Mortising machine - clean mortises?

[Dan Gill]

I have a project in mind that will require 1/4" through mortises. A lot of them. I pretty much stink at making mortises by hand. In your experience, does a mortising machine make clean through mortises? Do you have to turn the piece over and finish the mortise from the other side to get clean through mortises? I want a little group wisdom and experience before I purchase a tool.

Also, your thoughts on what is a decent mortising machine are welcome. Money IS an object (and probably always will be in our household).

[Joe Cowan]

I have done through mortises on mine. The problem is the auger wobbles slightly and leaves a slightly round vertical line and it plows out slightly more wood than the side of the chisel. I took my modeling file and worked the sides to even things up and then cut the tenon to fit. It came out very well. I read once about someone using a file to change the diameter of the auger to alleviate this issue, but have not tried this.

[Stan Calow]

If I want to have a clean, magazine-photo looking mortise, I have to follow my Delta mortiser with a router to clean it up. And it often isn't a perfectly vertical cut. Probably my technique and setup, but still not as easy as it looks on video. Lots of care needed in the clamping and un-clamping, and setting the chisel up to be parallel to the fence. Still better than doing by hand.

[glenn bradley]

Like a lot of our "serious hobbyist" level machines, small mortisers work OK, floor standing beasts work better. One's success varies with the method they have mastered . . . OK, mastered is too strong a word but you get my drift ;-)

For a through mortise I like a router if I can do the whole thickness (not flip things over). Clamp the material firmly to a spoil board to assure a clean exit. If the material is thick I will drill the bulk of the spoil out and chisel it from both sides. Lots of tips and videos, the blue tape trick and a block to guide you true can be found on Fine Woodworking. Tom McLauglin does a lot of through mortise work, Mike Pekovich does as well.

https://www.finewoodworking.com/2020/01/21/ep-7-drilling-and-chopping-mortises

https://www.finewoodworking.com/2013/05/08/episode-3-routing-through-mortises

https://www.finewoodworking.com/2014/04/01/simple-tape-trick-for-tight-fitting-through-mortises

[Dan Gill]

Perhaps I'm looking at this wrong. When you make a through mortise with a mortising machine, are your mortises clean on one side? I can cut from the outside and any chip out, etc. will be hidden by the other piece on the inside.

By the way, I'm not tied to a particular wood species for this. Might be anything from oak to pine. If that makes a difference . . .

[Patrick Kane]

Not the fastest method--but one of the cleanest-- is a router with an edge guide followed up by a chisel. It also happens to be one of the least expensive, because i assume you own a router with an edge guide. A good quality bit with a mediocre router should give you great results.

[Jim Becker]

There have been more than one recent threads on mortising machines that you may want to read through to get opinions.

If you do go the hollow chisel route, it's imperative that the machine be setup properly including appropriate sharpening of the chisels and insuring that the drill bit is set so it does the work and the square chisel just cleans up after it. The heavier the machine, the likelihood of better quality results with less manual cleanup.

[Thomas McCurnin]

I’ve used an inexpensive Delta mortising machine for this. But hone the chisels before doing so. Even new chisels need some work.

[Dan Gill]

Thanks, all. A router will not do (at least won't give me square edges).

[Paul F Franklin]

I have the benchtop Delta mortiser. I haven't done a ton of through mortises with it, but in my experience you can't count on a clean exit every time, especially when doing splintery woods. A finely honed chisel helps, as does a perfectly clean and smooth backer board beneath the workpiece. But even then it will sometimes tear out some on exit. Going halfway from each side is the most reliable way to get clean holes on both sides, but requires care (and stop blocks) to maintain alignment. Squareness of the bit to the fence is crucial as well.

[Warren Lake]

sharp chisels is the important thing. have an 1,800 lb machine and chisels have to be sharp or it doesnt work well. Out of the box ones in the past didnt work well. Either flip and cut other side or id think pushed down hard with a bottom board might give you clean enough on the exit side. T hen it becomes will the chisel be long enough,. British wadkin chisels came in two lengths. I dont get too hung up on how clean they are inside, accurate is what matters. Same as a tennon, you can cut one on dadoe blades and it looks like a beaver chewed it but if its accurate its no big deal and likely glue better than one that looks like a Mercedes.

[ChrisA Edwards]

A full through mortise will depend upon the thickness of the work piece and the width of the mortise you intend to make..

With a mortise machine and a sacrificial piece, under your work piece, I don't see why you wouldn't get a clean mortise edge on both sides.

This might help you decide.


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

Here's the link if you can't see the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIJWNBAUtyk

[Ken Fitzgerald]

ChrisA, thanks for the tip on putting material under to prevent blowout as you go through the piece being through-mortised. I hadn't thought of that.

Like all machines, proper setup with a hollow chisel mortiser is imperative to get proper results. The chisel must be aligned parallel with the material. The chisel must be sharp, sharp, sharp. I use both a handle sharpener when I deem it necessary and use a conical diamond hone before and during each mortising job as necessary with my General International benchtop mounted on it's own stand. I like to sharpen the bit and hone the chisel before I start each mortising job. I also flatten the outer edges of the hollow chisel in the honing process. I always sharpen, set up the machine and then run a test piece to insure the side of the chisel is parallel to the fence so my mortise is parallel to the material's edge against the fence. I don't use my GI hollow mortiser often but do enjoy it. One project I built, a porch swing, had IIRC 82 mortises and my hollow chisel made in reasonably enjoyable.

[William Hodge]

I have a project in mind that will require 1/4" through mortises. A lot of them. I pretty much stink at making mortises by hand. In your experience, does a mortising machine make clean through mortises? Do you have to turn the piece over and finish the mortise from the other side to get clean through mortises? I want a little group wisdom and experience before I purchase a tool.

