Calling all Hammer Owners

[Patrick Harper]

At the moment, I'm primarily a hand tool user. I do use a bandsaw to rip long boards and a benchtop thickness planer to thickness boards. However, to turn out finished projects more quickly I'm in serious need of a powered jointer. I need at least 12" capacity and currently work out of a small garage shop. This has lead me to considering jointer/planer combos. Hammer currently makes my list because of it's value. I haven't ever really considered a table saw until I started watching Hammer's videos on their K3 series and following that up with a bit of research. It seems like it would be great for accurate cross-cuts and miters as well as using the crosscut to complete joinery tasks such as tenons (with dado stack). As a result, I have a few questions for Hammer owners.

1) How has your overall experience with Hammer been? Have you had any problems with your machine(s) or support?
2) I'm considering the 16" j/p primary for the length of the beds. How do the bed extensions work on the 12" model? Anyone using them?
3) Anyone using one of the smaller slider's wishing they had a longer table?
4) Anyone have any experience with the Hammer sliders and their dado cutter?
5) Aside from the mobility kit, are there any must have accessories for the J/P or slider?

Thanks in advance guys!

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Patrick, I have an A3-31 J/P and a B3 Winner saw/shaper.

1) I have had great support from Felder.

2) I have the bed extensions, they work fine, I normally only have one on the planer outfeed so that short pieces don't fall on the floor. On long items I've used them, and not used them.

3) I have the 49 inch slider, no I don't want a longer one, it crosscuts sheet goods just fine and if I need to straight line rip longer than that I have the jig for it. I normally keep the outrigger on the wall and only use it for larger material.

4) I have an FS Tools dado stack for mine, the Hammer one works well also.

5) I wouldn't recommend buying a sliding saw, I use the shaper a lot so I like the B3 better.

For the J/P buy the digital height gauge in mm, not inches. It's a great accessory, I also have 3 table extensions which can also be used on the saw/, shaper or band saw.

For the Saw I have

- scoring saw
- straight line ripping bracket
- eccentric hold down clamp
- rip fence fine adjustment
- dado capability
- precision mitre index system
- full size table to the right of the saw

The shaper has the following options

- stock feeder on tilt away bracket (used for saw also)
- tenon hood and table
- curve shaping hood
- 30mm spindle in addition to 1 1/4" spindle
- sanding drum for shaper

Regards, Rod.

[Jim Andrew]

I bought the 79" slider, mostly for straight line ripping. Had a 8' saw been on sale, would have looked at that. The 12" blade is just for ripping, when you crosscut with the scoring blade, you use a 10" blade. The saw is 4hp, plenty of power. I saw my own lumber, and since I got the Hammer saw, I just cut it live edge. Less waste that way. Great thing is, if you use the slider to rip your lumber, you can go right to the clamps to glue up panels.

[Adam Levitt]

I have the 12" jp combo and the n4400 bandsaw. These are my first tools as I am new to this wonderful hobby.
Dealing with Felder has been great. Wonderful support and great prices in my opinion.
I have a small shop, 8' by 18', and am currently considering adding the B3 saw/shaper like Rod's above. I am amazed at how much these relatively small machines can do.
If I had to start over and had the available cash I'd consider one of their combo machines.
Definitely get the digital height gauge for repeatable planing. Currently I try to mill all the pieces at the same time. Should be receiving my digital gauge any day now.
As a side point I have the Oneida mini gorilla and it is plenty for these two tools.

[Patrick Harper]

Thanks a lot guys.

Has anyone out there used their slider for joinery tasks, such as cutting tenons with a dado stack? I would think this would work great and not require making cross-cut sleds and other jigs.

The prices shown online (when you sign up for an account) look pretty good. The sales rep said they're their lowest prices since 2009 (who knows). Is there any room to talk them down further on their prices?

I've also been considering Minimax, but they seem to be priced higher...somewhere between Hammer and Felder. Probably out of my price range.

[Patrick Harper]

I should also mention that I have an absolute max budget of around $10k. I've also considered going with separates from the likes of Grizzly etc. I could get more for the money, but the quality would suffer. My biggest concern about Grizzly is some of the shipping disasters I've read about lately. It seems like a lot of people aren't getting undamaged goods until their 3 or 4 shipment.

[Rod Sheridan]

Thanks a lot guys.

