Combo jointer / planer question

[Greg Parrish]

UPDATE

Well, I’ve joined the Felder family. After lots of back and forth, and a good bit of anguish, I threw out the anchor and stuck with a decision. Hammer A3-31 with silent power head, mobility kit and aluminum wheel with digital gauge in inches is in que.

While I really would love a 20” planer, what I’m after now is space savings and more capacity and power overall from my 6” jointer and lunchbox planer. Looking forward to reducing my footprint further and one day buying/building a proper bench to add to my shop. With a bench I think I’ll have every tool but a Mortimer that has been on my future plan list. Long ways from retirement so I’m hoping to get a lot of usage from these machines over the coming decades.

[Jim Becker]

Congratulations! That's a great choice and I think you're going to enjoy what the machine brings to your shop and capabilities.

[Greg Parrish]

Congratulations! That's a great choice and I think you're going to enjoy what the machine brings to your shop and capabilities.

Thanks Jim. I’m slowly growing with my shop, both equipment wise and my own ability wise. This will be my nicest piece of equipment next to the restored 1972 PM66. I’m sure this will be nicer but I really think highly of my old iron. No more major items this year but one day may look to update the grizzly drill press.

[Bryan Lisowski]

Greg, good decision. You mentioned a mortiser in your earlier response. The hammer J/P have an optional mortiser available. You may want to check it out and that may benefit your space saving mission.

[Rod Sheridan]

[QUOTE=Greg Parrish;2841417]UPDATE

Well, I’ve joined the Felder family. After lots of back and forth, and a good bit of anguish, I threw out the anchor and stuck with a decision. Hammer A3-31 with silent power head, mobility kit and aluminum wheel with digital gauge in inches is in que.

[QUOTE]

Excellent news Greg, except for that wonky gauge in Imperial

[Greg Parrish]

Thanks guys. Don’t need it yet but I’ll check out that Mortiser attachment versus the powermatic bench top approach.

Darn metric system. Think half my tools flip flop between the standard (imperial) and metric sized parts and pieces. I think the old land rovers used to use British Imperial or something like that which meant a whole different tool set as well. LOL. Oh well. My brain is wired for US Standard/Imperial.

[Greg Parrish]

Out of curiosity, do the shelix cutters fit on the hammer head? Just curious as I have some extras that would be handy if they interchange.

[Jeff Ranck]

I've followed the thread with interest as I'm thinking of a similar purchase - either Hammer or SMC. So help me understand how to contact Sam Blasco to discuss SMC machines. Anyone folks would recommend for a Hammer rep?

[Jim Becker]

I've followed the thread with interest as I'm thinking of a similar purchase - either Hammer or SMC. So help me understand how to contact Sam Blasco to discuss SMC machines. Anyone folks would recommend for a Hammer rep?

Sam Blasco
sam.blasco@scmgroup.com
512-931-1962 (shop)
512-796-3036 (mobile)
866-216-2166 (main office/parts/tech services)

[Greg Parrish]

I've followed the thread with interest as I'm thinking of a similar purchase - either Hammer or SMC. So help me understand how to contact Sam Blasco to discuss SMC machines. Anyone folks would recommend for a Hammer rep?

There is a Florida rep but when I called I didn’t get an answer. Called the main number to ask a few questions and ended up working with this rep out of Delaware. So far a very good experience.

Tim Derr
Sales Representative
FELDER GROUP USA
2 Lukens Drive, Suite 300
New Castle DE 19720
	+1 866-792-5288 ext. 225
t.derr@felder-group.com

[Jim Becker]

I agree with calling someone at Felder direct in Delaware to discuss their offerings rather than dealing with someone outlying.

[Bill Adamsen]

-I'd rather have a Tersa head than a helical on a home shop machine.
Erik

Erik ... love to hear your list of why.

I have a Wigo head (similar to but not interchangeable with Tersa) and find it the best planer head I've ever used. It doesn't have the price advantage or range of available knives (different metals) of the Tersa. But the knives are fast and easy to replace and self setting. They give a fantastic cut. New HSS knives are exceptionally sharp and give an extremely good surface on most woods. Biggest downside is that they are loud. I am amazed at how competitively priced Tersa knives are. Machines engineered to use Tersa (knives sliding out the end of the head) would seem pretty hard to beat from a price/performance and operational (knife changeout) perspective.

[David Kumm]

Bill, isn't Wigo the Leitz version of Tersa. It has a different profile but Leitz is second to none in terms of quality blades and sharpening. Dave

[Clint Baxter]

Out of curiosity, do the shelix cutters fit on the hammer head? Just curious as I have some extras that would be handy if they interchange.

I ended up running a piece of wood through the planer with a screw in it and chipped several of the cutters. IIRC, the spar Shelix I had are sized differently and that’s when I ordered some replacements from the Felder E-Shop.

Now I just need to repurpose those Shelix cutters. Or give them to the individual that ended up with my Byrd equipped DW735.

Clint

[Bill Adamsen]

Bill, isn't Wigo the Leitz version of Tersa. It has a different profile but Leitz is second to none in terms of quality blades and sharpening. Dave

Dave yes it is. Not interchangeable, but similar in concept. From a distance the profile appears the same. But Tersa has other advantages too. With more installed base, the Teresa offers many different knives at significantly better pricing. I’m just curious about how Erik views the value proposition.