Which benchtop mortiser to buy?

[Jeff Dunlap]

I have decided that i would like to purchase a benchtop mortiser, as much as i would like the General it is not in the budget. I have wittled it down to 2, i think, the steel city and the shop fox.. I am looking to spend around 300 and welcome any other suggestions.

Here is the trouble i am having on making my decision.

I have heard that the hold downs are great for the steel city, with the rollers, and thhat it is better than the shopfox. I plan on buying a cross sliding vise so i think that this would cancel any hold down advantages the steel city wuld have. Is this correct?

The shopfox has a greater stroke, and with adding a vise i will be reducing the mortises capacity, i have heard that the steel city has a riser kit, is this true, does it come with the machine or do i have to buy it seperatly, also does the riser give as much as the shopfox?

The Shopfox is 3/4 HP while the steel city is 1/2 hp. I would like more power but will it make a big diffrence?

I seem to be leaning towards the shopfox, but for 1 thing the RPM's, grizzly has a mortiser that used to be 3450 rpm but the 2009 model moved back to 1725 like all other mortisers including the steel city. The shopfox however spins at 3450, i have heard this is to fast and can blue bits. I guess mty question here is, is the extra HP worth having a mortiser that spins the bit at 3450 RPM?

I know the steel city has a 5 year warrany versus the shopfox 2 year and that the steel city comes with more chisels.

So i need any and all suggestionas or ideas, please no buy a router bit and chisel, i have trained that and don't particulary like it.

Thanks

[glenn bradley]

When I went through this I realized by the time I bought a lesser machine (than the General) and bought good chisels for it, the price was still quite high. I bought a Mortise Pal (http://www.mortisepal.com/) for about $190 and have been smiling ever since.

[BOB OLINGER]

Hi Jeff,

I was in about the same predicament a few months ago. I bought the Shop Fox because it had 3/4 HP compared to others mostly at 1/2. Also, if memory serves well, others didn't offer a swivel base enabling you to mortise into long stock if needed. I've only done a few mortises, never operated another model, so while everything is OK so far, I'm short on recommendation. I have noticed several for sale on CL now compared to then, but that's history. If you have time, look for a used one on CL. You can always buy good quality chisels which is likely most important.

[Rod Sheridan]

Jeff, the motor on the mortiser only supplies power to drill holes in wood.

Since the largest bit would be around 1/2" a 1/4 HP motor would be much larger than you need.

After looking at all the mortisers, I selected the General International as the best of the imports, a General would be nice but who has that kind of money?

My GI has cut thousands of mortises, works very well, has good hold downs and vice, and the dovetail ways have brass wear strips. I've now owned it 8 years and have no complaints.

I've never missed having an X-Y vise, just loosen the clamp slide the stock along, tighten and mortise.

In my opinion, buy the GI without the X-Y vise to save some money.

Regards, Rod.

[Dave Bureau]

To bad that you dont live closer. I have a General that I bought new and have never used that I would sell. It is still on the shipping board.

[Rod Sheridan]

To bad that you dont live closer. I have a General that I bought new and have never used that I would sell. It is still on the shipping board.


Hi Dave, if you don't mind a dumb question, how many thousands (aproximately) is the General mortiser?

Regards, Rod.

[Chris Padilla]

When I went through this I realized by the time I bought a lesser machine (than the General) and bought good chisels for it, the price was still quite high. I bought a Mortise Pal (http://www.mortisepal.com/) for about $190 and have been smiling ever since.

That looks pretty nice...kind of like the Dowelmax of the mortising world.

[Chris Kennedy]

I have the Steel City. The extension is a separate purchase (I don't know how much -- haven't looked into it). I really like my Steel City. When I was doing my research, for the money, it was the best option.

Cheers,

Chris

[Neal Clayton]

Hi Dave, if you don't mind a dumb question, how many thousands (aproximately) is the General mortiser?

Regards, Rod.

i believe the new price on the 75-075 if that's the one you're referring to (the import), is about 1400.

i found a used one for just under a grand last thanksgiving.

either way i recommend it. it's alot sturdier than the grizzly i previously used, and in every way superior to any benchtop model.

the lack of a horizontal clamp on most benchtop models is the deal breaker for me, they're just not stable enough without one.

and yeah rod is right, the motor power doesn't mean much, it's just a glorified drill press. the accuracy, strength, and stability of the column is what matters.

[Casey Gooding]

I have the Jet mortiser and really like it.
My main complaint with the Steel City is the hydraulic arm to assist raising the motor back up can limit your mortise depths.

[Dave Bureau]

Hi Dave, if you don't mind a dumb question, how many thousands (aproximately) is the General mortiser?

Regards, Rod.

I have the bench top model. its $450 to $499 new. The head tilts which makes it nice. I dont know if the others tilt.

[Paul Ryan]

Jeff,


I recently read a thread that someone had found the jet JFM-5 floor motiser on sale again for the $500 range. It looks like the microsoft cash back is comming back so you maybe able to get a good deal on this mortiser. Myself and others got in on the deal back in Dec I paid $380 shipped to my door. This has everything you are looking for the x-y vise 1 hp (even though that just means more electricity) and all the stops you could want. It does not tilt, but I dont know of often I will need to do a angle mortise, if that day comes I will use a biscut or router a mortise. It does spin at the 3450 RPM but that really isn't an issue unless you use really large bits. I have cut 1/2" with mine and it wasn't a problem. I just bought a set of cheap bits from woodcraft and they cut great. If you wait I bet you will be able to get your hands on one of these for a great price again.

[george wilson]

The name escapes me,but there is an English made mortiser that Fine woodworking tested,among several others years ago.The English one cost a lot more,but was a lot better than all the others. Much better hold downs,and other features I can't recall. Wonder if it's still made.This was a bench mortiser,BTW.

Edit: just googled england mortiser.It is the Multico. Garrett Wade sells it,and it is $1895.00. The table tilts. It has a hold down like the floor models. Should be better!!

[Dewey Torres]

The Griz is by far the cheapest and it is a good machine. I have about grown old posting it but maybe I am the only one who thinks it is just as good as any of the others posted.

[Neal Clayton]

i don't disagree on the grizz being plenty for most needs, my stepbrother has one, i've used it, didn't have any complaints.

the only reason i rate the general import higher is it's larger in every way (column is larger, table is larger, clamp is larger, etc.)

but then again you pay an extra 400 bucks for the larger one, so...;)

[Jacob Mac]

I have the Delta benchtop mortiser and it works well. I have never used another mortiser, but I think mine is pretty functional.

Also, you can buy cheaper chisels and polish/hone them and get pretty good results. It is a nice way to save some cash.

[Scott Vigder]

I have the General benchtop mortiser, bought at Hatville Tool for $349 two years ago.

It is very easy to use, has a great adjustable fence to hold stock, and in My Humble Opinion is much smoother to operate than the Delta benchtop.