Bench Top Mortiser

[Bryan Cramer]

My local tool store has the Delta 14-651 on sale for $270. What do you think of this machine? Is the price a good deal? I love the large table and the rack and pinion fence.

Thanks

[michael case]

Hi Brian,
That is a good price. I have this machine. Its nice. The table is large and the machine functions very well. The rack and pinon fence is not much of a help though. It does not keep the fence square to the chisel. It has lots of play and you have to square it all up every time you move the fence. I don't know if any of the bench top models have a fence that will move parallel to the chisel. Having said all of this I should mention that I don't use it much. I found its much easier and quicker to cut mortises with a plunge router and the Mortise Pal. For smaller mortises I took the bit the bullet and got the Festool Domino. If you already have a plunge router I would suggest taking a look at the Mortise Pal which goes for $169.00. I did a review of this tool with some photos on Lumber Jocks under mcase. Otherwise you might want to hold out and get the domino. But if your hearts set on a hollow chisel mortiser the Delta is well made and performs its task well.

[Larry Anderson]

I too have the Delta mortiser. I removed it from the base and mounted it on a riser box with an X-Y vise I made from Popular Woodworking plans . Like Michael I don't use it alot but with these mods it is a pleasure when I do. If you get one and are interested I can send you the article.

[HANK METZ]

I just bought a Jet JBM 5 from a guy who buys storage unit contents at auction and adverts on Craigslist. It was $100 and missing the hold down fork, so I fabricated a tall fence and custom hold down and am very happy with it. It was made in 2002 according to the motor info plate, and it looks like whoever owned it originally just punched a few holes with it and put it away after that. Before I viewed the thing I checked reader feedback on Amazon regarding this model and it handily came out on top over Delta and another unit. Just yesterday I saw another BT mortiser on Craigslist again, so they're out there at decent prices. The Jet BTW came with decent 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2" chisel sets; not sure if the Delta does. The fence is a rod and jam screw system, as simple as it gets but quite solid when dogged down, and the stock table can, of course, be replaced by a custom sized one.

My advice is to check Craigslist first and vet the offerings before seeing them.

- Beachside Hank

[Peter Aeschliman]

I have this machine. It's a good machine for the money. They key is to keep the chisels super sharp and keep the plunge mechanism well lubricated. You also need to lubricate the chisels before each use. The machining of the fence and table top is a little rough, so if you get any surface rust, it's tough to remove. So you need to keep your top and fence well-waxed.

I also agree that the fence really doesn't stay square, so you have to tinker with it a bit to make sure your chisel is aligned. For most mortises, my tenons have shoulders on all four sides, so the alignment doesn't need to be perfect.

So as long as you don't expect it to be a production-quality machine (this is the entry level for hollow chisel mortisers), I think you'll be pleased.