If anyone is looking for a dust port adapter, Rockler sells two adapters that will fit the 120mm port. One is made for hoses ("Dust Right Schedule 40 PVC Adapter, 4'' PVC to 4'' Hose" - #56472) and the other is made for fittings ("Dust Right Schedule 40 PVC Adapter, 4'' PVC to 4'' Fitting" - #52680). If you are using the Dust Right handle, you'll need to add the "Dust Right 4'' Tool Ports" (#25516) as neither adapter will fit (though you could add tape to shim it).
Bora's 3550 Portamate will accommodate the machine, and swivels in every direction. It's less expensive than Felder/Hammer's mobility gadget as well. I can move my machine literally with one finger once it's unlocked. It's rated for 1500 lbs.
Totally agree with you Jay I have the C3-31 Combination which is a Table Saw, Spindle Moulder, Thicknesser and Jointer with 12000mm Sliding Table. I love it. Cheers from Western Australia.
After spending $6,700 on a machine like this, I would consider the planing thickness dial indicator to be an 'essential' piece of equipment to get the most out of the machine, and the extra $150 a small price to pay, to obtain that kind of repeatable accuracy. Pretty much a no brainer. Thanks for all your great tool reviews etc, it's really nice to hear in depth opinions from a trusted source like you.
I have a A3-31 about 6 months,,,,, I really appreciate the quality job. I purchased a narrow width floor jack 17" to move all of my hammer machines. Thanks Jay for coming to the dark side.
I have an A3-31 and agree with all You said. As a weekend hobby wood worker with limited space the time to switch modes is insignificant. The mobile base is a must for me, as I have to pull the machine out to use it, and works excellently (as with my Hammer band saw). The planer thickness dial works very well, with an accuracy of 1/10 mm (4 thous), probably better if I adjusted it. The optional table to use as planer outfeed is OK, and also fits the band saw; it is, however, a bit fiddly to attach/remove to/from the planer, but works well on the band saw. Also, the machine needed no adjustment at all when it arrived, I could really just plug it in and start working!
Do what I did if you have the version with no guage. Take a cordless drill, put in the biggest torx bit you can find. Heat it up with a blowtorch and press carefully into the middle of the setting wheel. Use the drill to quickly lower or extend the table. Makes a job that takes several minutes last 15 seconds.
Funny, I was looking at this exact machine a few months ago just to use as a 16" jointer and a 'spare' planer. I have the space for single use machines but, as you stated, it's cheaper than anything else available new at 16". The fence flex at the far end is a non-issue as there's never a point load on the fence, but rather a load across a large surface area when in contact with the cutter. I've used Feldor and Hammer machines in the past and found them to be extremely high quality. Really like the Tool Talk series. Keep it up and thanks.
Jay, as several other comments noted, one of tthe biggest advantages of this combo to a home woodworker with limited space is the elimination of one big tool in the wood shop. I have space and have a pair of Grizzly tools for wood prep: a 12” joiner that I converted at serious expense from straight blades to spiral carbide and a 20” planer that was designed as a spiral carbide cutting head. I can’t agree more, these are a game changing breakthrough in tools. I do think I’d prefer the Hammer combo as it was be almost the same price in total but be a larger joiner but smaller planer. I think I’d try and make the base a 3 point of contact arrangement for easier leveling when you need to move it. Thanks for the good review. Very informative.
Great review and unbiased which is refreshing in the age of sponsored youtube videos from the "amateurs" out there. And of course yet another machine to wish for in my dream workshop.
Regarding dust collection, I’d suggest using the 120mm quick connector and a short section of 120mm flex pipe sold by Felder. The flex is then connected to your 6” PVC via a custom galvanized transition. This will dramatically increase airflow and pick up nearly every bit of dust. I realize everyone’s shop has limitations, but this is the ideal setup, and I don’t want people to think the Hammer dust collection is subpar when it more a function of the long 4” flex you have connected. Overall a great video! Keep up the hard work.
Looks like an enviable piece of equipment, for a small to medium wood shop. Glad for you! The ability to joint as wide as you can plane surely outweighs the switchover issue.
The A3-31 (12") is more budget friendly. Some people in Europe have given up on table saws, they use a bandsaw and one of these machines for dimensioning and a track saw for panel cutting. Therefore if you only get a bandsaw and a machine like this it is more budget friendly and space efficient.
Hi Jay, this machine is quite popular here in Germany where I live (I‘m English). That cutting head is innovation at it‘s best. I have neither the cash or space for such machine in my hobby shop, nevertheless, an enviable piece of equipment to have. First US shop I‘ve seen with a Hammer machine. Great review 👍👍👍
I don’t think I’ll ever buy this machine but I would certainly like to. The thickness/dial indicator is just about the coolest accessory I’ve seen this year. Who cares how much it costs? (Easy for me to say because I didn’t pay for it.) Can you imagine spending $6000 and skipping one of the coolest features? Great video.
Awesome! Thanks for throwing in the Corvette and Malibu comparison. Now I can think about this purchase in terms of bass boats, sports cars, nice bicycles, etc. Not such an overwhelming purchase after all.
Great review Jay, have had one on the big list for a loooong time. Wish they were that price in Australia..... still stuck with my old 6” jointer.... but cheers glad it works.
What a cool machine, thanks for the walk through. Seems like the bed adjustment is a great opportunity for Hammer to make a change. Have a high speed and low speed gear (pull the handle or something to engage). Big moves use the high speed, small moves use the low speed. You could cut the big change time in half (or more). But, like you said, it didn't appear to take all that much time.
This style of protection is better when working with thiner/less stable materials. For example if you are working with a board that might crack and split during planing. Imagine what happens, you have your hand on the material and during the planing one of the parts fly back and expose your hand into the rotating blades. In this case your hand is never above the cutter directly.
