Hammer panelsaws and combi machines, K3, B3 and C3 series

[@cyanide888]

Truly great to get that sort of overview! Full marks.

[@narcorex]

I just ordered today a B3comfort... an now as I have seen your video, I'm gonna change for the cast iron version of the fence ;-)

[@rickyblabla2796]

I bought a Felder k700 with the larger outrigger table (no choice on the machine I chose)I have a very small workshop and was concerned about space around the out rigger table. I was convinced I would be removing it at times but I never have. Sometimes I remove the arm, but I generally slide the whole table out of the way if it’s in my way. The best add on I bought was the remote start so you don’t have to crawl under and around sheets to turn the machine off and on. Anyone who can’t afford the felder scoring blade (dado type blade) go to Whitehill who do spindle moulder cutters and ask them to make them up for you, now they have done it for me they have the specification for the adjustments and it will save hundreds of pounds off the cost.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

That’s a great tip thanks. I still haven’t bought a new saw!! Waiting for a few things to come into line in terms of my business plan going forward. The longer I leave it the more great tips I get in this comments thread!

[@user-tm8tm6qf2c]

Thanks for the great overview!

[@fernandoabela8549]

Fantastic job! Thanks for sharing your personal experience with this product, which I am slowly liking better than the typical American table saw. The 2 in 1 or 3 in 1 option also intrigues me for saving floor space. Unfortunately, here in CA the Bay Area, we don’t have a dealer with all these options available for testing. Thanks again for the fine work you did in this video.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Fernando Abela it’s interesting these sliding saws still sound like they are a bit of a novelty in the US! Glad the video helped. I held out for ages and only very recently finally bought a sliding panelsaw - a wadkin CP32.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

This one if you’re interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4TToqV_bKund7c

[@drewbyscoobywho]

Hi Alastair, great video. As you say at the end, I wish I could've found videos like this when I was buying my machines. Like Felixstowe carpentry said, the problem with combination machines is that you lose a lot of efficiency in having to change over. It's not just the time physically changing the machine, but sometimes having to set up the exact same cut again if you have to switch to the other function part way through a process (which will happen no matter how much you think you won't make the mistakes!). Also, as you have several staff, it means that only one person can use the machine at a time, which is less of an issue if you work alone. As regards the Hammer machines, I've worked with the stand alone thicknesser and was very impressed. The spiral cutter is a dream, but maybe not worth the money with the kind of materials you use, although if you can afford it I would get one! I know a couple of guys with the A31 planer, and they are more than happy as well. One thing to consider with Felder is that, I believe is still the case, spares etc. generally are shipped from Austria, so can take a little while to arrive. Worth considering regards down time if something brakes. I have to say, that since I found your channel a couple of weeks ago, I've been working my way through your videos, and I find your honesty and openness about all aspects of running a woodworking business and also how it interacts with/effects the rest of your life, to be some of the most insightful and helpful information I've come across, your posts on FTG also. Good luck with these exciting plans for the future! 👍👍👍

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Andrew Cain thanks Andrew I’m really glad you find my KZbin output so helpful! Lots to think about regarding choice of machinery and your comments along with others helps shape my thinking.

[@felixstowecarpentryandjoin1640]

Hi Alastair , I had the same problem when I was looking at buying a new saw. I’d brought a Axminster panel saw first and wasn’t happy with the build quality and that the sliding table was only 1.6m so no good for full sheets. I was looking at 2nd compared to new machines for the same money . I saw Felder at a trade show and tbh I was impressed with the build quality of the hammer. The Felder machines where much better but I could afford the higher price tag hence why I was looking at 2nd after a long time looking and asking on a few fb group I brought the industrial series Axminster which they now call the trade series, I’ve had it about 18months and love it, it feels. The same build as the Felder, I paid under £4K for it because they were changing the name and colour , think they’re about £6k now . If I had to pay the new price I’d probably be considering the Felder . I’ve used combo machines in the past and my advice would be if you’ve got the space to have separate machines buy them , you’ll send so much time changing over fences and moving guards out the way etc you’ll waste so much time and it gets really annoying , also sometimes u need to leave the fence set on say the panel saw while quickly running something over the planner .

