Power Feeder Advice

[Keith July]

I am in the market for a new power feeder for my shaper. I build alot of raised panel doors and make some custom molding. I am going to mount it on my Powermatic 3 hp shaper. The Delta 4 speed, 3 wheel, 1 Hp seems to fit my needs but there my be a better (and cheaper) machine out there. Any advice would be great.
Thank you
Keith

[Michael Perata]

Keith

I have a Delta 36-850 1/4 HP unit (not the VersaFeeder) and while it does an "OK" job on my jointer and shaper, I would opt for at least a 1 HP next time.

Make sure you have a place, or can make a place, to mount these feeders on the shaper. A 1 HP unit will weigh about 130#+ and you don't want to have to put it on/take it off frequently.

[John Weber]

Keith,

The Delta is a nice feeder made by CoMatic, for about the same money you can buy a Steff/Maggi, I think it's a little better unit. I have the 1/2 hp machine and it is a very nice unit, they have lots of options in the 1 hp units. CoMatic also makes many of the other imported feeders (Grizzly, General, etc...), Sunhill is the direct importer, although some folks have had problems with them. I believe Felder imports Steffs, but they never answered my request for a quote, so I bought it local.

http://www.weberwoodworking.com/picsw04/powerfeedernew2.jpg

John

[Per Swenson]

Keith,

I have to agree with John and Michael.

I also have the 36-850 delta, great unit.

But if I were to do it again, (I am, very soon)

I would go with the Steffi. The best analogy I can offer

is its kinda like Driving Moms Buick. Great for grocerys,

but you can do better.

Per

[John Renzetti]

hi Keith, Ditto what John said. Take a look at the Steff Maggi powerfeeders. On occasion I've seen the 3 wheel 4 speed, model 2034 selling for close to what the Delta feeder costs. As John mentioned Felder does bring them into the USA under their label. I know Laguna has them also and both companies have good prices on them depending on the model. What out for shipping costs. These things are heavy and the shipping weight can be around 150+lbs. I almost bought the Felder F-48 which is a 4 wheel 8 speed feeder. But at Christmas Martin offered the deal on the Univer 1500 that I couldn't refuse. Probably the only piece of Martin equipment I'll ever own.
take care,
John

[Chris Padilla]

Lets see:

Delta = Buick
Steffi/Maggi = Oh, I don't know, BMW?!

hahahaha

[Kevin Post]

I looked into getting a Steff but I couldn't get much information other than a price. Even though it came highly recommended, the price plus shipping costs put it out of the running.

I have the Delta 36-851 1 HP feeder. I purchased it from Amazon during a sale for $649.00. Shipping was free. It was pretty hard to pass up. No complaints about the tool either.

-Kevin

[Keith July]

WOW... :) Thank you for all the information. I contacted a couple of the company's named above and hope to hear from them soon. I tried to find Christmas Martin with no luck. I think this purchase is going to be alot easier make, thanks to you guys. I'll let you know which one I buy.
Cheers

Keith

[lou sansone]

I have the 1 hp steff / maggi .... well worth the $$
lou

[Nick Mitchell]

Keith, here's the link to the Univer feeders sold by Martin..they usually have a sale on these feeders as well.

http://www.martin-usa.com/t_univer.asp

[larry merlau]

the stepp sounds like a good way to go but the anaolgy that cris mentioned was clever.. but you could use a S & A brand. it has fully adjust speeds and weighs in abit more than the steph brand but runs on just one beer a hour :D and he is close by.

[Keith July]

the stepp sounds like a good way to go but the anaolgy that cris mentioned was clever.. but you could use a S & A brand. it has fully adjust speeds and weighs in abit more than the steph brand but runs on just one beer a hour :D and he is close by.
Hey Larry,
Just one beer per hour would be alot better than we have been doing. I think S & A brand is at about 3 per hour theses days because you have to consider who he is working with:) But I have only seen one speed.

[Jamie Buxton]

the stepp sounds like a good way to go but the anaolgy that cris mentioned was clever.. but you could use a S & A brand. it has fully adjust speeds and weighs in abit more than the steph brand but runs on just one beer a hour :D and he is close by.


What's "S & A"?

[Michael Perata]

What's "S & A"?

Thank you, thank you, thank you...I was feeling left out.

[Steve Ash]

Thank you, thank you, thank you...I was feeling left out.

Apparently my good friends Larry and Keith are refering to me....seems I am reduced to a power feeder now, well I guess it is better than a bottom feeder.

[larry merlau]

well jamie and the rest who was puzzled on the S&A ..it was just bit of humor see.. i unfortunatly have met both keith and steve and have grown to understand there needs.. keith is real nice guy and very well informed and can use the assistance of steve in some cases but we just need to get steves power needs undercontrol..without the power source steve is less effective..nuff on that i just had to explain and get back a few freinds :D