Operating properly, your hand is NEVER DIRECTLY OVER THE CUTTERHEAD! Also, never within 8" of any cutterhead or blade -- exception for handheld tools like an unmounted router in a base or power planer.
@@TSPhotoAtlanta But then again you have a lot of people doing exactly that. Just look through youtube videos of people using planers. EU regulations are there to reduce the number of accidents from misuse of equipment. Accidents don't happen if you use the equipment properly.
Hi Jay, I have the A3-41A jointer only version and love it. Felder sells a 120mm to 100mm (4") quick connection reducer that works really well. SKU is 02.2.02, I paid $15.50 for it when I bought my machine last year.
Great review. Thanks Jay. I know they use combo machines a lot in Europe but I have not seen many around me. This may be a solid solution for my small shop.
I bought the 12 inch version of the Hammer. My number one complaint is that it was impossible to square the fence to the bed. After endless calls and emails to the sales and tech service departments, Hammer just kind of gave up. I was just left to my own devices to figure out what the problem was. I finally just shimmed the fence with brass sheet stock that I had purchased from Lee Valley 15 years ago. Otherwise the machine works very well and I'm very pleased with it. I use a rubber plumbing boot 5 to 4 inch with band clamps for the 4 inch Clear Vue dust collector hose. Works fantastic in planner or jointer mode.
This is a great machine for a small shop. I agree for a high volume production shop, it is not as convenient as dedicated units. The price seems high, but at the same capacity, it is cheaper than dedicated units. I with one day I can afford this in my shop.
I've had the same machine for just over a year. I bought an extra guard for the jointer so that I could cut it into 2 pieces. That way I can have 3 different sizes 6", 10", and 16" depending on where the fence is set. Believe it or not they actually sell them for a very fair price.
I can see that a helical head carbide insert would slightly overlap the cut of the one that follows it whereas on a spiral head, one insert stops cutting exactly where the next one starts.
Well if I were going to get into it, I'd definitely trash all of my current stuff and start with this machine with the same bells and whistles because NONE of the others impressed me. One thing - "NO SNIPE" is one claim NONE of the others can make. Thanks Jay.
I have the Hammer C3-31 combination machine. I find the stoutness of the machine to be far better than what I have seen with sawstop, jet, etc. The European sliding table saw is amazing to work with and much safer. Felder has some nice safety jig options, especially for the shaper. The 5 in 1 combo is great for the hobbyist that doesn't mind taking extra time to switch the machine around, if you have a busy schedule the changing from shaper to table saw could become a pain in the rear. Anyway, I got my set up for around 14500.00 with the mortise tendon and a power feeder option. The main reason I went with a Felder product is I trust the quality from that region of the world, and I really liked the sliding table saw for my sons to work with. The thought of my knuckle head sons sitting behind a table saw and it kicking back, or them taking their hand so close to the blade gave me nightmares. The slider is nice with the clamps, you don’t even need to touch the wood on a lot of cuts, you just push the table trough.
I have an INCA 510. My dad has an INCA 570. I do like a combo machine for the space. Wish I had a helical head. I have a project that really needs it right now!
Great review! Thanks for taking the time. I have wanted to know about the tools you use and why. It is always good to tell the story of why you bought it and how you use it. That way I can better judge for myself if this is right for me. Well done.
Man that thing is sweet , all I have is a #5 hand plane 👍🏻... And a porter cable 6” table top jointer. lol for my dirty wood,so I don’t wreck my irons rough milling. I would love to have something that could joint 16” in one pass... mmmmm porkchops 🤤
i find these combo's interesting. I have been kicking around the idea of getting a Rikon 12 for my shop. I have a 6" jointer and 12" planer and need to upgrade the jointer atleast. I also would prefer a planer with a helix cutter. Thanks for the video!!
Same, except haven't looked at many yet. And not at Rikon. Are they an importer of relabeled Chinese or Taiwanese machines? (like Jet, for instance, though Jet has tried to go upscale....)
Ordered mine yesterday, they are on sale right now. Although they said 4 to 8 weeks for delivery on the website, I got a call today and they said it would probably be 3 to 4 months before I actually get it.
I just got a A3-31 and I skipped the Hammer mobile base. I got a Portamate 3500 and it's awesome. It's obviously not the same shape as the base of the machine, but all four corners of the machine are supported.
I guess counted 58-60 revolutions of the handle. No biggie. 1 minute changeover is totally fine. I love this machine and have been wanting one for a couple years. I have a portable “desktop” fan on a bendy arm on my planer to blow chips off as you feed. I hate having no good place for both planer (DW735) and jointer (DJ20) I wanna stack planer over the jointer. Having Infeed and outfeed of both are a pain.
Alex Works, I am a hobbyist. To thicken by hand is slow going to have to spend only a minute turning a handle to change over makes me gleefully excited.
hammer is the most advertised planer thickneser in EU (diy yt). if you're lucky you will get good quality machine if not prepare for calibration once a month. look for minimax instead - better machine.
I agree, I also have the same one, as I told you when you were in Atlanta recently. I am quite happy with the choice. I will add that in my case the time saved using this machine vs other methods like the inexpensive router sleds. I have the mortising attachment, but only Because they sent it to me in error and I didn't have the heart to return it, I find the Penthorouter much better. If anything is true is that the spiral is definitely the best way.
I just purchased this machine and from all the research I made, it looks great and the accessories on the website seem pretty awesome. I haven't received it yet but I am looking into the mortising attachment. Have you used it at all? It seems like it would be in the way when jointing. Or is it made to attach and remove when needed? Thanks!
