bench top mortiser

[Bill Carey]

One of the best buys I've made for my small shop was the Baileigh mortiser. Had it for a year now and it has been great. Cast iron xy table is great to work on. I noticed it was on sale for 355 at the moment so I thought I would post for anyone looking. I've used it for 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" mortises and the power has never bottomed out. It appears to be nearly identical to the Rikon which can be had for 449.

430079 430080

[Andrew Hughes]

Wow that’s a lot of mortises Bill. Looks like someone is having fun :)

[Bill Carey]

Wow that’s a lot of mortises Bill. Looks like someone is having fun :)

90 mortises this morning. 3 hours of running the Baileigh straight and it never faltered. Wonderful machine. I've never done a "production" of anything so I thought I would try it. Main lesson learned: you better be dam sure you are done with a particular setup before you change it. :eek:

And yes - loads of fun.

[Ronald Blue]

Main lesson learned: you better be dam sure you are done with a particular setup before you change it. :eek:


Why would you ever say something like that Bill? Almost sounds like you know from experience.....:D

[Jay Aubuchon]

Baileigh is offering an additional 15% off that price right now. However, shipping to me in Pennsylvania would be $200, for a total of $532.30, including tax.

I could get the Rikon delivered for a total of $466.40.

[Bill Carey]

Baileigh is offering an additional 15% off that price right now. However, shipping to me in Pennsylvania would be $200, for a total of $532.30, including tax.

I could get the Rikon delivered for a total of $466.40.

200 for shipping is ridiculous. If you compare the specs they look the same. And the xy system works great. My one complaint is at the handle is not reversible

[Alex Zeller]

I never understood that about Baileigh. Their freight charges aren't that much more than Grizzly but they have a cut off at 100lbs. Anything less gets shipped regular FedEx. In the case of this mortiser, being 88 pounds they charge more than what Grizzly charges to freight ship a 900 lb shaper. Every time I've looked to buy something like this from them the shipping charges turn me away. Rikon routinely has 10% off sales so you can get their mortiser for $400. What's worse is that if you order the Baileigh mortiser from Summit Racing they only charge $10 for shipping (vs Baileigh's FedEx Quote of $225) but no 15% off. I've been looking into getting one and I like the X,Y table models but don't want a floor model. So this one has been on my radar.

[ChrisA Edwards]

I had a lot of mortises to do, recently, just like Bill.

Once you get set up in production mode, the process is just so simple, precise and rewarding.

I bought mine a couple of years ago and went backward and towards on either a bench top model or floor standing unit. I opted for a floor standing on a mobile base. That way, when not in use, I can roll it way to a nook in my garage. I figured for a bench top model, I'd have to pretty much dedicate a certain spot which would also require me to make an area around it with clearance for long work pieces both sides, I just don't have room to do this. Plus the footprint of the bench models isn't that much less that the floor unit.

Last Sunday, I cut about 80 mortises for my current Planation Shutter project.

Working with long pieces, most 6' plus in length, I just rolled the mortiser out into the middle of my shop and went at it for about 3 hours.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIJWNBAUtyk

[Ronald Blue]

Thank you for sharing that excellent video Chris. I knew what the function and purpose of the mortiser was but have never saw one in use or used one. I'm impressed with how well it works. Obviously a sharp bit is key to it working so well but it's still quite impressive. Your video was very well done. Three different views make it crystal clear the process involved. I like the Loc-line vacuum line too. I didn't realize they made it in that size but it's a great option for adjustable point of use dust collection. Thanks again for the educational video.

[Bill Carey]

Main lesson learned: you better be dam sure you are done with a particular setup before you change it. :eek:


Why would you ever say something like that Bill? Almost sounds like you know from experience.....:D


you would think that a single class would suffice to teach me this lesson, but sadly I periodically have to repeat that class. :(

[Ronald Blue]

you would think that a single class would suffice to teach me this lesson, but sadly I periodically have to repeat that class. :(

You typically realize it after you have changed everything. Not always but usually.....

[David Utterback]

One of the best buys I've made for my small shop was the Baileigh mortiser. Had it for a year now and it has been great. Cast iron xy table is great to work on. I noticed it was on sale for 355 at the moment so I thought I would post for anyone looking. I've used it for 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" mortises and the power has never bottomed out. It appears to be nearly identical to the Rikon which can be had for 449.

430079 430080

Cool tool. I have an old Delta bench top model with crude fitting fence and hold down. Gets the job done but fussy. Sharpening the bits helped a lot with the cut quality (as it does with all tools).

[Andy D Jones]

Chris,

Awesome video! I am also looking at that same PM tilt-table mortiser, and the Loc-Line suction setup. Is that hooked up to a dust collector, or to a shop-vac?

- Andy -- Arlington TX

[ChrisA Edwards]

That's going to my dust collector via a 2.5" flex hose.I made a little wooden bracket to hold the Loc-Line in place. It just clamps on the rear of the machine with 3 strong magnets.

[Thomas Wilson]

I am planning for a lot of mortises in a handrail for staircase and balcony. I have been thinking of getting a Festool domino. This thread prompted my to compare price of the Powermatic tilt table mortiser and the Festool. At Woodcraft, the Powermatic is currently $1147.49. The Festool Df 700 is $1400. The DF 500 is $960. My desire for the Festool went suddenly to 0.

The actual project will likely be done very adequately with a relatively new Delta drill press equipped with a tilting table and a Delta mortise attachment that I have had for 40 years. $0.