Hammer B-3 Tooling

[Glenn Kramer]

I just placed an order with Fergus Cooke at Felder's office in Sacramento for a Hammer B3 Comfort Sliding table saw/shaper. 79" slider, tilting shaper spindle, etc. I receive the machine in January when my new shop is ready.

Meanwhile I would like to take advantage of their pre-holiday sale in December to purchase some accessories and tooling for both the saw and shaper. Already on the list are:

Already on the list are Power Feeder and tilting bracket, mobility kit, eccentric clamp for sliding table

What are your preferences preference for blades and dado head?

Being shaper neophyte I am especially interested to hear what users prefer for shaper tooling. Insert head, rabbeting? grooving? tongue and groove?

Are there certain accessories you feel are a "must have"?

Has the 5" dust port been sufficient to do the job?

Any user comments are greatly appreciated.

Thank you, Glenn

[James Baker SD]

I've seen both the mechanical eccentric clamp and air clamps in use. The air clamps are sweet.

[Jim Andrew]

When I got my K3 Winner, I ordered the clamp, as it looked so good on the videos. Since I got it, found it to be not so handy, and use my Kreg T track clamp more. Cut a piece of 1/2" plexiglas to fit in the groove in the table, and drilled a hole through, then countersunk the hole for the head of the bolt. I have the auto adjust Kreg clamps, and it is very quick and easy to use with the sliding table. Ordered my blades from Carbide Processors, they have a 12" rip blade, also 10" plywood blade, and crosscut blade for solid lumber. Tenryu brand, fantastic cuts. And about 2/3 the cost of Forrest blades. Have not found an aftermarket dado blade yet, although I plan to bug CP about that. You need to stay with 10" blades for plywood and crosscut if you plan to use the scoring blade.

[Ryan Mooney]

An extra flip stop on the outrigger has proved to be the most useful add on I bought :D

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi, I have all the stuff you ordered along with an extra flip stop on the cross cut fence.

I had all my old 10 inch blades bored to fit.

For shaper tooling I suggest that you purchase a 40mm Euroblock head with chip limiters, and a 125mm X 50mm carbide rebate head to start.

I suggest that you order the 30mm spindle kit to go along with your 1 1/4" spindle as the metric tooling is less expensive and more common. (lmost the entire world is metric).

I also have the hold down clamp, the tennoning table/hood and the Euro curve guard for curved shaping.

Any of those items can be added at any time.

You're going to really enjoy your new machine.

Yes the 120mm extraction port for the J/P, saw cabinet and shaper work well, along with the 50mm port on the crown guard.

I suggest that you order the digital height gauge for you planer in metric, far easier to use, and now that I've switched to metric for furniture making I wouldn't go back......Rod.

[Glenn Kramer]

gentlemen,

I appreciate your advice.

Jim: Good idea on the Kregg auto adjust hold down. I already have one so that will save a few $

Ryan: Another good idea on the flip stop

Rod: Great input! Who bored your blades to 300mm. Did they also drill for the pin holes? Any particular brand on the EuroBlock head?

Good stuff!

[Rod Sheridan]

Glenn, I had FS Tools bore my blades. PM me with your email address if you want a drilling diagram.

Any tooling manufacturer can bore your tooling.

Felder have yearly sales on tooling, see what the Euroblock head from them costs............Rod.

[Peter Quinn]

I'd add an insert adjustable groover (something like 4-15.5MM) to the short list of shaper tooling along with the rebate head and euro block. My euro block is an amana, no chip limiters....I don't freehand with it so I'm less concerned about that. Not sure there is much difference among brands, the choice is diameter and steel versus aluminum. I'm fine with aluminum for my one man home shop, in a production shop steel is the only real option. From there its up to need. A chamfer head may be handy, the euro block will provide a myriad of coves, round overs and small basic molding shapes at low cost. On the 30MM thing.....uh....the price from my supplier for 30MM is exactly the same as the price for 1 1/4". Only difference is the 1 1/4" is usually in stock. Here in the US we stand stalwart against the French scourge they call "The metric system". True, its a base ten system which makes division easier, but how often do I really need to know the volume and weight of a cube of water? Who thought that was logical and not completely random? Not unlike eubola, we are doing everything we can to keep it from reaching our shores in a any great way. All kidding aside metric is great but hardly taking over the US market, so you can certainly survive handsomely without it, but it may be cheaper to buy the spindle now than at a later date should you decide to go metric. Adding a 30MM spindle to my minimax used minimax would cost me a small fortune, I'm told its often cheaper as a bundle? Enjoy that machine and work safe.

[David Kumm]

If you are new to shaping I would not buy a lot of tooling until you use the machine and get an idea of what it can handle. Most of the stuff I bought in advance sits. Also keep in mind the build of the quill and don't put too heavy a head on the machine. I see ( and have done in my adventurous past ) 3" steel heads running on light duty shapers. When you see that really cool Leitz 5 lb head, get a bigger shaper. Dave

[Rod Sheridan]

Peter, thanks for the humourous take on the metric system, I really appreciated that, very creative.

I'm in Virginia working this week and have received some blank stares and then realised I was talking about metres or litres........LOL

If the OP buys his tooling from a Euro source such as Felder, the 30mm bore stuff is often $100 less expensive than the 1 1/4" bore.

If I remember correctly the 30mm spindle kit is only $100 from Hammer.

Your suggestion of the adjustable groover is an excellent idea, I have that groover and use it a lot.

The OP I think has the tilting spindle shaper so he won't need a chamfer head................Regards, Rod.

[Ralph Butts]

Glenn, Bellevue Saw did a great job for me boring my dado set to 1". Give them a call. I don't know anyone on the peninsula unfortunately.

[James Bilsky]

I have the 48x48 table saw, just bought the 300mm 72tooth blade for crosscutting, cut very nice.
Jim

[Glenn Kramer]

James, Are you referring to a Felder blade?

[Rod Sheridan]

Glenn, if you buy a dado set you can use it in the shaper if you buy the 30mm spindle kit.......Rod.

[James Bilsky]

It's from there Silent Power line, part #03.03.30072

Jim