Mortise bits for Euro Jointer planer

[Darcy Forman]

I have a new to me Euro mini max jointer with a mortise table. I love the jointer planer but havn't used the mortise table. Mainly because I have no mortise bits. Question is where do you guys get your bits? Also, what type of bits does one use in the wescott chuck. Will a spiral Onsrud for a router work? Thanks

[Rick Lizek]

For 30 Years we have used 2 flute center cut end mills. They will cut hundreds of mortises and are cheap to sharpen. The official bits are called oscillating it's and don't work nearly as well and the selection is dry limited and more expensive. End mills are available at hundreds of machine tool dealers like Enco, Wholesale Tool, MSC, McMaster, etc.

[Robert LaPlaca]

My MM mortise table 'came with' birds mouth style bits, I have been meaning to try the solution that poster Rick had proposed of two flute end mills.. You can find the birds mouth style bits from Morris Wood Tool here http://www.morriswoodtool.com/Tooling-Misc.htm, i believe you need the oscillating mortise bits... I believe that Laguna Tool might also have the required bits..

[david brum]

Agree with Rick. I tried several kinds when I got my mortiser. The two flute cutters work great and they're much less expensive. One thing I found with 1/4" bits, is that they flex too much unless you get 3/8" shafts (instead of 1/4" shafts). It could be a characteristic of my mortiser, though.

I think the main reason to get bird's mouth cutters would be if your mortiser runs counter-clockwise. Those cutters work in either direction.

[Jeff Duncan]

If you do a lot of hardwoods you may want to spend a little extra and get the 4 flute roughing mills....they'll cut through oak like butter. For softer stuff the 2 flute's Rick mentioned will do the trick and keep your wallet fatter than any of the router bits. IIRC those Onsruds are pretty expensive, you could probably get several mills for the same price;)

good luck,
JeffD

[Richard Coers]

Be aware of your chuck rotation direction. I have a very early MiniMax combination machine that does not have a reverse switch on the jointer motor. If I wanted to use the mortising table I would need left hand mortise bits. I have a multi router, so have never used the mortising table.

[Rod Sheridan]

Felder sell them, you can mail order the bits from them............Rod.

[Peter Quinn]

I like the ones from Laguna the best. They have long carbide 2 flutes right and left rotation, they have HSS in a similar format, and they just got some birds mouth cutters that either direction. I like the onsrud birds mouth cutters from Morris for shallow slots, but they are limited in terms of depth given their length. I'm waiting on a 1/4" 2 flute spiral carbide from white side I just ordered, my machine is left twist only, it was about $20. I haven't seen end mills in left rotation in the lengths I use, a body know of a source ? I use end mlls on a Bridgeport at work for slotting and they work great.