Mortising Kit

[Mike OMelia]

I am picking out my fathers day present (I will get asked soon) and I thought about this:

http://www.amazon.com/Anytime-Tools-MORTISING-ATTACHMENT-CHISELS/dp/B001PEZOT2

Has anybody used this before? Thoughts? (I have a 18" Powermatic)

Mike

[Matt Day]

I think the general concensus is that they don't take the place of a stand alone mortiser and is not what a DP is designed for. I suggest you do some searching around here for more information, if you haven't already.

[mickey cassiba]

I am picking out my fathers day present (I will get asked soon) and I thought about this:

http://www.amazon.com/Anytime-Tools-MORTISING-ATTACHMENT-CHISELS/dp/B001PEZOT2

Has anybody used this before? Thoughts? (I have a 18" Powermatic)

Mike

Mike, I' seen a lot of negative reviews of add-on mortising kits, but I've had pretty good luck with mine, on a benchtop Delta. Just practice stuff so far, I haven't put together any furniture yet. One thing that's been mentioned is that the chisels are not sharp ready to go out of the box, and I'll agree. My first try in White Oak was ugly. After hand lapping with a cone shaped stone, all that went away. YMMV

[Mike OMelia]

Well, my first swipe at this was because I don't think I will be doing a lot of joints like this. Having one more dedicated machine is closing in on critical mass. I am ignorant here. What is going on with a dedicated mortising machine. Is there some "hammer" function? Never used one before.

Mike

[Bob Rufener]

I don't know how much your father will use the mortiser. I had a Delta mortising attachment that I used on my bench top drill press a few times. Set up was very time consuming and the results weren't all that great. I bought a dedicated mortiser and am glad I did. I don't use it that often but it is so easy to set up and the results are very good. I looked up mortisers and they have gotten a bit pricey so that may be a factor in your decision ( I paid about $200 for mine). For occasional use, the drill press attachment may work out ok

[Neil Brooks]

For what it's worth ... I've seen LOTS of DP mortising attachments for sale, on sites like CraigsList, over the last couple years.

While it's possible that those folks stopped woodworking, or simply stopped making M&T joints (or started making them by hand), I'm guessing that the gizmo just wasn't all they'd hoped it would be.

If it were me, I'd keep my eye out for a used mortiser. There are LOTS of good ones, at reasonable prices -- General, Delta, Steel City, Grizzly, etc., etc.

Mine's the 1/2HP Grizzly, and I really like it !

[Cary Falk]

I have also heard negative things about attachments for the drill press. I think you would be better served with a home jig to make them with your router. ShopNotes had one a while back that was well received. If interested PM me I wil help you out.

[Carl Beckett]

I have one of these, and use it regularly. Its a bit of a pain to setup, and you cant really switch back and forth with regular bits when using it. I dont use the guide or fence or hold downs - just the square bit/drill and track by 'eye' along a pencil line mark.

Some observations (only my experience, others likely have different experiences):

The bits do benefit from some honing/sharpening.
There is a set screw type of knob that keeps the square bit from rotating and holds it in the frame. Sometimes this loosens up on me to where the bit rotates and thus the hole is no longer square to the workpiece.
Getting it setup square to begin with is key - I use a straightedge pressed against the side of the square bit and then try to align this with a 'fence' clamped to the table, which I push the workpiece against.
You push it to depth, and when retracting it can pull the workpiece up with it. I think this contributes to bit rotation because you are pulling the bit out of the frame at the same time.
I always cleanup and pare the cavity after using this.

But the thing is - it makes square holes. And saves (me at least) a bunch of time. So I end up using it on most every project requiring a mortise joint.

Maybe someday I will buy a dedicated mortising machine. Maybe.

[Ole Anderson]

I have Delta version mounted on my Craftsman DP, took a lot of mods to make it fit including hogging out one of the bushings to fit my quill. To complicate matters, I had 58 fairly large 5/8" square mortises to drill, in QSWO for a mission style head/foot board. It was a tough go, but it worked. Also used it recently with the 5/8" bit to cut sixteen 3/4" x 2-1/4" hickory and soft maple mortices. Would I rather have a dedicated mortiser, sure, but what I had worked. And my DP (and my wallet) is none the worse for it. And if you really want to do it right, get the Multi-Router like David Marks uses, those can really cut some clean motises. Lots of ways to cut mortises, at lots of different price points.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/misc/paperclip.png Attached Thumbnailshttp://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=186749&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1300114051 (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=186749&d=1300114051) http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=186748&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1300114014 (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=186748&d=1300114014)

[John TenEyck]

I'm sure your Dad will love whatever you give him for his B'day. My advise is to give him a tool you really like using, or one he's mentioned he would like.

