Thread: Heads Up to Hammer K3 Owners

I have just checked all the stops I had machined and was not happy with the result but I have found a very simple and 30 second way to fix the problem. Check the table and outrigger if the CC fence is on one for coplaner at both ends of the table travel and correct it if necessary. After that put the stop to be fixed on the fence and using a big shifter or something like a parallel clamp give the stop a bit of a twist, it does not need to be much and a lot of force is not needed. I was reluctant to do that before because it was cast alloy and does not look very robust to me but it works and takes only a few seconds and job done. Why we always try and complicate things is beyond me but in this instance I was afraid of cracking the casting. Because this requires such a small amount of force to correct the stop I wonder if it is something that needs to be checked periodically?

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

A valid point but I have never used mine that way so it didn't occur to me. I can't imagine any circumstance that would require that to tell the truth, have you done that Bohdan and why? I must admit that by buying the saw without the outrigger and adding it later I now have two CC fences one for each end of the table but rarely use anything but the one on the outrigger. I had both on for a while but decided the table is too short for that.

The saw that I was used to using was a full stroke Altendorf and the fence was nearly always on the far side to rip lots of 8' sheets of chipboard. The ripping was against a retracted fence on the left of the blade so the stops were only used for small runs or one offs.

However when working on a quantity of short cuts it was more comfortable for the operator with the fence on the near side and the stops flipped over.

With the Altendorf I never noticed any error in the multiple stops scale readings and would always just set what I wanted and get it.

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

I have just checked all the stops I had machined and was not happy with the result but I have found a very simple and 30 second way to fix the problem. Check the table and outrigger if the CC fence is on one for coplaner at both ends of the table travel and correct it if necessary. After that put the stop to be fixed on the fence and using a big shifter or something like a parallel clamp give the stop a bit of a twist, it does not need to be much and a lot of force is not needed. I was reluctant to do that before because it was cast alloy and does not look very robust to me but it works and takes only a few seconds and job done. Why we always try and complicate things is beyond me but in this instance I was afraid of cracking the casting. Because this requires such a small amount of force to correct the stop I wonder if it is something that needs to be checked periodically?

I was worried about cracking the casing as well, but it works, i was surprised how easy it was to move after i got my machine, when i did mine, i only used hand pressure, so thats what made me think that sliding stock on to the flip can cause it to move over time.

Thanks to all who have responded to this thread and it looks like we have now arrived at a quick fix for now with the need to check the stops regularly. For me I am inclined to get a few made that are a bit more robust and don't have the inherent problems that the Hammer stops have. I will be talking to Felder in the near future as they want to know what can or can't be done locally to fix existing stops.

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

I have just checked all the stops I had machined and was not happy with the result but I have found a very simple and 30 second way to fix the problem. Check the table and outrigger if the CC fence is on one for coplaner at both ends of the table travel and correct it if necessary. After that put the stop to be fixed on the fence and using a big shifter or something like a parallel clamp give the stop a bit of a twist, it does not need to be much and a lot of force is not needed. I was reluctant to do that before because it was cast alloy and does not look very robust to me but it works and takes only a few seconds and job done. Why we always try and complicate things is beyond me but in this instance I was afraid of cracking the casting. Because this requires such a small amount of force to correct the stop I wonder if it is something that needs to be checked periodically?

Thanks Chris.

I think I mentioned this before, but the point you (also) make about ensuring the sliding- and outfeed tables are co-planar, is critical. The top of the crosscut fence needs to be parallel to both. My outfeed table was set by the Felder agent using a straight edge. A digital inclinometer revealed that it was 0.3 degrees out. That is enough to create a discrepancy when the stop is slid along the fence. So level them up.

I used two layers of electricians tape under one end of the stop to bring it to square. I will now give it your twist to make it permanent.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Explains the .5mm discrepancy I was seeing when doing ply versa thick timber

Square1.jpg

Maybe a better view of the gap

Square2.jpg