Felder machine questions

[Victor Philippi]

I'm in serious daydream mode right now as I contemplate the various choices of the Felder line. I'm about 75% set on getting a saw/shaper and a separate jointer/planer machine over a full combo. Honestly, the Hammer B3 Winner and A3-31 would probably more than meet and exceed my needs. While I would really like to end up with a tricked out KF-700 and AD-741, I'll probably end up with a KF-500 and AD-531 as it is a solid middle of the road machine. I've visited a Felder showroom on numerous occasions a few years back and I was completely impressed with their bottom end Hammer on up. I just have a couple of questions for those of you out there who have actually used and owned them.

1: The saw/shaper machines all seem to have a fence that rides on a tube and looks to be different than the fence used on the full combo machines. I believe that the fence on the full combo machines also doubles as the fence you use with the jointer. Overall, is the fence on the two function saw/shaper machines more rigid and better than the fence used on the full combo machines? Or is the fence comparable?

2: On the full combo machines I've noticed that there is a bit of a "no-mans" land between the cast saw/shaper bed and the cast jointer bed where the jointer table flips. Is this in anyways a hindrance to the capabilities of a full combo machines?

3: I love the look of the powerdrive on the 700 series. Other than decreasing the amount of time required to changeover between functions, is there any other reason to go with powerdrive? Is it easier to get more accurate results with cutting fewer test pieces?

4: On the 700 series, does anyone actually use the swapable spindles on the shaper? I know if I had a full blown shaper that I'd probably never bother with router bits again.

5: Does anyone actually use the full 16" of the 16" jointer on a 741 or is the 12" jointer on a 531 large enough for most applications? 12" seems huge compared to the 6" or 8" jointer it seems most people have.

6: Any other points anyone wants to make regarding the Felder range of machines?

Anyways, thanks for any thoughts or feedback.

[Robert LaPlaca]

5: Does anyone actually use the full 16" of the 16" jointer on a 741 or is the 12" jointer on a 531 large enough for most applications? 12" seems huge compared to the 6" or 8" jointer it seems most people have.


Anyways, thanks for any thoughts or feedback.

Victor, I own another manufacturers jointer/planer combo unit.. Having said that, it kind of depends on what type of projects one builds, now in my case I build period furniture, I try to find the widest lumber I can find. So I have countless times used the full width of my 16" machine. YMMV.

[Jeff Duncan]

I cant help you with #s 1 - 3, however in reference to #4, I have one shaper that I swap spindles in all the time. In actuality the only reason I keep that particular shaper is b/c it can run router bits and smaller cutters! Otherwise my other shapers do all the heavy work;)

In reference to #5....I have a 16" jointer and if the right 20" or even 24" comes along for the right price I'll happily upgrade:D

I guess my general viewpoint is as long as you don't sacrifice quality, having flexibility and/or additional capacity, is never ever a bad thing:rolleyes:

good luck,
JeffD

[Erik Loza]

Hi Victor,

I think you and I emailed at one point. You're in Newcastle, right? I'm just going to dive in here for two reasons. First, I answer quesions like this every day and second, I worked for Felder many years ago and know the lineup pretty well.

My first piece of advice would be to nail down exactly what your budget is. It's going to be impossible to make a decision you are happy with if you either, A.) Wish you had bought more in hindsight, or B.) Find that you bought features which you never actually use and could've better spent that money. As I'm sure you are aware, there is a huge jump in price from Hammer to Felder 700-series, so I would set a price point for yourself before anything else. Both machines will cut a piece of wood the exact same way, so it's just a matter of how much the bells and whistles are worth to you.
In regards to specific answers, please see below...



The saw/shaper machines all seem to have a fence that rides on a tube and looks to be different than the fence used on the full combo machines. Correct


I believe that the fence on the full combo machines also doubles as the fence you use with the jointer. Also correct.


Overall, is the fence on the two function saw/shaper machines more rigid and better than the fence used on the full combo machines? In my opinion, yes, though it's a combo machine versus a stand-alone, so you have to accept some level of trade off for the platform and then price point.


On the full combo machines I've noticed that there is a bit of a "no-mans" land between the cast saw/shaper bed and the cast jointer bed where the jointer table flips. Is this in anyways a hindrance to the capabilities of a full combo machines? Yes, there is gap between the two cast iron tables on the Felder machines. You can actually order a small "bridge" piece to span it (or maybe that is standard these days?), though it still leaves a tiny gap at one specific point. The Hammer combos use a continuous rail, like our CU300, so there is no gap and that is not an issue.


