Robert Middour
08-07-2018, 1:03 PM
Although I read/use this site for the endless supply of knowledge I have never posted anything. After spending countless hours researching the age-old Hammer/Minimax dilemma I recently upgraded my jointer and planer (both grizzly) to a Minimax FS41c with the Tersa head and wanted to share my first impressions for those currently thinking about this machine.
First off, the machine was crated well and arrived unscathed. No problems with unpacking besides moving the beast off the crate. The fit and finish is excellent, and I only had to make minor adjustments to the infeed table (which was easy or possibly lucky) to make it coplanar and a slight tweak to the fence stop to bring it to 90. Compared to my old Grizzly jointer and planer, I can’t believe how stable and smooth it operates. My test run was a piece of 10-inch-wide cherry and it came out flat, square and uniform in thickness. The finish from the Tersa head is amazing but I didn’t purchase the machine to produce final results as I use smoothing planes to produce the final surface.
Unless something goes terribly wrong on this simple piece of machinery, I don’t see how my opinion will change in the future, I have no experience with Hammer machines but I would strongly recommend the FS41. My only regret is that I wish I would have bucked up the first time around as I fought with my jointer every time I used it and I don’t even want to think about the last time I changed the knives. I’m actually looking forward to changing the knives on the Tersa head… incredibly fast and accurate!!
First off, the machine was crated well and arrived unscathed. No problems with unpacking besides moving the beast off the crate. The fit and finish is excellent, and I only had to make minor adjustments to the infeed table (which was easy or possibly lucky) to make it coplanar and a slight tweak to the fence stop to bring it to 90. Compared to my old Grizzly jointer and planer, I can’t believe how stable and smooth it operates. My test run was a piece of 10-inch-wide cherry and it came out flat, square and uniform in thickness. The finish from the Tersa head is amazing but I didn’t purchase the machine to produce final results as I use smoothing planes to produce the final surface.
Unless something goes terribly wrong on this simple piece of machinery, I don’t see how my opinion will change in the future, I have no experience with Hammer machines but I would strongly recommend the FS41. My only regret is that I wish I would have bucked up the first time around as I fought with my jointer every time I used it and I don’t even want to think about the last time I changed the knives. I’m actually looking forward to changing the knives on the Tersa head… incredibly fast and accurate!!