How are you liking them so far?

:)

Hopefully it will give you many years of great service!

Appreciate it, Pedro. Where in Portugal? My favorite country in Europe… love to get a small place there one day.

Olá Pedro, where did you buy the Hammer in Pt? I am moving to Portugal and this is on my list. Muito obrigado

@@eagasi actually I bought it second hand, but from a guy who had bought it from a company called BEFE

@@mmwoodstudio sorry !!! I did not see your answer until now !!! I live in Porto, one of the largest cities in the country, north, by the coast.

@@pedrolanhas4120 Encontrei! Muito obrigado Pedro!

Now that you’ve had it for 12 months, 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?

Glad you like yours too, Marisa!

What are the sound levels on the straight knife version vs the Silent power cutter head?

@@matthewhale657 Night and day. My previous machine was straight knives and it sounded like an alarm was going off in my workshop every time the wood passed over the cutters. With the silent power you can still have a conversation while the wood is being planed. *Mine is for sale* BTW-I live in Australia and I am getting out while we're still open and we still can during the summer.

I’ve got the same machine, only with the spiral cutter head, it’s a dream to use. I’ve had mine for about two years and it’s been flawless. I paid 5200 Canadian Kopecks back then and they’ve gone up a bit since then. A couple of weeks back I put it on Craigslist for 4500 to gauge its value, I got 4 serious calls in one day, so if you can afford the initial hit the Hammer machines are definitely worth it. Cheers

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?

congrats on your new purchase.

Hopefully you wont!

Awesome!

Now that you’ve had it for a while, 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?

Mike Sibley they are none issues. The machine is fantastic. You just need to adjust your work flow . Do all your jointing first the switch to planner mode .

Awesome!

N4 Wood what’s the noise level with the silent power head?

@@matthewhale657 I would say about half of the Dewalt lunchbox planer i had before. There is a noticeable difference.

Do it!

That's awesome. Congrats!

I've used Supergleit as well. Both work great. Maybe I'm just old fashioned and wax my tabled :)

I rub talcum powder on my table saw bed with a chalk board duster. It gets into the surface and makes it pretty slick too. Supposedly prevents condensation & moisture from your hands causing corrosion stains. Like anything, regular application.

:)

I have an adaption for a 100mm diameter suction tube and it works perfectly, never had any issues with that whatsoever.

You are right. 90% of the time I remember to do that...this was one of those other 10%

Me too :) Cheers, Derek

Because I feel that I can easily keep the part down on the tables when it is coming across the cutter head. However, I'm worried about the weight as it goes over the outfield table being so much I can't keep the pressure the same through out the cut.

It's just a reducers from 5" to 4"

Hi Eduardo, that extension table is surely the 400mm version, which is the 16´´ Mathew refers; I want go get one also. About the accuracy: I have a band saw from their "sister" company Felder with an extension table, where I can adjust both the height and angle to be perfect - I expect the Hammer version of the table to be similar... Let's hope so !!

I do use my Laguna on it. I'll be doing a video on that soon. Long story short, I have a PLUX 1.5 HP and for 1 machine at a time it works great.

Awesome can't wait for that video! Thanks!

They are useful when I use longer boards. I've jointed boards up to 6 feet long with them

@@mmwoodstudio Thanks for the reply. I have one more question: if you had to order it again, would you still order the "Rolling Carriage" or get a different kind of mobile base? I'm thinking the convenience of a mobile base with 4 articulating wheels might be convenient in my space but am not sure if it would be as stable as Hammer's carriage. Thanks again!

@@HelloAnthony yes, I’d order the built in mobile base again, but no straight knives. I’d go with the spiral/helical cutter head. I say yes to the Mobile base built in because you only move the machine once in a while and you can easily adjust the feet to give you a rock steady platform to the surface it’s on. I have a mobile base on 4 wheels with the grizzly in the smaller shop (see latest shop updates) and the mobile base works well, but it looks and feels like an after thought versus something designed to be there.

I’ve got the same machine, you need at least 6.5” off the wall to flip it up. I’ve got mine on a 4 wheel dolly and store it under my drawing table when not in use. Yes it’s a great buy, I test listed mine on Craigslist for 4500 Canadian Kopecks and got 4 calls in one day, I paid 5200 two years ago, so it definitely will hold its value. I work in my residential garage, the spiral cutter head is a must it reduces the noise dramatically, cheers.

