Advise on choosing a J/P combo - Hammer A3-31 or a MiniMax FS30 Smart

[Van Huskey]

The Hammer's change over is smoother and quicker and has a bridge guard vs a pork chop. I always get the feeling the MM is slighty cruder and heavier just from looking at it and touching it, though the weights are very similar. The fit and finish is better on the Hammers I have seen. If I was going to pick one it would be the Hammer but by a very slight margin based on the fact I think I would be just as happy with either (though I don't like the MM's changover as much) I would just get the one that was cheaper. I prefer MM bandsaws to Felder but from what I have seen I prefer the Felder line of J/Ps.

[Rich Riddle]

The used MiniMax, Hammer, and Felders have slowed; hopefully, someone will post one soon. There are a few abused specimens on eBay, but they are in terrible condition.

[Rich Riddle]

Does anyone know the current price for the A3-31 from Hammer? The lead time? Anything else that is important?

[Rod Sheridan]

Does anyone know the current price for the A3-31 from Hammer? The lead time? Anything else that is important?

Hi Rich, you can obtain the base price from the Felder website.

After that, you can talk to sales and obtain the best price you can, as well as including the options you want.

I wouldn't purchase it without the digital height gauge for the planer...........Regards, Rod.

P.S. Mine is 4 years old, love it..

[Kevin Stricker]

I guess I am late to this thread too. It seems the Hammer J/P has some great new features, I bought my FS30 right before the new Hammer came out, but got a real good deal on it. Changeover is maybe a 1 minute to 90 second process on the FS30, so funny to hear the speculations of people who have never even seen one. The longest part of the process is raising/lowering the bed 4 inches to accomidate the dust shroud, and I think the a3-31 is in the same boat there.It is a very robust machine, and the Tersa knives are very durable and easy to change. I can get clean cuts on hard maple with pretty dull blades as long as I pay attention to grain direction. A Byrd head would be nice if you worked a lot with exotics, but for common domestic hardwood I would save your dough.I am up in Evergreen if you want to come up and check out my FS30 in person. There is also one at Red Rocks Community college in the FWW dept you might be able to check out, the contact there is Patrick Shannon at RRCC. One of the TA's there, Peter Rudy has a MM16 he could tell you about. I think you would be hard pressed to go wrong with either company. Good Luck.

[Van Huskey]

Does anyone know the current price for the A3-31 from Hammer? The lead time? Anything else that is important?

$2,999 currently. Usually the lead time is 1-2 months but it changes all the time.