Hammer Time!

[Roger Jensen]

OK - pardon the disco reference. Just wanted to let you know I replaced my Dewalt 733 planer and Jet 6 inch jointer with a Hammer A3 31 Jointer/Planer.

Initial experience has been positive with a few caveats, which I'll describe below. Where applicable I'lll compare the experience to my experience buying and setting up my SawStop, which was a similarly priced piece of equipment.

First the positives:

1. Received in great shape with no damage, delivery service was exceptional. He helped me unpack the crate and brought it back to my backyard shop.

2. Jointing is fantastic. I don't know if my jointing problems on the Jet were technique or if it was the equipment, but I never felt like I was getting a consistent flat edge. I had perfect results with the Hammer on the first pass.

3. Planing is great, with no snipe even on 10 inch pieces. I liked my DeWalt, but shorter pieces ended up with snipe. Haven't seen it in the Hammer.

4. Fergus (the sales rep in Sacramento) was very good and kept me up to date on shipment and delivery dates. Better than the sales experience I had with SawStop.

Now, some disappointments:

1. For over $200, the wheel kit is poor. It would have been "clever" for $50, for $220 it is a joke. SawStop has perfected the cart for heavy equipment (hydraulic jack to raise equipment while moving and then lowers tool on original legs - everyone else should just license this design).

2. Manual is poorly edited and has a heavy european slant on things that can be confusing. For example, what we call "jointing" they call "planing" and what we call "planing" they call "thicknessing". The part labels in schematics are still in german. It isn't terrible, but if you're going to charge $4000 for a tool you should translate the manual completely.

3. I prefer a polished metal jointer and planer beds instead of a "brushed" metal surface that was hard to clean up after shipping. However, I'm getting used to it and it isn't that big a deal.

Overall, I'm happy with the unit and would buy it again. However, when compared to the SawStop I don't feel I got the same value.

Anyway, if you have specific questions about the system let me know.

Roger

[Don Abele]

Roger, I have had my Hammer for over a year now and love it as well. I upgraded from a Jet 6" jointer and Ridigd 12" planer. The differences were astounding.

I read a lot of reviews about the poor wheel kit and didn't purchase it. I actually have mine on an HTC universal base and it has worked flawlessly (even with all that weight and an uneven concrete floor). When I move my shop, I plan on switching to Great Lakes casters.

I was disappointed in the cost of the "digital" handwheel. I think it was extremely over priced, but I now think it's a requirement, not an option. But it should be priced at about half its cost.

I too agree that the manual is poor. What is really disappointing is that they have an extensive US custsomer service network - why have they not employed one of them to "translate" the manual for us? Thankfully, customer service makes up for the poor manual. They sell the digital handwheel in both metric and standard - why not the manual in US and European?

As for the finish. The "brushed" surface (someone will chime in and tell us what the name is - I can't recall it) is actually designed to prevent surface friction and all the boards to move smoother. When polished smoothly, a suction is created between the steel and wood. So while I agree it's a pain to clean, it really is an important feature.

Be well,

Doc

[Eiji Fuller]

Roger,

I got my A331 just last month and have to agree with you. Especially on the tables. The brushed tables have way too much friction and need to be waxed up or sprayed with top coat after passing about 75' of stock over them. The disposable blades are expensive at 60.00 plus tas and shipping per set.

I got the digi handwheel so I dont feel that I have to get all the jointing done first before planing. I generally joint one face, plane to thickness, then joint or straightline the edge. Change over is a snap. With my grizzly 3 hp dust collector the dust collection is amazing. I would say nearly 100% on jointing and 99% on planing.

[Don Abele]

...The disposable blades are expensive at 60.00 plus tas and shipping per set...

Eiji, have you had to replace your blades? Since you are quoting $60, I assume you have the cobalt ones? I've had the original set on since I bought it. I've run well over 1,000 board feet of rough sawn hard rock maple through the planer and then jointer (for my kitchen remodel project). The blades still go through the wood like a hot knife through butter. I bought an extra set so I have no down time if I destroy a blade. For the occasional nick, I just shift them slightly (but I haven't had to do this with the Hammer yet).

