Hammer K3 Winner 48x48 thoughts?

[Patrick Kane]

The K3 definitely takes a narrow pallet jack; we used one to move mine into my shop.

I dont doubt you, but looking at the site, i dont see how that works. Compare that to the K4, which has a notch similar to my KF700. I have seen older K3s that had the notch, but maybe they changed the cabinet design recently?

[Steve Wurster]

I dont doubt you, but looking at the site, i dont see how that works. Compare that to the K4, which has a notch similar to my KF700. I have seen older K3s that had the notch, but maybe they changed the cabinet design recently?

Whoa, they must have changed that design. My K3 has the notch on the front (so under the switch and blade height adjustment wheel), and a narrow pallet jack fits right in there. How the heck are you expected to move a K3 during installation if it doesn't have that notch? Maybe they expect you to get their mobility kit or install it on a 3rd party system, or simply never move it after the fact. Or there's some other mechanism for moving it that is not obvious from that picture.

[Mike Stelts]

Sorry, I didn't realize the K3 and B3 chassis design had changed. It looks like the mobility kit is now the only option. Good to know...

[Jacques Gagnon]

I dont doubt you, but looking at the site, i dont see how that works. Compare that to the K4, which has a notch similar to my KF700. I have seen older K3s that had the notch, but maybe they changed the cabinet design recently?

…a bit of a mystery here…

the B3 that arrived last week still has the opening underneath that allows the use of the narrow pallet jack. Old picture? Base model different than the other machines? New configuration for machine to come? So many questions and so little answers 😎.

[Robyn Horton]

The Left image of the K3 Winner Comfort above in Patrick's post got me to look at the K3 on the Felder Canada web site and it is the same new flat style on the bottom but it also has an On/off switch on the Left corner of the saw and not on the Big plate on the right of the Blade adjustment handle.

[Steve Wurster]

The Left image of the K3 Winner Comfort above in Patrick's post got me to look at the K3 on the Felder Canada web site and it is the same new flat style on the bottom but it also has an On/off switch on the Left corner of the saw and not on the Big plate on the right of the Blade adjustment handle.

That switch placement might be a Canada / non-US thing, but I'm not sure. I've noticed that on other K3-based posts I've seen here and elsewhere. My saw actually has a cut-out type setup in that spot, meaning in theory I could knock that out and attempt to move the switch to that location.

I still have no idea what's going on with the flat / non-flat bottom though.

[Jacques Gagnon]

…the mystery thickens …

Following Robyn’s post I checked The Felder Canada site as well to compare the photo for the B3. Flat bottom as well. However the emergency stop found on mine does not appear on the web site photo.

[Howard Dean]

Hi Steve. What size shop do you have? I’m on the fence (no pun intended) between a 48x48 and a 79x48. My shop will be about 26x22. I currently do not have a shop (building a house that will have a shop). All of my tools are mobile — portable mft, track saws, routers, etc. I can use my track saws to break down sheet goods and to edge joint boards. I’ll probably built a large mft/router table once the shop is ready to have a second cutting station (my wife will also use the shop) and assembly table. So the question is Do I need a 79x48? I lean towards the larger stroke because it’s not that much more expensive than the 48x48 and will fit in my shop, albeit tightly. I would be interested in hearing your thought process. Also, I’m curious about how one goes about using the rip fence when the slider is slightly elevated from the table. I’ve seen at least one person lower the slider to be even with the table. The sales rep swears that the slight elevation of the slider does not impact squareness if the cut, which is counter-intuitive. I would be grateful for your views on this too.

Thanks,

Howard

[Jacques Gagnon]

Hello Howard,

Having recently acquired a machine with the same footprint (except it is a saw/spindle model) I went through the same analysis. My shop is 14x20 (I am a hobbyist) and my machines can be moved as required. Depending on the type of work you do, the 48 inch (1300mm) ripping width may not be often used. I nevertheless chose to go that route and do not regret it.

The elevated carriage (compared to the main cast iron surface) has been discussed a lot on this forum. The concern expressed about the possible effects of the height differential is in part resulting from looking at a slider and thinking along the lines of a cabinet saw. Most operations are carried out on the slider; the off cut falls to the right side of the blade.

If you absolutely need to work on the right side and are worried about the squareness of the edge, all you need to do is to cut your workpiece slightly wider than the desired finished measure (either with your track saw or on the carriage) and then rip on the right side of the blade. The off cut will be narrower than the space between the blade and carriage.

A comment you may receive is that the 78 inch (2000mm) carriage will not allow you ideal will long 8 foot panels, but you are already using a track saw.

Although I am still in the process of « unlearning », I really enjoy working with a slider. Easy, safe, efficient.

My 2 cents,

J.