Tnx CG!

Hi Derek I am trying to help a bit late, 2 years after ... LOL ... You can buy (or retrofit) the wheel option already built in the machine, as I have it; It comes with a lever which you remove and only use to move it around - the rear side of the machine always rests on the hard plastic wheels, and the refered lever only raises the front side allowing to move the machine very easily. I also keep my machine stored under my lumber rack, it is so easy to get the lever and push/pull the machine back and forth that I would not bother about the wall distance at all !!!

@@skyetube1 hi - i know this post is 3 yrs old but would you happen to have a picture of how you store the A31 under the drafting table and approximate dimensions required to do so? I'm looking at buying the A31 and building a similar table and want to know about how large an opening under the table I need. Thanks

Yes. It takes a little bit of time, but yes.

Price and space at the time.

MM Wood Studio thanks for the info. One more question: Am I right to assume that there is no snipe in planer mode, since the bed is a one solid piece?

I’ve got the same machine, and I can attest, no snipe.

Hmmmm.... One of your rollers could be applying more pressure then the other.

Only had a need once in 10 years for more than 12”. I got a grizzly for the beach shop. Will do a video in 6 months or so when I have some time with it.

Fielder makes an adapter for it

It took me a few hours to get it right. A bit of trial and error.

Thanks for the quick response. Once it's done initially, though, you don't have to really re-do it much do you?

Nope. Not once it is set. Unless you hit it hard with something.

Will, did you ever get the snipe problem solved? I'm guessing you wouldn't be quick to recommend the machine.

@@markk4015 I may have gotten a lemon. It is covered under warranty. I am waiting for a new machine now. COVID 19 has impacted this. I'm told that by November I may receive it.

@@wasmithee , thanks for the reply and good luck with the new machine. It's a crappy situation, but at least they're standing behind their product and didn't abandon you after they got the money. That's a good sign.

Besides the snipe, 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?

@@mikesibley9339, those surely are drawbacks. It's a solid machine in general. The saw and shaper functions are top notch. The biggest pain for me is repositioning the fence... Not sure why that bothers me so much. I also don't like having to remove the handle for the saw when changing to the planer function... I almost always forget. That said, space is a real issue for me and this u it fits the bill for that need. I'd always choose separates when that is an option.

Now that you’ve had it for 6 months, 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?

@@mikesibley9339 Mike, sadly my experience has been nothing short of a train wreck. It has been unlike anything I have heard from anyone else so I'm fairly confident that it has more to do with happenstance and bad luck than anything else. I have had two new A3 31’s delivered, the second being a replacement for the first, and both have had issues. HAMMER has been outstanding in trying to correct the issues which have been complicated by the pandemic. When they worked, they were pretty darn good machines. And I too worried about the raising and lowering the thickness planer being I have a bad back and leg. I found it not to be much of an issue at all, at least not for myself. I am trying right now to upgrade to a FELDER AD 531, same size, a bit more money, but a lot more robust. I looked at the AD 931 which has an auto lift on the planer but way too much $$$ for me especially being you have to add about 2k to 3k just to add 3 phase for it as well, they don’t import single phase into the US even though it’s available??? They offered to set it up for a reduced price of $350, normally its about $750 depending on your distance from their office, ask about it, it saved my bacon on this being they found the issues to begin with and it was out of my hands fron that point.

@@toolchuck Have you moved to the AD 531?

@eMRimas Not yet, it was back ordered until January 2021. They contacted me a couple of weeks ago to confirm I still wanted it and that it is scheduled for mid-Jan 2021 delivery. I'm going to their shop in Sacramento, about a 35min drive, where they are going to set it up and I'll test it out before swapping out machines. The A3-31 has been working really well for me with exception of some very faint lines that are only affecting or prominent in some woods I plane. The tech spent a lot of time swapping carbide inserts around on the cutter head minimizing the uneven lines to the point that it is pretty darn good now. (This is was done to mask a defective cutter head ) I am almost hesitant to let it go being I’m used to it now. But it was a great excuse to get that SuperMax 19-38 Drum Sander I've been wanting 😁. The problem is if I ever need to turn or replace an insert, it may be one that was chosen out of the three sets we had at the time to choose from to balance them and won’t line up with the rest. As I believe I said before, my situation must be an unusual alignment of the stars or something, to have two machines be “Bad out of box”, delivered to the same guy is almost unheard of with Felder/Hammer. My biggest take away from this so far is the GREAT tech support from Felder/Hammer. Never once did they hesitate in attempting to correct my problem. But check back with me in late January 2021 and I'll let you know how it went.

