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Thread: Combo jointer / planer question

  1. #181
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Minot, ND
    Posts
    558
    Just went out and tried Rod’s method. I had to back off the self-locking nut a bit before the table would go on, but that nut only keeps the locking bar from falling off. It doesn’t affect how the locking bar clamps the table into position. I ended up unscrewing the kip lever for both installing and removing the table.

    Thanks Rod. Little bit of a nuisance, but much better than removing and reinstalling the self-locking unteach time

    Clint

  2. #182
    how about a photo or two of how that fits on for those of us that dont have machines from Arnolds homeland
    Last edited by Warren Lake; 09-20-2018 at 12:45 AM.

  3. #183
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Santa Fe, NM
    Posts
    259
    Sorry to hear of your initial disappointment. I'm retired now, but spent my entire career in the woodworking machinery business, from hobbyist level to multi-million dollar automated equipment. I don't want this to come across as me trying to justify my Hammer purchase, just my experience with woodworking machines in general. Initial compliance to specs problems are far from unique to Hammer. It's been my experience that ANY machine purchase is somewhat hit or miss in terms of delivered compliance to specs. How the machine was handled in shipping can greatly affect initial performance. The old "Was it made on a Monday or a Friday?" comes into play, as do lots of other considerations. Price rarely does in my experience. It should, but it rarely does. I've set up machines that cost $500 that worked better out of the box than their competitor's $5000 machine many, many times. The price difference is more often seen a year or 30 years after it's been set up. I can honestly say that the only two machines I've ever set up that performed at or above specs straight out of the box were my 735 and my Sawstop PCS. I've heard the same from too many other SS owners to think it's just a fluke. More manufacturers should pay attention to how they're doing things to bring their own delivery performance up to par. And the negative comments about Hammer's manuals, or lack of, are fully warranted. My first experience with a Felder machine was in 1986 and their manuals are no better now than they were then. Again, they should take a page from SS - I've never seen better manuals for a machine. Off my soapbox now.

    My A3-41 experience has been much like Clint's. On arrival my near side jointer infeed table was very slightly lower than the rear side, which was set correctly. I can't even blame that on Felder since it took a hard, grimace-inducing bang when the ramp collapsed getting it over the threshold to my shop. 5 minutes spent barely raising the two castle bolts on either side of the locking bracket for the infeed table fixed the issue. Now, every time I use the jointer I smile to myself and wonder why I waiting so long to make the investment.

    I've had very little issues with snipe from the planer, and what I have had have been taken care of by locking the column. I also had a 735 before the Hammer. I loved it - except for the noise. I'll take the trade off of having to lock the column in trade for getting rid of the noise. I say having to lock the column, but I only lock it on my last pass or two, when I'm dialing in the precise thickness. I've also found the planer to be really, really precise with respects to adjustments. The wheel gauge puts me spot on the thickness.

    My guess is that you'll look back a year from now and make similar comments to those considering a Hammer machine. I know it's frustrating now, but I suspect you'll come to love the machine.

  4. #184
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    So Cal
    Posts
    3,737
    Mick your post is very good. You took the words right out of my mouth.
    Also would like to add that I spend the best part of each morning setting up for my day. No rushing or hurrying or hangovers. It’s not easy to make the same thing perfectly twice errors creep in it part of nature. I couldn’t imagine trying to make a machine that would satisfy a perfectionist. Like myself
    Aj

  5. #185
    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew Hughes View Post
    I couldn’t imagine trying to make a machine that would satisfy a perfectionist. Like myself
    But I'm sure you'd try.
    “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness..." - Mark Twain

  6. #186
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Central WI
    Posts
    5,666
    It might be worthwhile to join or visit the Felder Owners Group. Lots of posts regarding jointer planer set up and issues. Most seem fixable. A few are the result of tables not being flat and those are difficult. If you have tables flat within a few thou you can deal with most issues. If they have spots approaching .010 out of flat you need to contact the company as the fix is tough. Check the tables and rule out those problems ( advice to anyone - not necessarily this op ). Dave

  7. #187
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    1,950
    Thanks guys. Between the day job and the home and family duties I’ve not had a chance to get back into it this week. But the weekend is just around the corner so I’ll tackle it then for sure.

