Someone convince me to get a Hammer A3 31

[jason lambert]

I have been looking for a joiner plainer I started with the jet and was a little less than satified with certian aspects, but it will do the job and people here seem happy with it. I then looked at the Hammer A3 31 Jointer / Planer. I have not seen one in person. This is a much more thought out machine but the price difference is almost $1600 for me I am not sure if it is worth it espically since the jet will take a heriartical head soon and the hammer only has stright blades.

[Eddie Darby]

I have been looking for a joiner plainer I started with the jet and was a little less than satified with certian aspects, ...

Can you tell us your findings?:confused:

[Jim Becker]

The Hammer is a nice machine and worthy, IMHO, of it's price. Whatever you do, this is a good week to come to a conclusion as there may be a nice IWF inspired special on it. (and on competing machines from MiniMax, etc.)

[Chris Knudsen]

The Hammer is a great machine, and it is well thought out. The Felder family has been making J/P combo's since 1955, so they have figured out all of the important details. I would not let the Hammer straight knives detour you away from this machine. The knife change is simple, without the need for measuring tools, and takes about two minutes to change them out once you get the hang of it. The knives themselves are very durable, quiet (due to designing of the block) and will give you as fine of a finish as any other system out there. I am sure that you will find that the extra $ will be worth it in the end. Happy Decision Making:D

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

No I won't try to do that.
However, I have one and I'll tell you why I like it.

Sturdy accurate repeatable reliable and powerful~!!

The Fence mounted at the end put me off at first 'cause I worried about the moment arm tweaking the angle out of true as I pushed against it. However, with just a little bit of thought I re trained my hands to not push against the fence as if it was an iron one and to rely at first on the fence and then passing that gradually onto the flat surface that is passing onto the out feed.

Cranking the table up and down had become routine. At first I was trying to think of ways to speed that up but after a month it was all good.

You do need to re-learn how to set the blades. Since the thing is a combo you must nor change the angle of the blades to match the out feed table but rather change the table to match the blades. If you don't do it that way the planer operation will be off.

Yes both tables allow you to tilt 'em a bit tilt as well as move up and down. They return to position very well.

You must use a DC of some kind (I use a Shop Vac). The machines from europe are not designed to eject the chips the engineers all take for granted that any one wealthy enough to own a shop can also afford DC. For all I know it might even be a law. They have so damn many laws.

If you can get a true helical carbide insert cutter head do it. You won't regret it.

The factory cutterhead blades are not hard to swap out and return to position quite nicely. Not as fast as a TERSA but really nicely. The adjustment on them is easy.

The pressure on the planer feed rollers is factory set: no consumer adjustment. I have run 10' lumber through the thing and dis not need any additional support. I frequently run things as short as 12" throuh it with no issues. A little up pressure on the back of the board during the entrance eliminated all the usual issues that planers present on the start of a cut.

[Peter Quinn]

Having caressed an A3-31 at an industrial show this spring, I can say it is a solid piece of finely crafted machinery. I haven't passed wood over one, but it is a fine tool based on appearance and seems perfectly well engineered. Can you find an owner in your area to demo one? In conversations with Felder they have users in a sort of rep program that agree to let perspective buyers check out their machines. At that level of investment it is worth seeing one in person.

[Peter Quinn]

In fact I think they have a show room in Delaware, you are in NJ? I smell road trip in your future!

[Rick Fisher]

Is there a simple way to attach a feeder to the jointer?

[Chris Knudsen]

Is there a simple way to attach a feeder to the jointer?

Rick,
there is a "universal" powerfeed mounting bracket from Felder. It does require the drilling of mounting holes in the cabinet though. I have seen people do this with thier AD741's, don't see why it wouldn't work for the A3-31. Have a good weekend, I'm off to Atlanta in about 15min. :D

[Dave Avery]

Jason,

I started a very similar thread a few months ago. For me - a somewhat serious though very occasional hobbiest - I couldn't justify spending twice the price for a Euro J/P. I bought the Jet. In limited use, I'm extremely happy with it. I paid $1,550 after the MS Cashback promotion $. I'm sure you'll be happy if you spend more on the Hammer - it's a very nice machine - just more than I really need. Best. Dave.

[Jim Becker]

I bought the Jet. ..... I paid $1,550 after the MS Cashback promotion $.

That's a steal. You cannot buy a new 12" "low end" jointer for that, for the most part, at least from a popular brand, as far as I know.

