Mortising - need thoughts on General 75-050(t)

[John McBride]

As my "Tiny shop" continues to show signs of actually coming on line, I am turning my attention to some ancillary tooling. Routers, dust collector/shop vacs, and lots and lots of hand tooling.

One of the tools, that I never in a million years thought I would buy, is either a horizontal slot mortiser, or a bench top mortiser.

I have looked at a number of variations. The Powermatic, Jet, ShopFox, and Grizzly.

As a big fan of the former Canadian company General, and a slightly smaller fan of their "import subsidiary General International, I am also seriously considering their bench top machine. Like, very seriously.

After reading many posts here on the various pros and cons, I wonder if anyone had any thoughts? As of this posting, it is sort of a coin flip between the Grizzly horizontal slot mortiser, and the 75-050.

Owners of ANY of the above listed options are encouraged to reply.

P.S. Yes, I do know that the key to any mortiser is sharp chisels. Ken, you posted as honing tools that several have confirmed work well. Rest assured that if I go the benchtop mortiser route, my cost for purchase would include the honing tools Ken mentions in many posts here.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hello John, I've owned the GI bench top mortise for about 15 years now.

It has made at least a thousand mortises for me in white oak, it works very well.

As you're probably aware it has been in the top machines group in magazine tests for over a decade.

I wouldn't hesitate to purchase it again.

Regards, Rod.

[John McBride]

Hello John, I've owned the GI bench top mortise for about 15 years now.

It has made at least a thousand mortises for me in white oak, it works very well.

As you're probably aware it has been in the top machines group in magazine tests for over a decade.

I wouldn't hesitate to purchase it again.

Regards, Rod.

Thanks Rod, I continue to read up on my various options. The General repeatedly comes out at or near the top. My only hesitation(s) are parts availability, and deciding between the General and the simplicity of the Grizzly horizontal boring/slot mortiser.
More/continued research is needed I think. I like the idea of boring square holes, but the simple slot created by the horizontal Grizzly machine seems to point to less muss and fuss. Not to mention less capital outlay for bits.

I suppose this may be for another post in another section, but does anyone know of an X-Y capable, shop made horizontal machine? I'll look some more here, then do some googling, but I wonder if anyone knows of a link that they could point me to?

[scott vroom]

I like the idea of boring square holes, but the simple slot created by the horizontal Grizzly machine seems to point to less muss and fuss. Not to mention less capital outlay for bits.

John, I went through a similar decision process a few months ago and concluded that the General 75-050T will likely be my choice when I move into a bigger shop next winter. I plan to build a lot of A&C style furniture, with lots of through tenons. I don't want to mess with cleaning up round corners with a chisel....but that's just me. I also looked at the 75-050's big brother, the 75-075. More power, bigger table, 1" chisel capacity, but pricey at around $1,200+.

[Bill McNiel]

John,
I've had the Powermatic 719A for over twenty-five years now. Given shop size limitations a free standing machine on wheels works best for me as opposed to a bench top but I suppose on could easily build a mobile base with better storage than mine has. It has performed very well over the years, no idea how many mortises I have cut with it but best guess is in the thousands and no complaints here. I really like this machine but haven't really looked at, or used, any others. The tilt version did not exist at that time or I would have bought one.

[John McBride]

John, I went through a similar decision process a few months ago and concluded that the General 75-050T will likely be my choice when I move into a bigger shop next winter. I plan to build a lot of A&C style furniture, with lots of through tenons. I don't want to mess with cleaning up round corners with a chisel....but that's just me. I also looked at the 75-050's big brother, the 75-075. More power, bigger table, 1" chisel capacity, but pricey at around $1,200+.
Scott,
I too lean towards the General. The 075 would be awesome, but you are right, too spendy for me.

[John McBride]

John,
I've had the Powermatic 719A for over twenty-five years now. Given shop size limitations a free standing machine on wheels works best for me as opposed to a bench top but I suppose on could easily build a mobile base with better storage than mine has. It has performed very well over the years, no idea how many mortises I have cut with it but best guess is in the thousands and no complaints here. I really like this machine but haven't really looked at, or used, any others. The tilt version did not exist at that time or I would have bought one.

Bill,
I have been looking at Powermatic machines very closely. We have the machine you have at Red Rocks Community College, so I agree that it is a great machine. I just can't afford much more than a top tier benchtop.

[Kent A Bathurst]

John,
I've had the Powermatic 719A for over twenty-five years now. Given shop size limitations a free standing machine on wheels works best for me as opposed to a bench top but I suppose on could easily build a mobile base with better storage than mine has. It has performed very well over the years, no idea how many mortises I have cut with it but best guess is in the thousands and no complaints here. I really like this machine but haven't really looked at, or used, any others. The tilt version did not exist at that time or I would have bought one.

ditto here, about word-for-word........except "free-standing". Mine has never been on the base [long gone]. always on a long back bench - intentionally......

works out great.....i have mortised 72" + stuff, and i have a couple scrap blocks built to the correct height - - just sit them on the bench for dead-level @ any length.

i have only needed the tilt a couple times in all those years, and math and scrap blocks made short work of the issue. but - t is the model available now

the gen'l looks pretty darn good to me......all i can say is the pm is built like a tank...15+ years and counting.........no kids, so no grandkids, but this thing will be running fine for somebody's grandkids, no doubt...........

[Ken Fitzgerald]

John,

That GI mortiser is the one I own and use. It works well.