Has anyone out there used their slider for joinery tasks, such as cutting tenons with a dado stack? I would think this would work great and not require making cross-cut sleds and other jigs.

The prices shown online (when you sign up for an account) look pretty good. The sales rep said they're their lowest prices since 2009 (who knows). Is there any room to talk them down further on their prices?

.

Hi Patrick, I have used the dado stack for making half lap joints, works OK, I prefer the shaper however as it can do both sides at once.

Hammer have sales occasionally, and often you can negotiate a discount............Regards, Rod.

P.S. Here's a link to making tenons on the B3.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?210585-Making-Tenons-on-the-Shaper&highlight=making+tenons+on+a+shaper

[Brian Tax]

I have the 12" j/p combo, and I have been very happy with it, I was coming from a 6" bench top, so could only go up. There have been a couple of times it has annoyed me that I had switch back between operations mid stream, mostly due to my poor planning or a mistake. I am a hobbiest so it does not make much of a difference. If I have unlimited budget and space, then I would probably go separates, but it really excels in the bank for the buck/space category.

[Scott DelPorte]

I recently purchased a Hammer a3 41a, which is their 16" jointer (no planer). I'm quite happy with the machine. It took longer than I wanted (a few months) to get one shipped to me, but it was well crated and arrived in good condition, was very easy to set up, and I have had no problems with it at all. It has a pretty big footprint and requires room behind the machine to accommodate the sliding fence, so take that into consideration when planning out where you will put it. The Felder people can send you exact dimensions of their lineup so you can see what will fit.

The Felder people have been good to deal with. Overall, my experience with Hammer/Felder has been positive, but I have generally had good experiences with other brands too. If you have specific questions about the machine, I would be happy to answer them.

[Barry Walker]

I recently bought a TS from Grizzly. No damage but I had to get Grizzly to force UPS Freight to deliver the saw after two cancellations. Grizzly then had to send me a different rear trunnion.

[Jim Becker]

I can't comment on Hammer because I'm not familiar with them, but I absolutely love my J/P combo and am very glad I put it in my shop years ago. My unit is 350mm wide (~13.65") and while there have been a very few times that I wished for a little wider, they are few and far between. 'Just on a few special projects. And honestly, I don't really care about the length of the tables. It's a very rare moment that I'd try to "seriously" flatten a board that's more than 5-5.5' long since it's rare that a project component would be that long. I break material down before final milling. The only time long-long boards go through is for skimming new lumber so I can see grain/color for better matching during project material selection.

I also use a sliding table saw and wouldn't go back to a "north American" design table saw. Yes, I've had to learn to do some things differently, but and also NEVER edge joint any more. (the J/P only flattens and thicknesses...edges get done on the slider wagon) The combination (pardon the expression) of the J/P and the slider really works for me.

[Patrick Harper]

Jim, thanks for the informative post. Do you own one of the 14" Minimax's. What brand/size slider? Do you ever use the slider to cut dados, tenons, etc?

[Scott DelPorte]

Based on my limited experience, I would be surprised if Grizzly machine shipments are damaged at a higher rate than the others. The ones I got from Grizzly all seemed well crated, and arrived in good shape. I would imagine they use the same truck shippers that others use.

Before I bought my Hammer, I seriously considered one of Grizzly's 16" jointer, but I don't have the right equipment to move machines that heavy into my shop. I am limited to about 1000 pounds in what I can lift off my truck with forks, and their big ones were well over that. If that is a consideration, the Hammers are about the lightest of the bunch for a given cutting width. The Hammer is more refined, but I thought the big Grizzly jointers made in their Taiwan factory looked pretty good.

[Jim Andrew]

None of my machines have arrived damaged. Must be the quality of workers in Kansas. My Hammer saw arrived without even a hole in the plastic covering, but the Grizzly machines I have were delivered in good shape as well. If you follow the directions about noting any damage on the packing before signing the receipt, you are fine. Grizzly will take care of any problems. You just get the complaints on the forum, where guys start complaining here before they even call Grizzly.

[Chris Parks]

I smile whenever I use my A3-31 combination machine with the optional height gauge in the handle, wind to the height and it is always spot on.

[Patrick Harper]

Hi Patrick, I have an A3-31 J/P and a B3 Winner saw/shaper.

4) I have an FS Tools dado stack for mine, the Hammer one works well also.


Regards, Rod.