Also, your thoughts on what is a decent mortising machine are welcome. Money IS an object (and probably always will be in our household).

The Delta bench top mortiser is pretty good at 1/4" mortises, with some help.

1/4" mortise chisels push the limits of the technology. The 5/16" chisels work better, there is better chip clearing. However, I do make a lot of 1/4" mortises. Some jobs will require thousands.

The chisel mist be very sharp, and never burn. The auger needs a sharp edge, too. If your chisel is burning, stop and change whatever is making it burn, re-sharpen, and continue.

I pre-drill 1/4" mortises with a 3/16" dill on a drill press. All it takes is a few holes, and there is better chip clearance and cooling. Pre-drilled mortises go so much faster and better that the time spent pre-drilling is worth it.

Through mortises are best made from two sides. If your wood is flat, square, and cut off square, transferring lines within tolerance will go fine.

[Kevin Jenness]

You are more likely to get a clean cut on both sides if you enter from both sides. If you do mortise all the way from one side, start on the show side, or use a fresh sacrificial piece on the exit cut every time.

Squaring up the corners of a routed mortise by hand is a bit tedious but no worse than dealing with the almost inevitable slight circular scallops caused by an auger bit overcutting its hollow chisel outline- as said, a quality bit carefully tuned and set up is key to clean results.

[Doug Dawson]

One way of getting a super clean exit on a through mortise (with a mortiser) is to mortise almost all the way through, drill an access hole through the bottom, and clean up the other side with a flush cutting bit. You still have some small corners to deal with, but that’s quick work with a chisel.

[Kevin Jenness]

Bear in mind the o.p.'s project uses 1/4" mortises. I don't think a flush trim bit is available in that size.

As far as a recommendation for a mortiser, if you require square ended mortises a hollow chisel machine is the way to go (aside from a swing chisel unit like a Maka which would not fit your budget). I have had good results with a Delta benchtop machine, within its size capacity and with careful setup. If you don't mind squaring up mortise ends by hand a good plunge router is the best budget option.

[Richard Coers]

Bear in mind the o.p.'s project uses 1/4" mortises. I don't think a flush trim bit is available in that size.

Not true. https://www.amazon.com/Amana-Tool-MR0102-Bearing-Diameter/dp/B002QB0PVU There are also bits that use a brass bearing instead of ball bearing and is even smaller diameter.
I've never seen a hollow chisel mortiser make dead clean lines on entry or exit. Maybe I never had high end drill and chisels, but as mentioned, the drill always leaves little crescent shaped notches outside the chisel line.

[Ed Mitchell]

If money is an object, the router method mentioned above is probably best. Nothing will be as clean, or as inexpensive, since the OP probably already has a router. If finishing off the corners with a hand chisel is not an option, what about finishing off the corners with a square hole punch (such as Lee Valley sells)? You can go from each side and handle up to 3/4" stock.

A step up in cost would be to an adapter for a drill press to finish off the corners, assuming the OP already has a drill press. I wasn't impressed with a friend's setup when I tried it on complete mortises, but for finishing corners only I think it would be suitable.

[Kevin Jenness]

Richard, I stand corrected. Thanks for the link.

[Doug Dawson]

Richard, I stand corrected. Thanks for the link.

Whiteside also makes a 1/4” piloted spiral upcut bit.

[Rob Sack]

I have an original Multico Bench top mortiser which was made in England and I believe the basis for the for the bench tops made in Asia. The Multico produces very clean and accurate mortises. Because of the large number of mortises I have to make in large pieces, I now use a Powermatic 719. The two axis table on the Powermatic makes things easier and quicker, but the Multico produces equally accurate mortises every time.

[Doug Dawson]

I have an original Multico Bench top mortiser which was made in England and I believe the basis for the for the bench tops made in Asia. The Multico produces very clean and accurate mortises. Because of the large number of mortises I have to make in large pieces, I now use a Powermatic 719. The two axis table on the Powermatic makes things easier and quicker, but the Multico produces equally accurate mortises every time.

Do the bits for the Multico (I think they were “Clico” branded) also work in the 719?

[Brian Holcombe]

This is something I do very often. There is a solution for doing this quickly and very easily but getting there is neither easy nor quick.

Stock must be accurate and square. If it’s not square the cuts won’t align.

For my quarter inch hollow chisel I fitted the top of it eith a bearing to keep the auger in perfect alignment and reduce whip. The chisels are extremely sharp and slick on the faces. The auger is filed to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the amount that will put a c shape in the side of one edge. The auger is filed to be extremely sharp.

I have a heavy cast iron mortiser which travels X accurately, the table is accurate, the fence is perfectly square and my setup stops also accurate.

punch just past center, flip, and do it again.

[Derek Cohen]

I echo Brian on working with squared stock. Do not expect accuracy otherwise.

For through mortices, I would always work from both sides, regardless of using hand or power tools. This requires accurate marking out from a reference edge.

My power tool of choice is a router, upcut carbide bit, and my faithful fixture (slightly modified version from FWW) ...

https://i.postimg.cc/431Yf9fX/21a.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/nrbX3rRT/Morticing2.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/gJ6wy8Dn/Morticing1.jpg


You could rout from one side, then flip the piece, complete the routing from the other side.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Becker]

Something related to what both Brian and Derek mentions...if, for some reason, your components final shape will not be square/rectangular, do the mortises before you do the shaping.

[Jim Matthews]

To buck the trend (and present an alternative) consider the necessity of M&T in construction.

If the joint isn't intended to showcase your skills as a design element, a half lap or bridle joint covered by a banding can be durable, and mostly sawn (no chopping required).

I'm unclear what the OP is building, but a mortise is a void which can be constructed by lamination.