I love the look of the powerdrive on the 700 series. Other than decreasing the amount of time required to changeover between functions, is there any other reason to go with powerdrive? Is it easier to get more accurate results with cutting fewer test pieces? More accurate? No, not really. Felder pushes this feature hard (or at least did when I was with them...) due to the fact that their dust hood requires the planer table to go all the way down, then all the way back up again, any time you make the switchover from jointer to planer. That's a lot of hand cranking if you don't have Power Drive or if you own a Hammer machine.


On the 700 series, does anyone actually use the swapable spindles on the shaper? I know if I had a full blown shaper that I'd probably never bother with router bits again. I sold a lot of router spindles for the 700-series when I was with Felder and sell a lot of router spindles for my own machines, today. Other sizes, too. Do you already own a router table or have a stock of existing shaper tooling? The answer to that would tell me how important having an interchangeable spindle is.


Does anyone actually use the full 16" of the 16" jointer on a 741 or is the 12" jointer on a 531 large enough for most applications? 12" seems huge compared to the 6" or 8" jointer it seems most people have. I've never had a customer complain about having too wide of a jointer or planer. The tradeoff, obviously is the price difference.


Any other points anyone wants to make regarding the Felder range of machines? I won't tell you what to buy except to say this: You will always get more machine for your money with a full 5-in-1 combo, regardless of who manufactures it or what line it happens to be. The trade-off, of course, is that some of the components are lighter or require more steps to switch over. Are those trade offs worth it? Well, only you can decide that. Best of luck with your search.

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Stephen Cherry]

I've got the felder k975 and it would be great to have a shaper attatched. As for the jointer planer, they can be somewhere else.

I like digital readouts, but not electrical raise lower.

The felder allows higher rpm in the router spindle- it would be a great addition to a shaper-saw. For example, you could cut ply with the saw, then raise the spindle for cutting grooves with a spiral router bits. Also you could cut big tenons with a different spindle. If I had to choose, I would go for 1 1/4, router, 3/4, then 30 mm, in that order. Depending on cost, I would at least get the 1 1/4 and router spindles.

I'm very happy with my felder machine.

[David Hawxhurst]

I'm in serious daydream mode right now as I contemplate the various choices of the Felder line. I'm about 75% set on getting a saw/shaper and a separate jointer/planer machine over a full combo. Honestly, the Hammer B3 Winner and A3-31 would probably more than meet and exceed my needs. While I would really like to end up with a tricked out KF-700 and AD-741, I'll probably end up with a KF-500 and AD-531 as it is a solid middle of the road machine. I've visited a Felder showroom on numerous occasions a few years back and I was completely impressed with their bottom end Hammer on up. I just have a couple of questions for those of you out there who have actually used and owned them.

1: The saw/shaper machines all seem to have a fence that rides on a tube and looks to be different than the fence used on the full combo machines. I believe that the fence on the full combo machines also doubles as the fence you use with the jointer. Overall, is the fence on the two function saw/shaper machines more rigid and better than the fence used on the full combo machines? Or is the fence comparable?

2: On the full combo machines I've noticed that there is a bit of a "no-mans" land between the cast saw/shaper bed and the cast jointer bed where the jointer table flips. Is this in anyways a hindrance to the capabilities of a full combo machines?

3: I love the look of the powerdrive on the 700 series. Other than decreasing the amount of time required to changeover between functions, is there any other reason to go with powerdrive? Is it easier to get more accurate results with cutting fewer test pieces?

4: On the 700 series, does anyone actually use the swapable spindles on the shaper? I know if I had a full blown shaper that I'd probably never bother with router bits again.

5: Does anyone actually use the full 16" of the 16" jointer on a 741 or is the 12" jointer on a 531 large enough for most applications? 12" seems huge compared to the 6" or 8" jointer it seems most people have.

6: Any other points anyone wants to make regarding the Felder range of machines?

Anyways, thanks for any thoughts or feedback.


1. i have the 700 saw/shaper and it has the round tube, so i can't answer your question. the few time i've actually used the fence it was plenty stiff. i rarely use the fence for cutting, almost always use the slider.

2. can't help with that question.

