Steel City Mortiser

[Todd Hoppe]

Hi all,

I purchased a Steel City mortiser for use on a crib project. I finally got it out and assembled yesterday. The first thing I noticed is that the included chisels are quite short. It seems like it would be very difficult to cut a 1/4 wide mortise more than 1/2" deep in 3" wide stock.

I've never used a mortiser before. Is this a common issue with this tool? Can anyone recommend a good source for longer chisels?

[Mike Heidrick]

Lee Valley makes some nice ones.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=53252&cat=1,180,42240,53317

[John Thompson]

Are you sure you have the depth stop set for full depth and not locked somewhere before it? I can't remember on this particular machine but.. check to see if your head can be multi-posiitoned by raising or lowering it to accomdate various thicknesses. I had a Shop-fox once that had 3 positions for the hydrualic shock to mount which raised or lowered the head.

[Todd Hoppe]

Thanks for the feedback.

John, you are dead on. The gas shock only has one mounting position. I think I'll need longer chisels, a shorter shock, or a support to lift up the workpiece

[John Thompson]

Your welcome Todd. If it were me I would simply step to the scrap box and pick up a piece of backer to lift it as you mentioned. I see no real need to spend $30 or so on new chisels. In lieu of that... get yourself a set of hollow chisel cone honers from LV as with the exception of the LV chisels.. no chisels (including Clinko which are around $100 apeice) come really sharp out of the box.

Good luck...

[Chris Friesen]

John, you are dead on. The gas shock only has one mounting position. I think I'll need longer chisels, a shorter shock, or a support to lift up the workpiece

Are you sure you're using it correctly? That tool is designed to be able to do through-mortises and has a 5" stroke.

[Darl Bundren]

Double check to see that you have the handle adjusted correctly on the little ratchety deal to ensure that you get full travel. You may need to pull the base of the handle away from the body of the mortiser, adjust it (probably towards you) and release it so the teeth catch again.

And forgive me if you've already tried that.

Good luck. I can get some pretty deep mortises with mine.

[John Thompson]

Chris and Darl.... yep..... something doesn't add up here and the reason I asked originally if he was not familar with the depth stop and had the collar nut (or whatever this one uses) in mid postion. I have heard no issues of depth and if there were any.. you would have heard about it well before now.

[Chris Kennedy]

I had the same experience with depth on mine, mainly because the gas shock limited how far down the head could go. It wasn't the depth stop. I haven't had a chance to really look at what is going on, but I am following this thread with interest.

Cheers,

Chris

[Todd Hoppe]

Thanks for all the responses! I've tested it out, and can get deep enough mortises on my current project, which is a crib and calls for 1" mortises in the side of 4" - 5.5" wide stock.

I confirmed the problem is the gas shock. The racheting handle works just fine, and the mortiser has a 5" stroke. However, when the mortiser is fully raised, the distance between the table and the tip of the 1/4" chisel is much more than 5". Hence, no through mortises without a thick scrap-stock spacer.

I was initially confused by this, because the cast iron table has a drill press style hole in it so the chisels dont hit the table. Then I saw the gas shock. Becasue the gas shock has a single mounting position, the 5" stroke is of limited value without modification. I'm not crazy about modifying a new tool.

I'll post some pictures in the next few days.

Otherwise, I'm very happy with the tool. It appears well made, and cuts square holes.

[Chris Kennedy]

Todd,

When I got mine the gas shock wasn't attached, and I did my first test cut without it. It worked fine. I then struggled like a madman to get the gas shock installed, and then discovered the problem. So, if you get desperate, I think it can be operated without the gas shock, but putting it back on is a challenge. I figured out a trick to get it back on, but now I can't remember what I did.

Cheers,

Chris

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Todd, the mortiser, like all mortisers. has a limited stroke due to the amount of force required, otherwise wimpy guys like me wouldn't be strong enough to use the machine.

To cut a mortise, adjust your chisel/bit as per the manual.

Lower the head so the chisel/bit is a few mm above the workpiece. Set the mortiser handle so it's fairly high up (maybe 10 o'clock position as viewed from the handle side)

Lower the handle so the chisel is at the desired depth and set the locking mechanism.

Now the mortiser starts off with the chisel a few mm above the work and plunges to the depth you've set.

Hope this helps out............Regards, Rod.

[Adam Cavaliere]

Todd,

When I got mine the gas shock wasn't attached, and I did my first test cut without it. It worked fine. I then struggled like a madman to get the gas shock installed, and then discovered the problem. So, if you get desperate, I think it can be operated without the gas shock, but putting it back on is a challenge. I figured out a trick to get it back on, but now I can't remember what I did.

Cheers,

Chris


I thought I was the only one who didn't have the gas shock attached. I was a little disappointed with that. I also don't think the part that holds the wood down has the same way of tightening and loosening that the pictures show. That I'd have to say is the only minor disappointment I have.

[John Thompson]

I doubt any bench mortiser has the shock attached. Cuts down size to un-attach and let the head drop. Just a guess but the three I have owned before I got an Industrial floor model did not have the shock attached.

[Todd Hoppe]

Thanks again guys. If I need the depth in the future, I'll try detaching the gas shock. My machine came without the shock attached.

I attached one end of the shock first, and then used a piece of scrap stock as a lever to compress it enough to get the other end on.