[William Chain]

This is more or less my setup - I don't use a sacrificial piece, I start on the show side of the through mortise and cut 1/2 to 3/4 of the depth, then flip the piece end for end and work from the other side to finish it off. Flipping end for end at least makes sure I retain one of the reference faces for both cuts. Tune with a float or chisels, and tune the tenon with a shoulder plane. I try not to rotate the piece like a bbq spit which would change two reference faces.


A full through mortise will depend upon the thickness of the work piece and the width of the mortise you intend to make..

With a mortise machine and a sacrificial piece, under your work piece, I don't see why you wouldn't get a clean mortise edge on both sides.

This might help you decide.


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

Here's the link if you can't see the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIJWNBAUtyk

[Alex Zeller]

If you are going 3/4 of the way through and flipping it over couldn't you go up one chisel size as long as it's hidden? That way you wouldn't need to be too precise or have to clean it up by hand afterwards?

[Mel Fulks]

The hollow chisels usually crush some soft wood ,no matter how sharp they are. Only machine I 've seen that makes
perfect mortise is the German Maka

[Brian Holcombe]

A maka can’t make a 1/4” square mortise unfortunately, minimum stroke length is going to be longer than that.

288 square holes:

446305
446306

[Mel Fulks]

I am pretty sure Brian is right.

[Jim Becker]

I am pretty sure Brian is right.

Yup...he owns a very nicely restored and majorly enhanced Maka.

[Mark Hennebury]

Couple of things; you never said how many mortises you need to cut, or the full size of the mortise. A lot of mortises can mean different things to different people. If you mean a couple of dozen then you need a different machine then if you need to do thousands; an automatic machine that can do hundreds per hour.

Brian said that a Maka can't make a 1/4" square mortise, but then the OP didn't say that he wanted one. But it can make clean 1/4" mortises and a whole lot more.

A Maka SM6PII for example can make a wide variety of mortises, it can make them fast, clean and accurate. and they were made in manual or automatic versions.
Below is an automatic one.

446331

A sample of mortises cut with a single chisel in a single pass to show the range.
Widths from 1/16" -1-1/8"
lengths up to about 4-1/2"
depth up to 4"
Ends can be square angled of round.

446330



It can also make double mortises in one pass.
Identical or different size.

446323


It can also make complex double mortises, including haunched mortises , in one pass
Below is a left and right hand matched set.

446320


Double mortise set small square end and a larger angled end.

446327

Chisels

446328

446329


https://youtu.be/KJUJ796jxls

[Joe Calhoon]

The Maka does cut a very clean mortise and with the right length chisel through mortises can be cut in one pass with a back up block held with the air clamp against the back. I prefer the Maka for production work especially where larger size mortises are used. Maka is also good if you need a different width of mortise than your tooling. It will make a second pass without any bit flutter. Here are pictures of Maka produced work.
446332
446333
446334
these through mortises were made with the Wadkin hollow chisel machine. a little rougher mortise than the Maka but certainly acceptable.I have tried cutting through mortises with a back up block under but feel I get a better job coming in from each side. It’s pretty simple to just flip the piece keeping the same side against the fence. My HC mortiser is easier to set up than the Maka and find I use it more for one off work and small mortises.

446335
446336

I know the OP is looking for square end mortises but the Domino cuts a very clean through mortise. I’ve never tried it but I wonder if a Domino mortise could be squared on a HC.

[Joe Calhoon]

A full through mortise will depend upon the thickness of the work piece and the width of the mortise you intend to make..

With a mortise machine and a sacrificial piece, under your work piece, I don't see why you wouldn't get a clean mortise edge on both sides.

This might help you decide.


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

Here's the link if you can't see the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIJWNBAUtyk

Chris, I like your dust collection setup! Looks like it works well.
joe

[Alex Zeller]

I think we need to understand that the OP said money is an issue. That tells me he's most likely looking at a bench top HC mortiser, possibly used. My neighbor has one and it's amazing to watch. But even the smallest used one I have seen sell in the $1500 range. It's also more of a production tool.

[Mark Hennebury]

Money is an issue to most people. If you have work to do, it will cost you money to do it, one way or another.
So what way you proceed depends on how many mortises you need to do, how often you need to do them, how fast and what quality you want.
You can do 1000 accurate and precise mortises in a day with the right machine, or spend a week doing a couple of hundred with the wrong machine.

"if you need a machine, then you are already paying for it"

[Brian Holcombe]

Ah, I clearly misread the op thinking he was planning square (not rectangular holes). Yeah the Maka is superior at rectangles over any other method I have used.

I use it often for bridle joints also.

446359

[Dave Cav]

If you're cutting your through mortises in one pass (from one side) with a hollow chisel mortiser, then you'll need a sacrificial backer board, but you're still probably going to get a bit of blowout. One thing to try would be to cut the stock slightly oversize, then after cutting the mortises, rip the stock to final size, ripping off the blown out section.

[Leo Graywacz]

If you have enough length in the chisel then cut the width of your board by 1/4" and then cut all your mortises. After you're done cut the 1/4" off the other side and you get your clean exit hole.

[Tom Bain]

If you're cutting your through mortises in one pass (from one side) with a hollow chisel mortiser, then you'll need a sacrificial backer board, but you're still probably going to get a bit of blowout. One thing to try would be to cut the stock slightly oversize, then after cutting the mortises, rip the stock to final size, ripping off the blown out section.

I like this idea, but it most cases wouldn’t one side of the through mortise be covered up by the shoulder(s) of the mating piece anyway. I suppose you would need to make sure in the layout that the mortise can be cut from the show side of the piece.

[jack forsberg]

chain the best . Maka is good but not a flat bottom you need a slot mortise for that . chain goes as small as 3/16 . hollow chisel as small as 3mm but for through and fast chain all the way . clean is a matter of sharping the tooling .