3. i don't have the power drive, but have used it. it does make change over a little easier and is accurate and repeatable. i have no problems with manually setting things. is the cost of the power drive something your willing to pay for?

4. i do swap spindles. i also have the high speed router spindle (router bits cut soooo much better with lots of hp behind them). if your only going to get one spindle i would get the 1.25" spindle as there are more cutter heads in the US that are that size then 30mm. you could use 1.25" cutter heads on the 30mm spindle with the right bushings.

5. i have the a3-31 and seem to find lots of board that are larger than 12" but less than 16". i would get the bigger one. i will sell my a3-31 in favor of a 741 someday.

6. if your heart is set on the 700 series i would hold off on buying until you have the money for it. the 700 saw/shaper usually goes on sale a least once a year or at least it has for the last several years. the just released the new 700 series so if they have any of the older (green ones) left you may be able to get a pretty good deal on one.

i went with the jointer/planer then the saw/shaper as it fits my needs and space better than the full combo.

[Erik Loza]

Actually, I do have one piece of advice. Or at least a comment I hear repeatedly from owners after having their machines for any length of time: "I wish I had gotten a longer slider...".

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Jeff Monson]

3: I love the look of the powerdrive on the 700 series. Other than decreasing the amount of time required to changeover between functions, is there any other reason to go with powerdrive? Is it easier to get more accurate results with cutting fewer test pieces?

4: On the 700 series, does anyone actually use the swapable spindles on the shaper? I know if I had a full blown shaper that I'd probably never bother with router bits again.


5: Does anyone actually use the full 16" of the 16" jointer on a 741 or is the 12" jointer on a 531 large enough for most applications? 12" seems huge compared to the 6" or 8" jointer it seems most people have.


6: Any other points anyone wants to make regarding the Felder range of machines?

Anyways, thanks for any thoughts or feedback.

I have the AD741 with Digi-drive, coming from an A3-31 I cant tell you its a major step up. Cranking the hand wheel is something that got really old after awhile, especially if you happen to need a quick joint and plane of a board that was miscut. I would never buy an AD741 without the power or digi-drive feature. I was in the planning stages of installing a small electric motor and gears with a 12 volt switch to run the table up and down on my A3-31 until I sold it.

I use 3 different spindles on my KF700, I still use the router spindle, I have tooling for the 30mm and 1 1/4" shafts as well. I'd say 75% of the time the 1 1/4" spindle resides in the machine.

I really like having the ability to plane a full 16", the 12" on the A3-31 does most of the applications, but there are times when the extra 4" is nice. You are correct that a 12" J/P is a major step up from a 6" jointer, been there done that.

Felder is great to deal with, IMO. Their machines are really nice, just make sure to learn the many options the machines are available with and the costs involved in getting them. A KF700 with the AD741 is a really nice combination to have, 2 really nice machines. I know they have new models of both, I really don't want to see them in person :)

[Rick Potter]

A very minor point. On my KF700, the fence rides on a round solid steel bar, not a hollow tube. As I said, a minor point (till you try to pick it up).

Rick Potter

[Robert LaPlaca]

In reference to #5....I have a 16" jointer and if the right 20" or even 24" comes along for the right price I'll happily upgrade:D

good luck,
JeffD

Jeff I couldn't agree with you more..I have one lumber supplier that could supply 24-30" inch wide Mahogany for a project, had to turn down the offer, as much as it pained me to turn down lumber like that. I am just getting too old to process rough lumber with hand planes

[Roy Harding]

I've had a CF531P for five years now - but I've never used a 700 series, so I won't be able to answer the comparison questions. I'll answer what I can:



1: The saw/shaper machines all seem to have a fence that rides on a tube and looks to be different than the fence used on the full combo machines. I believe that the fence on the full combo machines also doubles as the fence you use with the jointer. Overall, is the fence on the two function saw/shaper machines more rigid and better than the fence used on the full combo machines? Or is the fence comparable?


My fence is a three position fence. A short rip fence, a tall rip fence, and a jointer fence. I cannot answer the comparison question for you.



2: On the full combo machines I've noticed that there is a bit of a "no-mans" land between the cast saw/shaper bed and the cast jointer bed where the jointer table flips. Is this in anyways a hindrance to the capabilities of a full combo machines?


The ONLY problem I've had with it is when I need to set the rip fence anywhere between 420mm and 470mm (16.5" and 18.5" for you non-metric guys out there). This does happen occasionally, but a tape measure takes care of it. I imagine that if it was a more significant problem, a better solution could be found.




