I am contemplating the purchase of a table saw. If it was going to be the old style cabinet saw I would most likely choose a Sawstop due to the quality of build and of course the safety feature. BUT!!! I really like the idea of a sliding table saw due to what I perceive as an inherently more accurate method of handling the workpiece not to mention the idea of NOT being in line with the saw blade in case of a kickback!! I already have a HAMMER A3 31 combo unit and it is a great machine. So K3 owners please let me know what you think about this saw!! How is the build quality? Is it as accurate as a regular cabinet saw or more so? Does the mobility kit work well? As this is a major investment for me I would be grateful to current owners for their input which could aid me in making a wise choice. Thanks in advance!!
Attention HAMMER K3 WINNER owners!!
- Thread starter TomGadwa1
- Start date
R
Rob Z
Guest
Tom,
I hope we hear good things because mine is already ordered and should be here within a month! My Unisaw sold quickly so I'm without a TS now......
I hope we hear good things because mine is already ordered and should be here within a month! My Unisaw sold quickly so I'm without a TS now......
I have a B3 Winner (K3 plus a shaper) and it is clearly the most accurate saw (compared to Unisaw and Powermatic) I have ever used. Does require a small change in the way you think about cuts but I have no regrets whatsoever. Although pricey I also bought pneumatic clamps for work holding which increases the safety factor even more.
Ed [smile]
Ed [smile]
Mauri Motti
Member
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2011
- Messages
- 355
I Have a Felder KF500, which is practically the same thing, but it has a spindle moulder unit too. The saw works to great satisfaction. I use it on three phase but don't know how that is in the US. It is powerful and the fence easy to align when necessary and my saw has micro adjustment to the fence which is a very nice feature. Make sure you have a good dust extraction setup though.
Kind regards,
Mauri Motti
Kind regards,
Mauri Motti
Kev
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- Nov 7, 2011
- Messages
- 7,698
I've been torn between the B3 Winner and Comfort for a while. (I like the idea of having the spindle moulder there as an option if I need it, but wouldn't often use it).
A guy was demonstrating the K3 Winner to me at a recent show and was doing crazy things to the sliding table ... the build quality and strength is amazing. It's amazingly smooth and seems like it would be amazingly accurate, but I didn't get the time to test accuracy.
To me a sliding table format just makes sense ... if you're going to chew up floor space, why just get a box with a blade in it? Obviously the traditional cabinet saw is cheaper (and cheaper to make).
I remember my father (a fitter, turner, machinist, mechanic, etc) made his own table saw in the 60's - it was actually pretty amazing. I think of it whenever I look at a typical cabinet saw today.
A guy was demonstrating the K3 Winner to me at a recent show and was doing crazy things to the sliding table ... the build quality and strength is amazing. It's amazingly smooth and seems like it would be amazingly accurate, but I didn't get the time to test accuracy.
To me a sliding table format just makes sense ... if you're going to chew up floor space, why just get a box with a blade in it? Obviously the traditional cabinet saw is cheaper (and cheaper to make).
I remember my father (a fitter, turner, machinist, mechanic, etc) made his own table saw in the 60's - it was actually pretty amazing. I think of it whenever I look at a typical cabinet saw today.
Hi Tom,
I have a K3 Winner and it is fantastic. The build quality is amazing, as is the accuracy. I also debated whether to get a Sawstop (and it has been widely debated in other posts). The sliding table was the deciding factor for me and it makes a huge difference and I think it does make it a lot safer. It certainly makes handling larger cuts easier. Ironically I have fractured my finger on the sliding table!
The mobility kit does work well, it is a big machine though so you will need space to move it around in. The cross cut fence extension is worth getting if you plan on cutting long pieces.
The only down side for me was the instructions which are appalling for such a large expensive saw. There are a couple of excellent videos on YouTube that go through setting up the saw that I wish I had found before I set mine up. There is also a very detailed set up manual that did not come with my saw but I got from a member of this forum so if you get the saw let me know and I can pass it on.
The saw was very expensive for me as I live in New Zealand but I have not regretted it at all. It has made my woodworking so much more enjoyable.