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM7AtCNhLxE&feature=youtu.be

storage is helpful .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-o8DTNzqIz4

[Mel Fulks]

Jack, you are certainly right. But especially for sash work MAKA is great. Doesn't do the crushing on white pine sash n'
such , like the hollow chisels do.

[jack forsberg]

Mel , yes that cut was in white cedar. very easy to cut clean in hardwood .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSVQltJj6fE&feature=youtu.be

[William Chain]

I guess i could? But to my mind, that compromises the joint.


If you are going 3/4 of the way through and flipping it over couldn't you go up one chisel size as long as it's hidden? That way you wouldn't need to be too precise or have to clean it up by hand afterwards?

[Brian Holcombe]

That Stenner is nice Jack!

[Warren Lake]

Looks like the Maka is fastest and cleanest

[Mark Hennebury]

Jack, that's a beautiful machine, but Maka whooped your ass on every level, even with your mortise being half cut when you started. what you did in five cuts on the video the Maka can do in one.

The larger Maka is faster, cleaner, more versatile and large capacity, and fully automatic, it can cut all day long, all you have to do is push the button. And if you want you can get one with a 13' long table with multiple heads.

Check out the capacity of the larger STV model
Slot length; 20 - 180mm
Slot width; 2-40mm
Slot depth; 130mm

446420
446419








chain the best . Maka is good but not a flat bottom you need a slot mortise for that . chain goes as small as 3/16 . hollow chisel as small as 3mm but for through and fast chain all the way . clean is a matter of sharping the tooling .


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM7AtCNhLxE&feature=youtu.be

storage is helpful .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-o8DTNzqIz4

[jack forsberg]

It’s Always good to have some competition Mark. I mean if you want to compare that measly shallow quarter inch furniture size mortised in African mahogany then sure let’s split hairs. But what the hell is a Mortise without a tenon . Are you adding in all the production time and not one off .
https://youtu.be/Lcn2ksnMc04

[William Hodge]

I have a project in mind that will require 1/4" through mortises. A lot of them. I pretty much stink at making mortises by hand. In your experience, does a mortising machine make clean through mortises? Do you have to turn the piece over and finish the mortise from the other side to get clean through mortises? I want a little group wisdom and experience before I purchase a tool.

Also, your thoughts on what is a decent mortising machine are welcome. Money IS an object (and probably always will be in our household).


Going back to answer the OP's question, A delta hollow chisel mortiser, with pre drilled holes, would cost $400. plus chisels and sharpening stones to set up.

I, too, like the Maka mortisers. I ran a five head Maka mortiser in a post and beam shop. It would cut five 1" wide by 3" long by 3" deep mortises at once, in seconds. It had some companion stuff to go with it,like a huge shop, forklifts, a screw air compressor, 25 people, a molder, and a market for timbers with holes in them. Also a guy in a white shirt that wore a tie that was disrespected for his lack of concern for worker amenities, like heat in the winter.

However, as much as I know about big, fast, and industrial, the OP probably wants cheap, hobbiest shop, and effective.















https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81ZVY7cw7iS._AC_SY879_.jpg

[Mark Hennebury]

Hi William,
one of the great things about these forums is that we get introduced to information that is new to us. the threads grow from a simple question into much more; people showcase their work methods and equipment related to the question and we may learn something in the process. We get to see what is out there, which you may never have known about.
There are a lot more people that follow the thread than just the OP , so the information is to broaden the horizons for everyone.
I started off chopping mortises by hand, then with a drillpress and hollow chisel attachment, then made a slot mortiser adaption to my Makita thickness planer, then got a Maka, and Balestrini mortise and tenon set. And i have had many Maka machines the small Sm series including the handcranked benchtop model, to the floorstanding automatic ones, the Larger STV models and the multi head RDB's, and other Makes like the Lari & Lari and a programable Centuro. We all start somewhere, but it doesn't hurt to have our minds opened to what else exists.

The Op is probably best off to take his job to someone with a machine and get the mortises cut. That would be the cheapest and most efficient. Or use a router and do slot mortises, or buy a Domino, or like you said, to spend a few hundred dollars on a benchtop hollow chisel machine. But while this thread has offered him ways to solve his problem, hopefully it has also helped spread a little knowledge.


Going back to answer the OP's question, A delta hollow chisel mortiser, with pre drilled holes, would cost $400. plus chisels and sharpening stones to set up.

I, too, like the Maka mortisers. I ran a five head Maka mortiser in a post and beam shop. It would cut five 1" wide by 3" long by 3" deep mortises at once, in seconds. It had some companion stuff to go with it,like a huge shop, forklifts, a screw air compressor, 25 people, a molder, and a market for timbers with holes in them. Also a guy in a white shirt that wore a tie that was disrespected for his lack of concern for worker amenities, like heat in the winter.

However, as much as I know about big, fast, and industrial, the OP probably wants cheap, hobbiest shop, and effective.















https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81ZVY7cw7iS._AC_SY879_.jpg

[Jim Becker]

Hi William,
one of the great things about these forums is that we get introduced to information that is new to us. the threads grow from a simple question into much more; people showcase their work methods and equipment related to the question and we may learn something in the process. We get to see what is out there, which you may never have known about.
There are a lot more people that follow the thread than just the OP , so the information is to broaden the horizons for everyone.

Totally agree with that...Ifor example, had never heard of Maka prior to Mr Holcombe's journey and now I have actually fondled one. My interest is more about the how and why for these machines...even though I have no need or interesting in acquiring one, it's the learning that's stimulating.

