Morticer

[Jerry Thompson]

Any recommendaitons on a bench top morticer? Or a floor model for that matter.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jerry,

I bought the General International 75-050T M1 primarily for the style of holddown, clamp and tilting ability.

Regardless of which one you buy, buy a set of diamond honing cones and hone the chisels on the inside and hone the outside flat surfaces. If the chisels aren't sharp, you will be disappointed with the operation.

[Van Huskey]

What is your budget?

[Bryan Cramer]

I have the Delta 651. It is a great, solid machine, but you need patice when setting it up it. Clamp the workpieces instead of relying on the hold down. The chisels are junk so use them for practicing sharpening and mortising. I found the Rockler chisels to be of decent quality to replace the stock ones. You can also try Lee Valley. The chisels have to be very sharp. I use the sharpening cones from Rockler along with honig the outsides (read up on this). If you are hobbiest a bench top machine will serve you well unless you expect machinist precison out of the machine, then purchase a floor standing one. If you are in a buissness situation purchase a foor standing machine, you will be happier. Also check your old friend, Craigslist.

[Stephen Cherry]

http://shopping.hermance.com/used-machines/Mortisers_2/Used-Bridgewood-Model-MS-12-Mortiser

[Jerome Hanby]

I bought the Powermatic a little over a year ago during the big Jet/Powermatic sale at Woodcraft. At the time it looked like the best bang I could get for the money. Of course it's still unopened, but I derive considerable pleasure from moving the box around the shop.

[Jerry Thompson]

Around $600-700. As long as the bride is not with me. I just got two hand planes snuck into the shop that had been in my trunk for two months.

[Mike Heaney]

Thumbs up on the powermatic. Mine did not come with chisels so I have only been exposed to aftermarket good ones! Of course sharp is key and the PM comes with a sharpening cone.
i like the hold down system and the adjustments. The whole machine feels very solid and well put together. Adjustments are precise and stay put once set.
i have not found a way to easily do end gain mortises so not so hot for floating tenons in frame and panel. Not sure any of the other machines have that sorted either.

Good luck

Mike

[Mike Henderson]

If you can find a horizontal slot mortiser, they are far superior to the vertical machines with the combination chisel/drill. Laguna makes one that's reasonably priced.

Mike

[Jamie Cowan]

I heartily agree with Ken. I have the Delta, which is fine, but every time I look at that General with the tilting ability and the clamping, I wish I'd gone that route. Also, I work at a tool retailer, and get to look at that General all the time. I think it is mocking me. Bryan is right about the Delta--have to clamp that wood down.

[Van Huskey]

The General Ken recommends as well as the PM 719T are excellent mortisers but unless used are roughly twice his budget. New it will have to be a bench top, in that case the PM 701 would be my choice.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Van,

The GI I have is a bench top model....and currently is selling at Woodcraft for $619 and the chisels come with it.

[George Panagopoulos]

I have the PM 701 and it has been great. The fence system and hold downs are very good for a bench top machine. I was considering a floor standing model, but just completed over 20 mortises with little issues. A joy to use.

[gary Zimmel]

I also have the general benchtop that tilts. Been real happy with it and have done a ton of mortices with it.
As a side note take Ken's advice and get the diamond honing cones with whatever you get...

[Van Huskey]

Van,

The GI I have is a bench top model....and currently is selling at Woodcraft for $619 and the chisels come with it.

You are indeed correct I was thinking of the 75 not the 50, the 75 is "technically" not a floorstander either but it is built like a floorstander and not very "mobile".

Between the PM and the General 50 it is a toss up depending on how you prioritize, the General has a better clamp, tilts and swiwels and longer stroke but 1/3 less horsepower and is more money depending on how much you spend on chisels for the PM. Tough call.

PS Tools-plus has the Gneral 50 for $619.99 with free shipping chisels included.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Just a matter of personal preference between the two Van. Either one with sharp chisels and bits would probably work well for most hobbyists.

I can't emphasize too much.....cone diamond hones for the interior edges of the chisels...and then flat hone.....stone or diamond....the outside edges of the chisel to make sure the chisel is flat and sharp. A guy wants to make sure that the chisel is the same width in both planes up through the working area of the chisel. In other words...there is no large shoulder to get caught in the smaller hole while you are trying to make a deeper mortise.....I hope this makes sense.

[Brent VanFossen]

I have the Powermatic benchtop and like it.


As long as the bride is not with me. I just got two hand planes snuck into the shop that had been in my trunk for two months.

The key here is to build cabinets and projects for the lady, and she'll learn to love the tools and what you do with them. My wife actually encourages me to get the tools I need. Guess who has new cabinets in her office?

[Rick Lizek]

I have to also recommend the horizontal slot mortiser as the superior choice. Have used the chisel type, chainsaw type and Maka type along with single double end tenoners. The slot mortiser is faster, easier to use and the most versatile.

[Rick Fisher]

I had a benchtop and then picked up a floor model with the adjustable X-Y tables .. The built in moving table is a huge bonus.. One fella put up a link to a used Bridgewood, that would be my choice ..

The slot mortiser is an awesome choice too, depending on the type of work you do, the cheaper ones have moving tables and the better ones have moving heads.. Moving tables for building large projects is not ideal.