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Felixstowe carpentry and joinery Jamie burman good points about combi machines, I am leaning a bit towards just maximising my investment on a saw only and maybe a spindle moulder later. But not sure yet. I’d really like to see some other machines up close. Interested to hear Axminster trade range are good, I didn’t have a good impression of the Axminster fixed machinery but maybe I’d only seen the hobby range.

[@felixstowecarpentryandjoin1640]

Freebird Interiors if I was buying again I’d definitely look at the panel saw / spindle combo maybe , I just wouldn’t buy a compete combo machine with planner on . You’re right about the Axminster stuff , they used to sell hobby which I’d never buy ! Trade and then industrial. When I started buying machines I was looking at a panel saw for about £6k but ended up buying a small panel saw , spindle moulder ,planner thicknesser and a small extractor , for the same money . At the time it seemed a no brainier to buy 4 machines for the price of 1 . However using these every day I realised the quality just wasn’t there. I’ve pretty much upgraded all of them now apart from the planner which will be my next purchase. I have a fair bit of the Axminter industrial machines and really can’t fault any of it. I’d also consider getting a good metal fixed dust collection, I’ve recently upgraded mine and it’s made a massive difference to the way I work . Before I’d have to drag a extractor around , find the right sized hose before using the machine, tbh most of the time I’d just find an easier way, as in I’ve got a wide bed sander but because it would take 5 mins to set it up I’d just reach for the rotex and do it by hand , I’ve used things like that more in the last month than I have all last year ! Doesn’t feel right giving u any advice, your company is much bigger than mine , I’m just a 1 man band 😂

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Felixstowe carpentry and joinery Jamie burman I welcome your advice. I don’t see us as a big company at all, there are loads of one man bands with far more expertise and experience in proper woodworking and machinery than me! A good dist extractor is a definite upcoming purchase too. Considering an Axminster one; I did also look at the Felder ones.

[@drewbyscoobywho]

@@Alastair_Freebird The Felder extractors are great, I managed to pick up a second hand RL160 for cheap, having used an RL200 where I used to work, and it's great for 2 or 3 machines at a time, depending on their requirements. One of the most important things with extraction, is the layout of the piping runs, as it's easy to lose a lot of pressure by having long runs/too tight bends/too much flexi hose etc. Definitely something to think about early on when laying out machines. There's several suppliers who'll plan it for you, for a price, but it's not too tricky to figure out for yourself. 👍

[@j-bdekker4871]

I am a young serious woodworker and have bought several hammer and felder machines over the last few years. Hammer is by far the best quality you can buy for the price. Is it cheap? No, but you will never regret buying it. Hammer is more then enough machine even for most proffesionals, i made about a 100k worth of furniture with my hammer a41, still runs as good as ever, got the silent power cutter, only rotated the cutters once so far. The people at felder are topnotch too!

[@kiwigrunt330]

I was first introduced to Felder combinations some 40 years ago when I visited a building trade exhibition in Dutchland. All components like fences and extensions were cast iron. At the same show a few years later, most of those components were aluminium. Just not the same.

[@abdulkarimdiment3857]

Yep I have all Hammer kit its great, I dealt with Russel who is a great salesman Could not afford the Felder range but still very happy with my Hammer kit.

[@jasonshimrah6923]

Excellent, thanks for sharing the differences between the machines and classification.

[@Cameron2874]

Thank you as this is exactly what I was looking for you and same as you could not find any video on what you just showed

[@Alastair_Freebird]

I like getting comments like this so thanks for letting me know!

[@nicharvey7211]