3: I love the look of the powerdrive on the 700 series. Other than decreasing the amount of time required to changeover between functions, is there any other reason to go with powerdrive? Is it easier to get more accurate results with cutting fewer test pieces?



I don't have a power drive for the planer bed (although it is also an option on the 531P) - but there ARE times I wish I had it. I don't believe it would add much to accuracy (but then again - I don't have one), but in order to swing the dust/chip collection port from the jointer position to the planer position, the planer bed must be wider than 7". It can get bloody tiring cranking that wheel up and down - but it's a minor consideration.



5: Does anyone actually use the full 16" of the 16" jointer on a 741 or is the 12" jointer on a 531 large enough for most applications? 12" seems huge compared to the 6" or 8" jointer it seems most people have.


I make furniture, small boxes, and other case goods for a living. I buy my lumber in random widths, and have never received a piece wider than 12" (I imagine they save those for special orders??) I've never wished I had a wider jointer than the 12" on the 531. On the OTHER hand - depending upon what you're building, you may need more. It's worth noting that I have a 24" drum sander which I use for flattening glued wide glued up panels - something I PROBABLY wouldn't consider using a jointer/planer for anyway.



6: Any other points anyone wants to make regarding the Felder range of machines?


I've found Felder to be a well engineered, solid machine. I like my combo - my slider only travels around 7' - meaning that I can't slice a full length panel of sheet goods. However, for what I do, that's NEVER been a problem. If I do some day have to cut an 8' length, I'll revert to a straight edge and circular saw (or flip the piece end for end - as I said, it's never come up). If you need to regularly cut a full sheet of anything to length, make sure your slider can handle it.

Make sure you've got the footprint needed to work comfortably around your machine. I had the luxury of being able to plan my shop around my desired machinery - not a fortunate circumstance most folks find themselves in. You can get footprint details for your machines from Felder.

I love my combo - and I'm sure it takes less floorspace than would be required for four stand alone machines. HOWEVER - I tend to work in a fairly disciplined manner - IE, joint all required lumber, plane all required lumber, rip all required lumber, then cut to length all required lumber (in that order). It's the way I work. If you've a different workflow habit, the constant changeover of configurations may become burdensome (I only mention that because I've read that as a complaint regarding combo machines on various forums). It takes mere seconds to reconfigure from jointer to planer - which is the major reconfiguration required. It's also worth noting that I'm a one man shop - so I don't need to have two different machines running at the same time.

I don't believe you'll go wrong with a Felder - but there are other worthy companies out there as well. I'm not "married" to Felder the way some seem to be to a particular brand - I'm just very happy with it, and don't hesitate to recommend them to anyone.

[johnny means]

I have the AD751 with Digi-drive, I believe it's called. IMO, it's the best thing since bacon on cheese burgers. Absolute repeatability, I don't even check my finished thicknesses any more 19mm is the exact same everytime and has been for years. Also, I don't need to crank the table up or down 9" every time I want to change over. Hit a couple of buttons and do something else while the table positions itself. It's real close to the convenience of separates.

As far as jointer width, I don't use the full 20" too often. But, when gluing up panels I like to joint one face, edges, than glue up. After glue-up, I joint the entire panel before planing. This means I can get a perfectly flat panel for up to a 24" door without worrying about flat glue-ups. Not a big deal, but anything that makes my life easier and my product better is a good choice.

[Roy Harding]

... After glue-up, I joint the entire panel before planing. This means I can get a perfectly flat panel for up to a 24" door without worrying about flat glue-ups. ...

Do you find that the glue joints wear your knives fairly quickly? (this is what I have always been told - and why I haven't tried it).

[Jeff Duncan]

Do you find that the glue joints wear your knives fairly quickly? (this is what I have always been told - and why I haven't tried it).

