Hammer A3 31 owners experiences

[TomGadwa1]

I am looking into the HAMMER A3 31  combination machine for my shop. It seems to be a very well designed machine. How is the quality? Is there snipe in the jointing or planing operations? Does the stock feed through the planer without bogging down? If you have the digital handwheel for the planer height adjustment, how do you like its accuracy? Inquiring as this is a major investment that I would definitely want to be content with decision wise.

 

[Kev]

For what it's worth, the A3 31 will most likely be my choice one day! I'll be very interested to watch the responses here! 

 

[waynelang2001]

I own the C3 31 which basically has the A3 31 built in. I have pretty good results with mine but as the blades get older the sniping becomes worse. If you do go for it I would put in the extra cash and get felders new spiral cutter, that would give you the best possible finish. As for the machine bogging down, that will only happen with wides boards if you try to take off to much material, but again the spiral cutter would help in that regard.

 

[junk731]

I owned a Hammer A3-31 for 3 years before I upgraded to a Felder AD741. It was a great machine with no snipe. When I got my AD741, it was used and I had a little snipe. A couple of simple adjustments and no more snipe. The manual comes with the adjustments needed if you ever have a problem.

John

 

[ScotF]

I have owned one for 7-8 years now and it is a superb machine.  The new one is even better with the single table lift (mine I have to lift both in-feed and out-feed separately), the ability to add the silent power cutter head and the new fence design (more robust and not lateral flexing).  The only issue I have had with mine is the start capacitor is starting to go out -- not a huge deal to replace and not that expensive to do -- Hammer/Felder considers this a consumable.  But, I figure after that much use it is not that big of a deal.  The motor is the same as is used in all Felder machines -- comes from Siemens and it has plenty of power and is built for continuous use.  I get zero snipe, but I did have to play with the adjustments to get it dialed in to being perfect.  It was close to perfect when I got it, but had slight snipe.  The instructions are detailed in the manual and it is pretty easy to set, just tedious to get it perfect.  I the digital hand wheel is a must-have -- it is accurate to within .001 inches -- very nice to be able to set the depth for repeat planing when you need additional stock at a certain thickness.  I would recommend going with casters instead of the mobility kit Felder sells -- much easier to move the machine around on swiveling casters than the Johnson-bar set-up IMHO.  But, if the machine is stationary and not going to be moved, then their set-up would work.  I bought Zambus casters for mine and installed them when I was taking it off the crate -- you have to drill two holes on the back of the machine to insert the post and widen two holes already in place on the front of the machine, but this was easy to do and the Zambus makes for a very easy setup for rolling to stationary with the turn of a dial.  I think that Woodcraft also carries a brand that is lesser cost, but same concept.  It did add a couple of inches to the height, but for me that was nice since I am taller and do not want to have to stoop over the machine when face jointing stock.  I have been toying with adding the aluminum extensions to the machine but have never done so.  The jointing length is fine for everything I have needed and I have joined 8/4 beames that have been 8-9 feet without issue -- a couple of Rigid flips stands is all you need.  On the planer the extensions would be nice as you can bolt them to the out feed and they would raise and lower with the table.  this would help with longer stock, but again, the standard set-up has worked fine for me and that is probably why I still have yet to buy the extensions.  All in all it is a great machine and there is very little difference between it and the 500 series machines.  If I were to ever upgrade, the 700 would be nice for the wider capacity and I would get the power lift function. 

Hope this helps.

Scot

 

[stvrowe]

I have the big brother AD-741 and will echo others that Felder makes great quality machines.  I have no snipe on the Felder.  If you keep your planer bed waxed and take reasonable cuts, you will not bog it down.  Felder also has a bed lubricant called Super Gleit which works very well.