Laguna V-Way Slot Mortiser Quality?

[Jim C Martin]

Hello All:
I am in conversation with a guy who is selling a Laguna V Way Mortiser MM02000-0250. In the pics it looks near new but it is a 7 hour drive away from me so I have to make my decision without putting hands on.
The only two reviews (http://www.amazon.com/Laguna-Tools-V-Way-Slot-Mortiser/product-reviews/B002UUJXI8) I could find for this machine are not so very positive. But that is just two and its possible that many more users have positive things to say.
Would any of you happen to use one of these and be willing to share your experiences and opinions?
Thanks in advance,
Jim

[Rick Fisher]

There are two types of slot mortisers.

On the cheaper ones, the motor is stationary and the table moves. This is suitable for smaller stuff..

On the more expensive ones, the table is stationary and the motor moves.

The think the V-Way is an Asian Import, not sure .. Mike H has one ..

[Gregory Stahl]

I had one and got rid of it for less than half of what I paid--it was barely worth that! I feel bad because I initially gave it good reviews; but the more I used it, the more I noticed the poor craftsmanship of the machine (cast iron in particular). The V-Way is from China.

I use a Multi-Router and Festool Domino for most of my work now.

Greg Stahl

[Jim C Martin]

Thanks Greg! That's the kind of first hand feedback I was hoping to find. Sounds like I should let this one go. Thanks for saving me time, trouble, and $$!
Cheers,
Jim

[Peter Quinn]

I have the predecessor to the V way slot mortiser. Its built like chitty chitty bang bang, I had to mod the heck out of it and get new rails (originals were warped like bananas, couldn't get it to cut straight slots), it still feels rickety, but actually does reasonably accurate work. If I had to do it over...I'd own a domino XL, forget the cheap slot mortisers, the XL works great, I use one daily at work. I think the one Laguna called the V way was a copy of the Hammer slot mortiser, the original was a copy of the Rojek slot mortiser. Why bother engineering your own machine when you can get a Chinese knock off of an established model using hardware store parts and sell it for half price. I think the most telling inditement of the concept is the fact that Laguna no longer sells them. A decent slot mortiser comes in just under $4K. Imagine buying a brand new $5000 car today. What do you figure you would get? Remember the Yugo? Pretty sure they may have had a roll in designing these cheepo mortisers!

[Mike Heidrick]

I own one. Mine cuts straight mortises just fine and my cast iron is fine. I did modify the table (added a sub table) for 1/2" work as the height adjustment did not center the bit in 1/2 stock. Gave me a reason to incorporate Kreg Klamps/track for hold down and later I added pneumatic clamps from a multi router. It is what it is for a sub $1k mortiser and at the time I got it one of the only options sub $1K. Router based mortiser typically do not have the depth capability that a horizontal mortiser has. Router bits are too short. A multi-router is soo much more versatile but it is pricey even used.

The $4K one Laguna sold was night and day more smooth though. You could tell that was a copy of a real mortiser.

A friend sold me a domino though so the vway sits in the corner 99% of the time now as I typically do not need the depth or size mortises the Vway can cut. Get a domino if it works for you vs a Vway. The Vway will do much larger work than my 500 series domino so maybe some day I will need it - its not hurting anything sitting there though.

Marthias Wandell woodgears.ca has a slot mortiser build that could be considered. It looks nice.

[David Kumm]

I'm with the others in recommending a good quality slot mortiser or none at all. I ran a Felder F250 for years and even found that lacking if you were doing any quantity with 5/8" mortises. Finally rehabbed an old Bacci and find it far superior to a hand controlled machine. Dave