Rod, how much does the FS Dado stacks run? I've hard a hard time finding pricing. Are they made specifically for the Hammer/Felder arbor or do they need modification? The Hammer dado starts at $485 and goes up to $722. :eek:

[Jeff Monson]

Hi Patrick,

I can vouch for Hammer as a company, the customer service and quality of the machines are top notch.

I have owned a A3-31 hammer and moved up to a Felder AD741. I did have the extension tables for my hammer unit, they did work ok but there is no substitute for longer beds. The Felder machine is much larger (I will attach a photo) so if real-estate is an issue....but the bed length is great.


I have a 9' slider on my saw, at times I actually wish I had a smaller slider as it is also a giant of a machine. When it comes to sheet goods, then I'm happy I have the extra capacity.


I have a Forrest dado stack for my Felder saw, it is bored to fit the machine. Cost wise it was much more effective as you only have to buy one set vs. 2 sets with a Felder stack. It does an amazing job BTW.


Accessory wise, really depends on which machine you choose to go with. I personally don't care for the Hammer mobility kit on the J/P. I made my own. A digital handwheel is a must if you choose the A3-31 or A3-41.

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[Patrick Harper]

Jeff, thanks for the response. Do you ever use your slider to make tenons?

[Rod Sheridan]

Rod, how much does the FS Dado stacks run? I've hard a hard time finding pricing. Are they made specifically for the Hammer/Felder arbor or do they need modification? The Hammer dado starts at $485 and goes up to $722. :eek:

I know that answer.

It's $305.50 Canadian which is about $20 US;)..............Rod.

[ian maybury]

Another here with a Forrest dado - they bore to suit Felder and Hammer. Not cheap. but it's been excellent - easy to adjust, rock solid, tight/accurate and so far has stayed sharp..

[Patrick Harper]

Another here with a Forrest dado - they bore to suit Felder and Hammer. Not cheap. but it's been excellent - easy to adjust, rock solid, tight/accurate and so far has stayed sharp..

Ian, it has to be cheaper than the $700+ Hammer dado set.

[Patrick Harper]

I know that answer.

It's $305.50 Canadian which is about $20 US;)..............Rod.

Haha, thanks Rod!

[Rod Sheridan]

Haha, thanks Rod!

You're welcome, I just bought one for a friend so I knew the price..........Rod.

[Jeff Ramsey]

I'm considering a Hammer now, along with MM. The Felder showroom is in Wilmington, not too far from me, so I'll be traveling there. I'm going to upgrade my Delta planer/jointer to a combo. Then upgrade my Unisaw to a slider, possibly with an integrated shaper/moulder. My eyes were opened to the possibilities when Jim Becker was nice enough to host me for a tour of his shop. I'll follow up after my upgrades are compete.

[James Baker SD]

I upgraded to a pair of combos replacing 4 machines. Working out of half a garage, the space savings more than makes up for the loss of time converting. Plus having a slider (saw and shaper) plus a jointer as wide as my planer are things I would not give up now.

[ian maybury]

The saw spindle combo seems to work well - in that it seems to deliver a considerable space saving for minimal operational inconvenience.

It's been said already, and it takes a bit of getting used to in terms of set ups and requires some extra equipment - and there's cuts i still find myself making off the fence. But having a slider adds reliable straight line rip capability to a saw which is a valuable extra. Great ease of working and safety. The edge of the slider is often a very handy reference to measure from too.

[Jeff Monson]

Jeff, thanks for the response. Do you ever use your slider to make tenons?

Yes, I have and it works great for that task. I use my dado stack and the short crosscut fence with the stop blocks. Very quick, very repeatable and accurate.

[Chris Parks]

I doubt that anyone who has made the change to a European slider would go back. I added a digital readout to the rip fence and combined with the optional fine adjustment it is a winner. No tapping or nudging the fence into position just get it close and adjust with the fine adjuster to the required position. I am surprised how little I use the rip fence since I have gone to the Fritz and Franz method, it is both accurate and quick and does not require you to read the scales for measurement thus taking away the prospect of an error.

[Patrick Harper]

I doubt that anyone who has made the change to a European slider would go back. I added a digital readout to the rip fence and combined with the optional fine adjustment it is a winner. No tapping or nudging the fence into position just get it close and adjust with the fine adjuster to the required position. I am surprised how little I use the rip fence since I have gone to the Fritz and Franz method, it is both accurate and quick and does not require you to read the scales for measurement thus taking away the prospect of an error.

