Hammer A3-31 Purchase Decision - Your thoughts on Accessories

[Sean Kinn]

I've read most (if not all) of the threads about the machine itself, and I'm pretty much sold. I was wondering if any of the owners out there would be willing to share their thoughts on the actual utility of the extension tables and the upgraded handwheel with the depth guage.

The idea of having two detachable 16" tables is very appealing to me (saves pace when not needed, but the extra support is there for those rare times you need it). However, the cost for the tabls and brackets certainly isn't trivial. I'm wondering if a pair of roller stands would work just as good to get the job done for those tasks that only occur a few times per year. Any thoughts from those that have purchased them, or those that have opted to skip them?

How about the upgraded handwheel with the built in guage? Seems like quite a novelty to me, but I could see it being useful since you may be doing more raising and lowering of the planer table when switching between jointing and planing mode. Any opinions out there?

I don't see myself doing enough mortising to warrant that upgrade, but any other suggestions on what I should consider?

Thanks!

[Mark Carlson]

Hi Sean,

I read before I bought that the digital readout is a must get. I agree strongly. I bought the smaller extension so I could keep it on my planer outfeed, and occasionally use on the jointer infeed. Its a nice to have option. It is nice to have the extra support on the planner so small boards don't drop off.

I installed some great lake casters so I didn't buy the mobility kit.

Oh, I forgot the byrd head upgrade. I hear the standard cutter head is very good but the byrd head is amazing.

~mark

[Jeff Monson]

Sean,

The table extensions are very nice, yes they are expensive. They move easily from machine to machine is what I like the best about them. I dont use them much on my A3-31 unless I'm jointing longer stock. I have seen some people on the Felder owners group that have made their own extensions, so that is an option.

The handwheel is a must for the machine. If you want perfect repeatability, then its a no brainer. IMO it should be standard equipment.

The mobile base is nice, but it moves the machine on the long axis. I used it this way for awhile, but opted to make my own as it took a lot of maneuvering to get it around my shop. Now I can move it any direction I want.

The A3-31 is a great machine. The new design makes it even more attractive.

[bradley lewis]

I'm driving to their DE showroom this Saturday to pick mine up. The money I'm saving on delivery paid for the hand wheel/guage, 1hr of labor, and hose adapter. I see you live very close to me, are you picking it up or getting it delivered?

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Sean, as others have said, the table extensions are expensive, and very nice, far more convenient and accurate than fussing around with roller stands. As Jeff indicated, you'll want one for the planer outfeed, so I'd suggest 3 brackets and 2 tables.

I predict that if you purchase them, a few months later you'll buy additional brackets for your bandsaw to use the tables as outfeed/side support tables.

The digital hand wheel is a must, you'll save so much time and material, as well as being able to make one more piece exactly the same thickness when you mess it up further along the work process.

As Jeff mentioned, the mobility kit moves it along the wide dimension, not suitable for my work space. I built a mobile base as described in this thread.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?88687-Hammer-A3-31-Mobile-Base

I would also suggest buying a set of the cobalt knives at the time of purchase so that you have spares without paying shipping.

You'll love the A3-31............Regards, Rod.

[Sean Kinn]

Thanks all! I truly appreciate it. This is most definitely a once in a lifetime purchase, and quite possibly the last time I will be able to make apurchase like this(or anything even remotely close to it)....so if I'm going to do it, I may as well go "all in." I just hadn't realized how quickly the costs would add up for the extension tables and brackets. I suppose I should have mentioned that I was going to either go with the an aftermarket generic mobility kit, or the great lakes casters. I was also planning to get two spare sets of cobalt kives.

Rod - I was hoping you would chime in, I've seen (and appreciate) all of your other posts on the A31.

Bradley - If I decide to pull the trigger, I'd likely make the trip up to DE to pick it up. Having them put it right on my trailer will make my life much easier when it comes time to get it into the basement...and it will free up a few more $$ for the accessories ;-)

[Chris Tsutsui]

I have the digital hand wheel and would describe it as a time saver and recommended purchase, but certainly not "mandatory".