[paul cottingham]

I have the mortiser in question. Even though I am mostly a Neanderthal, you will get my mortiser when you pry it from my cold, dead, fingers. :-)

Seriously, a great machine, but buy better chisels as soon as you burn the ones that came with it. The Lee Valley ones are great.

[paul cottingham]

I placed mine on a stand that makes the tables co planer with my workbench. Makes a great support for longer pieces.

[Jim Dwight]

I have a little Jet benchtop mortiser. I like it better than making mortises with a plunge router. If I was looking for a machine now, I would look very seriously at the Domino. I would then have to decide 500 or 700. If you need to do entry doors or similar things (I've made internal but not entry doors so far) the 700 is indicated. For smaller stuff, cabinets and the like, the 500 would be better. Space and speed are the reasons I might drink the green cool aid. I might even though I have the little Jet.

Burning and sticking on the first hole are the things I do not care for with the Jet. I need to build a stand for it. It has one but I don't care for it. Any sort of machine, even a benchtop, will take up a lot more space than a Domino.

[Michelle Rich]

I have tried just about every mortising option available over 30 yrs of butchering wood. My choice? Domino. Fast, easy, strong.

[Bill Rhodus]

If I were starting over I would just buy a drill press with a good depth stop, use a forstner bit, and clean up with a chisel. The drill press and forstner bits can be used for a variety of tasks and you could always add a mortiser if you begin to build a lot of projects or begin to work full time. I build 4 to 6 significant pieces each year and don't think I would miss my mortiser.

[John McBride]

Ken,
Thanks. Actually, it was you who put the GI mortiser on my radar. I had been doing a bunch or reading, and your posts discussing the machine got me started in that direction. Thanks.

[John McBride]

I placed mine on a stand that makes the tables co planer with my workbench. Makes a great support for longer pieces.

Paul, thanks! Good advice. Very much appreciated.

[John McBride]

I have a little Jet benchtop mortiser. I like it better than making mortises with a plunge router. If I was looking for a machine now, I would look very seriously at the Domino. I would then have to decide 500 or 700. If you need to do entry doors or similar things (I've made internal but not entry doors so far) the 700 is indicated. For smaller stuff, cabinets and the like, the 500 would be better. Space and speed are the reasons I might drink the green cool aid. I might even though I have the little Jet.

Burning and sticking on the first hole are the things I do not care for with the Jet. I need to build a stand for it. It has one but I don't care for it. Any sort of machine, even a benchtop, will take up a lot more space than a Domino.

Agreed on the space saving with the Domino. We have the 700 in the shop, and its nice and all, but for that kind of $$$ I would be looking at the Grizzly or PM floor models I think.

No, I am much more inclined towards a benchtop mortiser. Thanks though.

[John McBride]

I have tried just about every mortising option available over 30 yrs of butchering wood. My choice? Domino. Fast, easy, strong.

Michelle, thanks for the reply. However, the Domino just is not in my financial cards right now.

[mreza Salav]

I have the GI, works fine but I don't see myself using it very often. A domino or a slot mortising machine (which I wish I had) would be a better choice.
I have the small domino and would likely get its bigger bro instead.

[Warren Lake]

Used a Gereral drill press for years before getting a mortiser. It worked well only thing I put more length on the handles for more leverage for woods like birdseye maple and think its hard on the drill press so finally got a dedicated machine. If you werent doing alot I dont think its a bad idea but not really sure.

[roger wiegand]

I've had the 75-075 for a decade or so now and wouldn't want to be without it. The sliding table makes it well worth the additional cost, IMO. Once you set the stops for a given project you can crank out lots of parts without fussy marking and measuring. For me anyway, every measurement is a golden opportunity to screw up. The chisels that came with it needed a *lot* of work to become even passable.

[scott vroom]

I've had the 75-075 for a decade or so now and wouldn't want to be without it. The sliding table makes it well worth the additional cost, IMO. Once you set the stops for a given project you can crank out lots of parts without fussy marking and measuring. For me anyway, every measurement is a golden opportunity to screw up. The chisels that came with it needed a *lot* of work to become even passable.

Roger, what's the biggest (widest) mortise you've cut with the 075?

[Michelle Rich]

I understand that..totally..$$$$ is always an issue. If I had it to do over, I would use a forstner & a chisel, while I saved my $$$ for a domino. I adore the little bugger that much. :-)

[roger wiegand]

Roger, what's the biggest (widest) mortise you've cut with the 075?

About 6" X 1-3/8" for a bed frame. That was done with a 5/8" chisel though, taking multiple cuts. I don't use a chisel bigger than 5/8", the 3/4" one takes too much pressure, it feels like I'm going to bend the arm when I've tried to use it in hard wood. Might well be fine for timber framing in softer woods.

[Steve Jenkins]

Fine Woodworking recently did a review of bench top mortisers. You might check their website.

[Bradley Hedges]

Thanks Rod,......

I suppose this may be for another post in another section, but does anyone know of an X-Y capable, shop made horizontal machine? I'll look some more here, then do some googling, but I wonder if anyone knows of a link that they could point me to?

Matthias Wandell's woodgears.ca website is a treasure trove for homemade tools. Here's the link to his X-Y slot mortiser: http://woodgears.ca/slot_mortiser/plans/index.html

I have built his tilting router lift, and will build his box joint jig once I finish up a few other projects first.

Highly recommend.
Brad