@@andresfelipemoscosohernand2371 yes I do have the mortising attachment, but I remove it from the machine and honestly the fact that it uses left cutting bits it's hard to find a Find at a good price. I prefer the Penthorouter
@@paisaconstructiondavid1964 oh ok. That makes sense. Even though you don't use it. From what you can see, do you think it would be in the way when jointing? Also, I watched your videos. Sweet tools!! Lol
@@andresfelipemoscosohernand2371 Yes it is definitely in the way. It is not too heavy or difficult to remove. The biggest limitation to this tool is the depth even the biggest bit is limited to about 3.5in. And I have not found one that is longer or bigger
its unfortunate that Felder doesn't offer the folding guard (Euro "comfort" guard) for the hammer machines. Being able to fold down the section that is hanging over the side is awesome so you don't walk into it. And while pricey, the power drive option makes change over from planer to jointer mode a complete non-issue. turn the dial and a motor moves the table up and down with a digital read out for planing thickness. As far as dust collection goes, the shroud is pretty similar between the machines. I ran a 5 inch line and it takes up everything, and thats with a 2.5 HP cyclone, even running at the higher feed roller speed (12m/min vs 6 m/min). you might consider running 5 inch line, would think that with your larger collector you should have no problem getting every bit of dust with that.
Thanks for the great review Jay. I just purchased the A3-31 and look forward to the extra capacity and also the compact form which will take the place of 2 separate machines. As you pointed out the cost of 2 machines would be significantly more than this one unit.
Now that you’ve had it for a while now, how about it? I’m considering selling my PM 8” jointer and Dewalt for this unit. A few things that worry me. Having to crank the bed up and down 6”, having to lock the bed when planing every time you change height while making multiple passes, and loosing some bed length form my PM jointer. Please let me know how you feel about these?
For height adjustment perhaps a attach a small motor with gears (like first solution did, but with motor instead of drill) and have a simple up/down button to control height?
Great video. You answered my concerns. I like the 16" bed. I could sell my 6" jointer and DeWalt 735. Now to find the space in my shop and to add 240v power
Thanks once again for the demonstration and the firsthand information on another of your woodworking machines. Personally, I like the idea of having the planner/joiner combo as a floor space saving shop machine. However, on this particular combo, I do not like the safety guard at all, the extra length of the cutting shield sticking out from the bed of the joiner is simply something that is in the way of the miller's forward movement as he walks with the piece he is milling. Secondly, it appears that with the safety shield locked in place and the shield being raised above the milling piece, the shield actually leaves the cutting blades exposed to the hands of the miller once the milled board has been passed across the cutting blades. (IMO : not a good safety design) I will stick with the American style spring loaded swing cover which always shields the hands of the miller from contact with the turning blades of the joiner. Albeit, for a woodworker with a limited budget, there is little doubt that the combo price tag comparison is quite an incentive to overlook the design of the blade shield and/or the aluminum backstop.
Looks great. Just happy I recently got my 8” Grizzly with helical head. Was wondering what you might joint 16” wide. Then I see your 15” cutting board getting jointed. Looks like you could lay down on that thing! Amazing work always.
the other big advantage of spiral heads is you dont get tearout on figured woods, doesnt matter which way the grain is going, the finish is superb, ive heard bad reviews on the dewalt 735 knives , over the life of the machine, id say with constantly replacing knives versus a higher cost on spiral heads the cost difference is negligible, and snipe is much reduced.
The advantage of that blade guard for me: Your finger are always protected frm the blade, while you move your hands over. If something happens (like a piece of metall in the wood) and you get a kind of kickback, then you aleays have the guard over the blade. So you cannot grab into the blade at all.
I'm from the UK and cant get my head around the US style pork chop guards. I suppose it's what you're used to as I've only ever used the Euro style machines. On the fence, the reason pretty much all Euro style machines have aliminium fences is the weight, if you had a large cast fence lifting the tables to convert to planer mode would be really difficult due to the sheer weight. I like that that machine has a parallel table lift when they both just hinge at 90 degrees (I have a 10" JET and its the same basic design), on some of the Euro machines the tables lift out at a 45 degree angle which means you need a tom of space behind them. Ive playing with the idea of upgrading my 10" JET to a helical cutter but I'm looking at 900 USD to get a Shelix and ship it to the UK, I reckon the machine is only worth 700 so kind of an odd value deal, I'd love to sell it and buy the 12" helical Hammer.
It seems the felder/hammer cutter head is significantly larger in diameter than most other jointers/planers of this size. Do you think that makes a difference?
I think when people ask YOU whether the Felder is worth it, what they mean is did you find it worth it for you after having spent the money and used the tool.
I have the A3-31 and my only regret is not getting the 16" Felder model. I would describe Felder's brands (Format, Felder, and Hammer) as comparable to Lincoln, Mercury, and Ford respectively. (Although I'm sure the Format is much closer to the top of the food chain in woodworking than Lincoln is in automobiles). They are all made in Austria. Any similar machines made in Asia are simply knockoffs. As for the aluminum fence, I prefer it to the slightly twisted cast iron fence my Grizzly jointer had. One thing about aluminum extrusions of this size is they are generally straight and flat. There's no way I will ever buy another jointer or planer without a spiral cutterhead. There is no "set up" to them and the noise reduction is amazing. You don't even need hearing protection (the dust collector is louder than the A3 31) when jointing, and planing is only slightly louder, especially with thinner stock. As Jay pointed out the space and cost savings is significant over separate machines and I think the value of the Hammer is very good compared to similar combination machines. When you consider the spiral cutterhead and what it costs for two of those it's even better. The changeover really is fast and if you plan your workflow you won't be doing it that much. If you're a "fit on assemble" type then it could be a pain going back and forth, but that's no fault of the machine. Felder sells a 120 mm to 100 mm dust adapter for about $15 and you can hook a standard 4" hose right up to the 100 mm side and use it as a quick connect. I haven't found a need for infeed or outfeed on the the jointer or planer and I was regularly doing 8' stock building doors last year. I do use outfeed rollers set a little lower than the tables just to prop the work on and catch it as it exits. I had a capacitor burn out on me in the first year, but they are relatively cheap and easy to replace. I found one local to get me through the week's production and ordered 4 more from Felder (there are two in the machine) to replace the originals and have a set for backup. I never even got around to replacing the remaining original and the locally sourced one and haven't had any more trouble. I prefer the European style jointer guard over the North American pork chop style. It might take some getting used to, but once you do I find it easier to deal with. Jay, find the sweet spot in your shop for the machine, adjust the feet to that location and mark the floor (I used a sharpie and marked the two corners on the operator side) so you can return it to the same place every time. I do this with most of my portable stuff and it helps with muscle memory as accessories hanging on the wall, etc. are always in the same place relative to the machine.