I know this was addressed to someone else.....but I'll throw out my thoughts anyway;) I'm sure it does wear them more quickly, but it's not so much that I notice it or would consider avoiding it. I run glued stock through my jointer all the time. I just finished up a batch of engineered stiles and rails for some walnut doors. Once the blanks are glued up they all have to get milled flat and straight, so everything goes through the jointer and planer again. Mind you I'm just running HSS knives....maybe even M1, (not too sure as its the steel that came with the machines). Of course if someone is running the fancier Byrd heads or Tersa with carbide knives, it would be even less a factor. I think it's one of those things that's maybe just a bit overblown:rolleyes:

good luck,
JeffD

[Jeff Duncan]

Jeff I couldn't agree with you more..I have one lumber supplier that could supply 24-30" inch wide Mahogany for a project, had to turn down the offer, as much as it pained me to turn down lumber like that. I am just getting too old to process rough lumber with hand planes

I have good suppliers and can get SA mahogany up to 20" routinely, not sure about 30", but haven't asked either:rolleyes: I did have one top I had to make that I ended up skipping the jointer and running the 19" stock directly though the planer. Luckily it was a very flat piece of mahogany so it worked out OK as I dread the handplanes as well:o Even a regular order of random width hardwoods it's not uncommon for me to get widths up to about 18" wide in some woods.

JeffD

[Victor Philippi]

Hi Victor,

I think you and I emailed at one point. You're in Newcastle, right?

Yes, we did exchange emails a few years back. I was getting ready to purchase a machine, but I ended up losing my job and I had to relocate and had to put the purchase off for a while.

While I was in Newcastle I discovered I lived less than 5 miles from the Felder showroom there and I really got to know their equipment quite well.

Thanks for your insight and help.

[Roy Harding]

I know this was addressed to someone else.....but I'll throw out my thoughts anyway;) I'm sure it does wear them more quickly, but it's not so much that I notice it or would consider avoiding it. I run glued stock through my jointer all the time. I just finished up a batch of engineered stiles and rails for some walnut doors. Once the blanks are glued up they all have to get milled flat and straight, so everything goes through the jointer and planer again. Mind you I'm just running HSS knives....maybe even M1, (not too sure as its the steel that came with the machines). Of course if someone is running the fancier Byrd heads or Tersa with carbide knives, it would be even less a factor. I think it's one of those things that's maybe just a bit overblown:rolleyes:

good luck,
JeffD

Thanks, Jeff. Although I use my drum sander for initial sanding of glued up panels (it's 24" and my jointer/planer is 12" - so it's usually a moot point anyway), I'll keep what you said in mind. I'm also running HSS knives.

[Victor Philippi]

Make sure you've got the footprint needed to work comfortably around your machine. I had the luxury of being able to plan my shop around my desired machinery - not a fortunate circumstance most folks find themselves in. You can get footprint details for your machines from Felder.

Roughly how much space do you have around your machine and how do you have it oriented? I'd imagine that you'd need at least 12' or so to the left of the blade, 7 feet in front of the machine and 7 feet behind the machine. Is that roughly correct? How much space do you have around the jointer/planer side and do you use the mortising attachment?

You might not be able to compare the fences, but are you satisfied with the design of the one on the CF-531?

Thanks for your insights. Although I say that I want a KF-700 and an AD-741, I think I keep coming back to the CF-531P as it seems like a great middle ground. The first thing I've ever done with an 8' sheet of anything is cut it down to 6' or less. I've never build anything bigger than 6' for the 7' sliding table should be perfect for me. I've seen and spent a decent amount of time around one in the Felder showroom and I've been very impressed. The only thing with the 700 series is I would probably have to save up for an additional year in order to afford one (given that I've already waited a couple of years to get to my current point, that isn't that big of an issue to me).

Anyways, thanks again.

[mreza Salav]

A few points: I have a 14" J/P and have used it's full capacity more than a few times (and have a few boards that are 15-18" wide that don't know what to do with them).
So no matter what size jointer you have you'll always end up with boards that are wider (it's magic!).
As for the size of the slider: I cannot contemplate man handling full sheets on a saw, it's just not something my would appreciate. In my recent project I have to deal with
8/4" stock at 8" wide and 9' long and they are heavy, so joining them has been a chor and to get a straight line or ripping them I've been using a track saw with plus a 118" track.
Works quite well. my 2C anyways...

[Roy Harding]

Roughly how much space do you have around your machine and how do you have it oriented? I'd imagine that you'd need at least 12' or so to the left of the blade, 7 feet in front of the machine and 7 feet behind the machine. Is that roughly correct? How much space do you have around the jointer/planer side and do you use the mortising attachment?

You might not be able to compare the fences, but are you satisfied with the design of the one on the CF-531?

