Felder/Hammer...Hammer/Felder??

[Donnie Raines]

Is it true that Felder is now manufactured and sold under the Hammer name brand? Freind of mine asked, stateting that a flyer he received in the mail showed this to be the case, if it were true. I dont know.....

Thanks in advance.

[Steven Wilson]

Felder, Hammer, and Format 4 are all part of FELDER KG, Austria. They are all made in the same factory but to different specifications. Felder isn't Hammer and Hammer isn't Felder - same company, very different machine specs.

[Rob Russell]

A good analogy is General Motors and Chevy/Buick/Cadillac, where Felder Gruppe is the parent and Hammer/Felder/Format-4 are the respective brands.

[Chris Padilla]

Donnie,

The relative prices of the machines should tell you quite a bit. Compare the Hammer 16" J/P to the Felder 16" J/P...quite a difference everywhere you look.

On a similar note, SCMI handles the MiniMax line.

[Donnie Raines]

Thanks for the quick response gents. The examples given are perfect.

I also have a chance to buy the Felder 16 inch planer/jointer combo from this same guy. I have used it and boy is it nice.....I am tempted.. :rolleyes:

[Chris Padilla]

Well, if you do that, you'll have yours before I have mine! I still don't have a date from MiniMax when my 16" J/P is showing up.

What style of cutterhead does the Felder you are looking at have? 4 knives?

[Donnie Raines]

Chris,

I am confident that it has 4 knives. I have not studied these items as of yet to compare features. This unit is close to a year old and in excellant shape.

[Chris Padilla]

Donnie,

Ask the guy you are buying from about Felder customer service. Make sure he is happy with the support. I've heard a few bad things here and there but make sure you are covered. There is nothing like a high-end piece of equipment and no one to help you take full advantage of it or help you fix and adjust it so it's right.

Good luck to you!

[Rob Russell]

My experiences with Felder service have been positive. I think it's fair to say that any of the manufacturers will have their problems - MiniMax included - although the only one I have recent and direct experience with is Felder.

Donnie - what are the machines you're looking at. I know the j/p is the AD741, but do you know which model it is? Is it the new 2-tone gray/green or the single color green?

[Richard McComas]

Chris,

I am confident that it has 4 knives. I have not studied these items as of yet to compare features. This unit is close to a year old and in excellant shape.


Donnie, I suggest you join the "Felder's Owner Group" (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/felder-woodworking/?yguid=112627198) and read some of the post from Felder owners to get a feel for their opinions of the machines and support.

Felder is relatively new in the USA, having grown fast and selling quite a number of machines. With this fast growth they have experienced an occasional problem with support, but they do have good support overall. Felder in my opinion is working hard in every way to correct any shortcomings they may have.

The first machine I bought from felder what the 16'' jointer/planer combo. It was a slightly used machine. Do to abuse by the previous owner (the machine was picked up by it tables) I had some problems with the outfeed table not staying properly adjusted.

Felder on two different occasions flew a technician to my shop in Alaska (from Sacramento CA) two fix my machine. The first trip the technician worked on my machine and thought the problem was solved. As it turned out I still had a problem so Felder made the second tip to Alaska and installed a brand new outfeed table on my machine, it been perfect ever since. Those two trips didn't cost me one penny.

While the jointer/planer problem took bit longer than I would have liked it did give me the confidence in Felder to go ahead the buy a sliding table saw from them.

BTW does you friends 16” J/P have the electric table lift?

[Donnie Raines]

My experiences with Felder service have been positive. I think it's fair to say that any of the manufacturers will have their problems - MiniMax included - although the only one I have recent and direct experience with is Felder.

Donnie - what are the machines you're looking at. I know the j/p is the AD741, but do you know which model it is? Is it the new 2-tone gray/green or the single color green?
Rob,

It is the two tone paint..green and gray. I am unsure of the model number, but I will confirm this with him later next week(moving this weekend).

[Donnie Raines]

Donnie, I suggest you join the "Felder's Owner Group" (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/felder-woodworking/?yguid=112627198) and read some of the post from Felder owners to get a feel for their opinions of the machines and support.

Felder is relatively new in the USA, having grown fast and selling quite a number of machines. With this fast growth they have experienced an occasional problem with support, but they do have good support overall. Felder in my opinion is working hard in every way to correct any shortcomings they may have.

The first machine I bought from felder what the 16'' jointer/planer combo. It was a slightly used machine. Do to abuse by the previous owner (the machine was picked up by it tables) I had some problems with the outfeed table not staying properly adjusted.

Felder on two different occasions flew a technician to my shop in Alaska (from Sacramento CA) two fix my machine. The first trip the technician worked on my machine and thought the problem was solved. As it turned out I still had a problem so Felder made the second tip to Alaska and installed a brand new outfeed table on my machine, it been perfect ever since. Those two trips didn't cost me one penny.

While the jointer/planer problem took bit longer than I would have liked it did give me the confidence in Felder to go ahead the buy a sliding table saw from them.

BTW does you friends 16” J/P have the electric table lift?
Rich,

Thanks for all the info.

I am not sure if the tables adjust manually or if they are powered....the machine was always "ready" to use when I have visisted him...I will need to find that out too.

[Richard McComas]

Rich,

Thanks for all the info.

I am not sure if the tables adjust manually or if they are powered....the machine was always "ready" to use when I have visisted him...I will need to find that out too.

Just in case there is any confusion the “table” I’m referring to is the planer table. That machine comes (or use to) standard with a hand crank to raise and lower the planer table. The electric lift kit is an option that is very desirable.

Warped & Twisted

[Chris Padilla]

Donnie,

Just curious what your buddy is moving up to? Seems all that's left is the 20" J/P!! I looked seriously at the 16" and 20" Felder J/P and the main thing that kept me at bay were the prices. After looking at MiniMax and Felder for a while (and even Hammer), I went to the woodworking show in Sacramento and was able to mess with MiniMax. In the end, I just felt more comfortable in the MiniMax price range.

However, I was looking brand new and the used market may be nicer and more comfortable for me for Felder--I dunno. Do you mind posting what you will pay for the Felder 16" J/P? There are a decent amount of options that go along with it so the devil is in the details.

For the FS 41 Elite I ordered, I got a show price of $6495 and that included the mobility kit and 2 sets of HSS Tersa knives (3 knife Tersa cutterhead, reversible). He also charged me $250 shipping to my door. I think the shipping is quite fair for a 940 lb. machine. With that offer staring at me, there was no way I could go back and pay Felder ~8k for their 16" J/P.

As far as customer service goes, I ordered this aircraft carrier on May 29 (I have 1k down) and I still have no clue when it is showing despite several emails asking them. They cannot give me any kind of date at all for some strange reason. Oh well. To be honest, I wouldn't mind if it didn't show for another month to month and a half as I need to get my garage in shape. This boat would seriously be in the way of the garage remodel mess! :D

[Steven Wilson]

Chris,
Rob has been busy unloading a couple of containers maybe yours came in.

[Chris Padilla]

Steve,

I've heard the "we just gotta couple-a boxes in" routine as well! ;) It just seems strange to me that there isn't an FS-41 with my name stamped on it and that it can't be tracked in any way. On the other hand, my BMW was tracked the whole way and so I pretty much knew where it was on a weekly basis! :D

No biggie, like I said, I could stand to wait longer for it. I think Todd's AD751 took 2-3 months IIRC and you might remember the shipping pain he went through. It seems that last mile was a tough road to sew! :rolleyes:

[Rob Russell]

... a tough road to sew!

Ummm - do you mean "a tough row to hoe"? ;)