Hi Alistair. I'm new to your channel. I was in your boat just over 6 months ago. I ordered and have a K3 Winner with lots of extras but not the big out rigger. Simply due to space in my shop. Overall I am super happy with my purchase. I have the upgrades that you want. However this is what I have found so far. The rip fence isn't square!!! It says in the manual I can adjust that by turning a nut, 'only available on the K3 Winner', no nuts are there. It seems this is affected by the dial that allows you to slide the fence back and forth if ypu tightened it up and dont get me wrong im just making ir secure not over cranking it, it will go out of square. When i do get it square the fence is too lose ans slides a bit. I fixed it by placing masking tape on the cast iron part behind the fence to act as shims. For the money I paid this is crap! But it does work. I'm going to email my supplier about this problem. Another problem is the small fence, the one you want to use to process smaller material. The positive stop that is supplied as standard is very fiddly to adjust and does not stay square. This is covered very well by Marius (I think that's his name). Check it out it's on you tube under hammer basic table saw. I paid for the upgrade. Which is way better but the fact I had to pay for it sucks. Fielder are aware of this issue and yet they still supply it with the original component! I do wonder about the abuse a saw like this can take. I'm a one man band so it's only me using it. So I am very careful with it. Sometimes staff just don't care and will throw sheets down on it! The bigger machines I think can handle this. I am still super happy with my saw. Very accurate and each cut is a pleasure to see. I'm still getting to know but that's my opinion so far. Hope that helps.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Nic Harvey really helpful to get extra insights, for me and anyone else that finds this. Staff at Felder did specifically show me the bolts to adjust the fence - loosen and remove the aluminium extrusion and there were 4 black bolt heads that it sits tight against, adjust these and you can square the fence in both horizontal and vertical. Which exact fence do you have; doesn’t it have these?

[@nicharvey7211]

@@Alastair_Freebird I have the fence your demonstrating at 9:15. Also with the steel bar. There are no adjustment bolts with that system!

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Nic Harvey I’m amazed to hear that! The one they took apart was actually the other one, on the round aluminium bar. I assumed it was the same method on the cast iron one.

[@nicharvey7211]

@@Alastair_Freebird yeah I thought it would be that one! At the end of the day a bit of tape has seemed to fix it. But I paid close to $10,000 NZ for mine, I will see what my supplier has to say and repost.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Nic Harvey is it possible that the squaring adjustment for the rip fence is designed to happen at the horizontal rail, not the rip fence itself? As per this minimax machine (jump to 6:50) kzbin.info/www/bejne/qoinqHqbrNx8pdU

[@prestonhoffman5695]

Great video. The best comparison video that I have seen so far.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Preston Hoffman thanks!

[@michaelwhitmore7160]

I have the KF 700 saw spindle molder and AD 741 with spirai head perfect all round , had combination before was a pain changing from saw to planer

[@fatosllabjani1643]

On the C3-31 - You can actually get two other fences for the table saw, one short, and the other model is longer. Zero play one those! You don’t have to use the one from the plainer. They cost about 150 bucks.

[@brianrowland9993]

Great video - I am also considering the Hammer K3 Winner and with so many options faced similar issues visualising what I need. Good also to see the Felder comparison ....... I’m sure everyone would prefer the obvious Felder quality improvements but few can afford the extra cost. I have no doubt the Hammer K3 Winner is more than adequate for my needs based on my satisfaction with my high quality A3/41 spiral cutter machine. Thanks for sharing!

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Glad it was helpful!

[@noskills9577]

Some lovely looking machines. I'm a non entity wood worker really but if I was running a workshop I'd never have combination machines. Time lost all round changing setups, re-setting up for common operations. Just not efficient at all.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

It is a true point... but when I look at the way we currently work - ripping down maybe a dozen or so sheets to cutting lists for a couple or more of jobs in one big batch on one day of the week, then moving to other operations like sanding and chamfering, grooving, shaping, drilling etc, I think we could still expand our production from where we are without there being too much of a clash over machines. I can also see how we’d one day reach the point of regretting the combi decision, but I’m inclined to think that spending a bit less to get a spindle moulder as part of a package will get us using it, and then we’ll be better informed to make the right choice of features on a standalone spindle moulder when that becomes necessary.

[@noskills9577]

@@Alastair_Freebird fair point, if you are able to work in that way then shouldn't be an issue until you have many jobs in progress at different stages. Unless this is going in your front room I assume this would go in new premises 😁

[@Alastair_Freebird]

No Skills yes making plans for new premises!

[@petermartinpetermar]

One thing I would say is that if you can get a sliding table at least 2.5 meters. The way to cut an 8x 4 is on the sliding side not against the rip fence. make cross- cut the fence on the slider your registering point and trim sheets or boards this way. You can then use the rip fence for the parallel cut. for smaller pieces look into Fritz & franz - a jig (easily made) for holding smaller pieces on the sliding table. I managed for a good few years on a Hammer before upgrading to a Felder for increased efficiency. My only regret was that I didn't buy the Hammer with a long enough slider.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Peter Martin I held off buying any of the saws in this video, and only recently finally commmitted to purchasing a panelsaw - a second hand Wadkin CP32 (3.2m sliding table). I must say though, not having used panelsaws before, they’re more awkward to use for some cuts than I imagined and I do need to get some kind of clamp for the sliding table.