[glenn bradley]

Mike mentions the Father's Day present is for himself ;-) I too had read the various and mostly negative reviews of DP mortising attachments. I got a Mortise Pal and have never been sorry. I have the original version. The new version (http://www.mortisepal.com/)(for the same price) is much nicer. It is an order of magnitude more expensive than the unit you show but, as an owner, I'd say it is well worth it.

[Mike OMelia]

Thanks. I like that Mortise Pal. May go that route.

Mike

[Lee Schierer]

There are those that swear by and those that swear at morticing attachements for drill presses. I own one and don't hesitate to use it when I need to make mortices. It does a pretty good job, but like any other tool, it has to be tuned up properly. It does take time to set up on your drill press, but the price and space requirement are certainly better for a home work shop. It is easier to justify $60 for an attachment than you can $275+ for a one purpose machine.

I found that if I honed the inside and outside of the chisels that they would not only cut cleaner, but they would also go into and pull out of the wood much easier if the outside surface was smooth and shiney. I took time to square up the chisel to the fence so the edges of my mortice were in line from plunge cut to plunge cut. I got better results if I used a fence to insure the spacing to my cut was always the same and if I only took a 75-90% bite after the first plunge cut at each end of the mortice. Trying to trim off the last bit of wood in a mortice against the end just doesn't work well. Setting the drill bit about 1/16 below the cutting edge of the chisel also improved the ease of cutting.

[Mike OMelia]

That's just it. I do not want another dedicated machine taking up more floor or bench space. Watching videos of folks using the attachment seems to indicate it can be done if the attachment is set up properly. Well, that could be said of any machine! Please indicate the proper honing stones I will need. I do have a Sharprite machine.

Think this is what I will ask for Father's Day.

Mike

[Lee Schierer]

I smooth the exteriors with flat sheets of automotive sand paper mounted on a thick piece of plate glass. I cleaned up all four sides. On my chisels this also sharpened them. They make a conical stone that you can get from Rockler or Woodcraft, I think, for sharpening the inside of the chisels.
http://images.rockler.com/rockler/images/24727-10-200.jpg

[Greg Portland]

I am picking out my fathers day present (I will get asked soon) and I thought about this:

http://www.amazon.com/Anytime-Tools-MORTISING-ATTACHMENT-CHISELS/dp/B001PEZOT2

Has anybody used this before? Thoughts? (I have a 18" Powermatic)

MikeIMO you are better off with a good Forstner bit & a sharp chisel. IMO a good X-Y drill press clamp or jig is extremely helpful when following this method. If you have a lot of mortises to cut & time is an issue then consider a floor standing or horizontal mortiser.

[Myk Rian]

I had the Delta version and used it quite a bit. After sharpening, and careful set-up it works OK.
I now have a vintage version for my 1958 Delta DP220. It takes a sturdy DP quill and spindle to handle the load.
A dedicated mortiser would be nice, but I wouldn't use it enough to justify the expense, unless I found one during one of my barn sale forays.

[Dick Bringhurst]

I used one for many years with acceptable results. The problem I had happen fairly frequently was the presure it took to raise the mortising chisel out of the mortise. A drill press is designed to apply downward pressure. To get the chisel out, especially the initial hole, takes significant upward pressure on the quill. It can pull the quill mechanism apart. Then you're not necessarilly a happy camper. Dick B.

[Neil Brooks]

To Dick's point ... this is yet another reason why you should sharpen AND polish your chisels.

I also use a dab of beeswax on the end of the drill bit AND ... use Jig-a-Loo (or any other woodworking lubricant) on the outside of the chisels. Makes the "release" a LOT smoother. Seems to reduce the amount of effort needed to drill/chisel the holes, too.

[John Toigo]

I used one on a Buffalo DP for several years. The results were fine. Caveat - be careful with the set-up and check it often. They do come out of line.

[Mike OMelia]

Anybody seen that Trend Mortise and Tenon jig? Wow.

Mike

[Craig Coney]

I have a Delta model, about 8 - 10 years old, and contrary to other's experience, it works great once set up. I stumbled upon a great deal on a dedicated Delta moritser about 5 years ago, so I don't use the DP kit any more.