Can you elaborate on the "Fritz and Franz" method? I did a quick Google search, but came up empty handed.

[Chris Parks]

Here you go https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqzVglze9Nk

The audio is German and the video quality is lousy but you will get the idea

[Patrick Harper]

Chris, I found this a few minutes ago, and was about to post this. Really elegant and simple solution. Love it.

[Chris Parks]

Patrick, we had a long and deep discussion on sliders a few years ago and most of it centred on ripping on a slider

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?198099-Observations-on-Euro-style-sliding-saws

[James Bilsky]

Hello
I have the K3 48x48, A3-31 and N4400. Changes that I would do if starting over,
1. K3 TS with 79" Slider
2. Might have considered Felder J/P with motorized height adjustment
3. No changes for BS
4. Must have accessories for the TS, fence fine adjustment, mobility kit

Really happy with the equipment.

Jim

[Wakahisa Shinta]

I have a Hammer A3-31 with Hammer's spiral cutter. I have only had time to use it once since it arrived, so read this with some reservation. I am impressed with the machine. I recently used it to dimension 8/4 x 6" doug fir rough lumber for an outdoor table. The boards are 9-10' long. Jointing these boards were somewhat difficult, but doable with some roller stands. I don't have extension wings (yet). However, thickness planing them, without extension wings, were a breeze. No snipe. The surfaces are smooth. Push the board in, support it until it is half way through, run around, support it on the way out. Done. I have limited space for a shop, so the combination machine is nice. I put mine on leveling casters as my garage floor is slanted one way. The wood chips that come out are smaller than my old lunch-box planner.

I called tech support once about a K3 to ask about electrical setup. It was a very informative conversation, more than what I were asking.

I bought mine from a rep at the Sacramento branch. No complain here. The machine takes a while to come though.

[Jim Becker]

Jim, thanks for the informative post. Do you own one of the 14" Minimax's. What brand/size slider? Do you ever use the slider to cut dados, tenons, etc?
All my major tools are MiniMax, Patrick. FS350 J/P, S315WS 8'6" slider, MM16 bandsaw. (I didn't mention the brand because you were asking about Hammer) My slider is capable of running a dado blade, but I sold my Forrest Dado King years ago. I'll define the length of a tenon on the slider, but cut the cheeks at the bandsaw and clean up with a hand plane.

[ian maybury]

Hi James. Re. fence fine adjustment. For what it's worth the Incra TS LS positioning fence can be fitted on a Hammer K3 without too much difficulty. It might or might not be to your taste if you are very used to using a stock fence (short learning curve), but it does deliver accurate positioning and if well installed holds its toe out adjustments. The only real inconveniences I've found are that it's a little more involved to remove than a stock fence (to e.g. cut a full ply sheet off the slider that needs more than say 800 mm rip capacity), and it needs some space to the RHS of the saw to accomodate the positioner on wider rip cuts.

Not 100% sure in the case of the saw (but it's a large and probably not hugely rigid fabrication), but i'd be cautious of fitting a mobility kit unless the floor is very accurately flat. Definitely not in the case of the planer thicknessers where lifting one corner even slightly has very measurable effects on table height settings.

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[Chris Parks]

I ordered a fine adjustment on the rip fence from Hammer then fitted a Wixey DRO to it and the result is great, get it close and then dial the last bit in with the fine adjuster for repeatability. Someone else here did the same thing before I did it. I also did not order the outrigger initially because I did not see the need but I got a job to build 32 table tops for a restaurant so I added it later on, the cost was the same doing it either way. If you order the outrigger with the saw the crosscut fence is deleted, doing it my way I got both. Someone added an Incra fence system instead of the crosscut fence but I can't find the link now and I might do that in future for repeatability reasons though the Hammer scales are very fine and nice to read. He did it IIRC because his saw was ordered with the outrigger and no crosscut fence. Before I had the outrigger I changed the position of the crosscut fence to the front of the table to use the Fritz and Franz method of ripping or cross cutting and I had to order the hardware to fix the fence at the front which was no big deal and easy to install. next up I am going to install an overhead arm like the Felder machines for the on/off switch and the dust collector control which I have on attached to the side of the pressed metal extension table.

