Laguna Slot Mortiser

[Rick Potter]

Well I finally had enough time to unpack the Laguna slot mortiser I bought over a week ago. I am happy to report it has no rust, heavy grease, dents or scratches on it. It is in perfect condition visually.

I say visually, because I was afraid to plug it in. The website, the salesman Benny, the manual (such as it is), and the info sticker on the machine....all say that it runs on 220V power, and yet the machine very definitly has a
110V plug on it. I took the cover off and checked the wiring at the motor, but since it has a reversible motor, there were too many wires for me to figure out. No sticker on the motor that I could see, and I tried to look where the cord goes into the switch, but it is inside the column, where I cannot get to it.

So, I am waiting for tomorrow morning when I will call and ask if there is a mistake, and let them tell me it is ok to fire it up.

Stay tuned.

Rick Potter

[Gregory Stahl]

Same deal with mine when I got it. I plugged it in and found it barely moved at 120v. Cut off the end and put a 220V plug on it--good to go.

[tyler mckenzie]

wow, that's sketchy.. You'd think Laguna would resolve the problem with the first complaint.

[Peter Quinn]

Wow, mine came with bent linear rails, and it took some shoving to resolve the issue, but I did get a proper 220V plug! My motor was 220V. I'd be amazed to have seen a 110V plug on the end. Well, it is easy to fix. Wonder how that happens?

[Mike Heidrick]

I have the newer style platnium horiz slot mortiser machine and it definately, well maybe, well I am pretty sure, well hmm, I thought it had a 220V plug. I changed mine to an L6-30 plug immediately so I never used theirs.

Have a pic of the plug by chance?.

[Mike Heidrick]

wow, that's sketchy.. You'd think Laguna would resolve the problem with the first complaint.

Maybe it was a bad shipment container full. I doubt they ever crack the wooden box these ship in.

[Rick Potter]

I talked to Javier, a technician at Laguna today. Nice guy, very helpful. He says (I am not making this up) that for some reason the factory in China ships them with a 110 cord and plug (the molded in type). Laguna opens the box and uses a pigtail adaptor that has a 120 female to 220 male plug. They plug that into 220 and check the operation of the motor. Then they cut off the 110 male plug on the cord and ship the machine. You have to get a 220 male to put on the cord.

Apparently the tester never cut off my plug. Looks like I am not the only one.

I also complained about the useless manual that came with the machine. Javier said there was a new one on Laguna's web site. I looked it up and it looks good, obviously done by someone who speaks english. Problem is, I cannot seem to print it without it being really small. I am gonna call and see if they will send me one.

So far, as I stated before, the machine arrived in great shape. That's because I picked it up at Laguna.

More to follow when I get it together.

Rick Potter

Called this morning, and they are sending me the manual they have on their website. RP

[NICK BARBOZA]

Rick,

Any news on the performance of this machine? How do you like it?

Thanks,
Nick

[Rick Potter]

Hi Nick

I am afraid I don't have much to report, as we have been working on the house remodel. Putting in the last grass area next week. THEN....I clean out all the sprinkler pipe, and 2x4's out of the shop and get to work on the cabinets. 5 years to get to this point.

I have played with the Laguna a bit. It seems to work fine, needs to be bolted down when I decide where to put it. It took a long time for them to ship me the chisels. In the meantime I tried a half inch brad point bit just for fun....WRONG. I tried straight bits for the router...they worked pretty good, but were not the plunge type and took a lot of back and forth action. Tried what I think is an end mill bit someone gave me.....worked better. Finally got the correct chisels from Laguna (they forgot about me). They are made in Italy and work GREAT..in both directions.

I also tried the brad point bit for doweling, but it didn't work well, as the machine turns about 2000 RPM, and the bit wants to heat in oak. The Laguna bits drill for doweling just fine.

I don't have the machine completely tuned yet, but I know I am going to like it.

Rick Potter

PS: I seem to have better control of the side to side and plunge action if I stand behind the machine, for what that's worth.