Thread: Buying Jointer/thicknesser combo advise

I have a Carbatec. No frills, no issues

Hammer A3 31 is a cracker, but it's more $ than the Jet.

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f154/h...spects-180000/

Pay it once and then forget about how poor you are while you carry on with the job...

It's getting harder to buy any equipment, regardless of how much is paid, that doesn't have some issues.
Just have to find the brand that has the least issues per dollar.

Sorry Balzk, I can't offer any help here. My Jet 310 is about 5 years old and my tables are fine.
I bought it pre HH but retro fitted one about 12-18 months ago.
My only advice is to stick by your guns and make sure you go for a HH machine, you won't regret it.

Cheers, Ian

Would love a Hammer A3 31, not even sure where / if anyone sells them here in Adelaide. With spiral cutter I think its another $800 on top of the machine. So around $5k im guessing ?
I wouldn't go back to knives after HH there is no comparison to the quality you get.
Ian: The Jet machines 5 years ago a a lot superior than they are now, I think this is due to maybe cost cuts / quality checks. There are a few threads going around about the tables.
Still disappointing being a known brand for quality.

Originally Posted by Blazk

So around $5k im guessing ?

I paid $5600 in May, but apparently I got a good deal. You can see all the pricing in that thread link. Maybe a bit over $6k now, and I heard there's a price rise for Feb.

I have a new Hammer A3-31/spiral head, delivered just a few weeks ago. The only options I added were the wheel kit and the digital winder for the thicknesser. Together with GST, delivery and set up, the total was $6600.

This is a beautifully made machine. Solid (the steel panels are at least twice as thick as the Carba-tec it replaced). Very quiet (the 2 hp Carba-tec dust extractor is much louder - but my wife says she cannot hear any sound coming from the workshop now).

Regards from Perth

Derek

Originally Posted by derekcohen

.....but my wife says she cannot hear any sound coming from the workshop now

You mustn't make as many mistakes (or as bad) as me Derek.

No surprise there.

Originally Posted by derekcohen

This is a beautifully made machine. Solid (the steel panels are at least twice as thick as the Carba-tec it replaced). Very quiet (the 2 hp Carba-tec dust extractor is much louder)

Yes to all of that, it's robust, and you can feel and see the quality. Ergonomics are pretty good too - very easy to operate.

Originally Posted by Blazk

I owned a jet 310hh for a few weeks, let's just say is was a real headache with its dished beds, dealing with the supplier and other issues that I won't get into, I need another. After returning it and not wanting to go down that jet road again what are some other combo machines that people recommend. Of course I would like the spiral / helical head, single phase option. As I have a small workshop having two separate machines would be an issue. I have had a look at the Ledacraft 310 which I wasnt all that impressed with but the beds seemed solid. Any advice or suggestions would be great.

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Just wondering, since I have 'taken the risk' and bought a Jet310hh, if the dished beds are obvious. I can't seem to find an issue with mine. If I do find them can anyone explain where it shows up on the finished product? In other words why is it a problem?
I looked at the Hammer as an alternative but was a little concerned about reports of huge delays in parts replacement if needed plus $1000 price difference.

Hope you find something that works for you.

Others with the problem can better comment, but as an example, say you have a dish along the length of the infeed table, but the outfeed is flat. You may not have a problem when feeding in a long stick because it will ride the highs, but a short piece will approach the cutters uphill, and will not register properly with the outfeed table. Furthermore, if you are using the table to check the piece for flatness by rocking the timber to see if there is any movement then you'll probably get a false reading.

That would be the same as using too small a plane to hand flatten a board. A jointer plane will ride the highs, but a smoother will not.

A similar problem would arise if the tables were not co-planer, which seems to be the other issue with the more recent Jets.

OTOH, if you have a high spot on either table it would be a problem for any length of timber that encounters it (but is somewhat easier to rectify (just grind it off - somehow).

