Hammer A3-31 Infeed table issue

[Anibal torres]

I've been trying to adjust my hammer a331 and noticed the indeed table seems to dip down from the cutterhead to the other end quite a bit. It starts off being co planer with the outfeed but as shown in the picture it dips down quite a bit. Wondering if this is a big issue? My joints do seem to be pretty open in the middle and wondering if this is a cause.
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[Jim Becker]

That either needs some serious adjusting or has a defect. Focus on the former first. And yes, it absolutely will affect your joinery.

[George Yetka]

Are you sure its infeed, from the pictures it could be either

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEq5C5oovFk

[Anibal torres]

I would belive so as it starts of coplaner but dips on the infeed side. The outfeed has been adjusted to be aligned with the cutters at the top of the ark and only move a test piece forward about 2mm as per their instructions.

[Anibal torres]

Idk if I should contact felder, as there's not instruction on the manual for adjusting this. Not sure if I should just pay to get a tech out. At first I was thinking my technique was maybe off but seeing that large gap makes me think otherwise

[Kevin Jenness]

Start out by adjusting the outfeed table height up in small increments (.0005"). A 2mm carry is about right but play with it. If that doesn't work you will have to dig deeper. If the infeed is parallel to the outfeed only near the cutterhead and then drops off there must be a convex hump in the infeed which you can quantify with an accurate straightedge and feeler gauges and compare to factory specs. Generally the flatness of the outfeed is more important and you may be able to raise the far end of the infeed a bit to achieve a workable solution. But don't start adjusting that until you have ruled out the outfeed height adjustment.

It's hard to judge from your photos. If you rest a straightedge on the outfeed, how far is the infeed from parallel to it?

[Cliff Polubinsky]

Anibal,

I just did this and can send you the documentation. I tried to send you a pm but you're member status. If you upgrade to contributor status (it's only $6 a year) we can talk this over.

Cliff

[Anibal torres]

That's awesome. I have upgraded my membership so you should be able to dm now

[Anibal torres]

I will work on that. The straight edge is on the outfeed table with pressure to keep it flat on the outfeed. As it shows it starts out being coplaner but dips down to almost a 1/8"

[Rod Sheridan]

Yes, that’s more than it should be, 0.004 to 0.0008” is what I normally set them for, that produces a very slight spring joint…..Regards, Rod

[Rod Sheridan]

Yes, as I indicated it should 0.004 to 0.008”…..Regards, Rod

[Steve Jenkins]

Where are you located? Someone may be close enough to give you a hand. I know I enjoy doing that.

[Jamie Buxton]

I have a first-generation A3-31. Your photos certainly look like the infeed table is out of whack. The infeed table can be adjusted. I've done it to mine. I've never had to take out a whole eighth of an inch, but it should be possible.

Here's a question for you... Your pics show a droop on the latch side of the infeed table. Is there a similar droop on the hinge side?

[Anibal torres]

Quick update. I was checking the flatness of my outfeed and infeed table and it seems there is a cup on the outfeed table about .008 and .004 on the infeed table. This makes sense as the cutter head is moving the straight edge about 2mm in the center but towards rhe back and front end it does not. Found a guide here from someone who fixed their cup and will work on getting the cup out on the outfeed table (I'm fine with infeed table for now as I feel outfeed is more important).
Once I get that done I will adjust the height of the outfeed table to be dialed in with the cutterblock again and run some test pieces before moving to adjusting the infeed.

[Edwin Santos]

I will work on that. The straight edge is on the outfeed table with pressure to keep it flat on the outfeed. As it shows it starts out being coplaner but dips down to almost a 1/8"

Based on this , how do you know the dip isn't on the outfeed side? Imagine it in your mind. If there is a dip in the outfeed and none on the infeed, and you press the straightedge down on the outfeed, the gap will appear on the other side because the straightedge is going up a ramp. Ideally use a long enough straightedge to span both tables as much as possible and evaluate them in relation to each other.

1. Adjust the outfeed table to the cutterhead (sounds like this is not a problem)
2. Adjust the two tables to each other to achieve co-planar.

Each table sits on four points. Two in the front, two in the back. To adjust you need to raise or lower the castle bolt on the front side under the table, and remove the cover from the back and raise or lower the grub screws on the back side. For some reason, raising is easy, lowering is not. Luckily it sounds like you need to raise one or both sides. Make very incremental adjustments, it's an iterative process.

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Anibal

Here is a link to a video on calibrating a Hammer A3-31 (which I also own) ….


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aEq5C5oovFk

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Ola Carmonius]

Hi Anibal

Here is a link to a video on calibrating a Hammer A3-31 (which I also own) ….


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aEq5C5oovFk

Regards from Perth

Derek

As I also commented on the video when I saw it...that's not much of a calibration instruction, he only checks that his settings are good. The tricky part is when they are not and there you are not helped much by that video.

@Anibal I had the previous version A3-31 before and for that machine there is a very detailed document how to adjust the machine in terms of table parallelism. I assume that's the document you will have pm'd from another member.

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Ola

The video is helpful in that it shows you what to do to - the bolts to adjust - when calibrating the A3-31.

Do you have a link you your source?

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Ola Carmonius]

Hi Ola

The video is helpful in that it shows you what to do to - the bolts to adjust - when calibrating the A3-31.

Do you have a link you your source?

Regards from Perth

Derek

I think it's this one. "Think" meaning I thought this was for the latest a3-31 and that I didn't have the link for the previous version anymore, but looking at the pics this seems to be for the previous version a3-31. http://maschinen.felder-gruppe.at/uploads/document/HA_USA_SetupGuide_A331.pdf

[Chris Parks]

I think it's this one. "Think" meaning I thought this was for the latest a3-31 and that I didn't have the link for the previous version anymore, but looking at the pics this seems to be for the previous version a3-31. http://maschinen.felder-gruppe.at/uploads/document/HA_USA_SetupGuide_A331.pdf

That doc does not appear to be for the current A3 series of machine.

[Ola Carmonius]

That doc does not appear to be for the current A3 series of machine.

No it's for previous version. For some strange reason I'm not allowed to see the pictures in the thread start and then there was talk about previous generation a few posts down so I assumed it was that machine this was about. Sorry.

[Steve Jenkins]

To see pictures you must become a contributor which is only six bucks a year. There is a donate button near the top of the page. There are a couple more percs too.