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Thread: New A3-31

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Bunbury, WA
    Posts
    80

    Default New A3-31

    So after going to the Perth wood show last weekend and seeing the Hammer and various (very similar) Taiwanese machines almost next to each other I finally decided to replace the crappy old Carabatec 10" straight-blade unit I'm using at the moment. Hammer A3-31 with spiral head and depth gauge for me - it's just more solid and feels more trustworthy.

    I'm sure Con of Felder Perth will be happy.

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Albury
    Posts
    3,019

    Default

    The green eyed monster just appeared at my place. I'm sure you'll be very happy with it.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    337

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    Well if I had ordered an A3-31 in WA, I would be getting a cube of Jarrah and the family would be getting outdoor furniture for christmas...just because its less fiddly and more jointing/planing heavy than indoor furniture

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Bunbury, WA
    Posts
    80

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    Using Jarrah and Marri are actually one of the main reasons behind the move to a spiral head planer in general and the Hammer in particular. Jarrah is one of the more silaceous woods and just rips up high-speed steel tooling. I picked up some American Oak in an auction and I tell you, compared to Jarrah that stuff is like butter.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Posts
    997

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    Welcome to the Felder/Hammer family.

    When I bought my AD951, virtually the big brother of A331, I had 2 cubes of never used rough sawn Jarrah at 100mm x100mm at 2.4m length, I put one through AD951 and it was like planing/jointing pine, It was so much fun I end up joint/plane them all for free (the Jarrah was sold but guy was more than happy that it was dressed for free)

    you will love your A331.
    SCM L'Invincibile si X, SCM L'Invincibile S7, SCM TI 145EP, SCM Sandya Win 630, Masterwood OMB1V, Meber 600, Delta RJ42, Nederman S750, Chicago Pneumatics CPRS10500, Ceccato CDX12



  7. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Bunbury, WA
    Posts
    80

    Default

    Delivery day.
    IMG_0390.jpg

    Of course that 20A round-pin plug means I have to do a little electrical work before I can fire it up. Ahh, delayed gratification.

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Helensburgh
    Posts
    7,696

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    It was delivered with the plug attached?? All the machines I know of the owner had to supply it. I have just given mine a bit of a workout and that depth gauge is still spot on after five years of use. Enjoy the journey.
    CHRIS

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Bunbury, WA
    Posts
    80

    Default

    Yeah, it surprised me as well since my N4400 was supplied with a short lead but no plug. They also installed the dial depth gauge although the calibration isn't correct - I'll have to fix it. No biggie.

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    10,810

    Default

    Mine works just fine on a 15 amp. It does not require 20 amps.

    Please keep in mind at all times when using Hammer machines: hold the start button down until the motor is running, and only then release. Do not stab it to start - not unless you wish to burn out starting capacitors.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek
    Visit www.inthewoodshop.com for tutorials on constructing handtools, handtool reviews, and my trials and tribulations with furniture builds.

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Bunbury, WA
    Posts
    80

    Default

    Thanks, Derek. I'll keep that in mind!

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Helensburgh
    Posts
    7,696

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    Not to dismiss Derek's start up advice but just to relate what I have found over my owning two Hammer machines. My K3 slider is 3 phase so press the button and get on with it, my A3 is single phase and because I am so used to the slider I never hold the button down as I should which will most probably bite me one day but so far it has not been a problem. Mine also is hooked up to a 15 amp plug.
    CHRIS

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Bunbury, WA
    Posts
    80

    Default First chips

    Having sorted out the plug, I decided to prepare some rubbish old Jarrah for use in some endgrain cutting boards. I am put in mind of Mr Toad of Wind in the Willows's thoughts about horseless carriages:

    "Glorious, stirring sight! The poetry of motion! The real way to travel! The only way to travel! Here today—in next week tomorrow! Villages skipped, towns and cities jumped—always somebody else's horizon! O bliss! O poop-poop! O my! O my!"
    There was simply no comparison to the old Carabatec 10" J/P I was using before.

    So about that Jarrah... well, I got a bit of a surprise. Here it is fresh off the machine:
    IMG_0394.jpgIMG_0395.jpg

    Yeah, nah, I don't think I'll be using that for cutting boards. Boxes, on the other hand...

  14. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Hobart, Tas
    Posts
    1,211

    Default

    I was a bit like that when I got mine too. Though I went from hand preparing stock to the Hammer. It is a lovely feeling when you catch yourself grinning like a Cheshire Cat!

    The real ah-huh moment for me came when I took a 4 mm pass with wide hardwood, and the machine behaved just as if I had done a 1 mm pass with a narrow strip of Pine. It really is a great machine. Enjoy!

    Kind regards,
    Lance

  15. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    337

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by LanceC View Post
    The real ah-huh moment for me came when I took a 4 mm pass with wide hardwood, and the machine behaved just as if I had done a 1 mm pass with a narrow strip of Pine. It really is a great machine. Enjoy!
    That’s why I want to get an A3 in the future, my jet 10” really only handles 1-2mm per pass in hardwood, and that means lots of work!

  16. #15
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Canberra
    Age
    63
    Posts
    1,291

    Default Extra cut off switch

    Quote Originally Posted by djeddy View Post
    Delivery day.
    IMG_0390.jpg

    Of course that 20A round-pin plug means I have to do a little electrical work before I can fire it up. Ahh, delayed gratification.
    Why do you have the extra cutoff switch next to the standard off switch?

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