[@sharifshahwan9256]

Thanks for this helpful video. I wanted to go to the open day but couldn’t make it. Just discovered your channel through Peter Millard today, enjoying what I’ve seen so far. I’ve looked at a lot of Felder/Hammer kit and it is generally good stuff but as you say, the lines and options are confusing. I know of a one-man workshop who had a Felder 741 combi for years and he was very happy with it but upgraded to the bigger unit for greater capacity and more bells & whistles.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Sharif Shahwan thanks for commenting! Peter said he’d mentioned me in latest podcast, I will give it a listen later. I have been taking it very slow making a decision on machinery (since it’s also tied to bigger decisions about the type of business I want to have moving forward) but the more advice I get the more I am leaning towards a panelsaw on its own without the combi add-ons. There was a very nice Felder sliding panelsaw at the show at a much reduced price. Probably still available, because it’s a fairly high end saw but the sliding carriage is only 1.6m

[@sharifshahwan9256]

Freebird Interiors From what you’ve said and some of the other comments, seems like separates are best for you, especially if you have more than one person working at a time and the space. The fence is my main issue with the combi, so I’m tempted to eventually go for a Saw/Spindle and separate P/T. Currently sharing a workshop with a friend; we have an old Axminster 150mm surface planer and 410mm thicknesser which have tuned up nicely. We have a cheap site saw, track Saw, etc. All work fine but the table saw is definitely the weak link and I really like the sliding table saws rather than the US style cabinet saw. I’m writing an essay now but one tip from my man with the big Felder; he loves the Spindle Moulder but he doesn’t use it without a power feed and as an added bonus, he gets close to his line and then takes a final thin pass in reverse using the power feed for a very clean finish. He says only possible (and safe) with a good power feed. I know I wouldn’t fancy doing a climb cut with one of those by hand!

[@huseinstolar2018]

Hello, thank you very much for the video. I own a Hammer machine and over the course of my work I have come to know more negative things than positive ones. Therefore, the price-quality ratio is high. I mean, they're not worth that much money for what they did. I would advise anyone to think carefully between Hammer and Felder machines.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Helpful comment, thanks

[@Psychlist1972]

I have a smaller K700 (no digital control, mid-size table, always-on scoring blade, fine adjust on the fence, dado-capable arbor). I also have a Hammer A3-41 jointer/planer with the silent-power insert head. The options for all these are crazy. It really is helpful to come in and check it out. It's one of the few times when I think working with a good sales person makes a lot of sense. But the tools are REALLY good. I've been thrilled with mine. My shed workshop, that has both of these in it, is quite small: 11 feet by 15 feet (3353 x 4572). I typically run without the outrigger on the saw. For that reason, I also have a smaller fence at the other end of the table that I use for almost every non-rip cut. I can post a link to photos, but I know that makes the message show up as spam, so I'll only do that in a reply if you want. Did you make a decision? What did you go with?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Embarrassingly I still haven’t bought a saw. As I commented to someone else above, I put this kind of investment on the back burner again while I get some business advice. Can you even post a link to photos in a KZbin comment? If not then yes do direct message me somehow, I’d be interested to see your setup!

[@camerondiprose1722]

That space positively makes me look lazy and unimaginative at the same time with my 8x 12 meter shed. I honestly don’t know how you do it. I’m in the design phase of building onto my existing shed (not quite doubling it) to 5.5m x 12m. If my wife reads your comment I’m certain she’ll put the breaks on my extension. I’d love to see your shop tour.