Thanks for your insights. Although I say that I want a KF-700 and an AD-741, I think I keep coming back to the CF-531P as it seems like a great middle ground. The first thing I've ever done with an 8' sheet of anything is cut it down to 6' or less. I've never build anything bigger than 6' for the 7' sliding table should be perfect for me. I've seen and spent a decent amount of time around one in the Felder showroom and I've been very impressed. The only thing with the 700 series is I would probably have to save up for an additional year in order to afford one (given that I've already waited a couple of years to get to my current point, that isn't that big of an issue to me).

Anyways, thanks again.

My shop is 25' wide, and the Felder is oriented so that the slider travels back and forth in that 25'. It doesn't actually need all that space, and indeed I have a lumber rack (about 18") at one end of the Felder's travel. It DOES allow me to joint/plane boards of approximately 10' long - should that ever become necessary. Given what I do (I build custom furniture, chests, and small boxes) - I've never had to joint/plane wood that length. I have four feet clear on the joint/planer side - that allows for adequate working/walking space on that side of the machine. On the slider side, I have 100" (12 feet would be real overkill) clear FROM THE BLADE. That allows adequate clearance for a full 8' sheet of plywood, should I ever need it. Once again, given what I do - I've never needed more than 82" or so of that space - but it's there should I need it

I don't have the mortising attachment, and therefore can't comment on it - or give any idea of how much more clearance you may need to use it.

I'm VERY happy with the fence on the 531 - just out of habit I occasionally check it for square (to the bed of the jointer table, and to the slider) and for alignment (to the saw blade). In over four (maybe five) years of use I've never adjusted it.

Best of luck to you. Feel free to ask anything else that comes to mind.

[David Kumm]

Don't forget to check out used Felder and MM. Combo machines go pretty reasonable on the used market and you often get a lot of accessories thrown in. Felder and Mm are pretty comparable. Each has its own benefits but neither is heads above the other. Dave

[Joe Jensen]

I have a 2009 Felder KF700SP. I swap between a 1 1/4" spindle and the router spindle all the time. Takes maybe 1-2 min. I LOVE the router spindle. I ordered the machine with the variable speed in part because with that you can run the router spindle at 19,000 rpm. Smooth as silk. I also ordered the digi drive mostly because I said what the heck. I like the digi drive a lot and would order that again too.

I can't say enough about the router spindle with the variable speed. Crazy good.

[Albert Lee]

have you considered Robland? I bought a brand new, spec'ed up Robland NX410(made in Belgium), Tersa block, digital readout, 4.9m stroke...etc, where I am a basic model from Felder (741) is double the price of a Robland NX410, not to mention the accesories and I use my Robland for production kind of work.

1-4 cant answer
5. 16" is very useful. its never too wide, I use the full 16"
6. Felder is great but have you considered MM or even a Robland and spend the rest on the DC or other tools

[Erik Loza]

You know, this will sound whacky coming from me but I really think that Victor should buy a Hammer or Felder machine. Yeah, sure, there are other brands (mine included...) which could/might make more sense in some ways and there are always used machines that could save you a ton of money but here's the deal: If this is your first such purchase and since no matter which way you go, none of this is cheap, it makes sense to buy from the vendor who is right there in your city. Shoot, I wish I had a brick-and-mortar tech service department right in a customer's hometown any time someone had an issue. In other words, there are some circumstances where the value of being able to walk in and talk to your rep face-to-face outweighs any actual monetary price difference.

Just my opinion, for what it's worth.

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Ben Abate]

Eric has a lot of good points. I've owned a KF700SP with the 10ft slider for about 9 yrs now and have no regrets buying the longest slider i could get. I also bought the Felder 20 inch planner/jointer and i still have to run things threw my big sander sometimes. Like some one said, there is always a board bigger than your machine. I own 5 Felder machines and all of them have been worth the money i've spent on them. Expensive? yes, but really worth it. As for jointing big lumber you can edge rip it on the slider and have a glue joint ready for glueing. As for spindle changes I do it all the time. I have multiple spindles with some cutters on them that I never take off. Sometimes it would be nice to have a router table but I gave that away years ago when I got the KF. You have the good fortune of living near Felder. Spend some time there with the techs and your sales person, most of us were as confused as you are. You'll change the way you do woodworking once you buy a slider and a combo jointer/planner. Don't skimp on the dust system, these machines stay nice and clean inside if you have the proper dust collection.

enjoy the experience of looking for a new machine and buy something you'll not regret.

have fun
Ben