Be well,

Doc

[Jamie Smith]

Hey, welcome to the club!

I just got mine last week. I noticed & thought the same thing about the beds, still not sure if I am going to try to sand it out or what.

On mine, the outfeed table is considerably rougher than the infeed. How is yours?

I thought the same thing about jointing-- I could never do it with the powermatic that I had, but the first board thru the hammer was dead flat.

[Jamie Buxton]

...For the occasional nick, I just shift them slightly (but I haven't had to do this with the Hammer yet)...

Can you shift the blades sideways in your (new) Hammer? I have the older A3-31, and the blades can't be shifted sideways in it.

[Don Abele]

Jaime, I haven't had a need to do it so have never tried. This is what I would do on my Ridgid and Jet. I didn't think it wasn't a possibility on the Hammer. Since my Hammer is 600 miles away from where I am, I can't check to see if it is possible. I'll be home this weekend, so I'll check it out.

Be well,

Doc

[Narayan Nayar]

I have one of the newer ones, and Jamie's right, you can't shift them left or right. One of the things which makes knife changes so easy is that they sit on posts. So there's no alignment issues after new knives are installed.

You can, however, turn them over. I've had the machine for a year and I just turned the original set over (and have a set of cobalt ones in reserve).

I dunno--I had both the polished tables (on my Powermatic) and the ones on the Hammer. I much prefer the ones on the Hammer.

I hear Zambus casters work pretty well on the A3-31. But I don't mind the wheel kit. Then again, I don't have to do any gymnastics with my unit--just slide it away from the wall for use and back again for non-use.

[Roger Jensen]

I don't dislike the wheel kit, but here is what you get for $127:

2 four inch plastic wheels (with bearings)
1 steel rod (axel) that runs through pre-drilled holes in the cabinet
4 collars with an allen screw to hold the wheels on the axel
1 metal bracket that bolts on to the cabinet with three bolts and nuts.

All that for $127. It doesn't include the handle to move the unit, which is another $95.

It is the one thing I regret purchasing. I wish my sales rep would have steered me away from it.

Oh well, it does what it is supposed to do. I only need to pull it out from the wall to flip up the jointer beds.

Roger

[Don Abele]

...you can't shift them left or right...

Thanks Narayan...now I don't have to try it myself.

Be well,

Doc

[Roger Jensen]

Hi Don,

I am going to order the digital handwheel as well. Like the wheel kit, it looks like you have to buy two items - the aluminum handwheel for $44 and the digital display is $122, so the total cost is $166. Nice to see the digital display in inches is $50 more than the metric unit!

I guess I could look at a third party product like the Wixey, which is $58 on Amazon.

Roger

[Narayan Nayar]

Roger,

Get the wheel. I don't know if it's $166 worth of awesome, but as Don said it should be standard. It's as accurate as I've ever needed it to be.

I velcro a digital caliper to the front of the A3-31, measure the wood I'm going to cut, dial in that number - a few thousandths, and have at it.

[Roger Jensen]

Thanks for the tip.

Do you have the outfeed extension? I'm thinking the short one on the planer outfeed would come in handy. The jointer bed is going to be long enough without the extension for most of the cabinet work I do, since I cut it to approximate length before jointing and planing.

Roger

[Narayan Nayar]

Yes, I have the extension table. here's the good news--the table works for both the jointer bed and the planer's platform. I think you just need another mounting kit and you can swap the table back and forth.

I've used it on both. The table on the planer is probably more useful for shorter parts, as the roller speed is on the fast side. And the table on the jointer is useful for long parts.

It's really a pretty nice design. I'm told the same table can be used on their bandsaws and other equipment as well.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Count me in for liking the finish of the beds. It may take a bit of getting used too, but it'll grow on you.