Some good info in your comment. Thanks. I do the same with marking the floors but instead of a sharpie I use black spray paint to strike quick, thin lines. Such a handy way to repeatedly put a machine where it needs to be.
Thanks Jay. I have been woodworking with hand-tools and am looking to have minimal machines in the shop. Three things I want are a bandsaw, jointer, planer and dust collection. Dust collection will be ClearVue. Bandsaw will be 18" but now sure of brand yet. I have been leaning towards the Hammer 16" model you have for a jointer planer combo. I'm ok with the price. You did mention measuring the fines. Could you elaborate a little on this? I have already used a Dylos to measure fines when working with various hand tools to understand how much dust exposure I have.
20 to 30 years from now large jointers will be like dinosaurs. Except in production environments. As the demand grows and the design improves the price of these combo machines will go down. Soon they’ll the standard for large milling machines.
Yes and no. Someone will always be making large stand-alone equipment for industry - Felder makes non-combo jointers and planers as well as these combos. Old large machines are still fairly easy to find, but that's going to dry out a little as today's industrial machines aren't built quite like the cast-iron tanks of old. The design of these combo machines has improved leaps ahead of where they were just a few decades ago, making them much more usable in a hobbyist or small production shop, but I'd bet people will still be buying separate machines because of price or having more space.
There are some very nice things about this no snipe is a plus. Capacity head looks good. The 6.5 inch thing is a killer. Can you see a reason why this has to be done Ie is it the dust chute system?
might have been nice to have felder stand alone machines, or other comparable combo machines in your price comparison, but I'm sure anyone spending this much is smart enough to compare the prices themselves, nice vid cheers
Got the A3-41 with the spiral head as well and are a bit shocked on the price you had to pay but maybe it included sales tax? As of my experience, I think they could have put a bit of an angle for the dust shroud connection making the planer bed a bit more accessible when planing shorter stock. I'd also recommend you putting a 5"/125 mm hose on that, I started with 100 mm and it is simply not enough where 125 mm does the trick a bit better. Great review, enjoy your machine!
@@gerardosmi2933 I ordered a bigger package with table extensions, wheels, etc. The planer itself cost about 4000 euro before a campaign discount of 1000 euro, that's 3000 euro + vat (which I don't pay).
Hey Jay, on the Hammer web site they use a pallet jack to remove the machine from the pallet. Another tube vid a guy said after many hours of setup issues Hammer sent a service tech to do the setup. Please note this guy is new NY and the Hammer tech was not far away. Please tell us how you got it off the pallet, got under it to bolt on the tung for the Moble base and what setup was required (level tables etc.).
If anyone is looking for a dust port adapter, Rockler sells two adapters that will fit the 120mm port. One is made for hoses ("Dust Right Schedule 40 PVC Adapter, 4'' PVC to 4'' Hose" - #56472) and the other is made for fittings ("Dust Right Schedule 40 PVC Adapter, 4'' PVC to 4'' Fitting" - #52680). If you are using the Dust Right handle, you'll need to add the "Dust Right 4'' Tool Ports" (#25516) as neither adapter will fit (though you could add tape to shim it).
Bora's 3550 Portamate will accommodate the machine, and swivels in every direction. It's less expensive than Felder/Hammer's mobility gadget as well. I can move my machine literally with one finger once it's unlocked. It's rated for 1500 lbs.
Setting mine up right now! Came back to watch your little tips and tricks. I remembered you had some money ones that I couldn't remember.
Totally agree with you Jay I have the C3-31 Combination which is a Table Saw, Spindle Moulder, Thicknesser and Jointer with 12000mm Sliding Table. I love it. Cheers from Western Australia.
After spending $6,700 on a machine like this, I would consider the planing thickness dial indicator to be an 'essential' piece of equipment to get the most out of the machine, and the extra $150 a small price to pay, to obtain that kind of repeatable accuracy. Pretty much a no brainer. Thanks for all your great tool reviews etc, it's really nice to hear in depth opinions from a trusted source like you.
I have a A3-31 about 6 months,,,,, I really appreciate the quality job. I purchased a narrow width floor jack 17" to move all of my hammer machines. Thanks Jay for coming to the dark side.
Can you give more detail on your fix to move the machine around?
Excellent review. I learned a lot. I wish I could justify spending that much on my hobby because it looks really nice to have.
I have an A3-31 and agree with all You said. As a weekend hobby wood worker with limited space the time to switch modes is insignificant. The mobile base is a must for me, as I have to pull the machine out to use it, and works excellently (as with my Hammer band saw). The planer thickness dial works very well, with an accuracy of 1/10 mm (4 thous), probably better if I adjusted it. The optional table to use as planer outfeed is OK, and also fits the band saw; it is, however, a bit fiddly to attach/remove to/from the planer, but works well on the band saw.