That said, it's important that these alternatives are presented just as that and not as "you must have this to do good work". But as a community, I think we can handle that. :)

[Joe Calhoon]

I agree also Jim and Mark. It’s always interesting when these discussions get sidetracked.

to the OP I would also suggest a old iron HC mortiser. I paid about $800 for my Wadkin DM. Of course shipping, locating and finding these is not easy depending on location. I have a basic low end bench top HC. While it will cut a mortise fine with a sharp chisel the table, fence adjustments and hold downs are very frustrating. I believe there are better models available than what I have.

[Mark Hennebury]

Another really interesting machine for mortising is the French made Alternax Parveau, you don't hear or see them much, but they have been around for decades. They use three blades to cut, one on each side to chop and a sliding one to clean out in between.
It is quite fascinating. I have never used one, but have seen the mortise and it is pretty good. Maybe 20 or 25 Years ago i contacted the company and enquired about them, and asked for a sample of the mortise, which they sent, the sample was in oak and it was quite impressive. The machines seem to be quite capable machines, although a little more complicated then the Maka style machines.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk00VCUaRP0

[Mark Hennebury]

Setting up the cutters;


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvPA6KB47wI

[Thomas Wilson]

I like this idea, but it most cases wouldn’t one side of the through mortise be covered up by the shoulder(s) of the mating piece anyway. I suppose you would need to make sure in the layout that the mortise can be cut from the show side of the piece.
If the material can be made sufficiently oversized, the mortise does not even to come all the way through. The excess material is the backer board.

[Joe Calhoon]

Jack, that's a beautiful machine, but Maka whooped your ass on every level, even with your mortise being half cut when you started. what you did in five cuts on the video the Maka can do in one.

The larger Maka is faster, cleaner, more versatile and large capacity, and fully automatic, it can cut all day long, all you have to do is push the button. And if you want you can get one with a 13' long table with multiple heads.

Check out the capacity of the larger STV model
Slot length; 20 - 180mm
Slot width; 2-40mm
Slot depth; 130mm



Would agree Mark that the Maka STV is better Suited for a joinery business. A chain mortiser is good for doing through mortises in doors but that is the only advantage over the Maka. All the through tenoned mass produced doors of early last century were produced this way using chain mortisers.
I’m thinking about removing the overhead drill unit on mine to make it more accessible. Used that a lot when we prehung a lot of interior doors.
446434
Maka is also good at double mortises, I’m starting to collect a few chisels and spacers for this.
446435
a few years back we toured some of the top custom joinery shops in the UK. Most of those were using the Italian CNC mortisers you mentioned. They are slick, using the smallest chisel needed making 2 passages for larger and double mortises and a hollow chisel for the small glass bar mortises. All positioned on the stiles automatically. This combined with CNC tenoners using the big disks.
446436

[Ron Selzer]

"one of the great things about these forums is that we get introduced to information that is new to us. the threads grow from a simple question into much more; people showcase their work methods and equipment related to the question and we may learn something in the process. We get to see what is out there, which you may never have known about.
There are a lot more people that follow the thread than just the OP , so the information is to broaden the horizons for everyone."

Once again a thread that opens up my eyes to different ways and machines to do woodworking
Very much appreciated
Ron

[Tom Bain]

If the material can be made sufficiently oversized, the mortise does not even to come all the way through. The excess material is the backer board.

Ahhh, got it. Basically turning a stopped mortise into a through mortise.

[Mark Hennebury]

For those that may be interested, this is how the maka mortisers cuts. As Jack said the bottom is not flat, the blade travels in a low elliptical stroke.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-txj-DYv8po

[Mel Fulks]

I had forgotten the not exactly flat thing. But even acknowledging that you don't want a place that could hold some water,
most leave a small void of 1/16th or so ,anyway. And some insist that the tenons go all the way through. When they did
that ,the cutting was usually done from both sides. Some insisted the tenons on the "bars" be a bit too long ,then "struck off" on a horizontal belt sander. The kind if stuff where the old pros and young architects find out that the other guy is "not as
smart as he thinks he is". But the old pro has to have some good sales skills to be deemed wiser than the guy "who wears
the tie "!!

[jack forsberg]

https://www.instagram.com/p/B616Xk-AeRF/?igshid=1tmruj38ww3j0

I have every mortiser, swing chisel , slot , chain , hollow chisel. If you don’t have Chain or use chain your opinion is pretty much useless on what is is good for . Giant holes , cuts clean just Gotta know how to use it . and it cuts through better than anything including furniture grade cuts . My opinion it’s far more versatile and less expensive on tooling then the Maka . The maka advantage is that if you have a run or product line you’re producing then it’s probably a good candidate but if you’re a studio craftsman I wouldn’t recommend one unless you picked one up like I did for 250 bucks with a bucket load of tools . I am grateful for Mark who shares his knowledge on this machine and is the world expert. Perhaps those that don’t link to the Instagram will not see in the video that this is a perfect fit and clean cut Straight off the machine. So for those all add some pictures. 4 1/4 inch wide solid cherry through mortise single plunge


back doors photo post ;)

https://youtu.be/7G_qjz7f4nM
446496 446497 446498looks like I lack privilege's to see my own photo . 446499

[Mel Fulks]

I have little experience with a chain mortiser. Always noticed,when watching, that those using them seemed to routinely
end up with a mortise slightly over wide at top. The one Jack did seems to be unusually straight ,NOT over wide at top.
The management ,as you know, ...expects everything to last forever. So now I'm wondering if management,right or
wrong ...demanded they run them looser to make them "last".

