No, I’m in Florida but the EShop on their website quotes it in the price.Originally Posted by Jim Becker
[OP]
Contributor
No, I’m in Florida but the EShop on their website quotes it in the price.
Moderator
If you are in the US, you should not have to pay VAT...we don't have VAT here.
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The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...
[OP]
Contributor
Didnt think it should apply but was in the total when I was estimating shipping. Regardless, I’m not ready to get one yet so I’ll have to just call when I am. I’m still working my way through getting all my tools back in their place after my recent toolbox sell.
Thinking I may focus on a workbench as next acquisition anyway which will push the combo machine further down the list. Have been exploring the Lie-Nielsen and Sojberg benches, and looking for other options to compare. Prefer to buy rather than build I think.
Contributor
I like the finished cut offered by Teresa knives, the small scallop is barely noticeable and often cleans up with a thin shaving from a hand plane.
With sharp knives and an eye on grain direction I usually have zero tear out.
Bumbling forward into the unknown.
[OP]
Contributor
Is Tersa a brand of knife or a style of cutter head? I’m finding Tersa brand knives but wasn’t sure. Thanks.
The Tersa head holds indexed double-sided knives. Sort of an adjust-once, flip or replace knives as required sort of a setup.
Last edited by glenn bradley; 08-11-2018 at 3:57 PM.
"A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".
– Samuel Butler
Moderator
It's a double sided knife system that allows you to quickly and easily either turn them over or replace them or move one or more laterally to eliminate notice of a nick in a knife. They are the "standard" system on SCM/MiniMax J/Ps and on many others in the market and are great as a straight knife system. Replacements are economical and multiple types of metal are available including carbide for "really knarly" work. The gibs in the cutter head hold them in place via centrifugal force and to move or remove them, you just tap the gibs loose and slide out the knifes...carefully so you don't cut your hands/arms to shreds, of course.I personally have really enjoyed having the Tersa system in my J/P.
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The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...
Member
Ralph, just curious as to what brand of combo you got and how you like it. You can PM. me if you like.
Thanks Bob
Contributor
I went from a 6" Jet straight knife jointer and DeWalt 735, also straight knife, to a Hammer A3-41. Love it, should have done it years ago. The 12" would have been fine, but wasn't in stock and I haven't regretted going with the 16" at all. I think you should reconsider the long term investment of the Silent Power head. It's really quiet and leaves a beautiful surface.
Contributor
Despite the Felder e-shop's e-commerce-like appearance, I think they are a company where sales are primarily run through a sales rep (even when I've bought a blade or something on the e-shop, my rep has called to check). So I wouldn't rely on the e-shop pricing - email the sales people and get a quote.
Contributor
I have the Hammer A3-31 with silent (helix) head, digital gauge and mobility kit. Do not buy anything less! It will cost you more in the end. For a start, Felder do not offer the silent heads as a replacement. It is done by the factory at the outset, or not at all. You could get an aftermarket head, but I doubt it will be the same quality as the Felder/Hammer. The head is really a thing of beauty (performance wise).
I love the carbide inserts. I work with very abrasive and hard Australian timber, and just turned the 4-sided heads to the second side recently after 3 years of use. Chip a corner, and just turn one insert. Takes a few minutes only. The digital gauge makes for amazing precision and accuracy. You can repeat a thickness from an earlier time within a whisker. And this set up is s-i-l-e-n-t ... you could be planing and have a conversation in a normal way alongside the machine.
Yes, the add-ons are extra. Save up .. be patient. It will be worth it.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Member
I also have the Jet JJP-12. I like everything about it, except the set up for making the jointer tables coplanar. I spent about 12 hours playing with it with a Veritas straight edge and feeler gauges. It's still not perfect. It is the most convoluted process you can imagine. It is the Achilles heel of this machine. You move one adjustment bolt .001" and it affects all 4 points on the table. Then you lock the table down and you never get the same position. If I'm doing some important jointing I have to reverify the tables every time.
However, it does work well when it's dialed in. Changing from jointer to planer takes me 30 seconds if I take my time. The planer leaves no snipe. Dust collection is excellent with my Clearvue cyclone. I have the straight knives, and the finish right off the machine is excellent. I don't use highly figured woods though. If I was starting over I would like to have separate units, but I got a good deal on this machine used. I might get a standalone jointer and keep the Jet as a planer and for when I need to joint anything over 8".
If you are lucky and get one that is set up properly from the factory, trust me - do not try to adjust the tables. Setting the straight knives is easy with the One way gauge. I looked into changing mine to helical head, there is something else that needs to be done to slow down the feed rate, and the cutterhead is over $800.
Contributor
Personally, I think the Minimax FS30 is the best built machine in this class but know there are lots of happy Hammer owners out there. My suggestions, use or not as you will...
-I'd rather have a Tersa head than a helical on a home shop machine.
-If you're going to buy a Minimax, deal only with Sam Blasco.
-Regardless of when this or that show or e-shop special ended, if you call with your credit card in hand, your rep probably WILL find you a deal. Both SCM and Felder are sales-driven companies, after all.
Best of luck in your search
Erik
Contributor
He must be in the "English" site, meaning the Great Britain site, they have VAT.
The OP needs to go to the US site for Felder.......................Rod.
Member
I had 2 JP combo so far.
My previous JP Combo is a Robland with Tersa cutterblock.
My current JP Combo is Felder AD951 with Silentpower cutterblock.
If you are going to spend money to buy machines, only spend once. I prefer to have SCM JP combo to sit in my workshop but at the time of purchase SCM has no JP combo in the entire Oceania, arrival of earliest shipment is February 2019, therefore I endup with Felder.
Dont waste time with anything less, its either spiral cutter block or Tersa.
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