Also, the machine needed no adjustment at all when it arrived, I could really just plug it in and start working!
Do what I did if you have the version with no guage. Take a cordless drill, put in the biggest torx bit you can find. Heat it up with a blowtorch and press carefully into the middle of the setting wheel. Use the drill to quickly lower or extend the table. Makes a job that takes several minutes last 15 seconds.
I like how detailed you got in this video Jay. Thanks!
Funny, I was looking at this exact machine a few months ago just to use as a 16" jointer and a 'spare' planer. I have the space for single use machines but, as you stated, it's cheaper than anything else available new at 16". The fence flex at the far end is a non-issue as there's never a point load on the fence, but rather a load across a large surface area when in contact with the cutter. I've used Feldor and Hammer machines in the past and found them to be extremely high quality. Really like the Tool Talk series. Keep it up and thanks.
Jay, as several other comments noted, one of tthe biggest advantages of this combo to a home woodworker with limited space is the elimination of one big tool in the wood shop. I have space and have a pair of Grizzly tools for wood prep: a 12” joiner that I converted at serious expense from straight blades to spiral carbide and a 20” planer that was designed as a spiral carbide cutting head. I can’t agree more, these are a game changing breakthrough in tools. I do think I’d prefer the Hammer combo as it was be almost the same price in total but be a larger joiner but smaller planer. I think I’d try and make the base a 3 point of contact arrangement for easier leveling when you need to move it.
Thanks for the good review. Very informative.
Nice. I've always wondered about these combination machines.
I've been looking at this machine. Thanks for the tour of it.
Great review and unbiased which is refreshing in the age of sponsored youtube videos from the "amateurs" out there. And of course yet another machine to wish for in my dream workshop.
Regarding dust collection, I’d suggest using the 120mm quick connector and a short section of 120mm flex pipe sold by Felder. The flex is then connected to your 6” PVC via a custom galvanized transition. This will dramatically increase airflow and pick up nearly every bit of dust. I realize everyone’s shop has limitations, but this is the ideal setup, and I don’t want people to think the Hammer dust collection is subpar when it more a function of the long 4” flex you have connected. Overall a great video! Keep up the hard work.
Looks like an enviable piece of equipment, for a small to medium wood shop. Glad for you! The ability to joint as wide as you can plane surely outweighs the switchover issue.
It looks like a beast of a machine. It is way beyond my needs and my budget.
The A3-31 (12") is more budget friendly. Some people in Europe have given up on table saws, they use a bandsaw and one of these machines for dimensioning and a track saw for panel cutting. Therefore if you only get a bandsaw and a machine like this it is more budget friendly and space efficient.
WhiteVanMan, the A3-31 is closer but it is still beyond me.
Hi Jay, this machine is quite popular here in Germany where I live (I‘m English). That cutting head is innovation at it‘s best. I have neither the cash or space for such machine in my hobby shop, nevertheless, an enviable piece of equipment to have. First US shop I‘ve seen with a Hammer machine. Great review 👍👍👍
I don’t think I’ll ever buy this machine but I would certainly like to. The thickness/dial indicator is just about the coolest accessory I’ve seen this year. Who cares how much it costs? (Easy for me to say because I didn’t pay for it.) Can you imagine spending $6000 and skipping one of the coolest features? Great video.
Awesome! Thanks for throwing in the Corvette and Malibu comparison. Now I can think about this purchase in terms of bass boats, sports cars, nice bicycles, etc. Not such an overwhelming purchase after all.
Thanks for the info Jay! 😃 Enjoy your new machine! 👍🏻👊🏻
I got the slightly smaller version, A3-31. Ive been super happy with it. Decided on that over the Jet JJP-12HH.
I just ordered one today....glad to hear you have been happy with it!
thanks for the review jay. i’ve been curios bout that machine
Great review Jay, have had one on the big list for a loooong time. Wish they were that price in Australia..... still stuck with my old 6” jointer.... but cheers glad it works.
Best review I´ve seen so far and thak includes German (and Austrian) reviews as well.
What a cool machine, thanks for the walk through. Seems like the bed adjustment is a great opportunity for Hammer to make a change. Have a high speed and low speed gear (pull the handle or something to engage). Big moves use the high speed, small moves use the low speed. You could cut the big change time in half (or more). But, like you said, it didn't appear to take all that much time.
16” helical is awesome! Congratulations 🎈
This style of protection is better when working with thiner/less stable materials. For example if you are working with a board that might crack and split during planing. Imagine what happens, you have your hand on the material and during the planing one of the parts fly back and expose your hand into the rotating blades. In this case your hand is never above the cutter directly.
Operating properly, your hand is NEVER DIRECTLY OVER THE CUTTERHEAD! Also, never within 8" of any cutterhead or blade -- exception for handheld tools like an unmounted router in a base or power planer.
@@TSPhotoAtlanta But then again you have a lot of people doing exactly that. Just look through youtube videos of people using planers. EU regulations are there to reduce the number of accidents from misuse of equipment. Accidents don't happen if you use the equipment properly.
Hi Jay, I have the A3-41A jointer only version and love it. Felder sells a 120mm to 100mm (4") quick connection reducer that works really well. SKU is 02.2.02, I paid $15.50 for it when I bought my machine last year.
Great review. Thanks Jay.
I know they use combo machines a lot in Europe but I have not seen many around me.
This may be a solid solution for my small shop.
I just orderd this machine. I liked your video and will lookout to see you using it on some projects
Great video, Jay. Thanks for the thorough review.