Good luck
Roland
I have a K3 Winner and it is fantastic. The build quality is amazing, as is the accuracy. I also debated whether to get a Sawstop (and it has been widely debated in other posts). The sliding table was the deciding factor for me and it makes a huge difference and I think it does make it a lot safer. It certainly makes handling larger cuts easier. Ironically I have fractured my finger on the sliding table!
The mobility kit does work well, it is a big machine though so you will need space to move it around in. The cross cut fence extension is worth getting if you plan on cutting long pieces.
The only down side for me was the instructions which are appalling for such a large expensive saw. There are a couple of excellent videos on YouTube that go through setting up the saw that I wish I had found before I set mine up. There is also a very detailed set up manual that did not come with my saw but I got from a member of this forum so if you get the saw let me know and I can pass it on.
The saw was very expensive for me as I live in New Zealand but I have not regretted it at all. It has made my woodworking so much more enjoyable.
Good luck
Roland
I also started with the hammer A3-31 and had no hesitation getting the largest K3 winner. The build quality is just as good and very accurate once dialed in. I just took delivery in December so I am still getting used to it. I also got most of the available options. The mobility kit works very well. I was sort of worried it would take up way too much space but I was able to arrange the shop so it is very functional and the mobility kit helps in case I need to move it.
R
Rob Z
Guest
Hello Roland
If the offer is good for others, I would appreciate a copy of the set up manual as well. I will send my email address to you via a PM.
Thank you,
Rob
If the offer is good for others, I would appreciate a copy of the set up manual as well. I will send my email address to you via a PM.
Thank you,
Rob
Tom,
I have had my K3 winner for 3 years now and I would agree with all the comments made so far. It is not as robust as the Felder brands but neither is the price! I have the 78" slider on mine.
It is plenty enough for a hobby woodworker and much better than my previous cabinet saw. It does take some adjusting to the style of cutting but once you get comfortable with that you will be very happy with it. I highly recommend it.
I'm in SoCal if you are anywhere near and would like to check it out.
I have had my K3 winner for 3 years now and I would agree with all the comments made so far. It is not as robust as the Felder brands but neither is the price! I have the 78" slider on mine.
It is plenty enough for a hobby woodworker and much better than my previous cabinet saw. It does take some adjusting to the style of cutting but once you get comfortable with that you will be very happy with it. I highly recommend it.
I'm in SoCal if you are anywhere near and would like to check it out.
Hi Tim,
In the spirit of learning from other people's stupidity....
I was ripping a very heavy piece of wood using my hand to hold the wood on the sliding table. I had my fingers curled under the end of the sliding table to clamp the wood down. I failed to remove my hand in time as the sliding table passed the saw and my finger got jammed into a small slot between the sliding table and the saw chassis. Acted like a big blunt chisel, didn't break the skin but caused a spectacular small fracture. In my defence my previous sliding saw was very different and I could do the same thing without injury.
Operation to fix it failed so I have a wonky finger and 2 metal screws....
Tried to contact hammer about it without any success. It would be very easy to fix as it just requires a slight modification to the end plate on the chassis under the sliding table. I have glued a piece of plastic over the gap to prevent a reoccurrence.
[attachimg=#]
Cheers
Roland
In the spirit of learning from other people's stupidity....
I was ripping a very heavy piece of wood using my hand to hold the wood on the sliding table. I had my fingers curled under the end of the sliding table to clamp the wood down. I failed to remove my hand in time as the sliding table passed the saw and my finger got jammed into a small slot between the sliding table and the saw chassis. Acted like a big blunt chisel, didn't break the skin but caused a spectacular small fracture. In my defence my previous sliding saw was very different and I could do the same thing without injury.
Operation to fix it failed so I have a wonky finger and 2 metal screws....
Tried to contact hammer about it without any success. It would be very easy to fix as it just requires a slight modification to the end plate on the chassis under the sliding table. I have glued a piece of plastic over the gap to prevent a reoccurrence.