[jack forsberg]

I have little experience with a chain mortiser. Always noticed,when watching, that those using them seemed to routinely
end up with a mortise slightly over wide at top. The one Jack did seems to be unusually straight ,NOT over wide at top.
The management ,as you know, ...expects everything to last forever. So now I'm wondering if management,right or
wrong ...demanded they run them looser to make them "last".
Pin nail a piece of three-quarter inch pine on top and that will take care of the chain flap and clean entry but if you enter from the outside where you’re most likely going to use wedges it’ll be to your advantage.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/B6wg4SAg4Sx/?igshid=5sjb0asflop2

[jack forsberg]

I had forgotten the not exactly flat thing. But even acknowledging that you don't want a place that could hold some water,
most leave a small void of 1/16th or so ,anyway. And some insist that the tenons go all the way through. When they did
that ,the cutting was usually done from both sides. Some insisted the tenons on the "bars" be a bit too long ,then "struck off" on a horizontal belt sander. The kind if stuff where the old pros and young architects find out that the other guy is "not as
smart as he thinks he is". But the old pro has to have some good sales skills to be deemed wiser than the guy "who wears
the tie "!!
Not all tenons have shoulders. Why do you need a clean entry if you’ve got shoulders anyway. Some tenons bear on the bottom of the mortise for their racking strength. spindles as an example

[Mel Fulks]

Thanks, Jack. Most generous and interesting. Never seen it before or heard it suggested.

[jack forsberg]

Thanks, Jack. Most generous and interesting. Never seen it before or heard it suggested.
I think the difference here is that we’re talking about clean work. In the production industry that’s not necessarily a high priority. I mean just look at all the tooling that uses eased edgeing And rolled shoulder joints we’re rail and stiles meet. The price of production. And I suppose some people are stupid enough to fall for the bullshit excuse that it’s better for paint.?But who in the hell doesn’t maintain their paint after they paid a fortune for production windows. I mean if in fact they aren’t cladded on the exterior anyway. When machines are used to manufacture product lines you have to except the process. I prefer the classical range of machines That initially were designed to duplicate handwork not re-engineer a building science.?

[Mel Fulks]

Most of the door parts had "sticker" run moulding and the stiles had the pencil lines for rail placement. Management did
insist on sharp detail. Now it's routine to see large expensive homes with a lot of rounded off edges. They are selling carbide door sets ...that make rounded off edges ! As an employee I have always been ready to walk if told to do the ...
"extreme round overs "
Learned the difference on my
first job. I was working for a turner when I got the " crisp" lecture after rounding off details on 4 bed posts that he had
just completed. He was a poor
communicator but could yell really loud ! It works! " You've ruined them!!". He put all 4 back in the lathe.
and spent some time carefully fixing them.

[Brian Holcombe]

Jack, if you have a small maka like I do, keep in mind that it’s a different animal than the STV which can cut pretty big joints, as Mark posted.

In any case, I’m glad Mark encouraged me to get into the Maka, that machine turns a stack of parts into a stack of parts with perfect mortises very quickly. It takes me a little longer to setup than the hollow chisel but I really don’t view it as a production-only machine. It’s quite practical for moderate volume or light volume work.

Putting a lot of time in on that machine is helpful for working out the idiosyncrasies. As example, recently I figured out how to place a preload on the height adjuster to help remove the backlash that was present.

446502

[Joe Calhoon]

That was a great idea Brian! I’m ordering those parts today for my STV. That has been one of my gripes about the Maka is setting height.
To me the only downside to the STV is the auto feed. It can do small work as well. Another big plus to the Maka is ease of tool change compared to the chain or hollow chisel.
Maka tools are expensive but in my experience chains are more. I’ve bought chains from Keil in germany. Maybe there is a lesser expensive supplier. Omer in Italy has less expensive Maka chisels and they offer chains as well. The quality from Lasualt is good though.

[jack forsberg]

Jack, if you have a small maka like I do, keep in mind that it’s a different animal than the STV which can cut pretty big joints, as Mark posted.

In any case, I’m glad Mark encouraged me to get into the Maka, that machine turns a stack of parts into a stack of parts with perfect mortises very quickly. It takes me a little longer to setup than the hollow chisel but I really don’t view it as a production-only machine. It’s quite practical for moderate volume or light volume work.

Putting a lot of time in on that machine is helpful for working out the idiosyncrasies. As example, recently I figured out how to place a preload on the height adjuster to help remove the backlash that was present.

446502
Yes I’m fully aware of that. Maka is a good machine if Mark rebuilt it but the things shakes like Harley Davison. Some earlier models use the motor shaft as the spindle . mine is like yours and the shaft is separate from the motor which is pretty good although metal is not hard enough if the balance isn’t properly set. My wallowed the bearing seats and as you said it’s just a small one. And as you know you can buy swing tooling for a chain mortiser although I do not have that but I have my Austrian intern looking for one. I suspect the swing chisel came from the hand tools chisels that was used to cut the hinges in German windows. And I believe Bosch now makes a little chain bar for a handheld machine that is 1/16 wide . Although I can’t verify how clean it cuts it is pretty interesting, Be aware that I did not have the privilege of seeing your pictures and it rubs me wrong to have to pay for that.

[Jim Becker]

For those that may be interested, this is how the maka mortisers cuts. As Jack said the bottom is not flat, the blade travels in a low elliptical stroke.


I would think that the variations at the bottom of the mortise would be minimal and once glue gets involved, a non-issue. But I certainly could be wrong about that.

[Brian Holcombe]

Yes I’m fully aware of that. Maka is a good machine if Mark rebuilt it but the things shakes like Harley Davison. Some earlier models use the motor shaft as the spindle . mine is like yours and the shaft is separate from the motor which is pretty good although metal is not hard enough if the balance isn’t properly set. My wallowed the bearing seats and as you said it’s just a small one. And as you know you can buy swing tooling for a chain mortiser although I do not have that but I have my Austrian intern looking for one. I suspect the swing chisel came from the hand tools chisels that was used to cut the hinges in German windows. And I believe Bosch now makes a little chain bar for a handheld machine that is 1/16 wide . Although I can’t verify how clean it cuts it is pretty interesting, Be aware that I did not have the privilege of seeing your pictures and it rubs me wrong to have to pay for that.