Looks like its the way of the future multi tooling to save space. It looks great i was looking at one this weekend at a woodworking show
I bought the 12 inch version of the Hammer. My number one complaint is that it was impossible to square the fence to the bed. After endless calls and emails to the sales and tech service departments, Hammer just kind of gave up. I was just left to my own devices to figure out what the problem was. I finally just shimmed the fence with brass sheet stock that I had purchased from Lee Valley 15 years ago. Otherwise the machine works very well and I'm very pleased with it.
I use a rubber plumbing boot 5 to 4 inch with band clamps for the 4 inch Clear Vue dust collector hose. Works fantastic in planner or jointer mode.
Clarification: a rubber plumbing reducer 5 inch to 4 inch...
According to the operation manual it is 400kg (881 pounds) including packaging (shipping pallet) and 295kg for the machine itself (650 pounds)
Wery good review, i have just ordered my machine today.. Thangs...
This is a great machine for a small shop. I agree for a high volume production shop, it is not as convenient as dedicated units. The price seems high, but at the same capacity, it is cheaper than dedicated units. I with one day I can afford this in my shop.
I've had the same machine for just over a year. I bought an extra guard for the jointer so that I could cut it into 2 pieces. That way I can have 3 different sizes 6", 10", and 16" depending on where the fence is set. Believe it or not they actually sell them for a very fair price.
hi Jack, do you have the part number?
@@gerardosmi2933 I don't have the part number. I just called the hammer representative and told him what I wanted.
Lovely video mate! Was looking for the same one 😎😎
Thanks Jay nice review - I need to get back into my shop. Especially for medicinal reasons.
Jay, I like it and think it’s a wise investment for your needs
Great information! It looks like a very impressive machine.
Well thought out and presented
I have a Rikon Bandsaw with the same type of mobile base as this machine and I have the same issue with it. It’s super inconvenient to use.
Nice Video thanks very informative...
Awesome review thanks Jay
I can see that a helical head carbide insert would slightly overlap the cut of the one that follows it whereas on a spiral head, one insert stops cutting exactly where the next one starts.
Thanks for the great review! Another grat video !
Well if I were going to get into it, I'd definitely trash all of my current stuff and start with this machine with the same bells and whistles because NONE of the others impressed me. One thing - "NO SNIPE" is one claim NONE of the others can make. Thanks Jay.
Good video but close-up of cutter heads and some info about how they are changed and set-up would be helpful.
I have the Hammer C3-31 combination machine. I find the stoutness of the machine to be far better than what I have seen with sawstop, jet, etc. The European sliding table saw is amazing to work with and much safer. Felder has some nice safety jig options, especially for the shaper. The 5 in 1 combo is great for the hobbyist that doesn't mind taking extra time to switch the machine around, if you have a busy schedule the changing from shaper to table saw could become a pain in the rear. Anyway, I got my set up for around 14500.00 with the mortise tendon and a power feeder option. The main reason I went with a Felder product is I trust the quality from that region of the world, and I really liked the sliding table saw for my sons to work with. The thought of my knuckle head sons sitting behind a table saw and it kicking back, or them taking their hand so close to the blade gave me nightmares. The slider is nice with the clamps, you don’t even need to touch the wood on a lot of cuts, you just push the table trough.
"I don't have to move it often, but when I do, I wiggle it.... just a little bit"
I have an INCA 510. My dad has an INCA 570. I do like a combo machine for the space. Wish I had a helical head. I have a project that really needs it right now!
Great review! Thanks for taking the time. I have wanted to know about the tools you use and why.
It is always good to tell the story of why you bought it and how you use it. That way I can better judge for myself if this is right for me. Well done.
I have had mine for 2 years and absolutely love it. But in Canada it cost me $9000
Man that thing is sweet , all I have is a #5 hand plane 👍🏻... And a porter cable 6” table top jointer. lol for my dirty wood,so I don’t wreck my irons rough milling. I would love to have something that could joint 16” in one pass... mmmmm porkchops 🤤
Very thorough ... Thanks!
i find these combo's interesting. I have been kicking around the idea of getting a Rikon 12 for my shop. I have a 6" jointer and 12" planer and need to upgrade the jointer atleast. I also would prefer a planer with a helix cutter.
Thanks for the video!!
Same, except haven't looked at many yet. And not at Rikon. Are they an importer of relabeled Chinese or Taiwanese machines? (like Jet, for instance, though Jet has tried to go upscale....)
Ordered mine yesterday, they are on sale right now. Although they said 4 to 8 weeks for delivery on the website, I got a call today and they said it would probably be 3 to 4 months before I actually get it.
Did you ever receive it? I’m about to order
@@mikesibley9339 I just received it yesterday, 7 months and 1 day after I ordered it.
How much did you pay for yours with the sale price?
Very good tool review.
This looks amazing.
I just got a A3-31 and I skipped the Hammer mobile base. I got a Portamate 3500 and it's awesome. It's obviously not the same shape as the base of the machine, but all four corners of the machine are supported.
I love that machine! I like the duel purpose, and if you have a small shop like me it would be ideal!
Powermatic is the gold standard because a lot of its parts are made of solid gold, hence the exorbitant price. ;)
I guess counted 58-60 revolutions of the handle. No biggie. 1 minute changeover is totally fine. I love this machine and have been wanting one for a couple years. I have a portable “desktop” fan on a bendy arm on my planer to blow chips off as you feed.
I hate having no good place for both planer (DW735) and jointer (DJ20) I wanna stack planer over the jointer. Having Infeed and outfeed of both are a pain.
Alex Works, I am a hobbyist. To thicken by hand is slow going to have to spend only a minute turning a handle to change over makes me gleefully excited.
Damn I want this!
