Thoughts on a Mortiser

[Stew Hagerty]

I am thinking of picking up a Mortiser for my shop. I have a couple of projects coming up where a mortiser would come in handy.

The one I've been looking at the most is the Powermatic PM701 3/4hp model.

Any thoughts? Comments? or otherwise?

[Kent A Bathurst]

Would not be without my mortiser, Stew.

No experience with the PM 701. I started 15 years ago with the standard-grade Delta benchtop. That adventure lasted 6 months - donated it to local HS shop. Got the PM 719.

But, then - when I have a project, it is usually overrun with M&T joints, so this thing was a great investment for me.

[Stew Hagerty]

I am a Hybrid Woodworker. I have no problem chopping a mortiser by hand or drilling then cleaning up. I actually prefer chopping to drilling. I actually think it's more difficult to clean up the opening than to chop it from scratch with one of my heavy mortising chisels. But the projects I have coming up are going to require a lot of M&T's.
I also thought about a Domino, but I would need the XL and it's over a thousand dollars. I'm sorry but Festool stuff is ridiculously priced and I've seen several tool tests where they don't win even though they are often 2-3 times the price of the winner.
So that leaves me with a mortiser.

[Larry Edgerton]

Stew I have the same Powermatic as Kent, I think? Mines not tilt, came out just after I bought mine. I would buy it again but would prefer a tilt model for those once in a while situations where it would make life easier. I have made scores of doors with it and it has not hiccuped once.

[Stew Hagerty]

Stew I have the same Powermatic as Kent, I think? Mines not tilt, came out just after I bought mine. I would buy it again but would prefer a tilt model for those once in a while situations where it would make life easier. I have made scores of doors with it and it has not hiccuped once.

The PM719 is a big floor model with tilt. Plus it's like 3X the price of the PM701. In fact it's priced very much like
the Domino XL. I don't have. Not to mention that I don't have room for a floor model. I also don't foresee many times when I will need the tilt feature. If I do run across one then I will revert to my chisel & mallet.

[John C Bush]

The basic Delta mortiser has worked well for bunches of projects. I've had it for 20+ years. The key is keeping the chisels and drill sharp. I do like the looks of the powermatic tho.

[Stew Hagerty]

The basic Delta mortiser has worked well for bunches of projects. I've had it for 20+ years. The key is keeping the chisels and drill sharp. I do like the looks of the powermatic tho.

Well, and I don't think Delta, or anyone else for that matter, make them the way they did 20 years ago.
I like the look of the hold downs and rollers to keep the work where it's supposed to be.

Hey,while I'm at it... Any suggestions as to some good chisels?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

As others have stated, regardless of which one you buy sharp chisels and bits are the key to having good results. I use both the sharpening kit sold by Woodcraft and the honing kit sold by Rockler. One kit cuts a new bevel and the other one hones it with a diamond hone. I use a jeweler's file and a diamond hone card to sharpen the cutting edges on the bit. Be sure to flatten the flat surfaces on the outside of the chisel just like you would flatten the back of a bench chisel. My first project with mine was a white oak swing with close to 50 mortises. I sharpened before and touched up with the diamond hone about half way through the job. Worked great!

I have the General International 75-050T M1 mortiser. It's a little more money. I am sure either one will give you good service. But.....sharp is the key!

[George Moore]

I have had the PM 701 for several years now and it works great and have had no problems with it. As another poster mentioned get a good set of chisels for it.

[James Baker SD]

I guess someone has to be the contrarian here. I had a Powermatic, no tilt, but I do not remember the model, bought it around 2000 or 2001 so it was whatever they were selling at the time. I never, and I mean never, got a decent mortise from it. Tried the OEM chisels and later Clico chisels from Tools for Working Wood. Honed them to death getting them sharp (both inside and outside), but every mortise I cut the chisel followed the grain and mortises requiring multiple side by side holes ended up staggered, after cleanup they were no where near the nominal width of the chisel. Each mortise cleaned up a little differently so all my tenons had to be custom sized one at a time. Got to where I could cut better, more consistent mortises faster with a big chisel and mallet so I gave the PM away (not literally, but unloaded it super cheap). Maybe I just got a lemon that slipped through QC with too much slop in the head (I tried to adjust it to no avail) because lots of others seem to love them, but I certainly am glad it is no longer taking up space and slowly rusting away.

[Jim Andrew]

Before you buy a hollow chisel machine, look at the Grizzly G0540. I bought one, and although I have not built anything with it yet, I have experimented a bit. Pretty accurate mortises, and pretty easy using milling cutters.

[Kent A Bathurst]

The PM719 is a big floor model with tilt. Plus it's like 3X the price of the PM701. In fact it's priced very much like
the Domino XL. I don't have. Not to mention that I don't have room for a floor model. I also don't foresee many times when I will need the tilt feature. If I do run across one then I will revert to my chisel & mallet.