[@Psychlist1972]

@@camerondiprose1722 I'd definitely like to have a larger space. I give up a lot in here. For example, I need to do all my panel breakdown outside, which means only on nice days. It also really slows me down there. The other thing I'm missing is a proper assembly bench of some sort. So again, I have to do it outside. That means everything has to be done in a day, and only on nice days. Oh, and everything is a tight fit in there, with very little space to move around. If I could (or when I do) add on to the shed, or build a new one, I would make sure it had, in order of priority: - Proper assembly space + benches outside of the path of the table saw - Better space around band saw and drum sander so I didn't have to pull them out and around to use them - Better space around miter saw for easier breakdown of longer stock - Clearance around jointer/planer so I didn't have to open shed doors to manage stock longer than 2-3' :) - Room enough to break down 4x8 sheets with track saw - Separate spray finishing room (this would be ideal, but for a permanent location, that's a lot of space). Right now, I use a pop-up spray tent, again, outside.

[@Psychlist1972]

@@camerondiprose1722 If you go to that link above, and then go to all my albums, you'll find one called "Shed Workshop". THat has 4 pictures on the last page (Flickr's photo sorting drives me nuts), taken with the wide angle lens on the iPhone, which show the entire shop as it was earlier this year.

[@jonathancohen8879]

Alastair, well done video. As a professional furniture maker of 47 years, and the Director of a fine woodworking school, I can give you very simple advice on hammer machines: don’t buy them. not only are they vastly overrated, and overpriced, but the notion that you’ll have to someday deal with your customer service, and I guarantee you will, should give you nightmares. After bringing them into the school, we turned around and sold them as quickly as we could. It’s like paying for a Porsche. and getting a Ford Taurus. You will be disappointed.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Oh, thats very interesting! Well, I never quite pushed the button on purchasing a new machine, but instead I eventually bought a second hand Wadkin CP32. It's been okayish but suffers a little for its age, but we soon after got a CNC machine which we rely on for the precise work

[@jackdalton4123]

What did you decide to get after selling the hammer range?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

@@jackdalton4123 I just held off for a while, until we moved into a bigger workshop. Then I got a second hand Wadkin CP32

[@byronservies4043]

Have you seen the Sunnybeeches channel on the CU300 Smart? His series on using all the functions is invaluable.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Byron Servies excellent thankyou, watching it now!

[@MrKaremoller]

Thanks for the walkthrough!

[@jackfinnerty7891]

Fantastic video!! Thanks a mill, I'm also looking at getting a Felder panel saw... rep calling out to me on Monday. I'm in Ireland so no showroom 🙈 also want a spindle but can't decide on either a combination machine or to wait until I can afford to buy it as a separate machine. I'm worried about ending up with a machine that doesn't shine in either category.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Jack Finnerty I think that when set up as a saw, the B3 combi would not have any downsides as a panelsaw vs the K3 dedicated panelsaw (whereas the C3 planer combi does suffer from the weaker fence), the downside is just the changeover time and loss of settings removing and refitting fences.

[@jackfinnerty7891]

@@Alastair_Freebird yes maybe not! As I said having proper chat on Monday so will see what rep has to say. Unfortunately I tend to over do everything even though I really can't afford to! I'm only a 1 man band and not in business long at all. I've been looking at the felder k 700 s. Hammer saw would do me for now but I'm thinking in terms of future proofing and long term service life. So much to think about 🙈

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Jack Finnerty I know, it’s a big decision, and I was tempted to think I should future proof myself by stretching to the Felder range but honestly I think it would be a better use of funds to get a machine good enough but not too good and maybe take another step in future with more money in the bank.

[@jackfinnerty7891]

@@Alastair_Freebirdyes you've given me something think about! God help the rep on Monday I've a book worth of questions for him! Just thought I'd say... I'm new to your channel and I have to say what I've seen so far is fantastic... really good detailed video's! U show and explain the important stuff instead of wasting time editing and trying to get a perfectly flowing video that's essentially full of shit! You're definitely aimed towards the fellow tradesman sharing the details, products and methods you use rather than those hugely popular channels that have in my opinion forgotten who their true audience is or at least used to be! Keep up the good work and I hope business and the new move/workshop goes well for you!! 👍👍

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Thanks Jack, glad to hear I’m on the right track!

[@afisher555]

Anyone on here , short of space but hate switching over from thicknesser to planer, could consider the Woodmizer MP160, or Logosol, or Moretens H410 (different badges) all Swedish. There is no need to adjust the extraction port, or move the tables. A simple elegant solution, which I have no idea why others do not copy. The extraction is much better than other combination thcknesser/planers I have used. I have the Moretens badged one, with 4 cutters, 410 mm wide thicknessing table and about 300 mm for the planer.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

A fisher helpful, thanks, I’ve heard on woodmizer but not the other brands. I have great respect for the swedes and the things they make!