Jay, I miss your project videos, do you plan to release any video soon?
hammer is the most advertised planer thickneser in EU (diy yt). if you're lucky you will get good quality machine if not prepare for calibration once a month. look for minimax instead - better machine.
I agree, I also have the same one, as I told you when you were in Atlanta recently. I am quite happy with the choice. I will add that in my case the time saved using this machine vs other methods like the inexpensive router sleds. I have the mortising attachment, but only Because they sent it to me in error and I didn't have the heart to return it, I find the Penthorouter much better. If anything is true is that the spiral is definitely the best way.
I just purchased this machine and from all the research I made, it looks great and the accessories on the website seem pretty awesome. I haven't received it yet but I am looking into the mortising attachment. Have you used it at all? It seems like it would be in the way when jointing. Or is it made to attach and remove when needed?
Thanks!
@@andresfelipemoscosohernand2371 yes I do have the mortising attachment, but I remove it from the machine and honestly the fact that it uses left cutting bits it's hard to find a
Find at a good price. I prefer the Penthorouter
@@paisaconstructiondavid1964 oh ok. That makes sense. Even though you don't use it. From what you can see, do you think it would be in the way when jointing?
Also, I watched your videos. Sweet tools!! Lol
@@andresfelipemoscosohernand2371 Yes it is definitely in the way. It is not too heavy or difficult to remove. The biggest limitation to this tool is the depth even the biggest bit is limited to about 3.5in. And I have not found one that is longer or bigger
It looks like with the spiral cutting head it would pull the work piece tight against the fence too.
its unfortunate that Felder doesn't offer the folding guard (Euro "comfort" guard) for the hammer machines. Being able to fold down the section that is hanging over the side is awesome so you don't walk into it. And while pricey, the power drive option makes change over from planer to jointer mode a complete non-issue. turn the dial and a motor moves the table up and down with a digital read out for planing thickness.
As far as dust collection goes, the shroud is pretty similar between the machines. I ran a 5 inch line and it takes up everything, and thats with a 2.5 HP cyclone, even running at the higher feed roller speed (12m/min vs 6 m/min). you might consider running 5 inch line, would think that with your larger collector you should have no problem getting every bit of dust with that.
Thanks for the great review Jay. I just purchased the A3-31 and look forward to the extra capacity and also the compact form which will take the place of 2 separate machines. As you pointed out the cost of 2 machines would be significantly more than this one unit.
Now that you’ve had it for a while now, how about it? I’m considering selling my PM 8” jointer and Dewalt for this unit. A few things that worry me. Having to crank the bed up and down 6”, having to lock the bed when planing every time you change height while making multiple passes, and loosing some bed length form my PM jointer. Please let me know how you feel about these?
For height adjustment perhaps a attach a small motor with gears (like first solution did, but with motor instead of drill) and have a simple up/down button to control height?
Maybe for production shops not the best but definitely a personal shop it's perfect! Awesome price too
It's nearly 7 grand! We have very different opinions of an "awesome price".
Great video. You answered my concerns. I like the 16" bed. I could sell my 6" jointer and DeWalt 735. Now to find the space in my shop and to add 240v power
Thanks once again for the demonstration and the firsthand information on another of your woodworking machines. Personally, I like the idea of having the planner/joiner combo as a floor space saving shop machine. However, on this particular combo, I do not like the safety guard at all, the extra length of the cutting shield sticking out from the bed of the joiner is simply something that is in the way of the miller's forward movement as he walks with the piece he is milling. Secondly, it appears that with the safety shield locked in place and the shield being raised above the milling piece, the shield actually leaves the cutting blades exposed to the hands of the miller once the milled board has been passed across the cutting blades. (IMO : not a good safety design) I will stick with the American style spring loaded swing cover which always shields the hands of the miller from contact with the turning blades of the joiner. Albeit, for a woodworker with a limited budget, there is little doubt that the combo price tag comparison is quite an incentive to overlook the design of the blade shield and/or the aluminum backstop.
You need the comfort fence. This you can fold at 3 positions and it is not in your walking space.
Always wondered how it was actually using one of these.l If you have the power available it does look like it would be good for a smaller shop.
Looks great. Just happy I recently got my 8” Grizzly with helical head. Was wondering what you might joint 16” wide. Then I see your 15” cutting board getting jointed. Looks like you could lay down on that thing! Amazing work always.
Well done.
the other big advantage of spiral heads is you dont get tearout on figured woods, doesnt matter which way the grain is going, the finish is superb, ive heard bad reviews on the dewalt 735 knives , over the life of the machine, id say with constantly replacing knives versus a higher cost on spiral heads the cost difference is negligible, and snipe is much reduced.
Thanks, nice machine and reveiw
The advantage of that blade guard for me:
Your finger are always protected frm the blade, while you move your hands over. If something happens (like a piece of metall in the wood) and you get a kind of kickback, then you aleays have the guard over the blade. So you cannot grab into the blade at all.
looks like the really should have a half length one though as well, most of your jointing is not going to be that wide.
I'm from the UK and cant get my head around the US style pork chop guards. I suppose it's what you're used to as I've only ever used the Euro style machines. On the fence, the reason pretty much all Euro style machines have aliminium fences is the weight, if you had a large cast fence lifting the tables to convert to planer mode would be really difficult due to the sheer weight. I like that that machine has a parallel table lift when they both just hinge at 90 degrees (I have a 10" JET and its the same basic design), on some of the Euro machines the tables lift out at a 45 degree angle which means you need a tom of space behind them. Ive playing with the idea of upgrading my 10" JET to a helical cutter but I'm looking at 900 USD to get a Shelix and ship it to the UK, I reckon the machine is only worth 700 so kind of an odd value deal, I'd love to sell it and buy the 12" helical Hammer.