The process I go about planing is I first joint the board. Then I use a caliper to measure the thickness of the board on both ends. Then I adjust the planer to remove only 3mm or less material from the thickest part of the board depending on the type of wood i'm planing. Then I run it through the planer and keep reducing the thickness of the board until I find the right thickness.

If you don't have a digital read out you will have to measure the board thickness each time it comes out from the planer unless you are very accurate at reading a 1:1 scale inch ruler on the side of the machine and can afford that margin of error. With the hand wheel readout, you can accurately know what thickness is being produced by reading the dial and be easily accurate to 0.005

The planer table surface is generous that I don't typically need a longer bed though for 8 foot pieces I will use the Rigid flip top outfeed support (Or a roller stand). No need to buy the extension table AND extension support bracket. I would buy this if I didn't plan on ever moving the planer for if I get the longest outfeeds, it would make moving the planer around my crowded shop a little more difficult.

I need to buy Kobalt blades so I guess those are inevitable if you use your machine for the steel blades don't last terribly long. This was about $50 for a set of blades if I remember. I suppose I could attempt to hone the blades but if I get that wrong it could easily affect the performance of the cuts and I'd feel better just getting new factory sharpened blades.

The A3-31 comes with a 6" dust port so make sure you source or order an adapter if you don't have that size DC hose I have the harbor freight 2HP DC and it will clog like crazy when planing a 10" wide board because it has a 4" duct. I'm saving up for a bigger DC unit or cyclone. For the mean time I will soon fabricate a separator to use so the shavings don't clog the 4" inlet. I think that should work...

I'm pleased with the mobility kit on my A3-31 that I bought it on my K3 Winner and it makes moving a 1000lb machine around quite effortless since you can almost turn the machine on a dime. I have welded delta machine mobility kits, the HTC ones, and a HF one and the 2 wheel plus dolly mechanism Felder uses is my favorite.

My only other comment is to make sure you hold the power button until it reaches full speed, or else the machine will only spin at a slow speed. :) I had an embarassing technical suport phone call about this which meant that I didn't read the manual before using it. tisk tisk on me.

[Eric McCune]

Get the digital hand wheel. It's a joy to work to a hundredth of an inch without even thinking about it. If you ever need to go back to the planer after thinking you were done, it's great to be able to dial in the exact setting to match previous work. Based on what you are spending it's a small price to pay. Good luck.

[Jamie Buxton]

I have the digital handwheel on mine, and would be lost without it. I just dial up the thickness I want, and that's it. Mine is decimal inches; my whole shop runs in decimal inches.

I have an extension table, but don't use it. I found that the connection between it and the regular table flexes under load. And what good is a jointer table that has a bend in the middle? I joint boards up to 6-7 feet long without assistance. For longer boards, I set up the roller stands. They're a pain to get adjusted right, but at least they don't move. (I have a first-generation A3-31. Dunno if the extensions are different on second or third generation machines.)

[David Wong]

I purchased the 400mm extension table and 3 extra brackets for use on the planer outfeed, jointer infeed, or jointer outfeed. I find it most useful on the planer outfeed, but I am getting ready to joint some longer 8ft+ boards soon. My A1-31 comes with a 120mm dust port. I use a 120mm connector from Felder to connect to a 5 inch duct fitting. The connector fits inside the 5 inch fitting with a little foam tape to seal reduce the fitting diameter slightly. I wanted to keep the A3-31 as low as possible, so I used a Rockler All Terrain mobile base. It is reasonably maneuverable (though not as much as the greatlake casters), and very stable when in use.

[Sean Kinn]

Hmmmm...thanks Jamie. I was wondering if there was any flex at the joints, or in the extensions themselves. Was this only noticable when leaning on them with your full body weight, or did you notice it in use as well? Nevertheless, it's good to hear that you have no problems with 6-7' boards without the extensions. I managed to joint some 12/4 x 3.5" x 6' Ash on my 6" Jet jointer (46" table) and I got the job done without extension tables or roller stands, but it was not an experience that I want to have again. My maximum workpiece length about 90% of the time should be in the 6-7' zone. It's really coming down to the fact that purchasing this machine will likely be a one-time opportunity for me, and now would be the time to purchase any accessories.

