Justifying A Major Tool Purchase

[Rod Sheridan]

Chris, when you switch on the machine, do not stab the starter button, but instead hold it down until the motor is running. This is recommended by Felder to prevent the starter capacitor burning out.

Regards from Perth

Derek

You are correct Derek.

The issue is that the motor does not have a centrifugal starting switch in it.

To start the machine you press and hold the start button, this closes and lathces the run contactor, and closes the start contactor which puts the start capacitor in the start circuit. (The run capacitor is always in the circuit).

When the machine is up to speed you release the start button, the start contactor drops out, leaving only the run capacitor in the circuit.

It seems odd, however you never have to take the motor apart to service the starting switch which is a big improvement..............Regards, Rod.

[ChrisA Edwards]

Testing how loud the A3-31 is cutting some Basswood.

Even at it's peak cutting wood, it's quieter than my Ducati (motorcycle) at idle.

[Jeff Bartley]

Chris,

I would highly recommend not wearing gloves while running a jointer! Use push blocks, I like the ones with the foam under them. And keep the table waxed.

If you really want to use you bare hands, and this sounds gross but works, spit on your hands!

And if you wanted to post a vid of that Ducati idling I'd sure watch it, those are sweet machines!

Congrats on the new jointer/planer!

Totally agree as I guess you were commenting on my technique in the video.

I found it hard to get enough traction, with my bare hands, on the wider widths to overcome the force of the cutter head. So I had to push on the end of the wood to keep it moving forward. Using push pads helped occasionally.

Today I wore a pair of mechanic's style gloves and could get much better control of the wood, with both hands, which allowed me to control were I stood while feeding the wood.

[Dan Friedrichs]

And don't underestimate how much easier feeding stock can get if you have a coat of wax on the table. Night and day difference.

[Bill McNiel]

And don't underestimate how much easier feeding stock can get if you have a coat of wax on the table. Night and day difference.

Dan & others,
Help me out here. I have always shied away from waxing tool surfaces due to a fear of affecting finishes. what wax do you use?
Mahalo - Bill

[ChrisA Edwards]

Please don't tell me that i should not be using this. I've been using it on all my cast iron surfaces for the past 20+ years...

[David Eisenhauer]

As have so very many of us. Protects from rust (as other products do I'm sure) and creates the EZGlide slide for material to slip past a blade. I have never noticed any finishing issues due to Johnson's either.

[Dan Friedrichs]

I've tried some fancier products, but Johnson's paste wax seems to produce the slickest surface (and it helps that it's cheap and readily available). Wipe a thin coat on, let it haze, buff off.

Concerns with finishes do exist for silicone-containing products. So don't go spraying bike chain lube or something on it, but JPW or a woodworking-specific product (GlideCoat, SuperGleit, etc) won't have silicones and is totally safe.

[Matt Mattingley]

Johnsons paste wax is now almost depleted! I’ve resorted to Minwax paste wax and automotive spray on wax. I’ve lost no machines to rust yet.

[Frederick Skelly]

Johnsons paste wax is now almost depleted! I’ve resorted to Minwax paste wax and automotive spray on wax. I’ve lost no machines to rust yet.

Hey Matt, I'm always careful about using automotive waxes on my machines because a lot of them have silcone. Have you seen any issues there?

[Brian Holcombe]

Out if curiousity I took the stuff I use for surfaces. Sprayed it onto three pieces of plywood, immediately glued two of them then finished the last. No effect that I noticed, the glue up did not fail One hour later when I broke the pieces apart. The shellac applied without issue.

I use molykote 557 which Dow Corning has listed as being ok for woodworking, but this topic made me a bit curious if the effect were disastrous.

[Rod Sheridan]

Testing how loud the A3-31 is cutting some Basswood.

Even at it's peak cutting wood, it's quieter than my Ducati (motorcycle) at idle.

What model Duc do you have?

My A3 is noisier than both my BMW's (R90/6 and F700GS)...............Rod.

[ChrisA Edwards]

Old Geezer with a Ducati 1299S. (painted this one myself).

Got a few others, a 2007 Ducati 1098S, a '15 Multistrada and a '93 Bimota DB2, as well as a couple of other bikes, '12 Aprilia Tuono, '98 Yamaha R1 and a '75 Honda CB400F.

[Mike Kees]

Wondering if the O.P. ever got everything figured out on her new machine. I really hope that everything works out ,really hard to read these threads without being able to actually 'go next door' and help someone out.

[David Eisenhauer]

I believe she got immediately (unexpectedly) buried in some type of temporary computer project for the local government just after receiving shipment of her combo machine. Last I heard (I think?), she received the last loose part or two that came separately from the main shipment but has not had time to do a complete setup on the unit. I also believe some of the other guys were able to get her some type of "setup" or something documents from the manufacturer, possibly in a round about fashion from her sales person/tech/? The good news is that the temp job could end up paying for the machine and that is a good thing.