Thoughts on Felder Jointer/Planers
#7
Hello,
I currently have a Delta DJ-20, 8-inch jointer, purchased in 1988.  I believe the machine was made in Brazil.  I upgraded it by installing a Byrd spiral head and new bearings, and it works beautifully.  However, I'm frustrated by the 8 inch width, and find myself passing up some beautiful boards because they are 10-12 inches wide...Yes, I know I could rip them and then face joint each half and do a glue-up etc,,, but the truth is I hate to take a nice looking board and rip it in half.  I also have Grizzly 15-inch planner with spiral head, which also does a nice job, even though it did take a fair amount of work to adjust the tables and rollers to eliminate snipe, but that's another story.... At the time I bought the jointer, combination tools were not as easy to convert from one function to another as they are today.  And, my budget was tight.  Now, I've been reading about the Felder AD741 and AD941 machines, which have a 16 inch capacity.  And they do seem nice!  I'd appreciate comments from folks who own one of the Felder J/Ps.  And thoughts on upgrading to a combo jointer/planer...  I'm a hobbyist and work alone (and usually very slowly!)
Thanks,
Israel
Northern CA
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#8
Technically, your 8" jointer has a capacity of 16". You can joint each half which should give you a flat enough surface to run the board through your planer. You'll need to remove your blade guard to allow a wider board capacity.

I've done this numerous times on my 8" jointer. Once you've done it a couple of times I think you'll find it an easy process. And, it's cheaper than buying a much larger jointer.
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#9
Israel,  can't help with the Felder part,  I have a fairly inexpensive, compared to the Felder,  Jet 12 inch combi jointer planer.  First, it is helpful to have the same size jointer and planner, it is really hard to explain why you would want different sizes  ( Why do hot dogs come 10 to a pack, and hot dog rolls comes 8 to a pack ? ).    Second, it is nice that since both machines need a fair amount ( 6 to 8 feet in my case )  of infeed space and outfeed space for a total of 12 to 16 feet , you don't have to duplicate that area for a separate jointer and planner.  Third, on my machine, the changeover time is in the neighborhood of 30 seconds.  So long as you have a digital readout, it is not hard to switch back to the planner setting when making a replacement piece.

On the downside, there is some mental inertia -  did I remember to face joint everything before I went switched to planing -  oh no, I started planing, and forgot one piece, so do I switch back and face joint that one, then come back to planing, or do I finish planing all the others, then switch to face jointing for the one orphan, then back to planing.     For me,  I am pretty happy with the choice -  mainly for the amount of space I would have to dedicate to a separate machne.
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#10
Well you are looking at top notch machines.  I have an older MiniMax 14" J/P, pretty much in the same class as Felder and it is very nice to use.  I used to have a 10" J/P and moving up to the 14" Minimax was a huge improvement.  Even 10" was great compared to your 8" machine, but with 14" I can handle nearly any board I want w/o having to rip it.  I bought my Minimax used and my only regret is that it wasn't a 16" unit.  You can never have too wide a jointer!  If you are choking on the price of the Felder machines then look at Hammer, their lower cost machines.  They aren't as heavily built but are more than heavy enough for any hobbiest need.  

I've had J/P's and separates.  If you have the room I'd go with separates.  If you don't you still won't regret choosing and using a 16" wide J/P, either Hammer or Felder, or MiniMax if you are brave enough to buy from them.  If you can find any of those brands used, I would have no hesitation buying one if it's in good/excellent condition.   

John
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#11
I'ver been using combo jointer planers for 40 years. My shop is too small for separates. I started with a little Inca 10 1/2" J/P and had it for many years. Even though it was a very light weight machine, I enjoyed it and was often thankful for the 10" capacity. A few years ago I upgraded to a Hammer A3-31 12" J/P. As John mentioned, Hammer is the low end Felder product aimed at smaller shops and hobbyists. I have been delighted with it. It is a much more robust machine than my little Inca by several orders of magnitude and the added two inches of capacity have been a blessing. It is well built and the fit and finish are excellent. I know the Felder is a nicer machine and would love to be able to afford the 16" model. It sounds like a dream, but I am well satisfied with my Hammer. Yes, it would be nice to have separate machines, but I've been using combos long enough to have gotten used to them. Occasionally I get caught in the situation Barry described where I've left out a board in the dressing process and have to change functions to accommodate it. It's an annoyance, but one that I can easily live with in light of the great advantages of having large capacity heavy duty jointer planer capabilities in my little shop. If I were in your shoes (and I wish I were), I wouldn't hesitate to purchase the Felder machine.
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#12
I like 12" jointer and 20" planer separates if you have the room for them. Make sure you have the dc for your solution too.


Glad its my shop I am responsible for - I only have to make me happy.

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