Hammer K3 Winner 48x48 thoughts?

[Jacob Mac]

I'm kicking around getting the Hammer K3 Winner 48x48 sliding table saw. Does anyone have one? Experience with it? Better options in the $5,000 price range? I suppose the Sawstop and the Minimax SC2 are probably the other contenders.

I'm tracking that used is always an option, just tough to count on, and harder to predict.

Any advice is appreciated.

[Stewart Lang]

I had a Grizzly G0623x and I absolutely loved it. Solid, easy to use, accurate. Never had any issues. I'd easily put it in the same category as Hammer/Minimax personally. About $1k less expensive. I wrote a review on here too somewhere..

[Jim Becker]

I think that Steve Wurster has that version, if I'm not mistaken. It's a nice machine from my observation. And yes, the SC-2 would be a comparable machine on the SCM side. I think these short stroke sliders are great...and can't wait to get a slider back in my shop. I'm currently using a SS PCS in my temporary shop and it's a fine tool, but I really, really, REALLY hate being back in the "line of fire" while cutting and dearly miss the true slider format. If a K3 or SC2 showed up on my doorstep, they wouldn't be refused, although I'd have to figure out how to rearrange things! (when I get a new shop building up, I'll "fix" things. )

[Jacob Mac]

I had a Grizzly G0623x and I absolutely loved it. Solid, easy to use, accurate. Never had any issues. I'd easily put it in the same category as Hammer/Minimax personally. About $1k less expensive. I wrote a review on here too somewhere..

Ya, that's $4,800 plus a couple hundred for shipping. So it is fairly comparable price wise. Do you still have it?

[Lisa Starr]

I just purchased the SC2C as it was more available than the Hammer. I have a Hammer A3-31 and the fit and finish are comparable between the two machines. I've only started using the machine, but I love it already. I'm still learning how to approach some cuts, the squareness and accuracy is a huge step up from my big traditional table saw.

[Stewart Lang]

Ya, that's $4,800 plus a couple hundred for shipping. So it is fairly comparable price wise. Do you still have it?

Oh yikes! It was $3750 when I bought it a few years ago. I upgraded to an older full size Paoloni. I still miss that Grizzly, I was very happy with it. Felt just as solid as the Paoloni honestly. It's a shame people judge it by the name, because it's really a fantastic saw.

[Derek Cohen]

I'm kicking around getting the Hammer K3 Winner 48x48 sliding table saw. Does anyone have one? Experience with it? Better options in the $5,000 price range? I suppose the Sawstop and the Minimax SC2 are probably the other contenders.

I'm tracking that used is always an option, just tough to count on, and harder to predict.

Any advice is appreciated.

Hi Jacob

I have the 48 x 31” …. actually, the slider is technically 52” … These are short stroke sliders.

It really comes down to what you build and the material you use. I work with solid woods and no sheet goods, so this size works very well for me. The 48 x 48 will open up more options, if you need this, at the expense of a larger footprint.

My original short list was the K3 and the SawStop. After having them alongside one another, it was apparent that there was nothing in the fit and finish to separate them. Both are built like a tank. However, the K3 won out as it is a different type of machine, and a slider offers so much greater opportunities than a traditional table saw (and the sliding crosscut table option with the SS is not the same thing, and not remotely in the same ball game).

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jacob Mac]

I just purchased the SC2C as it was more available than the Hammer. I have a Hammer A3-31 and the fit and finish are comparable between the two machines. I've only started using the machine, but I love it already. I'm still learning how to approach some cuts, the squareness and accuracy is a huge step up from my big traditional table saw.

Was availability the big factor for you, or were there other factors?

[Steve Wurster]

I think that Steve Wurster has that version, if I'm not mistaken.

I have the 79x48 version, so the sliding table on mine is a little over 2 feet longer than the 48x48 (which according to Derek actually has a 52" table). Mine also came with the outrigger and scoring blade, so I think they market that as the K3 Winner.

I love my saw, and I'm glad I went with the 79" table even though it's a slightly tight fit in my small basement shop. Allows me to more easily rip longer pieces.

The fit-and-finish of the saw is fantastic, and I never really considered getting any of the Grizzly offerings or even a SawStop. I knew I wanted a slider, and already being the owner of a Hammer A3-31 J/P meant I was leaning toward Hammer from the start.