[Steve Wurster]

Hi Steve. What size shop do you have? I’m on the fence (no pun intended) between a 48x48 and a 79x48. My shop will be about 26x22. I currently do not have a shop (building a house that will have a shop). All of my tools are mobile — portable mft, track saws, routers, etc. I can use my track saws to break down sheet goods and to edge joint boards. I’ll probably built a large mft/router table once the shop is ready to have a second cutting station (my wife will also use the shop) and assembly table. So the question is Do I need a 79x48? I lean towards the larger stroke because it’s not that much more expensive than the 48x48 and will fit in my shop, albeit tightly. I would be interested in hearing your thought process. Also, I’m curious about how one goes about using the rip fence when the slider is slightly elevated from the table. I’ve seen at least one person lower the slider to be even with the table. The sales rep swears that the slight elevation of the slider does not impact squareness if the cut, which is counter-intuitive. I would be grateful for your views on this too.

Thanks,

Howard

Howard,

The working area of my shop is about 16x24. Nearly all of the "big" tools are mobile, however I never move my K3, my floor-standing drill press, or my workbench. Due to space constraints pretty much everything stays against the walls and I have to move them into the "middle" in order to use them. This includes my router table, bandsaw, jointer/planer, drum sander, and spindle sander (on a cart). I have a separate cart on which I do most of my assembly and that pretty much just lives in the middle area. I frequently have to move it out of the way in order to use one of the mobile tools, or to avoid hitting it with the sliding table.

I have my K3 arranged so that the space to the right of it is just big enough to house my DC (wall mounted Oneida V-3000). That gives me plenty of room to the left of the blade, even with tools lined up against that left wall, so there are no issues there. If I pull the 79" sliding table all the way to the front then there is enough room for me to walk around the front of it, although it's a little tight because I have a big off-cut trash can and shop vac on the floor in that area. Because you have to put the table into this position to change the blade I have all of my blades (and most saw accessories) on the left wall for easy access (i.e., they are behind me when I'm changing blades). If I push the table all the way to the back then there is plenty of room for me to walk around the far end of it, although it's not a huge amount. I originally thought only the 48x48 would work in this shop, but I'm really glad I got the 79x48 instead.

As for the table being higher than the cast iron, I'm fine with that. As Jacques just recently posted, if it really bothers you then you can always make your first cut with the rip fence wider and then follow that up with a perfect 90 degree skim cut.

[Howard Dean]

Many thanks gentlemen. All very useful comments. Much appreciated. I stumbled upon the Hammer K3 in a post on this site, which has sucked me down another woodworking rabbit hole. I must say that in all my research I’ve only seen a few negative comments. The sales rep is preparing a couple of quotes for me — one for the 48x48 and one for the 79x48. One of my initial concerns was the quality of the rip fence. The sales rep said that there have been so many complaints by US customers that the cast iron professional fence is now standard on the K3 (albeit at a cost). If I do pull the trigger I’ll need to figure out how I’ll move it down a hill and into my shop. At over 600 pounds it won’t be easy. Had a serious accident some years back trying to move something down a hill by myself. Was over confident. Think I’ll hire someone ….

[Jacques Gagnon]

…clarification following Steve’s input. Although I can move my machine if required, my layout allows me to keep it on the same spot most of the time.

[Chris Parks]

If building a new shop I would try to arrange the floor level to be raised enough to run the dust extraction for the K3 under the floor. I put a debris trap directly onto the machine port to trap the small bits that get sucked in and the extraction goes through the floor of the trap into the under floor extraction pipe. I have no other under floor extraction, just the K3.

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Steve. What size shop do you have? I’m on the fence (no pun intended) between a 48x48 and a 79x48. My shop will be about 26x22. I currently do not have a shop (building a house that will have a shop). All of my tools are mobile — portable mft, track saws, routers, etc. I can use my track saws to break down sheet goods and to edge joint boards. I’ll probably built a large mft/router table once the shop is ready to have a second cutting station (my wife will also use the shop) and assembly table. So the question is Do I need a 79x48? I lean towards the larger stroke because it’s not that much more expensive than the 48x48 and will fit in my shop, albeit tightly. I would be interested in hearing your thought process. Also, I’m curious about how one goes about using the rip fence when the slider is slightly elevated from the table. I’ve seen at least one person lower the slider to be even with the table. The sales rep swears that the slight elevation of the slider does not impact squareness if the cut, which is counter-intuitive. I would be grateful for your views on this too.

Thanks,

Howard

Howard, I have a 48x31 Hammer K3. I do not cut sheet goods on it, working almost exclusively building furniture in hard woods. Like you, any ply would be cut down with a circular saw, if needed.

For my work, a 48x31 is perfect. Anyway it has to be as I lack space (half a double garage) for a longer slider. I do not need a wider outfeed. This saves on the footprint as well.

Old photo (seen by many here) …



Save more space by building a router table into the outfeed ..



When I first got the K3, I also obsessed about the 0.5mm extra height of the wagon. Gradually I learned to ignore it, especially finding that, in practice, it made no difference to squareness. Do the cut, then use your best square to find the light. I do not see it.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Howard Dean]

Thanks Derek. Since you also work mostly in hardwoods, I’d be interested to know which saw blades you purchased with the the saw, or after the saw from an after-market dealer. Also, I like the idea of building a router table onto the outfeed. What did you use for the build, if I may ask?