power feeder

[Terry Therneau]

I am slowly filling out the shaping side of the used KF700SP that I purchased. The fold away shaper shelf arrived from Felder 2 weeks ago (unfortunately the gas strut version won't fit this saw) and a Whitehill combi-head came yesterday. Next up is a power feeder. My question for all of you is where you would get one, and any model advice. I looked in the archive and there was not much that is recent. I had a Delta min-feeder that was quite handy on the prior Delta HD, but it just won't reach on the Felder so I sold it.

I'd rather skip 3 phase. I have 5 VFD and my home-made RPC powers the saw, so its not that I can't, but used feeders seem to be $6-800 and after I add another VFD we are getting closer to the Comatic. The variable speed looks attractive. I was set to buy a new KF500S when the used 700 appeared, so I still have a few shekels in the account.

Terry T

[ChrisA Edwards]

I bought my Comatic DC40 from https://www.shopgearinc.com

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Terry, the infinitely variable speed is handy for optimizing feed rate.

I find that a 3 wheel feeder is heavy enough to flip up, without the gas strut.

Power isn't that important, with the reduction ratio in feeders a 1/2 HP feeder could pull a truck out of the ditch. I have a 0.5Kw feeder on my saw/shaper.

Regards, Rod.

[Matt larkinson]

I had the grizzly 1/4 hp and the 4 wheel 1 hp grizzly. Both worked well and would recommend a feeder to anybody with a shaper. It seems to me that most feeders are made by a single company in Taiwan so name brand probably doesn’t matter much. If you want variable speed it is always an option to get a VFD for around 100-200$ to adjust the rpm of the motor.

[Jared Sankovich]

I bought my Comatic DC40 from https://www.shopgearinc.com

IMHO that (or the dc30) is the best feeder available currently. Grizzly used to sell the green version of the dc30 for about $750. If I had my choice (buying new) I would have all 4 wheel feeders.

[Anthony Spotorno]

Absolutely, the dc40/30 are the best you can get, along with their support arms makes setup very easy!

[Erik Loza]

Even if the shop has three-phase power, I always suggest a 1-ph feeder: Keeps the 3-ph. outlets free for real machines, everyone already has plenty of 1ph outlets, etc.

Maggi (Steff) is the old standby that we all resell. Can't go wrong with one of those. One of my local customers has a Comatic DC unit. I haven't personally run it but it looks awesome and he apparently is real happy with it.

Terry, why doesn't the gas piston tipper bracket work on your machine? That's what my local customer has.

Erik

[Warren Lake]

I have both, consider some machines intend you to wire the feeder into the machine. Know I have at least one SCM machine that way.

Ive bought used machines where the feeder is wired into the magnetic starter. Maybe not technically correct but worked fine. To have 220 for the feeder on a 575 machine means you will be running a line if you dont already have one. Are you going to use a magnetic starter on it with overload? If any machine could skip that it would be a feeder but still maybe technically not right.

[Terry Therneau]

"Terry, why doesn't the gas piston tipper bracket work on your machine? That's what my local customer has."

The machine is a 2000 KF700S Professional. According to the Felder rep the gas strut version was not going to fit, so I ordered per her recommendations.

The Felder rep (Elizabeth Rogers) has been extremely helpful by the way, particularly for someone who asked 100 questions, almost pulled the trigger, and then bought used. Of course, she can partly blame the SMC crowd for that. My shop space is really a bit too tight for this full stroke slider, but all of you said "go long, go long".

Terry





Erik[/QUOTE]

[Erik Loza]

@Terry: Now I understand. Did not realize it was an older machine.

Only go three-wheel on your feeder, BTW.

Erik