[@HolisticHealthEducation]

Thank you for the overview. So, any chance of a follow up on the machine and the first impressions after some use?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

B Beneke Unfortunately not because I haven’t even bought one yet!! I’m still working on finding a business model that actually makes profit (with the help of a business advisor) so future investment went on the back burner again.

[@barrydoxseyuk]

Thank you great video. Very informative.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Glad you thought so

[@laszlofabian]

Amazing comparision, thank you!

[@bradleyroe4558]

Minimax all the way. They sell as standard what Felder would consider "add ons", the machine comes with a separate rip fence as standard. The Hammer range is amazing, please look at Minimax before you spend.

[@Z-add]

They have a confusing array of machines. On their website they don't evan have a compare feature. You have to check the online catalog to find the differences. You should also check out SCM brand.

[@markcollins3469]

Which did you buy in the end? I bought a B3 in 2018 and as a hobbyist it has been quite a frustrating experience. If I were to buy again, I would certainly consider a Felder, but I would also shop around a bit more as well. The calibration of the Hammers is too finicky and there are quite a few pitfalls which can scupper getting accurate repeatability. For instance if you remove the rip fence or the outrigger, which is often a requirement in a small workshop, you have to be very precise when reattaching in order to not disturb the calibration. In practice this means ensuring things are reattached in a very precise manner, and doing things like tightening knobs in the correct order. This isn't what I was expecting. These machines are the babies of the range, but they are still expensive and if they cannot deliver accurate repeatability without faff, what is the point. I want to love my machine, but the reality is I have more faith in my MFT and track saw.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Mark Collins in the end, a long time later, I bought a second hand Wadkin CP32! A far better saw, 3.2m sliding table, very old but reconditioned and for less money than a hammer. Glad I waited and found it.

[@sethhamilton5824]

Sliders are new to me. Can you split a 4x8 sheet of ply widthwise one one (like into two 4x4 sections), would you need a bigger arm?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

You can on the saw we actually ended up buying which was a second hand wadkin. Contact Felder/Hammer to ask about their machines

[@sethhamilton5824]

@@Alastair_Freebird thank you. I have a hammer planer and bandsaw, and I could see a slider in my future.

[@adriansowden138]

really good video many thanks adrian

[@carlwhitfield5463]

Hi good video.. currently looking the market to find my big purchase... did you take the plunge and buy one in end

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Actually, i held off for quite some time, and eventually bough a second hand wadkin CP32 once we moved to a larger workshop: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4TToqV_bKund7csi=SG_eyJj06U5Yc04-

[@HaroldBarrett]

A second hand saw is the way to go, I bought a nice Altendorf for a good price

[@Alastair_Freebird]

I ended up getting a second hand wadkin

[@Jenito120]

excellent review. which one you ended up buying that time?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

I didn’t purchase anything for many months, then when we finally got a larger workshop I actually got a second hand Wadkin CP32

[@ragstir]

Dont take your outrigger off to RIP sheets mate ,its just the cross cut fence you want to remove and make sure it's going to go back on bang on square without any faffing about, you dont want worried that it will need resetting it everytime you take it off because you'll end up making excuses not to and break down sheets in a different way like I did when I had my old Axminster ,no such problems with my new Itech sicar-Sega 300 , cross cut fence comes of in 10 seconds and goes back on precisely square again everytime . Fast and no stress . The other thing you want to look at is how easy is the scribe blade to set and raise and lower when not needed , again needs to be hassle free or going to loose time again or simple not use it .

[@Alastair_Freebird]

WT Design & Build thanks, it’s great for me learning so much from commenters! The scoring blade on these hammer machines is adjusted from above with Allen keys, slide quick and easy, they showed me the access holes, but there weren’t any scoring blades actually fitted on the display models

[@ragstir]

@@Alastair_Freebird the scoring blade set up on my old Axminster saw was the type where its 2 blades and shims inside the blades to shim them out to the thickness of your main blade, I really hated this system took for ever to get it right , my Sicar has a single blade and the teeth are shaped in such a way that you simple raise the blade until the scoring cut is just that tiny but wider than the main saw cut , I'm probably explaining this badly but trust me it's a far better set up than the shim blades , plenty of vids on here explaining the correct way to set your scoring blades 👍

[@Alastair_Freebird]

WT Design & Build you’re explaining it well, I see exactly what you mean, and what a clever idea, I wonder if other machines do that? Or I guess it’s just a type of blade you could fit to any machine?

