the load of plywood I can cut concurrently on the slider. He bought one like mine.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Dave, if you register on the Felder/Hammer site, you can see the prices. It is instant IIRK, and they don't immediantly call with a sales pitch. When pricing these, don't let the sticker shock get you. You are getting high quality machines for a bargain over the seperates price, generally. I have a full combo Felder, very similar configuration to Charlies, and same ballpark price. Hammer will be cheaper, but I really don't know by how much, depends greatly on options. They add up quick.

[Dave Lehnert]

20K WOW! I thought to myself they must cost a fortune. I bet 8 or 9K. LOL!!!!

Going to have a look around and see why woodworkers like them so well.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I have been looking on the web but see no pricing on combo machines like the hammer or the like units. What is the ball park price on a combo tablesaw based unit. At this point I am just curious, not exactly looking to buy (for now. LOL!!!)

Go to the Felder USA site and make yourself an account. That way you can get current pricing on all their machinery.

I'd not go with the combination machine simply because you need to be so very organized to take full advantage of the things. I have the Hammer slider & adjustable support table with scoring and the Dado arbor. I also got the 12" J/P as a separate machine.
I wish I'd spent the extra and got the shaper in the saw unit.

If I had to break down a set up to go from the saw to the J/P every time I found it necessary to do so, I would lose my mind. The shaper is a different story.

While I can't compare Hammer to MM, I can tell you that I have no complaints about the machinery I have.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Go to the Felder USA site and make yourself an account. That way you can get current pricing on all their machinery.

I'd not go with the combination machine simply because you need to be so very organized to take full advantage of the things. I have the Hammer slider & adjustable support table with scoring and the Dado arbor. I also got the 12" J/P as a separate machine.
I wish I'd spent the extra and got the shaper in the saw unit.

If I had to break down a set up to go from the saw to the J/P every time I found it necessary to do so, I would lose my mind. The shaper is a different story.

While I can't compare Hammer to MM, I can tell you that I have no complaints about the machinery I have.

Cliff, I regularly use my combo's saw in either jointer or planner mode. You can't process full size sheet stock of course, but you can do most "lighter" work. There is still 20" ish between the blade and the jointer table when it is up. It all depends on what you are doing though.

[Thomas S Stockton]

Like another poster said just register and you can get pricing. When comparing other brands to Felder/hammer it is important that you make sure they have the same options. The way Felder/Hammer prices their tools is much more ala carte than others so what an option for them might be included on another tool. Another thing to keep in mind is that when you place a deposit with Felder it is NON REFUNDABLE so make sure it is the tool you want and you can pay for it when it arrives or you will learn a painful lesson.
I'm not knocking Felder they make an excellent product you just need to be aware of the in and outs of every tool seller.
Tom

[Dave Avery]

Dave, if you register on the Felder/Hammer site, you can see the prices. It is instant IIRK, and they don't immediantly call with a sales pitch. When pricing these, don't let the sticker shock get you. You are getting high quality machines for a bargain over the seperates price, generally. I have a full combo Felder, very similar configuration to Charlies, and same ballpark price. Hammer will be cheaper, but I really don't know by how much, depends greatly on options. They add up quick.

Not and immediate call..... about 5 minutes later :)

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Another thing to keep in mind is that when you place a deposit with Felder it is NON REFUNDABLE

That's 'cause they run off right quick to Austria with the money. Ever try to get a refund from an Austrian?

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Not and immediate call..... about 5 minutes later :)

Check it at midnight, and they'll at least wait until sun up!

Seriously though, I hate high pressure sales pitches, and I have never got that from them. Sales pitches a plenty, just no pressure. Well hang on a second, there was the attempted slot mortiser purchase several years back... Let me change that, I rarely get a high pressure pitch from them.

[Charlie Plesums]

.....When pricing these, don't let the sticker shock get you. You are getting high quality machines for a bargain over the seperates price, generally. I have a full combo Felder, very similar configuration to Charlies, and same ballpark price.....
Absolutely agree that the sticker shock is great on all the euro machines, over hobby machines, but the step up in quality is huge. Both a Mercedes and a Hyundai will carry 5 people at 70 miles per hour, so what can the difference be? When you use it, you know it, but how do you describe it?

I don't know the price answer today, but when I got my combo over 4 years ago, it came down to Felder vs. MiniMax. Both are great machines, but when I configured them as close as I could get it, the Felder cost 35% more than the MiniMax I bought.


...I'd not go with the combination machine simply because you need to be so very organized to take full advantage of the things. I have the Hammer slider & adjustable support table with scoring and the Dado arbor. I also got the 12" J/P as a separate machine.
I wish I'd spent the extra and got the shaper in the saw unit.

If I had to break down a set up to go from the saw to the J/P every time I found it necessary to do so, I would lose my mind. The shaper is a different story. .....
Interesting! I am a terribly disorganized woodworker, and am not bothered at all by the combination between the saw and the jointer/planer. Changeover time is less than I previously spent clearing the infeed/outfeed areas for my separate machines.

I didn't think I needed a shaper except that I no longer had room for a router table, but now that I have used a "real" 5 hp shaper, I am using the shaper more. Now the first machine I would buy as a "separate" would be the shaper. The changeover to the shaper is the only one that takes several minutes, and even more if I am going to use the power feeder.

[Victor Philippi]

I'm getting ready to place a deposit on a Hammer B3 saw/shaper combo with a 78" sliding table. I'm waiting for the final price to come back to me, but it should fall somewhere around the $8,000 mark. A Hammer full combination machine runs you somewhere between roughly $9-12 or 13,000. The 500 series full combo will run you around 15K mark (+ or - $2,500 depending on options) and the 700 series full combo around the 20-26+K mark.

