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Thread: Debating Felder A3 vs upgrades to current equipment

  1. #1
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    Debating Felder A3 vs upgrades to current equipment

    Lots of money. Currently have a Dewalt DW735 planer and an older 6” Delta jointer. Upgrade options would be a Shelix head in the planer and an upgrade to an 8” spiral cutter jointer with a longer bed. Upgrades would run around $2500 and it might could get $200 for selling existing jointer. Fielder 12” is approximately 5400 plus shipping/tax so around $6.25k. Or $4500 more. Is it worth it for a higher end hobbyists? And if yes, do you feel the in/out fed tables on the felder are long enough?
    Tim in Hill Country of Texas

  2. #2
    Tim, Erik here

    I'll let other members answer the "is it worth it" part but regarding bed length, European machines have historically been designed with shorter tables, due to the small shops that are common over there. This being said, there are really nice dedicated extension tables for any of the Hammer machines that you can take on and off quite easily. For example, someone could easily add three feet to the infeed and to the outfeed sides of an A3 if they chose to. Then you just lift off the extensions and store then on a wall or whatever, once you're done. Hope this helps.
    Ex-SCM and Felder rep

  3. #3
    It wasn't worth it to me. I had a lunchbox planer and a 6" jointer to start. Then I kept upgrading. My shop size actually shrank. For the money, a Jet or Rikon J/P would probably be a nice upgrade from separates. You can get the planer for about $1,500 for a solid stand alone machine, but it takes up shop space. Getting an 8" jointer would be OK, but then you may want to keep upgrading. A 12" jointer is close to $3k or more. You loose money buying and selling most of the time. You add the $1.5 to the $3k and you get to one of the cheaper combo machines.

    I had a Jet 12" HH J/P. It was great, but I upgraded anyways to a A3-41 this year. Save your money, if you like woodworking that much. Saves space for me, too.

  4. #4
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    I had a Dewalt 735 planer and a Jet 6" HH jointer. I sold both within two days of listing them on Craigslist.

    I replaced them with a Hammer A3-31 12" J/P. Love this machine, it's quiet and cuts beautifully.

    I don't enjoy the swap over, hand cranking the planer bed wheel, but I'll take that slight irritation.

    Mine is on a Bora PortA-Mate base and rolls easily for when I need to position it to do long boards and need 8 to 10ft infeed and outfeed.

    It was a lot of money, but woodworking (making sawdust) is my main hobby now and compared to the amount of money I've spent on motorcycles, it was bargain.

  5. #5
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    Yes, to the J/P combo...great machines with flattening capacity that equals thicknessing capacity. Shorter tables are, frankly, a non-issue in my decade and a half experience owning one of them. In the rare situation that I have to process something really long, I just use auxiliary support like Erik mentioned. But I rarely need to do that because I break lumber down to oversize for components before milling it. It's easier to handle and you lose less thickness on a smaller workpiece if there's some waviness, cup or bow that needs to be dealt with. My machine is a different brand than you are considering, but I could be happy with the brand you are considering, too.
    Last edited by Jim Becker; 10-21-2021 at 9:00 AM.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  6. #6
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    I dont have a combo unit but have a Felder 20” planer that I bought new in mid 90’s. I’ve never used extension tables and often run 8-12’ 8/4 through it. Simply support the end as you feed it in then walk around and support it as it comes out.
    Steve Jenkins, McKinney, TX. 469 742-9694
    Always use the word "impossible" with extreme caution

  7. #7
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    A3-31 infeed/outfeed with the quick bolt on extension tables


  8. #8
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    I upgraded from a General 8” jointer and General planer 13 years ago to a Hammer A3-31, second best decision I ever made. (best was getting rid of my General shaper and cabinet saw for a custom built Hammer B3).

    The jointer tables are plenty long enough for most work, if you make REALLY large things, as Chris mentioned you can get table extensions, I’ve only used them once or twice for over 8’ parts.

    You won’t regret buying it…..Rod

  9. #9
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    I am also a serious hobbies but I also like to use quality machines. Like many others I have been on the upgrade cycle since I got the woodworking bug back in the mid-80's. Craftsman bench top jointer, Parks 12" planer and Jet 6" jointer, a Ryobi bench-top planer. I finally got a low cost Asian made 12" jointer/planer machine and loved the greater capacity.
    Then I got the Hammer A3-41 16" J/P machine when they came out with the Silent Power cutting head. Best machine purchasing decision I have ever made. Quieter, fine surface finish, smaller footprint. I plan to add the extension tables in the near future.
    I promise you will not regret adding one to your shop arsenal.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by ChrisA Edwards View Post
    I don't enjoy the swap over, hand cranking the planer bed wheel, but I'll take that slight irritation.
    Buy a cheap drill, make a round piece of plywood with a slot for the Hammer's handle and two fingers to fit around the disk. Fasten a bolt through the center for a shaft and you have a motorized way to crank.

    Cliff
    The problem with the world is that intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence.
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  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    Yes, to the J/P combo...great machines with flattening capacity that equals thicknessing capacity. Shorter tables are, frankly, a non-issue in my decade and a half experience owning one of them. In the rare situation that I have to process something really long, I just use auxiliary support like Erik mentioned. But I rarely need to do that because I break lumber down to oversize for components before milling it. It's easier to handle and you lose less thickness on a smaller workpiece if there's some waviness, cup or bow that needs to be dealt with. My machine is a different brand than you are considering, but I could be happy with the brand you are considering, too.
    Ditto to all Jim writes. I have had the Hammer A3-31 several years. Digital gauge and silent head.

    I build a lot of medium-sized furniture and the bed length has been perfect - never felt that it was short. Highly reliable and superior machining and finish.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cliff Polubinsky View Post
    Buy a cheap drill, make a round piece of plywood with a slot for the Hammer's handle and two fingers to fit around the disk. Fasten a bolt through the center for a shaft and you have a motorized way to crank.

    Cliff
    But how do you use the digital depth gauge, which I feel is one of the best features.

  13. #13
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    The shorter tables on combo machines are pretty annoying at times. Given the space, I would trade up to full sized separates.

    That said, all of this is rather meaningless without knowing what size work you would like to do.
    Bumbling forward into the unknown.

  14. #14
    ive jointed 14-16 foot material and never had extension tables. Support tables yes and they work fine, different thing. The work is done on the outfeed table and the support sitting out past the outfeed is only there to support the material not a continuation of either infeed or outfeed. The support is only there like if you had a human helping only it works better.

  15. #15
    Keep in mind: whatever you end up with in terms of width, you find a need for something wider. I went from a 6" jointer to an 8" jointer to a 16" jointer: I have found myself wondering if a 20" jointer would be nice? It is a slippery slope.

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