  8. #188
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Santa Fe, NM
    Posts
    259
    I've done several searches for the Felder Owners Group. Seems to be defunct.




  9. #189
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Central WI
    Posts
    5,666
    Look at the Yahoo groups. There were posts today about an A3-31 with table issues. Dave

  10. #190
    Quote Originally Posted by Greg Parrish View Post
    So so how did I get so lucky? What’s the trick I’m missing?
    While I'm not done testing the planer, the jointer part of mine has passed all the tests. And then I thought of the problems you're having, I began to wonder if maybe your JP was "set down a little too hard" at some point. Could have been on the way here from the factory or after it arrived in the States. Lots of handling in there.

    When I was getting mine down from pallet #1, I was very careful not to create any kind of situation where the machine could drop even a fraction of an inch. Same with getting off the shipping pallet. I was so afraid of knocking something out of whack, because of the problems you're having, I handled the machine like a newborn baby. Just some thoughts...
    “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness..." - Mark Twain

  11. #191
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    1,950
    So far only had a chance to check two things last night. The fence is slightly off but I think it might be my rail, so I’ll need to come back and check it with my oneway gauge tonight to make sure it’s installed with proper spacing. The other is in the jointer beds. Per my straight edge, it appears to be dead flat across both sides. But when I check crisscross one direction is flat and the other has a very small high spot. Not enough to see any light. Didn’t check the feeler gauges yet for more precise measurement but given the anomaly only shows in one measurement spot I think it has to be a high spot in the cast iron as otherwise one of the two sides should be out of alignment if this were a sign of the beds being twisted out of parallel to each other. Further, using the same straight edge I get a few spots that are high down the length of each bed when testing across the bed. Either it is t quite machined flat or they are being bent/warped ever so slightly under tension some how. Given the crowned extrusion I commented on before, I’m guessing it’s in the cast iron or machining that is causing the bed to have this extremely minor crown. Will check additional items later, including planer bed flatness and outfeed to cutter parallel. Will also break out the feeler gauges for some measurements.

    The fun continues.

  12. #192
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Princeton, NJ
    Posts
    7,252
    Blog Entries
    7
    Before you drive yourself crazy, verify that your straight edge is flat.

  13. #193
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    1,950
    Quote Originally Posted by Greg Parrish View Post
    Thanks guys. Between the day job and the home and family duties I’ve not had a chance to get back into it this week. But the weekend is just around the corner so I’ll tackle it then for sure.
    Just getting back to the hammer J/P for the first time since this post. Not able to even clean up some boards to knock out some cutting boards. I sent a message to the Felder/hammer rep here on the forum and will call them tomorrow. Really wish they had a tech nearby that could tackle the calibration but I’m not holding my breath. It’s been a while since I purchased and uncrated this thing but work and other demands took precident. Will see what the rep has to say. Really wish my experience with this machine had been easy from the get go like so many others instead of leaving a sour taste on my first higher end, most expensive machine.

  14. #194
    Wow... I could have said the same thing, Greg. I've barely touched mine since I got it. Another project has owned me these past few months. That will end in a few weeks. Then I intend to put it to work. But as of now, I still haven't installed the digital readout. $5K just sitting in the workshop collecting dust. Never did that with any tool before.
    “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness..." - Mark Twain

  15. #195
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Doylestown, PA
    Posts
    7,551
    Quote Originally Posted by Julie Moriarty View Post
    Wow... I could have said the same thing, Greg. I've barely touched mine since I got it. Another project has owned me these past few months. That will end in a few weeks. Then I intend to put it to work. But as of now, I still haven't installed the digital readout. $5K just sitting in the workshop collecting dust. Never did that with any tool before.
    See? That's what happens when you 'retire', you get really busy

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