Hammer K3 OR SawStop ICS

[Dan Schmidt]

Keith & All, yes - all of your comments have been EXTREMELY helpful as usual - thank you. After much research I ordered a Felder K700S slider. I had to push my budget a bit more, and I'm still mourning the loss of floor space / new shop layout, but I feel confident I'm going to love this thing. It will be ~14 weeks before I receive, but I'll circle back with all of you when I get it and give you my first impressions. Thanks again!

Dan

[Jim Andrew]

Congratulations!

[Glenn Kramer]

As a previous owner of the ICS Sawstop and now having replaced it with a Hammer B3 with 78" sliding table I am still not certain I made the right move. I cannot say I am impressed with the Hammer. As was pointed out above, the Hammer B3 is not premium grade machine. It is design to suit a particular market. It's by no means a Felder. I am not impressed with the fit and finish of the hammer. Rip fence is marginal and I do not think long enough. At the cost of this machine I could of had two Sawstops and much more for tooling. One mounted with a dado, the other with a combination blade. I think this would have been more efficient for my operation. I do not like the difference in height between table height versus slider either. The safety advantage of the SawStop also is a big plus.
Sawstop instructions are far better as the B3 Manual is seriously lacking. Now that I use my MFT cross cutting plywood, etc. the sliding table has only a marginal advantage. I guess I just loved my SawStop. Accurate, pleasure to use, quiet and reliable and above all a safer machine.