Another Hammer edited with pics.

[sl_1800]

Well I got tired of seeing how much everyone else loves their Hammer jointer/planer machines, my new A3-31should be here by the first of the year!!! Cain't wait to run the first board thru it!!!

EDIT:

It's finally here!!  My Hammer arrived today with only minor shipping damage.  The plastic dust collection shoot was busted so I had to improvise with the dust collection shoot from my lathe, that is until Hammer sends me a new piece.

 

[peter halle]

Congrats!  Enjoy the heck of it.

Happy Holidays!

Peter

 

[No Clue]

Well I got tired of seeing how much everyone else loves their Hammer jointer/planer machines, my new A3-31should be here by the first of the year!!! Cain't wait to run the first board thru it!!!

I think mine became my favorite tool in the shop. I hope you've got good dust collection because it will fill a bag in a hurry.

 

[Neill]

No Clue,

In the 10 commandments it says that you should not covet they neighbors wife.  How about his Felder / Hammer - any tool they make.  I guess the tools weren't around just then.  If they had been used to build the pyramids they would have had more dust collection issues to concern themselves with.

Neill

 

[leer]

No Clue,

In the 10 commandments it says that you should not covet they neighbors wife.  How about his Felder / Hammer - any tool they make.  I guess the tools weren't around just then.  If they had been used to build the pyramids they would have had more dust collection issues to concern themselves with.

Neill

I think coveting power tools is maybe #14?  Guilty as charged, I want a Hammer A3-31! (But I have way too many Festool items further up on the wish list.)  Maybe in 2015.

 

[No Clue]

No Clue,

In the 10 commandments it says that you should not covet they neighbors wife.  How about his Felder / Hammer - any tool they make.  I guess the tools weren't around just then.  If they had been used to build the pyramids they would have had more dust collection issues to concern themselves with.

Neill

I'm sure there has to be a youtube video of a pyramid tutorial using one of the hammer combo machines

 

[sl_1800]

No Clue I do have a Clear Vue Cyclone dust collector that I'm sure will handle this machine.  Last night I sold my old Powermatic 6" jointer so I'm making room for the Hammer!!!

 

[Kev]

Gotta ask ... A3 - 26, 31, 41 ... why do people choose the 31 predominantly?

 

[Slappy]

price  [wink]

I myself just ordered a MiniMax FS41 Classic  with the Tersa head .  gotta MM-20 BS coming as well . They gave me such a deal :0

 

[SittingElf]

Gotta ask ... A3 - 26, 31, 41 ... why do people choose the 31 predominantly?

Price point on the A3-31.  Most are happy with 12", but as we all know....size DOES matter!! [scared]

My A3-41 is ginourmous.  Don't know if I'll ever use the full 16", but there's always that day in the future when I have a sweet slice of wood that is between 12-16", and I'd hate to have "wished" I'd purchased the larger model.

I don't think Felder sells many A3-26'ers in the USA. Probably more in places like Europe where shops are significantly smaller. (Think Peter Parfitt).

Hope Slappy doesn't end up saying "shoulda, woulda, coulda!" [big grin]

Cheers,

Frank

 

[Kev]

Gotta ask ... A3 - 26, 31, 41 ... why do people choose the 31 predominantly?

Price point on the A3-31.  Most are happy with 12", but as we all know....size DOES matter!! [scared]

My A3-41 is ginourmous.  Don't know if I'll ever use the full 16", but there's always that day in the future when I have a sweet slice of wood that is between 12-16", and I'd hate to have "wished" I'd purchased the larger model.

I don't think Felder sells many A3-26'ers in the USA. Probably more in places like Europe where shops are significantly smaller. (Think Peter Parfitt).

Hope Slappy doesn't end up saying "shoulda, woulda, coulda!" [big grin]

Cheers,

Frank

In Oz the power of the 240V A3-41 is significantly down over the 3 phase 415V (3kW v's 4kW) ... the A3-31 has a 3kW unit in both 240V and 415V versions. I thought similar complications may have made the A3-31 more popular in the states. I think you'd probably want the extra oomph if using the full cutter width.

 

[sl_1800]

I almost went with the 26 but ultimately was afraid it wouldn't be big enough so I went with the 31 because they had a 31 on hand and the larger model was a long time coming and I didn't want to wait for it to arrive in 3 months.

 

[TomGadwa1]

Most people on this forum know that I purchased the A3 31 for the same reason that the gentlemen above stated. I thought I would be kicking myself if I got the 26 which only will handle a ten inch wide board and then found some slightly wider boards,, say about twelve inches. The extra money also gets some more horsepower on the motor as well. Coupled with the silent power cutter head I feel that I have selected a very capable machine. I did a review in the other reviews section here for further information and a quick demo of the use of the unit. A solid well built machine that produces accurate results!
[attachimg=#1]
A picture of my A3 31, pretty looking isn't  she!