[Izzy Charo]

Hello,
I'm a new Hammer K3 48x48 owner and was glad to see this thread! The setup "instructions" are beyond awful, but as others have said, the videos are helpful. I have a couple of questions: First, if anyone has installed the Fine Adjustment on the K3 Winner I'd love to see a picture of how it goes on...I hope I have the correct part. Also, for the Fritz/Franz jig the crosscut fence needs to be mounted on the far end of the sliding table...I read one post in which someone did that, and would love details on how that was accomplished...do you have to remove the stop on the crosscut fence?
Thanks!
Izzy

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Izzy, I'm not sure why the fence would need to be moved as I don't have the crosscut fence on when using the Fritz und Franz jig.

371271

That photo shows the edging shoe holding the rear part of the jig however I don't need anything to hold the rear of the jig unless my arms aren't long enough to hold both pieces.

Alternatively you could simply add a thumbscrew with a t nut to the fixed part of the jig and self clamp it.............Rod.

[Chris Parks]

Hello,
I'm a new Hammer K3 48x48 owner and was glad to see this thread! The setup "instructions" are beyond awful, but as others have said, the videos are helpful. I have a couple of questions: First, if anyone has installed the Fine Adjustment on the K3 Winner I'd love to see a picture of how it goes on...I hope I have the correct part. Also, for the Fritz/Franz jig the crosscut fence needs to be mounted on the far end of the sliding table...I read one post in which someone did that, and would love details on how that was accomplished...do you have to remove the stop on the crosscut fence?
Thanks!
Izzy

That could be me, I did not have the outrigger so I put the cross cut fence on the out feed end of the sliding table. Another poster here (Derek Cohen) has done the same and put up photos in a recent thread. The fine adjuster you are referring to is the one on the rip fence?

[Izzy Charo]

Thanks Chris...yes, the microadjuster on the rip fence...a picture of it installed would be very helpful...Thanks again!
Izzy

[Chris Parks]

Is this sufficient? It also shows the Wixey DRO I installed.371303

[Derek Cohen]

Hello,
I'm a new Hammer K3 48x48 owner and was glad to see this thread! .... Also, for the Fritz/Franz jig the crosscut fence needs to be mounted on the far end of the sliding table...I read one post in which someone did that, and would love details on how that was accomplished...do you have to remove the stop on the crosscut fence?
Thanks!
Izzy

Hi Izzy

We are in the same boat. My K3 has a 48" (actually it is 49" :) ) long slider (and 31" rip), which means that we need to conserve every inch of slider length when attaching a F&F jig, especially if there is no outrigger.

I considered turning the crosscut fence around and placing at the end, but then I came up with an idea to mount an Incra fence at the far end ...

https://s19.postimg.org/47qcqosmb/10a.jpg

I have made a small mod since that photo. Here is the end now ...

https://s19.postimg.org/ray5jmtoz/1.jpg

https://s19.postimg.org/49hkdvelv/2.jpg

The side fitting has a depth stop ..

https://s19.postimg.org/honb9j82r/9a.jpg

https://s19.postimg.org/gp22b3jur/11a.jpg

When the side clamp is locked down, the fence is perfectly square to the blade.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Dan T Jones]

Derek,

Is that because the metal bracket in the last picture is square? "the fence is perfectly square to the blade" Where did you get the clamp?

Also, not to hijack but I am in the process of determining if the current Hammer Outrigger 1100 will work on my 1999 C3-41 with a 49" slider. Would someone mind measuring the with of the slot on the side of the table and the distance from the top of the table to the slot. So far Felder has not been able to determine if the outrigger will fit.

http://us.feldershop.com/en-US/en-US/en-US/en-US/Sawing/Accessories/Outrigger-tables/Outrigger-table-1100.html

Also I'd like to get the width of the slot on the surface of the current model slider table. I'm thinking about the "Trimming Equipment" for making long straight line rips.

http://us.feldershop.com/en-US/en-US/en-US/en-US/Sawing/Accessories/Sliding-table-accessories/HAMMER-Trimming-Equipment.html

Thanks for any help.

Dan

[Derek Cohen]

Is that because the metal bracket in the last picture is square? "the fence is perfectly square to the blade" Where did you get the clamp?

Dan, I just set it up accurately.