Coming from the land of automotive motors and such, I have a feeling that the counterweight system is really key to bearing life. Personally I would love to know the math in having an ideal setup, rather I've just been going by the chart that Mark sent to me. My machine had original bearings in it when it arrived and while they were loose enough to call for replacement, they weren't dead so if it can go 40 years of factory use on a set of bearings that suggests the setup is fairly important to a long and happy life. Mine certainly vibrates when cutting but it doesn't shake.

[Brian Holcombe]

That was a great idea Brian! I’m ordering those parts today for my STV. That has been one of my gripes about the Maka is setting height.
To me the only downside to the STV is the auto feed. It can do small work as well. Another big plus to the Maka is ease of tool change compared to the chain or hollow chisel.
Maka tools are expensive but in my experience chains are more. I’ve bought chains from Keil in germany. Maybe there is a lesser expensive supplier. Omer in Italy has less expensive Maka chisels and they offer chains as well. The quality from Lasualt is good though.

Thanks Joe! Enjoying the quality from Lussault also, in fact I recently bought some lathe chisels there (carbide) also, the price is painful but the quality is excellent.

[Warren Lake]

very rare your mortise will match the chain unless you design that way. the odd time it works out Long time in this and so far never once had a tennon that has to match the bottom of a mortise to rest on it. Not sure what all this Maka not flat bottom is, a chain mortiser does'nt leave a flat bottom.

[Bill Carey]

Dan the OP - I think the most important thing to look for in a benchtop mortiser is an x-y table. Rikon 34-260 at $449.00 and Baileigh MC-65 at $404.00 are the only 2 I know of. Could be more - google is your friend. But using the Baileigh has been fine with the x-y table. I think it would be a PITA to use a mortiser without one.

[Christian Hawkshaw]

Dan the OP - I think the most important thing to look for in a benchtop mortiser is an x-y table. Rikon 34-260 at $449.00 and Baileigh MC-65 at $404.00 are the only 2 I know of. Could be more - google is your friend. But using the Baileigh has been fine with the x-y table. I think it would be a PITA to use a mortiser without one.

Confirmed....I had a delta bench top mortiser without an x-y table, and it was a PITA. I now have a Powermatic floor model with an x-y table, and it is so much more efficient.

[Mark Hennebury]

A little itty-bitty bench-top Maka
Manual, with a hand crank, older style oil filled head.
Takes all the same chisels as the larger automatic floor model SM series machines.
This one is in rough shape and probably dates from the late 60's
Darcy Warner video of one in operation.

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

446538

[Mark Hennebury]

Jack, I have never used or owned a chain mortiser! So my comments were based on your Statement that the chain mortiser was the best, and on the demo video that accompanied it. The "best" is a tall order to fill. And from what you have shown me you have a little ways to go to claim that title. I don’t know how much experience you have with Swing chisel machines like Maka , but my guess based on your opinion of them, is not much.
Your machine is a fine machine and you have done a great job on it. And the mortise is pretty impressive, but it wouldn’t be my first choice.

My choices for mortisers would be swing chisel and slot mortiser and a hollow chisel, if I added a chain mortiser it would be out of curiosity.


I have thirty years experience with Maka mortisers and have owned models SM, SM6, SM6P, SM6PII, SM7, SM7P, SM8,, STV, STV-VZ and the multi-head RDB machines. Also a few Italian made machines Muti, Centauro and Lari& Lari
And rebuilt most, I also rebuild the mortising heads for companies across North America.
I have cut tens of thousands of mortises with them.

They are not perfect machines, but they tick a lot of boxes.
But they are accurate, precise, fast, cut clean, and can cut a wide variety of mortises, single mortises, double, haunched, complex stacked multi shaped, square end, angled end or round end.
The small SM series machines were made in small benchtop manual machines with a hand lever operation, to floor models with power feed and fully automatic.
The larger machines are a direct drive spindle and run slower, they can also handle very large chisels. They were available as single head machines and huge multi-head machines.
The earlier models had balance weights to reduce vibration, the later models were redesigned to reduce vibration without the need for balance weights.
Most of the damage is done by abuse/ lack of maintenance, keep in mind a lot of these machine are in production shops and worked hard, and not cared for a craftsman.
Most of the ones that i have seen rarely have properly sharpened chisels, and bashing dull chisels into hardwood puts a lot of strain on the machine.
Also most of the machines are from the 60's and 70's so they have done a lot of work.


The Currently produced Lari & Lari machines have a patented head designed to eliminate vibration by using a counter rotating double eccentric.

The have hydraulic feed and clamping. digital height readout and run on linear rails.


The New Italian machines are quite slick, CNC with options to add drills, routers and hollow chisel heads.

If you like round end mortises, the Balestrini mortise and tenon set is a pretty tough combination to beat.
Automatic, Infinitely variable adjustments for a precision fitting of the mortise to tenon. compound angle capability, high output, up to 600 per hour.
Great machines for chairs, cabinet doors, general furniture. Crisp clean joints. The machines are industrial grade and made for high production with a reasonable finish, but you can tinker around and slow them down and greatly improve the finish if you are that way inclined, and for the studio craftsman they still have an awesome production rate.
I have cut thousand of joints with these machines and they are a joy to use. I had older machines back in the eighties, when i was a young pup, the newer have had several innovations including cnc and newer style heads with disposable knives and I am sure that they are great machines, but I am used to the older machines and quite happy with them.