Thanks again everyone.

[jonathan eagle]

Can one buy a spiral cutter head for this machine?
I looked on the web site and it wasn't clear one could.

[Sean Kinn]

Yes. I spoke to them yesterday, and you can add it as an option if you desire. Suggest you call them for pricing info, they were very helpful on the phone.

[Scot Ferraro]

Not much to add -- agree get the hand wheel and extra knives...I usually by 2-3 sets at a time and they last about 1 year or so (but I plane and joint a lot of material over the course of a year). I also suggest getting the connections from Felder to hook up DC -- I opted for one meter of hose (that is 120MM in diameter) to attach to the port on the machine and then I connected that to an Oneida fitting that is 120 mm on one side and 6 inches on the other to fit my main DC hose. It works great. I use Zambus casters for the ultimate mobility solution as I have to move my machine around in my cramped shoparage. I do not have the extensions and do not think they are necessary for jointing, but having one for the planer would be nice for long material...it works fine without them, but I have to support the board as it finishes its pass.

This is an excellent machine and the new design is really nice with the new lift design and fence design.

Scot

[Ray DuBose]

I love my A3 31, Great Buy. I will be ordering the digital hand wheel soon. I also have a Byrd Head on mine. I called Byrd and get a price on one and it was $100 more than what Hammer was charging to have one put in by their tech (They order the machines in from the factory and the Tech's in the Americas put them in) Saved me $100 + the headache of doing it myself. I can't speak to how the straight blades are since I've never had any on the machine but From what I understand they do a good job and are louder.

Also if you haggle with them they will usually throw in the mobility Kit. I have the A3 31 and a K3W and they threw in the mobility kit in for free on both. Like what's been said before the A3 31 rolls on it's long axes which makes it a little more difficult but I can't complain to much for the price.

Ray

[Chris Tsutsui]

I wouldn't want the fixed mobile wheels facing the same direction you push/pull the work piece. If resin or wood sap makes it difficult to push a work piece you could end up pushing the machine.

It's a big "Your mileage may vary" as far as upgrades at time of purchase.

Try to get 25% off accessories at the time of purchase and see if this will apply towards the Byrd head which is something I would have considered if I didn't purchase my A3-31 from craigslist.

[Rod Sheridan]

I wouldn't want the fixed mobile wheels facing the same direction you push/pull the work piece. If resin or wood sap makes it difficult to push a work piece you could end up pushing the machine.

.

Hi Chris, on my mobile base you can't push the machine even though the wheel direction is as you stated. The weight of the machine on the two fixed feet prevents the machine from moving. This is the same as the factory wheel situation on the B3 for example.......Regards, Rod.

[Bob Landel]

My turn to weigh in on the A3-31. I bought it all, two extension tables, three brackets to mount the tables, digital wheel, spiral head, mobility kit. I almost forgot,included a cloth apron. I think I made a good decision. Haven't really used it that much.

I am concerned about some end snipe in jointer mode. In addition, the spiral head produces a good finish.... a very good finish. However, I've seen perfect finishes from blade jointers and blade planers.

[Scot Ferraro]

Hi Bob,

You probably need a minor adjustment to the tables to bring them into alignment -- this will eliminate snipe when jointing and it is a pretty easy adjustment to make -- just follow the instructions in the manual and have some patience. You should be able to dial in the machine so that you have zero snipe jointing and planing. One of the techs in DE is very good and can also walk you through the procedure.

Scot

[Chris Tsutsui]

One thing I don't remember if it was in the manual or not, but if you measure the tables to be aligned without tightening the tables down, then you tighten the tables down and they're still in the same alignment, then you're good to go.

