mortiser question

[Paul Mathers]

I bought a steel city moriser today and I cant figure out how to get it to go deep enough to mortise 1x4 laying flat on table am I doing something wrong or do I have to put temp table under wood. Thanks for any help

[Myk Rian]

Just stick a piece of scrap under it. 2x4 would work.

[Ben Martin]

Haha, i bought this mortiser yesterday and was going to post this same question. The "hydraulic cylinder" fully compresses trying to go all the way down. I just put two pieces of 3/4" ply under neath the piece I was mortising and it worked fine.

[Julian Nicks]

I have a multico mortiser and it has two holes for the cylinder to mount to. Are you sure that yours doesn't have this setup also?

[Lowraine Hughes]

I have posted here earlier about the cylinder that comes with the mortise machine. I have one cylinder that can go into three different positions. I have moved my cylinder to change the depth of my cut and now it will not hold the arm in the upwards position. No one seems to be able to help me correct my problems so I am calling the company tomorrow.

[Ben Martin]

I have a multico mortiser and it has two holes for the cylinder to mount to. Are you sure that yours doesn't have this setup also?

No, mine (the Steel City) only has one spot for the cylinder. At least I think it does...

Ben (off to the shop to check...)

[Paul Mathers]

My SC only has one spot for cylinder geuss I'll put scrap block under it. Thanks

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

Paul - I have the SC mortiser too, and I had to put scraps under stock that thin to get it high enough.

[Ben Martin]

I just had to turn the whole mortiser 180* to mortise a 7" tall stretcher for my Morris Chair, trying to find a place to clamp the base so that the mortiser would actually mortise was a bear...

Sure is a nice machine though, except mine smells like a HF store, lol. :D

[Chris Tsutsui]

Ugh, I just got a harbor freight shop crane and now my garage smells like a Harbor Freight. I think it's the machining cutting oil or hydraulic fluid that gives off the odor.

I totally agree with everyone else that raising the wood piece using wood seems like the easiest solution.

[Ben Martin]

Ugh, I just got a harbor freight shop crane and now my garage smells like a Harbor Freight. I think it's the machining cutting oil or hydraulic fluid that gives off the odor.

I totally agree with everyone else that raising the wood piece using wood seems like the easiest solution.

I work in a manufacturing plant, the American (or wherever it is from) stuff sure don't smell like that... :D

[Lowraine Hughes]

I would like to thank the person who made the first suggestion to put something under the stock to get a deeper cut. My Shop Fox has three positions for different thickness of cuts and I damaged the one cylinder that comes with it and now have to buy another one so the head will stay in the upright position. I will have it installed and never move it. It is good to know that I can put something under the stock to achieve the cut I need.