[Brad Shipton]

Jason, I have a A3-31. You can get a Byrd Shellix head if you want for the Hammer A3-31. You have to ask for the specs from Felder, they will send a release form for both you and Byrd to sign before they will release the drawing Byrd will need. Even if you cannot get the specs from Felder you can take the head off and deliver to a machinst to get the proper specs. The pitfall is the cost. Custom is more expensive. Companies such as Byrd and the other shaper/moulder cutter manuf build all sorts of custom items. You just have to ask.

Cliff hit all the points , but I would add that one other difference between a Euro machine and the imports is quality control. Felder has very specific specs and they meet the specs or the machine is not shipped. To cut costs import machines are not quite built to the same standard. Another difference are the gadgets. Felder offers more than the imports.

Brad

[Dave Avery]

That's a steal. You cannot buy a new 12" "low end" jointer for that, for the most part, at least from a popular brand, as far as I know.

Jim,

Yes, it is - was leaning toward a Euro unit but at >$3,500K plus shipping, I just couldn't make sense of it - particularly at 1-2 projects per year..... Hope you and the ladies are well. Best. Dave.

[Charlie Plesums]

Is there a simple way to attach a feeder to the jointer?

Although I am sure many will disagree with me, I believe using a feeder on a jointer doesn't make sense. There is a real art in using a jointer, especially with thinner boards, so that your feed pressure doesn't bend the board flat as you are jointing it. A power feeder doesn't have that skill. It presses the board down around the cutter, as it moves it, defeating the advantage of the long beds, so IMHO it is no better than putting a curved board through a planer.

[Jim Becker]

I'm in Charlie's camp on the power feeder on a jointer opinion. Face jointing is a "finesse" operation.

[Johnny Kleso]

I was looking at one yesterday at the IWF show, sweet machine.. It was a shaper, saw and jointer..

[Jim Becker]

I was looking at one yesterday at the IWF show, sweet machine.. It was a shaper, saw and jointer..

........and planer and (most likely) mortiser if that attachment was included. Most combos like that are considered "5 function".

[Todd Bin]

As an owner of the Felder AD531 I can say that I am very happy with that machine. It face joines beautifully. No regrets. A good saying I heard once. Buy good quality and be sad the day you write the check or buy cheap qualty and be sad every time you use the tool.

[Steven Golick]

I had the good fortune to pick up a HAmmer a3 31 a few months ago. While I have not used it extensively yet, I am very happy with it. Some of the features that were important to me included:
-tilting the beds is easy - I found on the Felder machine that the beds were too heavy (I know that makes them more stable, but as a hobby woodworker, the Felder was over kill)
-the top of the beds are a couple of inches lower than the Minimax (if you are vertically challenged, it makes a difference)
-changeover from jointer to planer is very easy and quick
-outfeed extension table options are very good and easy to mount
-built in rolling cart works very very well (this is a good option to consider if you ever have to move the j/p)
-euopean style overhead guard is available (was not available on the Minimax in Canada)

I am sure that each of the Felder, Hammer, and Minimax 12" j/p combu machines are great, and each have their pros and cons. However, I doubt you will go workng with any of them. If space is a consideration in your shop, it is well worth looking at one of them.

Steven

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Rick,
there is a "universal" powerfeed mounting bracket from Felder.

The Felders are heavier than the Hammers. The power feed works better on the heavier machine.

If I were mounting a power feed on a hammer I'd spread the stress over a larger area using a piece of steel plate maybe 1/4" or 3/8" thick and cut it to cover a substantially larger area on the Hammer's housing and bolt the Power Feed bracket to that.

[Dan Clermont in Burnaby]

Hi Jason

I bought the Hammer A3 31 and can't even begin to tell you how happy I am with it!!!

It is by far the most expensive machine in my shop and probably the most difficult to justify.

-The cut quality is superb
-Replacement knives are relatively economical compared to the Dewalt and Delta planers
- cutter replacement is straight forward and very quick
- Power is phenomenal
- repetitive cuts are "bang on" with the digital readout
- changeovers are a snap and take 40 seconds or so.

The overall build quality is very good and I'd have no problems purchasing another Hammer machine down the road but for now this J/P is my Fathers's day gift, Birthday gift, Christmas Gift for 2008, 2009 and 2010!!!

Dan Clermont

[Dave Hale]

Jason, Been out of touch recently...... I'm not too far from you, South Orange, and I've got an A3-31 you can check out. Available Friday night and most of Saturday. PM me. :)