 

[SittingElf]

Well.....As long as we're showing off our machines..... [tongue]

[attachimg=#1]

[attachimg=#2]

"Gloat gloat" [cool]

Hammer Time!! [big grin]

 

[Timtool]

Does anyone have any experience yet with the silent power spiral cutter on their jointer?
I ordered a Felder shaper and after a long think went for the spiral cutter, especially for the noise reduction and ability to switch the damaged cutters separately. I often damage my knives long before they are worn so i am left with these lines on my work that add up until i get them sharpened.

How easy is it really to maintain and how does it react when you pass allot of pine through it? Does it clog up with resin?

 

[junk731]

Does anyone have any experience yet with the silent power spiral cutter on their jointer?
I ordered a Felder shaper and after a long think went for the spiral cutter, especially for the noise reduction and ability to switch the damaged cutters separately. I often damage my knives long before they are worn so i am left with these lines on my work that add up until i get them sharpened.

How easy is it really to maintain and how does it react when you pass allot of pine through it? Does it clog up with resin?

Tim

I have very little experience with pine but I do have enough to know about the resin buildup problem. I do know that a good set of Felder knives produces a glass smooth surface on pine and needs very little sanding. Here is what I just posted of the other FOG. Again these are my opinions after owning an A3-31 and currently an AD741 both which the Felder quick change knives. I have had the opportunity to run with the silentpower head on a couple of occasions and still can't justify the added cost for the work I do and have done to make my living.

After having a chance to use both the silentpower cutter and owning the regular Felder 4 blade cutting head I have no desire to change in my current situation.. The silent power does help to eliminate some of chip out with certain figured woods and situations but isn't IMHO the miracle cutter the other users claim it to be. You still get random chip out in any wood. If you are jointing and don't push the piece through slowly you will end up with ripples. I have very little problem planing the woods I use constantly on a daily basis including figured maple with very little problem using the standard Felder head. Before buying do the research and read beyond to the reviews that tell it like it is. I also think that there is a bit of a problem in that most people have a hard time admitting they paid a large sum of money for something that works OK and not great. Yah it's the greatest thing is slice bread is a typical attitude. You can buy an awful lot of the M2 replacement blades for the cost of the Bryd Head or even the silent power upgrade. Now if you have a shop full of monkeys working 8hr shifts, doing your planing and your planing exotic figured hardwoods then that's a good case place for an insert cutter head. Also plan to have a pocket full of cash/time when it comes time to change or rotate the full set of cutters.

John

 

[Timtool]

Thanks john,

I am not the kind to count each second of work, i am in my workshop usually from 8 am to 8 pm but i take my time, probably not doing much more work than someone else working 9 to 5.
So i was aware that switching the cutters can probably take a few hours, with the Christmas deals the silent power was roughly the same price as a 2 knife standard cutter. With a necessary set of spare knives the price was the same. I currently have a 3 knife jointer that works well, so i didn't feel like spending 3x more to buy one with 2 knives or spending even more for 4 knives.
I tested the spiral cutter at the dealer and did notice it doesn't allow you to push the wood any faster than normal, or it leaves dimples where a normal cutter leaves waves.
my only drawback was the price of the cutters, currently i get mine sharpened twice a year, if it wears the same i should be doing 2 years with a set. But they do say the cutters wear less fast as they are hardened.

i used to work mainly with pine but now it is mainly hardwood. i do expect that after planing a few meters of resinous wood the screws will be clogged.

 

[sl_1800]

You guys are killing me with the pics of your machines!!  [drooling]  Mine should be here soon and I will post pics of mine then!!

 

[TomGadwa1]

You may have the big brother to my machine but I have added some "comfort accessories" to mine which make it even more of a pleasure to use. In my case I had a 30 amp 240 volt service which is more current capability that HAMMER suggests to supply to my unit. So I attached a 20 amp plug to the service cord that HAMMER furnished with the machine. This cord was short so I decided to make a service breaker unit that has the recommended 20 amp protection for my unit and also provides the matching receptacle for the plug coming from the short cord. The service cord going to the wall socket is 10-3 type and terminates in the proper NEMA plug for a 30 amp service. Essentially a heavy duty extension cord with a 20 amp breaker in line and adaption and compliance with the wishes of the HAMMER engineers!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=uizMIi87HVc
Another thing I did was to install a device to remind me to disengage the feed rollers when not in use. Idea being to lessen wear and tear on my HAMMER!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=iMVS2k_Jn-s
So even though I went with the smaller unit I am very pleased with it and think mine is pretty tricked out!!!

 

[sl_1800]

TomGadwa1

Your youtube reviews pushed me towards the Hammer, I had been giving serious thought to the Jet machine.