[Jacob Mac]

I have the 79x48 version, so the sliding table on mine is a little over 2 feet longer than the 48x48 (which according to Derek actually has a 52" table). Mine also came with the outrigger and scoring blade, so I think they market that as the K3 Winner.

I love my saw, and I'm glad I went with the 79" table even though it's a slightly tight fit in my small basement shop. Allows me to more easily rip longer pieces.

The fit-and-finish of the saw is fantastic, and I never really considered getting any of the Grizzly offerings or even a SawStop. I knew I wanted a slider, and already being the owner of a Hammer A3-31 J/P meant I was leaning toward Hammer from the start.

Steve

Are you happy you got the longer stroke for straight line ripping?

I guess I could always get a 79x48 and just not use the extra length unless I was willing to move stuff around.

Is the length the only difference between the 48 and 79 or are there more differences?

[Jacques Gagnon]

Jacob

Not sure which stage you are at in the purchasing process. I ordered both a Hammer B3 and A3-31 in mid January. The machines will likely be delivered by the end of September (or possibly earlier).

One thing I found out when I finalized the purchase is that the Winner Comfort package was less expensive with the 79 x 48 configuration (that I bought) than the 79 x 32.

Regards,

Jacques

[Steve Wurster]

Steve

Are you happy you got the longer stroke for straight line ripping?

I guess I could always get a 79x48 and just not use the extra length unless I was willing to move stuff around.

Is the length the only difference between the 48 and 79 or are there more differences?

I am happier with the longer stroke, yes. I've definitely ripped pieces longer than 48" using just the sliding table (e.g. my 60" long workbench top), and those would have to be done differently on the 48" table. The longer table means I can also leave my Fritz and Franz jig setup on the rear end of the table while the short crosscut fence is setup on the front end, and be able to switch back and forth between the two while cutting pieces.

Regarding the extra length, the size and layout of my shop means that if the table is pulled all the way toward the front then I can barely walk around it (due to HVAC equipment). As for the space behind the saw, my assembly table is frequently in that area, so I have to move it out of the way when making cuts that require pushing the sliding table most of the way toward the rear. But I'm used to it at this point, and it doesn't bother me.

One thing to note: With the longer table, you have to move that much more table out of the way when changing blades. That's not really a big deal of course, but just something I thought of right now.

As for the difference between the models, I *think* the 79" models come with the outrigger by default (and possibly the scoring blade), while with the 49" models that might only be an add-on. In fact, I remember that when I bought mine it was during a sale, and it was actually cheaper to buy the 79" than it was to buy the 49" and the outrigger together. I had Jim Becker come by my shop at that time to confirm my suspicions that a 79" would fit without an issue, so his opinion and the cheaper price sold the deal for me on the 79".

I'm sure that if I had bought the 49" model then I would still love the heck out of the saw. It's a fantastic piece of machinery, and so much more versatile than a cabinet or contractor saw (I had a Ridgid contractor model previously). But I have always heard people say they regret not getting the longer table when they know they can fit it into their shop, so I'm glad I went with the 79" model.

There are drawings out there that indicate how much room the saws will require, so those can help you determine if you can indeed fit the 79" model into your shop.

[Lisa Starr]

Jacob,

The two machines are very similar from what I saw in the literature and quotes. The deciding factors for me were availability of the machine and being able to purchase thru a dealer. I purchased thru AW Machinery in Ohio and they were easy to work with and very responsive both before and after the sale.

[Jim Becker]

I think that Steve's setup is nearly ideal for anyone wanting a short stroke. While at first the outrigger might seem like something extraneous since a short stroke slider is more optimized for cross cutting, when crosscutting panels, having that extra support is a nice thing over just a miter bar. So if you can handle that the extra space for the stroke, even if it means a little inconvenience like Steve spoke about, go for it. I'm moving to a short stroke slider for the new shop whenever it gets built and it will be similar in capacity to Steve's, although my target is most likely an SCM SC-3.

[Erik Loza]

...I *think* the 79" models come with the outrigger by default (and possibly the scoring blade), while with the 49" models that might only be an add-on. In fact, I remember that when I bought mine it was during a sale, and it was actually cheaper to buy the 79" than it was to buy the 49" and the outrigger together...

Yes, that is the "Comfort" option package: 79" sliding table, outrigger with Precision Indexing Mitre Bar (steel plate that has pre-drilled holes at all the common mitre angles), and scoring unit. Just like auto manufacturers, Felder offers certain option packages on this or that machine and sometimes there is a more aggressive factory discount on these packages.

Erik