[@ragstir]

@@Alastair_Freebird it's worth checking which type of blade they supply with the machine, an obvious one but its essential those access holes in the main bed for Allen key adjusting the scoring blade is kept clean , I cleaned mine out regular after every use with an air line , last thing you want is those bolts getting clogged up , if you dont have an airline near the saw i wouldn't definitely be setting one up , even with the brand new 2HP extractor my saw still wasnt great on dust extraction ,the main blade area is too open when u slide the sliding table all the way back to start a wide cut , if I get my saw setup again in a new Unit 1st purchase will be an over head crown guard ,not cheap at £450 for my machine but also a great safety feature keeping hands well away from the blade, infact I'd say this is an absolute essential if your considering leaving a single operative operating the saw . 👍

[@Alastair_Freebird]

WT Design & Build do you mean the type of guard with a metal support arm coming across the table?

[@davidwarren4569]

I would consider the 300 minimax.

[@myatix1]

Great video thanks! ;)

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Glad you liked it!

[@NicoSmets]

Very interesting. Thank you.

[@BischBaschBosch]

Cheers for this. I know it's 3 years old but was exactly what I was looking for. Looking at a couple of your more recent vids, seems you didn't go with Hammer in the end. Much like you were, interested in the compact panel saw spindle moulder combo. Or at least the saw with that upgrade path. Was that a Hammer pillar drill in the background? Anyway, cheers for the vid 👍

[@Alastair_Freebird]

No that’s right I bided my time for a while then ended up getting a second hand Wadkin panelsaw. And a cnc! I don’t have any hammer or Felder stuff actually

[@kevinwillis6707]

drool...if only my workshop was big enough...

[@EM-qd4sc]

teşekkürler

[@harrisedgar]

Wonderful video... Thank you...

[@Jenito120]

🙏🙏🙏 Thank you for the video

[@Alastair_Freebird]

you're welcome!

[@adamallen8863]

Perfect video, Thankyou very much

[@Smith-os1ho]

Would you recommend the k3, I'm a joiner by trade, I'm currently drifted away from the trade, but would like to do wee projects, might only be used twice or three times a year, prob b using 8 x 4 MDF sheets.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Smith - in the end, some time after this video, I chose a second hand Wadkin panelsaw instead. (I haven’t even used that yet, it’s in someone’s lockup, pending a decision on whether we can now afford to take a new workshop...). Anyway I don’t have real personal experience of the hammer machines in use but based on what I’ve seen and heard they are ok at that price point.

[@Smith-os1ho]

@@Alastair_Freebird thanks for getting back to me, wasn't to sure if they were suitable for 8x4 sheets. hopefully all will work out with the workshop and get to see ya using your table saw in videos

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Smith yes I’m sure they will definitely be fine with 8x4 sheets

[@maktayvideos7797]

Hi, what is the difference between the C3 31 and the A3 31?

[@rodsheridan7048]

An A3-31 is a planer/thicknesses with a 31 cm width, a C-31 is a saw/spindle molder with an A-31 attached, so 4 function. All the planer/thicknesses can also have a slot mortiser as an accessory

[@elmirmesic2177]

Great video mate. I've ended up purchasing A3-31 with spiral cutter and K3 winner "special" with Format sliding table, cast iron fence, scoring unit and a large sturdier 1100 outrigger, hoping to have it set up over the next few weeks, it's currently in storage at Felder HQ in Melbourne. Another thing I did get is the dado tooling option, does anyone have any experience with Felder dado set? It's a pricey bit of kit, my Felder rep suggested buying cheaper set and have the mounting holes drilled out to suit the arbor. I think I read/heard Joey from KingPost Timberworks talk about this type of arrangement and wasn't too impressed with it.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Sounds good 👍 do you mean the slider is upgraded to the X roll system? I asked about dado spindle and was told it has to be installed at the factory and can’t be retrofitted. They did also admit that the Felder dado set is very expensive and they said look for the set made by Forrest tools in the US and even with shipping to the UK it is a lot cheaper and fits the Felder/Hammer machines (no extra drilling was mentioned)

