Thread: Hammer A331 or JET JPT310HH

Originally Posted by slopech4

Hi All,

I have a decision to make and would like your advice. I would like a combination jointer/planer and have boiled the options down to the Hammer A331 or JET JPT310HH.

I went to see the Hammer machine, an absolute beauty. Quality construction, clever blade change system, option of a mortising unit. I am sure it will give generations of great service.

The Jet machine I haven't seen yet, this is the new model 310 with the helical cutter that I am interested in. Can anyone comment on the quality of these JET combos? Will I be fiddling around after changing from jointer/planer? How does it fair after alot of use?

This is what I am thinking.
* Both are about the same price
* I like the Jet for it has a helical cutter block (good for gnarly grain)
* I like the Hammer because its Hammer

Comments anyone?

Cheers
Chris.

I have the Hammer machine - BTW, I didn't think the Jet was available with Helical cutter in Australia yet. Anyway, I'm sure the Jet is excellent and there are satisfied Jet owners here. But I can speak to some of the Hammer features :

1. It is powerful - 4hp and built like a tank. Its minimum weight is 300kg. It can really take off its claimed 4mm of hardwood at a time without blinking, but at that setting your dust extraction is tested to its limts.

The machine is precise and smooth as well. Like I read on another forum, it performs like a 300KG Swiss watch

2. The quick change blades make for blade changes ( or flipover) in a matter of a couple of minutes. You will appreciate this quite a bit. It also allows you to , say, change to older blades to remove paint etc on secondhand timber, then change back to the "good" blades for finishing work. The blades need no setting whatsoever - simply slip in the new blades into the slots and tighten with the supplied hex wrench.

I have to say, however, that the cobalt blades supplied in Australia are very tough - better than the chrome steel ones fitted at the factory.

3. Hammer/Felder make the machines - they are not bought from 3rd party suppliers and Hammer dealers don't sell other brands. Consequently the in depth knowledge and experience of the dealers with the machines is better than I have seen for other brands including Jet

4. The dealers generally have all the accessories and parts available here at a moments notice.

5. My machine was completely checked and calibrated by Hammer. They ran test boards through it before delivery. I checked the setup myself and it was all spot on. The accuracy is repeatable and I have put a large quantities of new and secondhand jarrah through it ( 200 mm to 260mm wide). I don't bother checking the setup now as it is always perfect

6. The machine is available with some very desirable accessories. One that I think is well worthwhile is the digital gauge and aluminium wheel. This will read out the precise height in MM and the large dial allows for sizing down to 0.1 of a mm. It is so accurate that you can set the gauge to the desired height and get exactly the thickness dialled in - I have cross checked the timber thickness using digital vernier gauges.

Other accessories that I bought were table extensions. These are not cheap but like everything else with Hammer, they are well engineered and easy to use. They are useful for when jointing/thicknessing very long boards.

7. Some people are not overly excited about the fence. It is Euro style and is anchored at the right hand side, not the centre of the machine. There is a little flex in it if pushing very hard against it but at no time did it deliver anything less than perfect results. I am now a fan of it mainly for functional reasons. It is far simpler to operate and remove than centre fixed fences and it saves a significant amount of workshop space in that there is nothing that protrudes from the rear of the machine.

8. The cut is smooth as you should expect but on certain uneven grained timbers it can cause some tearout like all other straight blade machines. However, I have found by reducing the depth of cut and if necessary, passing the boards through on an angle, that tearout is kept under control.

Hey TP1,

Thanks heaps for your in depth review, your comments help me alot with my decision. Especially with your first hand practical experience with the machine.

You are right, the helical model is not available yet at the places I called, but I was told there arriving end of October.

Does anyone has any experience with the Jet JPT310 the normal one?

Cheers
Chris.