I only have a pic for the opposing section. The runner rests in a dado for rigidity. It is a tight fit in the slot ..

https://s19.postimg.org/658y2y8b7/Fa.jpg

That should end up square across the slider, and square to the blade. Then add the side lock, preventing any movement ..

https://s19.postimg.org/u8zpr8bcj/Ea.jpg

The fence is square in the slot, and remains this way when it is slid forward until the side lock is against the end of the slot. The bolt at the central slot simple locks it down.

The side lock piece? I found this in my salvage box. Otherwise I would have made one.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Dan T Jones]

Thanks Derek. Stupid question.
Dan

[Izzy Charo]

Many Thanks Chris that is very helpful....I'm away for a couple of days but will try to figure out the micro-adjust installation when I get home. The picture is very helpful. Some day Felder will get around to providing competent installation instructions...but I'm not holding my breath! I love the Wixey DRO--I assume you drilled holes in the round bar to mount it--any other tips?
Thanks again,
Izzy

[Izzy Charo]

Thanks Derek...that's exactly what I was looking for and those are great photos! Did you also replace the miter gauge with an Incra? Probably a lot more accurate than the Hammer miter gauge....
Thanks again,
Izzy

[jonathan eagle]

Patrick,
Getting back to your question. I have the hammer n4400, as well as a few Grizzly tools including the 12" 634XP JP. There is no real difference in fit or finish between these tools. The grizzly table has a nicer finish as a matter of fact. When both are running, both are very smooth and not much vibration. I use the JP as a jointer only, and a dewalt planer for planing. In fact I've never even tried it for that.
Jonathan

[Chris Parks]

Many Thanks Chris that is very helpful....I'm away for a couple of days but will try to figure out the micro-adjust installation when I get home. The picture is very helpful. Some day Felder will get around to providing competent installation instructions...but I'm not holding my breath! I love the Wixey DRO--I assume you drilled holes in the round bar to mount it--any other tips?
Thanks again,
Izzy

Izzy, it puzzles me why you need a picture as the head for the fence is one assembly and it just slides onto the bar. The Wixey is held by right angle brackets I made and they fix to the bolts that hold the round bar to the chassis of the saw. As for the instructions, I believe that in Europe no instructions are rewuired as the saws are nearly always installed by service personnel not the owner hence the videos they have made for other markets.

[Chris Parks]

Thanks Derek...that's exactly what I was looking for and those are great photos! Did you also replace the miter gauge with an Incra? Probably a lot more accurate than the Hammer miter gauge....
Thanks again,
Izzy

Izzy, this may interest you

http://benchmark.20m.com/tools/HammerB3/B3IncraMiterFence/b3_incramiterfenceinstall.html

[Derek Cohen]

Thanks Derek...that's exactly what I was looking for and those are great photos! Did you also replace the miter gauge with an Incra? Probably a lot more accurate than the Hammer miter gauge....
Thanks again,
Izzy

Hi Izzy

The Hammer mitre fence remains. I am happy with it, plus the angle markings will only work with the original fence from the close end. The F and F fence is easy to remove and replace, and accurately. I feel that I have the best of both worlds with the current set up.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Gene Reynolds]

Hi, Patrick.

I have had the Hammer K3 Winner for 3 months or so. I ordered it with no scoring blade (I do mostly hardwood furniture and not much panel work), and with preparations for a dado set. I bought the Forrest 6" Dado King set drilled for this saw and have made several tenons using the dado set, the cross-cut arm on the slider, and the rip fence to set the length of the tenon.

The saw really could use a zero-clearance insert as the space around the blade (not the dado set) makes it easy for thin offcuts to either shoot back or go into the dust collection. Making your own ZCI for this saw isn't as simple as what you might be used to so I bit the bullet and bought a blank insert from Felder (90-some bucks after shipping). I raised the blade through the insert (with the riving knife removed) to cut a zero-clearance slot then used a 1/8" spiral upcut bit on the router table to extend the slot for the riving knife. Works perfectly.

Like others on this forum I've made the Fritz & Franz jig. It works better than I would have guessed, even with small work pieces.

To this date I'm very pleased with the saw and don't regret the decision.

[Izzy Charo]

Chris, Sorry to be confusing. I'm having trouble figuring our how the fine adjust fits into the head for the fence (mine came as separate pieces, with 4 nuts and washers). Agree it's obvious how the head itself fits onto the round bar. I just need to spend a bit more time with it...
Thanks,
Izzy

[Chris Parks]

Izzy, can you post a video of what you have? Are we talking about the fine adjuster knob on the side of the rip fence cast iron head? Does your have two locking levers?