For the hammer machines it mostly depends on how big of a sliding table and outrigger you want. Once you get into the 500 series you get a fair amount of other options to choose from and the 700 series is where the most options are available - including electronic height adjustment for the saw, shaper, and planing functions.

The Hammer jointer planer combo is about $3,500 - $4,000 for the 12" and I think around $6,500 for the 16".

If you register an account with them they'll send you a variety of DVD's and booklets about both the Felder and Hammer lines. When you get a walk through of the machines by a sales rep at their showroom, they basically show you the same exact stuff you see on the DVD.

Their East coast showroom is only a few traffic lights from my house and I've visited them several times. All of their machinery looks just as amazing in person as it does on their webpage. If you're ever close to any of their showrooms it is worth the effort to stop in.

[Rob Russell]

Victor - before you finalize the order, remember that if you get a longer sliding table, you can rip entire sheets of plywood on the slider. That's likely an upgrade that you'd want.

[Todd Solomon]

Ditto on Rob's advice to consider a longer slider, especially if you plan on doing cabinets or sheet goods from time to time.

Some of the Felders and Hammers are on sale now. The Hammer 12" jointer-planer is reduced to $3099, for example. I don't recall what the sale price is of the other machines. The sales flyer is on their website.

[Jim Becker]

Victor - before you finalize the order, remember that if you get a longer sliding table, you can rip entire sheets of plywood on the slider. That's likely an upgrade that you'd want.

Ditto...I'd never be happy with less than the 8'6" slider I have on my machine and I also do use it to straight line a lot of solid stock, taking advantage of the wagon length a lot.

[Charlie Plesums]

Victor - before you finalize the order, remember that if you get a longer sliding table, you can rip entire sheets of plywood on the slider. That's likely an upgrade that you'd want.


Ditto on Rob's advice to consider a longer slider, especially if you plan on doing cabinets or sheet goods from time to time........


Ditto...I'd never be happy with less than the 8'6" slider I have on my machine and I also do use it to straight line a lot of solid stock, taking advantage of the wagon length a lot.

Like they said... get the longer slider! I probably use it as much or more for ripping hardwood as I do for sheet goods. I have had many people say they don't have room for it. Not my experience! If you are going to rip an 8 foot board in your shop, you need to clear 17 feet - the blade plus 8 feet before and 8 feet after, no matter what type of saw. The slider itself is only about a foot wide (on mine it is easy to take the outrigger off without losing calibration when I need more space ...1-2 minutes). So my full combo with long slider and 16 inch jointer/planer and shaper fits in my garage, along with two bandsaws, lathe, RAS, drum sander, drill press, compressor, HVLP paint system, dust collection, and all the usual hand tools. You can do it!

[Etienne Moreau]

Hey Charlie... That is a double garage... Triple?

First of all Good day all... This is my first post... Lurked for quite a while.

Actually I'm flying to Toronto on the 4th of April to visit their showroom (I'm never buying a large tool mail order again. TS issues).

Now I was looking into the Comfort level C3 but now thinking about it and doing SketchUp work I think I might fit the Perform (98" Cutting length)

Since the summer is always hard and show season being July to November (I work medical imaging) I plan to have the machine delivered in middle November.

Now the only thing is "Does the machine feels right" as I hate when I spend more time playing with tool than doing work, applies to computer, kitchen and workshop. The only tool I like fidgeting with is a boat... Any boat :) (How long can you thread water Moses)

I know, I know only a bad craftman blames his tools but heh... I rather be creating than calibrating, do you hear the mid range contractor saw owner here :P. Speaking of which... For all you contractor saw owners out there... Please before doing pawls and all that.. Change the trunnions bolts from what it came with (mine was grade 3) to at least grade 8 bolts... It will be a lot easier to adjust and keep in adjustment.

If anyone is interested... I have a made SketchUp of a Confort setup (it's pretty much on give or take an inch. Andreas from Toronto sent me a top view Cad diagram of the machine and Geoffery from Felder USA sent me a footprint diagram... So I adapted.

Since this is my first post... Where do we actually put these files???

Have a nice day

/Etienne

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Like Charlie, I agree that these machines can fit ina smallish space. My 8.5'ish slider combo is in a 22x24 garage, with a 36" bandsaw, a 14" bandsaw, chopsaw, cyclone, drill press, fridge and freezer, a big workbench, and a pile of hand tools and their cabinets. Early next week there will also be a lathe in there. I agree with everybody elses take on the table length as well.

[Brad Shipton]

Dave, have you considered any used machines? I have seen a few used 700's come up lately. Given the state of the economy, finding great deals on used equip is pretty easy.

I have the exact machine you are looking at, and I do regret not going to a 10' slider and I dont build much with sheet goods. It has good power, but they did have to sacrifice some of the nicer details from its big bro to get it to the price it is. About the only time I have slowed down the saw motor was cutting 8/4 Jatoba Stair treads, but given how dense that stuff is, I thought that was ok.

Brad

[Charlie Plesums]

Hey Charlie... That is a double garage... Triple?

First of all Good day all... This is my first post... Lurked for quite a while.

First of all, Welcome to the creek!

Since a single car garage is a shop, and a double car garage is a studio, I have a studio, but occasionally put a car in there too. I have a web page that shows the car in the studio ... follow the link in my profile to my woodworking home page, then look up "woodworking tips - our shop" in the menu along the left side

Charlie