OH, yeah - it is pricey compared with the 701. Just for the record - Yes, it is a "floor model", assuming you mount it on the cabinet. I never did - it has always been on a bench. Sold the cabinet here many years ago. Total footprint is really not that much different than the other's style - the floor-standing thing should not be a part of your evaluation. You can see it on the back bench to the right of the plane till.

Bigger motor; much more solid table, with worm-gear X & Y table movement. Very heavy-duty. Mine is the 719A - replaced by the tilt 719T. You never need the tilt until you need it - rare for me, so no big deal, but when it comes up, that woulda been a big plus. Not mission-critical.

Its like anything else - you get what you pay for. If you don't need the capabilities, then you wouldn't benefit. But I would still pursue some version, one way or the other.

Then, there are the guys here that have the real deal - floor-standing, foot pedal operated, big iron. Serious machines.

305903

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Stew, I've owned the GI mortiser for about 13 years now, cut a thousand mortices with it.

It's consistently ranked in the top picks by magazines, and it has a strong column, brass wear bars, a good vise and hold down.

I would put it at the top of the list for benchtop machines.............Regards, Rod.

[John TenEyck]

Another contrarian (sp) viewpoint here. After I started using a router to cut mortises I never gave buying a mortiser another thought. A router cuts mortises cleanly and precisely, every time, with no cleanup, etc. required. It is limited only by the size of the router bit you use. You can still make square ended mortises, too, with a little handwork afterwards. A few years ago I built a horizontal router mortiser, and you (OP) may want to take a look at it. This link describes my mortiser, with general guidelines on how to build it. At the bottom of the page is a SketchUp file that you can download, which gives a complete model of the machine and every major component. I built it for about $50, yes $50. I've been using it for over 3 years and cut hundreds and hundreds of mortises with it. It is fast, safe, precise, and very easy to use. Not only will it cut mortises, but you also can cut integral tenons, sliding dovetails, some finger joints, rabbets, and raised panels. Did I mention it cost about $50 to build. You will not find a better bang for your woodworking dollars.

https://sites.google.com/site/jteneyckwoodworker/current-projects/horizontal-router-mortiser

John

[Joe Cowan]

I have this machine. I have used it twice now and it has been excellent. The biggest hurdle I had to overcome was to understand that I needed to sharpen the chisels. Once that was out of the way, it did all I could have expected. I had to do some angled mortises and needed it as I had been using the router before.

[Bill McNiel]

I've had the PM 719A for years. It has performed very well. Don't really miss the tilt option but maybe I tend to design around the need for skewed mortises. I can always hand hack "special" mortises. Also have a Domino 500 which complements the PM quite nicely IMHO.

[Shawn Pixley]

I have it and like it. Most times I cut mortises by hand. But when I have a lot of mortises, it comes out. I have the riser but haven't had to install it yet. I keep toying with installing an X/Y vise but just haven't found the compelling need.

[Stew Hagerty]

I have it and like it. Most times I cut mortises by hand. But when I have a lot of mortises, it comes out. I have the riser but haven't had to install it yet. I keep toying with installing an X/Y vise but just haven't found the compelling need.

Shawn, thank you for the post. It sounds to me like we would be using them in much the same situations.

[Mike Schuch]

I bought a HarborFreight mortiser to mount 1/2" square steel balusters in my hard maple stair case railing because that is what I could afford (I think I paid about $150 with a coupon). I had to make my own tilt mount base for the mortiser to drill the appropriately angled square holes. It did an excellent job on that project and the few times I have used is since.

If you are planning on using a mortiser a lot I would purchase the best you can get. My understanding the feature that really helps a lot for a mortiser that will be used frequently is a good clamp on an X-Y table that allows you precisely position the work.

If you think you will only occasionally use a mortiser I can vouch that the cheap HarborFreight mortiser has done an excellent job (with sharpened chisels) for the few projects I have used mine on. I have a Davis Wells horizontal boring machine that I use for prepping my joint of choice - DOWELS.

[Rick Lizek]

Before you buy a hollow chisel machine, look at the Grizzly G0540. I bought one, and although I have not built anything with it yet, I have experimented a bit. Pretty accurate mortises, and pretty easy using milling cutters.

A horizontal slot mortiser is so fast, simple and accurate. Loose tenons are the best. I can make panel with loose tenons before you finish the mortises with a chisel mortiser. Two flute HSS endmills are inexpensive, cheap to sharpen and cut hundreds of mortises. The Grizzly G0540 is a good option. If you don't mind the screaming router there's many diy plans out there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RQcClMWeh4

[Terry Welty]

I too have the cheapie Harbor Freight mortised installed a cross slide vice and it works just fine.

[dennis thompson]

The current issue of Woodsmith has a DIY mortiser as their lead article.

[Chris Hachet]

I have the Jet morticer, but like Shawn I frequently cut them by hand. I prefer both hand work and a morticer to a router, as I really dislike the noise and dust of the router.

[Steve Jenkins]

Fine woodworking mag just did a review on bench top mortisers