[Izzy Charo]

Chris, I hope the photos below will do the trick. The parts laid out are what Felder sent me after I purchased the Fine Adjustment for the rip fence head. No instructions included and I can't find a video that shows their installation. The rip head itself is shown in the other photos, including a view from the underside. Clearly the fine adjustment parts fit inside the rip head, and if someone has a picture of the correct arrangement of the nuts and washers that 371464371465would be helpful...
Thanks!
Izzy371463

[Chris Parks]

Here are the photos of mine, ask any questions if you are unsure of anything. I put the picture of the fine adjustment knob in to show what I did to fix mine. In the picture you can see a shiny thick washer, I had to machine that to stop the threaded rod flopping around and causing the fine adjust jaw digging into the bar that it clamped to. It is a bit of a balancing act putting it all together as the two plain nuts are started then the jaw started and finally the nyloc nut put on the rod. You then need to get the two plain nuts set up to prevent the rod flopping about or near enough, the jaw wound onto the rod so it is about centred on the slot that the locking knob goes through and is screwed into the jaw. then the nyloc is set to about an approximate position but in the end I don't know what the nyloc is supposed to do as the jaw travel limits are set by the slot that the locking knob sits in.







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[Trevor Walsh]

I had a A3-31 at work for 7 years, I manage a university prototyping shop. All in all the A3-31 is a well made machine, Felder is great with support, always has been responsive and their technicians are very knowlegeable.

The students in this environment are rough on equipment. When they don't know how to adjust a piece of equipment they don't ask the shop staff, they try to figure it out. One time a "genius" who, "knew what he was doing" deduced that the poor milling job he was receiving wansn't the result of his bad milling practice (spoiler alert, it was) but because the tables were out of flat. He doesn't know how to setup equipment, nor does he know what an indicator, machinist straight edge or feeler gauges are. So he proceded to f***-up the entire works. I spent two hours setting the tables back where they should be. They also don't listen and burn up the capacitors by NOT holding the green start button in until the machine comes up to speed. I spent a lot of time adjusting it. In my own shop where other users won't be messing it up it would be a great machine if you are into combos.

The way I mill wood, I don't like the combination machines. I prefer separates with the workflow I use. If you have the space, I'd go separates without hesitation. Unless perhaps you had a need for a 20" planer and only occasionally a 20" jointer, and had another jointer (using the 20 combo mostly as a 20" planer), or were severely limited in space. I like to mill the boards parallel then pick and chose for edge jointing. Having a combo means converting a whole lot of times. Realize you missed one stick? Now convert the planer, joint, convert, and try to match that thickness or take a dusting off everything once more.

[Izzy Charo]

Hi Derek,
Thanks for posting the pictures..I like the Incra for the F/F jig... And I happen to have an old Incra fence and Shop Stop around that I can use. Wondering how you attached the Incra fence to the board below it-- I assume you just drilled through the bottom of the fence, but thought I would ask if there was some other clever way you came up with that wasn't obvious in the photos-
Thanks,
Izzy
(Regards from Northern California!)

[Izzy Charo]

Hi Chris,
Thanks very much for posting the pictures of the Fine Adjustment installed in the head...and the hints about how to make it all work. that's exactly what I was looking for! Will give it a try when I get back to my shop.
Izzy

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Derek,
Thanks for posting the pictures..I like the Incra for the F/F jig... And I happen to have an old Incra fence and Shop Stop around that I can use. Wondering how you attached the Incra fence to the board below it-- I assume you just drilled through the bottom of the fence, but thought I would ask if there was some other clever way you came up with that wasn't obvious in the photos-
Thanks,
Izzy
(Regards from Northern California!)

Hi Izzy

Just screwed the fence down through the slots at the bottom of the channel. Nothing mysterious there :)

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Izzy Charo]

Hi Derek,
Thanks...I must have a different version of the fence, but easy enough to figure out a solution...
Izzy

[Izzy Charo]

Update: With the help of the photo from Chris Parks and some further instructions from Felder I did manage to get the Fine Adjustment on and working... Really appreciate the help that folks on this Forum offer. Chris- I very much like the DRO that you have set up on the rip fence bar/head. Next time you're in your shop if I'd love a picture or two of how you mounted it on the Hammer.
Thanks again,
Izzy