[@elmirmesic2177]

​@@Alastair_Freebird Just had a look at the itemized invoice and one of the extras as part of the build is Format 78" slider table. It would be interesting to see if it actually is X roll system. Up until I've seen your video I was not aware of the difference between the Hammer and the rest of the Felder slider table technology. I'll be able to confirm in couple of weeks time. The build was advertised as limited run and was quite a bit pricier than standard Winner Comfort range.

[@frenchriversprings]

Nice video! I can't believe how well of a good job you did with the selfie video. What kind of camera did you use?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

French River Springs thank you! iPhone SE camera phone! I since upgraded to iPhone 8 but not much different really I just wanted a bigger screen since I was doing all my editing and uploading direct from the phone. I also used a gimbal which helps to steady it

[@frenchriversprings]

I figure you had a gimble of some sort. Good job!

[@eegaugh]

Very interesting - I hope Felder bought you a cup of coffee in recognition of your having done their job for them! Was that fence bar really cast iron? Steel seems more likely. It was potentially fatal budget-wise to lay hands on the Felder sliding table after handling the Hammer. I'm a combo user and like the idea of being able to replace the spindle hood repeatably. Another useful feature is being able to retract the spindle complete with tooling below the table.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Thanks for the comment - occasionally people ask me what I eventually decided. And at last, many months later I have committed to buying a second hand Wadkin CP32! As old as I am but very well built:

[@Alastair_Freebird]

You’re probably right about steel!

[@Alastair_Freebird]

eegaugh and no cup of coffee 😂

[@eherlitz]

Thanks for a very nice video, which one did you get?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Eric Herlitz see other comments and my response!! I back-tracked on making the expenditure at that time and still haven’t

[@webdeveloper4742]

I hope they give you discount for selling their products.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

I haven't heard anything from them!

[@michael.knight]

Very helpful video. Somehow many woodworking companies are not as great at explaining as they are at building machines. Did you end up buying a Hammer machine?

[@johnfrederickson3082]

So what did you buy?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

john Frederickson in the end, some time later, I bought a second hand Wadkin CP32! kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4TToqV_bKund7c

[@Z-add]

As far as price is concerned. Do you save a lot of money by going with a combination machines.

[@j-bdekker4871]

Yes you do ;)

[@TheTer1018]

How much is it? I'm in Thailand How to order?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

ตู้ลําโพง T.soundman contact Felder, I don’t know sorry

[@أحمدعلم-ض6خ]

What price ?

[@df5198]

Felder really suck on making videos about there machines. Tnx for the info!

[@superchip1868]

Terrible after sales sold me a dangerous 900 spindle moulder only interested in quoting high price for repairs they don’t even look at

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Shame. I am not affiliated with them in anyway, and in fact I waited some time after this before decided to purchase something - a second hand Wadkin panelsaw

[@halfabee]

I would like to see more of the machines than the presenter.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Go visit the Felder showroom, this was just an off the cuff thing when I made my own visit.

[@acemany1126]

So this is what the old Steve Rogers do now after retiring from the Avenger's??!!

[@jimfeaster4837]

Its too bad they dont have one lower hp 120 Volt for those that do Not have 220 volt

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Are you in the US?

[@jimfeaster4837]

@@Alastair_Freebird yes i am but i only have 120 volt and quote to change were expensive

[@mariohenriquez4814]

I have the same machine

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Do you like it?

[@mariohenriquez534]

Good machine! But I prefer normal table saw!

[@hazembata]

@@mariohenriquez534 Why? Can you tell us about your feelings on both? May be getting a table saw soon and I'm considering a high end table or low end sliding saw. Thanks.

[@riverbuilder2251]

I looked at all these as I needed a small saw that could be craned into a house from a barge. I ended up with a Woodfast ts315, and it’s a bloody little balltearer. It was a QUARTER OF THE PRICE of a hammer saw and does the same job and I’ve had absolutely no issues with it in 2 years. www.woodfast-group.com/products?cid=465