Nanoqx, I imagine that at this moment you have already sorted out how easy and clever the digital gauge is, so I am answering only to try to explain it to someone with doubts about it: the gauge is set as follows: before setting the gauge you plan a piece of wood to any thickness you want, say you eyeball to get 1´´; after that you measure the thickness of the board as it came out, you calibrate the gauge to that thickness holding it in your hands and turning it until the thickness you got on the board is read on the dial - it is a gravity operated dial which has no gears connecting it to the machine, (just one tiny fixing screw), so it turns to de desired level ouside the machine!! so simple and clever I was blown away the first time I saw it. The last step it to put the dial in the machine with the thickness value set to the thickness the board that came out, and you are done. Check it out again with one or two plannings more and make minor adjustments and you are done for years of trouble free working.

I haven't had any real problems tech wise on the unit since I bought it. Just ordered supplies from them directly.

Did you get your A3-41?? I just ordered mine a few weeks ago. They say I will receive it in mid November. I can't wait!

Peter Peter yes!

Cory, I have the A3-31 and would like to have a A3-41, mostly because I'm a guy that thinks bigger is better 😁. Now I'm not a pro, or even a semi pro, but more of a pretty decent intermediate woodworker, and I've built a really beautiful (others have said, not just me) Red Oak bed for my grandson and a pretty darn nice desk for a close friends daughter recently and not once did I come close to ever needing more than the A3-31. My issue is space. In my garage I still need to park my wife’s car and occasionally my Toyota P/U, so space is extremely limited. The difference between the 31 and the 41 just does not work for me. Think about it, if you are going to build a table top you’ll have to glue a few board with a 16” planer too, so what’s having to glue up one, maybe two more boards if you only have a 12” planer. And how often is that going to be an issue? If size and money aren’t an issue for you, then by all mean go for it, but be real about what “you” are going to do with it, not someone else. And remember, there are a ton of REAL wood workers out there making great stuff with 6” and 8” jointers. All the best, Chuck

If its a $2K difference and space is tight I would go A31. Matt is an excellent woodworker who has never been cramped by his 12.25 inch A31. His Nakashima tabletop attests to that. Its sorta like do you want the Porsche Macan or Cayenne? You can buy alot of nice chisels, assorted saws and planers as well as newer clamps and dovetail equipment with a couple of grand. Any decision you make for the A43 is a winner

It is single phase running on 220

Took a few hours.

This is interesting because I have just ordered one here in Australia and I asked what set up would be required. The answer I got was that it would come ready from the factory and all I had to do was install the fence and the rolling carriage. I guess we'll see if that's true or not in a few week's time.

Blue Wren I also just ordered an A3-41 and was told the same thing. I'm getting mine in November and plan on doing a video review of the unboxing and set up.

SuburbanHobbyist Thanks, I look forward to seeing it.

That she is.

hmmm... at least in the US they have service techs that can come to you for a price. To be frank, I never use either of those handles myself, but mine do work.

Awesome!

They drop ship to you and with a palette jack they put it in your shop if it is easily to get to. Then you get it off the palette and put a couple of parts together and add a plug to the electrical cord.

OK, thanks Mathew.

Be sure the truck has a pallet jack, you can't get the thing off the pallet even with two guys without it.

Thanks Ed.

I bought the unit and after a few projects I realize this is a phenomenal machine oozing with quality and enhancing performance. I am so glad I have mine. At a decent price with no waiting and no tax. Minor snipe corrected, one helical carbide cutter moved 90 degrees, comes with circular dial gauge that is simply a terrific performing feature, and the moving bar. I am glad the gods smiled on me when I was shopping as I was looking at many options. The A43 31 model with 12.25 inch capacity is perfect for me in my garage. Matt, thanks for your good information. I admire your Nakashima stuff and as I am Asian, I am partial to designs with an Asian modern influence. For anyone on the fence about the Hammer. Buy it, love it and if you ever sell it you will recover much of what you paid. But after using it, it will be a most precious tool....