It seems the felder/hammer cutter head is significantly larger in diameter than most other jointers/planers of this size. Do you think that makes a difference?
I think when people ask YOU whether the Felder is worth it, what they mean is did you find it worth it for you after having spent the money and used the tool.
I’m drooling!
I have the A3-31 and my only regret is not getting the 16" Felder model. I would describe Felder's brands (Format, Felder, and Hammer) as comparable to Lincoln, Mercury, and Ford respectively. (Although I'm sure the Format is much closer to the top of the food chain in woodworking than Lincoln is in automobiles). They are all made in Austria. Any similar machines made in Asia are simply knockoffs. As for the aluminum fence, I prefer it to the slightly twisted cast iron fence my Grizzly jointer had. One thing about aluminum extrusions of this size is they are generally straight and flat. There's no way I will ever buy another jointer or planer without a spiral cutterhead. There is no "set up" to them and the noise reduction is amazing. You don't even need hearing protection (the dust collector is louder than the A3 31) when jointing, and planing is only slightly louder, especially with thinner stock. As Jay pointed out the space and cost savings is significant over separate machines and I think the value of the Hammer is very good compared to similar combination machines. When you consider the spiral cutterhead and what it costs for two of those it's even better. The changeover really is fast and if you plan your workflow you won't be doing it that much. If you're a "fit on assemble" type then it could be a pain going back and forth, but that's no fault of the machine. Felder sells a 120 mm to 100 mm dust adapter for about $15 and you can hook a standard 4" hose right up to the 100 mm side and use it as a quick connect. I haven't found a need for infeed or outfeed on the the jointer or planer and I was regularly doing 8' stock building doors last year. I do use outfeed rollers set a little lower than the tables just to prop the work on and catch it as it exits. I had a capacitor burn out on me in the first year, but they are relatively cheap and easy to replace. I found one local to get me through the week's production and ordered 4 more from Felder (there are two in the machine) to replace the originals and have a set for backup. I never even got around to replacing the remaining original and the locally sourced one and haven't had any more trouble. I prefer the European style jointer guard over the North American pork chop style. It might take some getting used to, but once you do I find it easier to deal with. Jay, find the sweet spot in your shop for the machine, adjust the feet to that location and mark the floor (I used a sharpie and marked the two corners on the operator side) so you can return it to the same place every time. I do this with most of my portable stuff and it helps with muscle memory as accessories hanging on the wall, etc. are always in the same place relative to the machine.
Some good info in your comment. Thanks. I do the same with marking the floors but instead of a sharpie I use black spray paint to strike quick, thin lines. Such a handy way to repeatedly put a machine where it needs to be.
Felder is the best! I had the CF741S.. best machine i ever had
@@mannyfilmsinc 5 machines in 1! But only 1 available at a time, so 4 people are left standing waiting their turn. Or maybe only for a one-man shop?
Wait a sec, published 2/23/2019, but I swear I watched this content already.
Thanks Jay. I have been woodworking with hand-tools and am looking to have minimal machines in the shop. Three things I want are a bandsaw, jointer, planer and dust collection. Dust collection will be ClearVue. Bandsaw will be 18" but now sure of brand yet. I have been leaning towards the Hammer 16" model you have for a jointer planer combo. I'm ok with the price. You did mention measuring the fines. Could you elaborate a little on this? I have already used a Dylos to measure fines when working with various hand tools to understand how much dust exposure I have.
20 to 30 years from now large jointers will be like dinosaurs. Except in production environments. As the demand grows and the design improves the price of these combo machines will go down. Soon they’ll the standard for large milling machines.
Yes and no. Someone will always be making large stand-alone equipment for industry - Felder makes non-combo jointers and planers as well as these combos. Old large machines are still fairly easy to find, but that's going to dry out a little as today's industrial machines aren't built quite like the cast-iron tanks of old. The design of these combo machines has improved leaps ahead of where they were just a few decades ago, making them much more usable in a hobbyist or small production shop, but I'd bet people will still be buying separate machines because of price or having more space.
There are some very nice things about this no snipe is a plus. Capacity head looks good. The 6.5 inch thing is a killer. Can you see a reason why this has to be done Ie is it the dust chute system?
I believe hammer doesn't have an option of a digital dial. Their higher end brand felder does come with a digital dial.
If someone wants to stiffen the fence then pour epoxy inside the channels.
might have been nice to have felder stand alone machines, or other comparable combo machines in your price comparison, but I'm sure anyone spending this much is smart enough to compare the prices themselves, nice vid cheers
If you want to get super fancy you could run that gear and chain to a tiny motor and arduino and have it go up and down automatically.
Got the A3-41 with the spiral head as well and are a bit shocked on the price you had to pay but maybe it included sales tax? As of my experience, I think they could have put a bit of an angle for the dust shroud connection making the planer bed a bit more accessible when planing shorter stock. I'd also recommend you putting a 5"/125 mm hose on that, I started with 100 mm and it is simply not enough where 125 mm does the trick a bit better.
Great review, enjoy your machine!
how much did you pay for yours?
@@gerardosmi2933 I ordered a bigger package with table extensions, wheels, etc. The planer itself cost about 4000 euro before a campaign discount of 1000 euro, that's 3000 euro + vat (which I don't pay).
@@eherlitz Thanks Eric, thats a good price.
Great space Saver
How many cutters is on that beast of a helical cutter block?
Hey Jay, on the Hammer web site they use a pallet jack to remove the machine from the pallet. Another tube vid a guy said after many hours of setup issues Hammer sent a service tech to do the setup. Please note this guy is new NY and the Hammer tech was not far away.
Please tell us how you got it off the pallet, got under it to bolt on the tung for the Moble base and what setup was required (level tables etc.).