[attachimg=#]
Cheers
Roland
Tim Raleigh said:
Attachments
John P Clark
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- Joined
- Sep 9, 2010
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- 6
I have had the K3 Winner for the last four years, and have built all types of projects, from furniture to cabinets. I used to do woodworking for a living and wanted as shop with industrial tools. In my opinion, you can not beat this saw for the price point and the service is great. I am so sold on the Hammer/ Felder tools, I just bought a F610 bandsaw to replace a 18" Jet. No comparison between quality and performance.
It will take you a little bit to get use to working with the saw compared to a cabinet saw, but the way you work it is very safe. Once you get use to the saw, you will be amazed with the number of task you use the saw for, and how accurate your cuts are.
It will take you a little bit to get use to working with the saw compared to a cabinet saw, but the way you work it is very safe. Once you get use to the saw, you will be amazed with the number of task you use the saw for, and how accurate your cuts are.
Timtool
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- Mar 13, 2011
- Messages
- 1,011
NZrol said:
That was indeed a terrible habit you had there, do you mean it got jammed on the blade side of the slider, or on the exterior side?
I suppose you were ripping a straight edge on a rough board, they have accessories for that. Even though i just press down on the wood with my hands, but always grab the slider on the left side.
I don't have a K3, but i have the F3 shaper and N4400 band saw, i always had the impression that hammer was the hobby range of felder. But when you see the quality of the Hammers you realize that it is perfectly suitable for small businesses. It is almost ridiculous for non professionals to have tools of that quality in their garage, but i suppose it is the same with festool. Some just want tools that are well designed.
R
Rob Z
Guest
Tim, I traveled to the Hammer/Felder office in Delaware before I made the final decision on the K3 Winner. When I saw the Felder units next to the Hammer units, I was impressed with the step up in quality from the Hammer to the Felder. I can see why there is a marked step up in the pricing.
But the Hammer K3 was impressive and I ordered it on the spot. If we did more shop work I wouldn't hesitate to pay the upgrade to the Felder. It's really nice equipment.
But the Hammer K3 was impressive and I ordered it on the spot. If we did more shop work I wouldn't hesitate to pay the upgrade to the Felder. It's really nice equipment.
Jalvis
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- Jan 24, 2012
- Messages
- 348
I'm a big advocate for sliding table saws. They are safe and far more accurate then one can imagine. My saw is a Felder 700 series and at the time I could only afford a new K3 Hammer so a waited for a used saw and got the 700 series in like new condition for less then the K3. My opinion would be to buy used but I know not everyone likes doing that.
Another option I would consider depending on your work size and shop space is the Mafell Erika. It has a Sliding Table(accessory) and pull-push function. It won't be any cheaper then a K3 but you will get something more compact and easy to move around.
http://service.mafell.de/index.php?IdTreeGroup=12970
Another option I would consider depending on your work size and shop space is the Mafell Erika. It has a Sliding Table(accessory) and pull-push function. It won't be any cheaper then a K3 but you will get something more compact and easy to move around.
http://service.mafell.de/index.php?IdTreeGroup=12970
Timtool
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- Mar 13, 2011
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- 1,011
Rob Z said:
That is also why i ordered a Felder slider and jointer planer of the brand new 700 series last year, will be getting them next week!
I wanted the 700 series but the vendor tried to talk me into the 900, or format4. Or else the Hammer. Saying the felder 500 and 700 are Hammers with more options.
But i could see some more or less subtle differences in the quality and solidity of key components which were often identical to those of the series above. And then i like the black looks of the new 700's, i find the blue 900's ugly and they may likely soon be updated... i think i will be painting my hammer's red parts in a similar black to avoid them swearing at each other!
Timtool said:
Hi Tim,
I was indeed ripping a straight edge, I had some of the accessories but not all, I have them all now!
I am travelling so I can not take any photos. My hand was in the middle of the end of the sliding table - the board came right up to the end of the sliding table. The sliding table runs in a mechanism next to the table which has a plate on the end under the sliding table, presumably to stop accidents like mine. Unfortunately it has an unnecessary slot in the top that means there is a small gap between the sliding table and the mechanism in one place which is what I rammed my finger into. So I jammed it in the middle, not the blade or exterior side....Not sure if this is any clearer?
Cheers
Roland