Yes they are quieter and very accurate.

thank you

They only sell direct.

Michael, I think they avoid it in their manufacturing process by making a more robust better engineered piece of equipment. It traveled from Austria to the East Coast. Shipped to me in CA. Then on a moving truck to GA. Besides a few scratches, it performs just as it did on day 1. I should have listened to my Grandmothers advice years ago about this - if you buy the best, you only cry once.

Also... most likely your roller feeders are not at the same height. I think Marc (Wood Whisperer) has a video he did on adjusting his feed roollers on a stand alone planer. That maybe a good place to start.

Ah...my conversion to the "buy quality once, cry once" school is underway, I'm just about there. Quality tools make work more enjoyable and more efficient. Meanwhile, maybe I'll try reading the manual, maybe there's a lock feature or something that I'm not using. Thanks for the review.

Good tip, I'll start there.

Go for it!

Have you got power actually running to the machine as is your connection/socket live. And have you contacted Felder?

@@bighands69 Hi, the dealer sent a Tech out and traced the problem to the thermal overload switch - buried deep in the motor. It won't reset and is preventing the motor from starting. New motor on the way from Austria!

@@chrismitchell7801 Good at least it is being sorted.

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?

@@mikesibley9339 Will do. New motor arrived and was fitted on Friday! Feels like I've had the machine for months and haven't used it.... oh wait - that's exactly the situation 😄. I'll run some timber over/through it at the weekend and let you know. Cheers

:)

I just bought the A3-41 which is one size bigger than this machine. It was on sale because they were having a big convention. All in including taxes and shipping it was $7000.00. I think this one would be $1500 cheaper.

Right now, $4,100.

us.feldershop.com/en-US/en-US/en-US/Planing/Machines/Hammer-A3-31.html

It's Austrian actually.

Marisa Aguilera yeah youre right :/ Everything from austria is suberp like the hammerjointer, hitler, etc...

Well if you want to go there: he was very innovative- Blitzkrieg, best war machines, atomic program, mobilization​ of the entire population, obsession with perfection, etc ...and before you ask I live in a country where the facts and truth are still more important than political correctness, not talking so as to not offend, fear of what we say. Also, we don't lose our jobs, get socially ostracised and get locked up for talking about and stating facts.

Marisa Aguilera find ich gut 😉

It's Austrian, btw. Generally German, Austrian, and Italian machines are very well made.

Yes, to each his own. I noticed the same things but found the fence to be great and realized I was being nitpicky about having to turn the wheel for 30 seconds to switch to planer mode. I mean really? I figure it will help me to not be so lazy.

The fence really is quite adequate for its purpose, I know being used to a cast iron fence it does seem flimsy but like the euro style blade guard, it works fine, but its different. And as for having to crank the planer handle to switch modes, many woodworkers like myself just don't have the space for two large machines so this isn't a problem.

Nanoqx 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?

@@mikesibley9339 I'm sorry for not responding sooner, but for those looking for information here's my two cents. I have had the Hammer A3-31 and now the Felder AD-531, both similar style machines. It does sound arduous to crank the bed up and down when switching between planer and jointer, but if you think about it, you really don't do it that much. First off, it really isn't that hard, I have two separate spinal conditions that make bending, kneeling, or squatting extremely hard, and as much as I would prefer a better solution, I have not really found it to be that bad. Secondly, you plane and joint all your wood, or as much as you can first, then thickness plane it. So, it's not like you are switching back and forth between each board, just once, usually. I have found that the space that these machines save for other equipment is easily worth a few moments of raising and lowering the bed. I hope this helps someone who's trying to decide on this style of planer/jointer. 😎

NO you are not. It is pure gabage. Flame me if you wish fellows, but it is the truth. For a machine that cost this much, should ALWAYS make the fence base AND fence out of cast iron.

pat dee Have you actually used or even touched one before? I was also concerned about the fence but after testing one out I am surprised to say having a lighter fence like this is actually a huge benefit. As long as the mechanism to move and hold the fence is well thought out and easy to use then it is awesome.