Maybe it's my uneven polished concrete floor and dusty or hardened rubber feet on my A3-31, but I can push it without using the lifting bar. It does take a little bit of effort though. I can't really move the K3W without the lifting bar.

[Bob Landel]

Scot and Chris thanks for the helpful replies.

Scot, Brian from DE tech may have given me the problem when he came up to make general adjustments several months after I purchased the machine. In any event, I don't remeber having any snipe prior to his adjustments. I was getting tapered pieces prior to his visit. Brian saw the snipe as he was leaving and thought it was the wood samples we used. I have been adjusting the outfeed table turn knob up to match closer the top of the cutterhead. It still depends how tight I lock down the table handles whether or not I get end snipe.

Chris, you may be on to something on coplaning the two tables unlocked and then tightened down. I really don't want to go through a major table realignment as I watched Brian do at my house. That was several hours, and as you see it still wasn't done

[Jamie Buxton]

... It still depends how tight I lock down the table handles whether or not I get end snipe....

Here's what that suggests.... On the non-hinge side of the table, the table rests on two bolt heads, and the table handle pulls the table down between those two heads. If one head is higher than the other, the table sits on just one head before the table handle is cinched down. When the handle is cinched down, it wracks the table to force it to rest on both bolt heads. That shifts the table edge near the cutter up or down, and you get snipe. The fix is that table realignment you'd rather not do. Doing your own table realignment isn't too bad. The last time I did mine, it took me an hour or so.

[Bob Landel]

Thanks Jamie

[Scot Ferraro]

Yes, I think that the adjustments needs to be done without locking them down and then when you lock them they should be in the same plane. A very small turn of the bolts on the side is all it takes to raise or lower the tables ever so slightly. I think that I spent a good 1-2 hours on my machine getting it dialed in for jointing and another 1-2 hours at least adjusting the planer tables. Everything has stayed in adjustment since, so it has been a one time process for me.

Scot

[David Wong]

I used a Oneway Multi-Gauge (http://www.oneway.ca/workshop/multi-gauge.htm) to help fine tune the tables. With the gauge on the outfeed table and the indicator on the infeed table, you can see the minute changes that occur when you loosen or tighten the table bolts. You can also see if the settings change when you lock down the table. If you have a dial indicator lying around, you could easily make this gauge, but I find the Oneway gauge very useful for other setups.

[Matt Przybylski]

Hey Sean,
I tried to contact you through a PM but your inbox is full. I realize this is quite an old thread and hate to revive it but I wanted to get in touch with you to get your thoughts on your purchase if you don't mind. Thank you.

[Chris Parks]

I took a pragmatic approach for the mobile base and put four castors under a piece of sheet flooring and dropped the machine on it. I can't see any problem so far nor can I see it moving during use but I haven't hooked it up yet. If I find the base is not practical I have a Hammer lifting bar for my saw, a bit of steel rod and two wheels can't be that hard to find and I have a welder so I will fabricate the tow point.

[Bernie May]

I have the non-digital hand wheel. I glued a nut to the center of it and use my battery drill with a socket and extension to move the bed up and down. Very fast and easy.

[Jim Andrew]

To anyone looking at purchasing one of these machines, I was looking on their site, and noticed you can get a slot mortiser attachment for the planer. Think that would be a great add on.

[Rod Sheridan]

To anyone looking at purchasing one of these machines, I was looking on their site, and noticed you can get a slot mortiser attachment for the planer. Think that would be a great add on.

It is a great feature, I haven't purchased one because I have a hollow chisel mortiser, however I keep thinking about it.

Regards, Rod.

[Jim Becker]

To anyone looking at purchasing one of these machines, I was looking on their site, and noticed you can get a slot mortiser attachment for the planer. Think that would be a great add on.
Yes, these work very nicely...I've played with one owned by another SMC member a few years ago and was pretty impressed. The only reason I don't have one of my own is that for the particular generation machine I have, the slot mortiser attachment goes on the back of the machine, rather than the front...which is a deal-breaker in my shop. If it was able to be front mounted like later generation machines, I'd be an owner.