Jet Jointer/Planer combo versus Hammer A3 31

[Chad Wallace]

Hello fellow woodworkers!

I am in need of some good advice please! I need to upgrade my jointer and planer in the shop and would like to go with the JP combo to save on some room. I have narrowed it down to the Jet and Hammer 12" combo. Is the Hammer worth the extra money for a hobby woodworker's shop?

Thanks in advance!
Chad

[mreza Salav]

This very question is asked several times and if you dig up you can find the threads (one very recently).
I have seen some complains about Jet but I have not read/seen any complain about Hammer. There are many owners of both machines here and I think the conclusion of the those threads was you won't regret the extra money you spend on Hammer.
I have never had a regret of getting the better tool and usually the $$$ pain is long one once you start using it.

[Prashun Patel]

I was contemplating the same thing. I ended up with the Hammer. I upgraded to the spiral head and aluminum depth gauge. If you go Hammer, and you really can't afford the spiral, then at LEAST get the depth gauge. It's accurate and really has made the biggest improvement in my planing.

I also read some minor complaints with the Jet, and even though it was quite a bit cheaper than the Hammer, chose the Hammer.

I am a hobbyist. The Hammer JP is a joy to work with and I think it was well worth the investment for me.

[Dick Mahany]

I bought the original Jet JJP 12 with straight knives, before the spiral cutter head version was available. I never had any problems with it and used it extensively. I recently downsized my large shop and sold it. That was a mistake as I really miss it and would buy it again. I do not have any experience with the Hammer units, but have seen many great reviews.

[Jim Becker]

My opinion is that the Euro machines generally are better quality and better designed. While I'm not familiar with the Hammer 12" that you mention (I have a MiniMax FS350), Hammer is Felder's value brand and Felder is one of the movers and shakers in the industry. While I have nothing against Jet, having owned many of their machines myself, the Hammer is very much a step up and if you can afford the difference in cost, over time, you'll benefit from it. Again, IMHO...

[Lester Sak]

I can't speak to the Jet, but I have a Hammer A3 26 with the spiral head and depth gauge and love it. It was hard for me to justify as this is only a hobby, but once the money is spent the cost is soon forgotten, but the benefits of a great tool continue to pay off. Definitely worth the money I spent.

[Al Bacon]

I have the Jet JJP-12 HH and also have never had a problem with it. I am in the process of milling curly maple. Taking only 1/32" cuts it is producing very smooth surfaces with no tear out. I thin k, if you have the money and will be using the machine a lot, the Hammer would be a fine machine. If your money is tight or it will be used only occasionally the Jet will serve you well.

Al

[Chad Wallace]

Thank you guys very much for all your input here! Greatly appreciated! One other thing, you guys all agree the spiral upgrade versus the knives is definitely worth the money?

Thanks again,
Chad

[Wakahisa Shinta]

I have the Hammer A3-31 with the Silentpower cutter head. No experience with Jet machine of this type. I don't know how Hammer's standard cutter head perform, but I like the quality of the spiral head. Very little sanding is needed afterward. After using a lunch-box planer with three knives cutter head, I like the performance of the spiral head better. It's more quiet. Chips are smaller. Unsure about this but Hammer/Felder claims that the cost of running the spiral head is less in the long run (i.e. changing one (or a few) small cutters vs. one long cutter blade). So, yeah, get the Hammer with the spiral head.

Get the hand wheel with the dial indicator. I didn't get that initially. It's a nice option to have. There is something about the metric dial indicator works better than the imperial one. Check with your sale rep or Felder engineer to verify this.

[Ben Rivel]

Got the Hammer A3-31 on my list, saving up has begun. From my research it is by far the best in its class and for its cost.

[Prashun Patel]

Ben, put the minimax fs30 on your list too. My research suggested that was a contender too.

[Chad Wallace]

Ben, put the minimax fs30 on your list too. My research suggested that was a contender too.

Prashun, Does the minimax come with the spiral butterhead or just the tersa blades?

[Prashun Patel]

Rach out to erik loza. He can tell you more. There are some benefits to the tersa head.

And the soiral cutterhead produces a nice teroutfree surface, but it definitely requires sanding.

[Jim Becker]

Tersa on the MiniMax, Chad...which I've been very pleased with over the years I've been using them. I haven't felt the need for a spiral head.

[Chad Wallace]

Tersa on the MiniMax, Chad...which I've been very pleased with over the years I've been using them. I haven't felt the need for a spiral head.

Thanks for all your help! Jim, is it pretty easy to change out the knives on the Tersa and how is the cost compared to the carbide cutters?