FenceFurniture is pretty much spot on.
The problem is that its not just the jointer beds, but the thicknesser bed too. Mine had a 0.3mm (low spot) on the thicknesser table causing the rollers not to grab, adjusting the roller made other pieces bind up. Small pieces would go into the low spots on on the planer beds and cause all sorts of problems. Setting up dished beds to be co planer is near impossible as I found out. For a precision machine it should be precise as your work will suffer, as i found out first hand and the hard way.

Here is the thread that shed some light on the dished beds: https://www.woodworkforums.com/f155/j...ml#post1740143

The hammer is a bit out of my price range unfortunately, not that I can find one in Adelaide.

It's a pity that Powermatic never got into combo machines, although they'd be out of your price range too....

Seriously, these days JET is just Carbatec plus maybe a teensy bit more QA (and that's not saying a lot...), and a lick of cream paint. Hammer is nice but pricey, and even they have more issues than I would expect for the money. Judging by their other machines (saws, bandsaws), Laguna would be a good fit for the price/quality trade off you seek, but not sure if they make a combo machine either.

If you're looking for high quality at JET prices, your only option may be to inspect/measure the tables on a JET or Carbatec machine at the depot/supplier before accepting delivery. These days, probably 80% of machines from these suppliers are OK, and you just have to make sure you avoid the other 20%. Otherwise you could wait for a good used machine to come up, but that may have other issues down to wear/abuse rather than defects from new.

Originally Posted by Mr Brush

It's a pity that Powermatic never got into combo machines, although they'd be out of your price range too....

Seriously, these days JET is just Carbatec plus maybe a teensy bit more QA (and that's not saying a lot...), and a lick of cream paint. Hammer is nice but pricey, and even they have more issues than I would expect for the money. Judging by their other machines (saws, bandsaws), Laguna would be a good fit for the price/quality trade off you seek, but not sure if they make a combo machine either.

If you're looking for high quality at JET prices, your only option may be to inspect/measure the tables on a JET or Carbatec machine at the depot/supplier before accepting delivery. These days, probably 80% of machines from these suppliers are OK, and you just have to make sure you avoid the other 20%. Otherwise you could wait for a good used machine to come up, but that may have other issues down to wear/abuse rather than defects from new.

It is a shame both powermatic and Laguna dont make combos, would maybe help out the market somewhat. Might head down to Carbatec today and see if they make a 12" version, as I do like the extra width on the beds.
It is quite hard to find a life time machine second hand, but ill keep and eye out.
Thanks for the options Mr Brush.

I bought a Hammer A3-41 with spiral cutter head last October and simply love it. It cost $6332 which included the Digital Dial Display and 410 extension rail.
I also bought the AF22 mobile dust extraction for $1993 and it works a treat

People forget that Hammer was set up as the "lower cost, hobbyist" line of machines from Felder. I remember when they first came out pricing was very reasonable, quality maybe not quite so good as it is now (a bit rough around the edges). Over the years they seem to have crept up in price and quality to be nearer the Felder end of things than the mainstream hobbyist market.

Carbatec are now doing Powermatic, and I got a good look at the display stuff in their Sydney store recently. Very nice indeed - there really is a HUGE difference between China and Taiwan manufacture ! This now gives them something in every price range - from own brand China-made for the low end, to JET for people with a little bit more $$$, and Powermatic for the Lotto winners.

Carbatec gear may be more hit and miss quality, and it may take a bit of stuffing around to get a good example, but for the price people have been quoting for the A3-31 HH combo you could almost set up a complete hobbyist workshop from Carbatec stuff.

A quick google revealed that Laguna DO sell a combo machine in the US:

Platinum Series 12" Jointer / Planer Combination w/ Spiral Cutters by Laguna Tools - 800.234.1976

Not sure if Gregorys have any plans to bring this into Australia. They seem to be pretty flat out keeping up with the demand for Laguna bandsaws and tablesaws. Looks a nice machine (with HH) for the money, although the short fence is a bit suss IMHO.