Wow, what an interesting discussion with many excellent insights. I will
elaborate a bit on the more vague points from my original message. If it
wasn't clear in my first message - I've never owned an X31, but did take a
used one for a spin one rainy afternoon. Prior to that, I had been wanting
one for about two years and did a lot of research including corresponding
with present/past owners. When we talk about the pros/cons of anything, it
should be understood that it is usually in a subjective context - my
priorities are no doubt different than yours.
Paul Jordan wrote:
The following need further explanation in order to be fair:
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+ More elegant sliding table rail system - does not need floor
support for full travel
The 10-year-old machine I "took for a spin" had a steel support leg to be
used with the sliding table rails. Other than that, I really liked the X31
slider until I looked at the Felders, which I feel is a "more elegant"
design.
A few points: the Felder rail system seems shorter and less in the way than
that of the X31. The way the Felder table cantilevers all the way forward
and back is amazing - it looks like magic. The spring-loaded end bumpers are
another nice touch, along with the locking mechanism.
The X31 had simple cotter pins for end bumpers and no supplied mechanism to
secure the sliding table. If the rails got in your way, you would unclamp
and slide them forward or back. It is a fine sliding table for its design,
however.
+ Excellent dust collection all around [a couple non-owners have
mentioned this, but the X31 dc points are fair to pretty good]
Of the owners I corresponded with, less-than-optimal dust collection was a
more common complaint. On the machine I looked at, the saw cabinet was full
of shavings, and the jointer would leave piles of shavings on the planer
table - and this was with the Robland 3HP dust collector connected via flex
hose. There was no dust collection for the mortiser.
I'm a stickler for good dust pickup, and the Felder really impressed me with
the thorough attention to this aspect for all functions, including the
mortiser.
+ Table extensions [available on the X31]
At the time I was looking, the only table extension available was a small
one for use with the shaper portion. It could not be used on other parts of
the machine, such as for the jointer, planer, or saw tables. I much
preferred the versatility and variety of the Felder extension systems.
+ Better safety devices [??? - the X31 is fine in this regard]
Indeed, the X31 is fine, safety-wise. However, I feel the Felder offers even
more in this department, such as the safety-interlock system to prevent
starting in certain unsafe configurations, safety-bars for the shaper fence,
etc. I also prefer the convenience of the "Euro-guard" for the Felder
jointer, and the clear crown guard for the saw.
+ Start and stop buttons at each working position [X31 has more
than enough stop buttons, don't need more start buttons]
My personal preference is for start and stop buttons at each station. It is
more convenient, and another level of safety as the machine will only let
you start the motor for the mode you selected.
+ Straight table edge for rip fence rail [??? - the X31 rip fence
worked fine - but I had the old style]
This is a comment on the offset jointer table of the X31 requiring two rip
fences. The new rip fence addresses this concern, but also introduces its
own quirks. Yes, it works fine, but I found the straight table edge of the
Felder a much better solution, and it works quite well.
+ Disposable planer knives [I installed the Esta on the Robland
for $231 and about 2 hours work, but you can now order them that
way]
At the time I was looking at the X31, it was still up in the air as to what
system they were going to go with and how much extra it would cost... the
salesman told me only a high-production shop really needs disposable blades
and that as a hobbyist, standard blades would be more appropriate for me
(hmm). The used machine I looked at had standard blades. Retrofitting the
Esta system sounded good, but drilling and tapping the expensive cutter head
sounded a little daunting to me. The Felders come standard with disposable
blades.
+ Latching tow bar for moving the machine [same as X31]
Correct me if I'm wrong. The tow-bar on the X31 doesn't latch, it
over-centers. After I saw the Felder design, I immediately liked the idea of
its positive foot-operated latch mechanism. It offers a more secure
connection, and you can move the bar up and down as needed without dropping
the machine. It's one of the many small details that add up to a lot more
money, but also convinced me to go with the Felder.
+ Optional outrigger can be removed when not needed [don't know
about the LX31 outrigger]
Dave's post cleared that up. I assume the X31 cannot be retrofitted with the
LX31 outrigger, whereas with the Felder this can be added later.
All in all I feel the X31 is a fine machine for the dollars, but the
Felder/Hammers are in a different class in terms of fit and finish.
Agreed, although the Hammers offer some pretty attractive competition now.
After looking at the one machine, I went away feeling it would be an OK
compromise, but was a little disappointed with the machining and design
details compared to other tools I already owned. I did almost buy the
machine, and I probably would have been happy with it for awhile. However,
being a perfectionist with a mind for details it would have only been a
matter of time before the itch to upgrade reared its head.
..Geoff