In my shop these would be my first choices, i would then add a chisel mortiser ( i haven't had one for many years) or a chain and chisel like your Stenner, or a Wadkin or Robinson
I am sure that i could find a use for a chain mortiser after i got one and played around with it to find out what its like.

It's nice to see what you can achieve with one, so glad that you posted the photos, looks like you have obtained quite impressive results.

If people are a bit handy like us you can pick up old machines pretty cheap, you have to have access to three phase power, (one way or another) and be prepared to do the dirtywork and pay the price to get them working, but once you do, they are great machines that will last you a lifetime, and do excellent work all day every day.

Whatever you choose of course has to be suited to the work you do, and what machine may be perfect for one is not going to be for another, so we are all looking at things from a different perspective.

[jack forsberg]

all good Mark but its not rocket science . i love your passion . still have to come out to your shop to fix that shaft. have a beer too .

want to see fast :)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V22LMd0zAA

doubles for hollow

446583

[Mark Hennebury]

Jack, that's pretty quick for sure! That's a sweet looking machine.
I have never seen those hollow chisel heads before.

[jack forsberg]

Jack, that's pretty quick for sure! That's a sweet looking machine.
I have never seen those hollow chisel heads before.
i am sure you know these guys . you can get double chain too

http://www.unilap.co.uk/Mortice_chisels_and_chains.htm

[Brian Holcombe]

Those mortising heads I’ve seen but can never seem to find a place to buy them from.

[jack forsberg]

very rare your mortise will match the chain unless you design that way. the odd time it works out Long time in this and so far never once had a tennon that has to match the bottom of a mortise to rest on it. Not sure what all this Maka not flat bottom is, a chain mortiser does'nt leave a flat bottom.
you can get flat bottom chain not to mention a dragged bottom
http://www.unilap.co.uk/Mortice_chisels_and_chains.htm

446588

[Mark Hennebury]

Some Of my Maka SM series machines; These machines are all SM6 PII that means that they are Sm6 series, the P is for pneumatic, the II is for the newer style heads, which use standard bearings. These machines can be operated in the vertical or horizontal position, or somewhere in between. The Factory paint is Green, the others are ones that i have rebuilt.

446589446590446591446592446593446594446595446596

[Mark Hennebury]

This is the benchtop manual machine with the type two head. Not sure if this is one of mine, but i have had one of these.


446597

This is one of the older machines probably late 60's early 70's
This is a floor model, power feed, but has the older style oil head.
This is not mine, but is the first type that i owned.

446598

[Mark Hennebury]

The Magnificent Maka. The SM7
The culmination of 30 years of making mortisers this was designed based on all that Maka had learned.
The SM7 made in two version Sm7 and SM7P with a bunch of options.
Manual hand operated and combination hand or pneumatic feed.
Too many innovations to mention here.
These are some of my SM7 machines, the last photo is of a machine that i rebuilt this year.
I will be rebuilding one for myself soon and will post a thread on it.

446599 446600 446601 446602 446604446605

[jack forsberg]

Those mortising heads I’ve seen but can never seem to find a place to buy them from.
Only out of Japan

Notice of the pictures show up for the underprivileged.

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?224601-Mortiser-chisels/page2

[Mark Hennebury]

The STV's
A few of the STV's, the last one is the STV-VZ with a mortiser, vertical drill and horizontal router.
These are the heavy duty machines with the larger hp direct drive motor.

446606 446607446608 446609

[Mark Hennebury]

A few of the other brands, programable Centauro, Lari & Lari, these are Made in Italy. The last two photos also have a SM6ii Maka

446610446611446612 446613446614446615

[Mark Hennebury]

First one is a multi-head Maka. I rebuilt the heads on this one, this has the old style oil heads.
The second one is an Italian made Muti, the third is a Maka that i rebuilt two or three years ago.
It is very easy to get used to having a big multi-head machine at your disposal.


446616 446617 446618

[Kevin Jenness]

"Be aware that I did not have the privilege of seeing your pictures and it rubs me wrong to have to pay for that.

jack"

Come on Jack, fork over the $6. It won't hurt that much.

Thanks for posting. I always enjoy seeing what you do with your vintage machines.

[jack forsberg]

"Be aware that I did not have the privilege of seeing your pictures and it rubs me wrong to have to pay for that.

jack"

Come on Jack, fork over the $6. It won't hurt that much.

Thanks for posting. I always enjoy seeing what you do with your vintage machines.



i am sorry but this forum is the cheap . pay it for me

[Mark Hennebury]

Then you have the slot mortisers;
Excellent for chairs, cabinet doors, general furniture.

The Balestrini 2Cap
Double table automatic slot mortiser; a compact high quality workhorse.
446621

The newer version' The Micron

446622

The mate to the 2Cap is the 2TAO tenoner
Photos from my shop in the eighties, making chair parts.

446623

446624
Mortiser, tenoner in the background, leaning on an old 24" German jointer /planer.

446625

There are several newer version.
The tenoner, changed to the TO then the Pico
I currently have one of the TO but haven't tried it yet, so not sure on what the changes mean. Also have an old 2Cap Mortiser.
If/when i ever get them done i will do a thread, to show you what they can do.
All my machines were purchased used, I tinkered with then and got them working well, but mostly never totally rebuilt and painted, except machines to sell. You can get great equipment for a reasonable price, if you are willing to work and deal with the issues.

[jack forsberg]

stenner with a a slot head . domino killed that machine


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

sure wish i could see mark pics

i love the way it holds the work

446631446632446633446634


built in sharping

446635

[Joe Calhoon]

Then you have the slot mortisers;
Excellent for chairs, cabinet doors, general furniture.

The Balestrini 2Cap
Double table automatic slot mortiser; a compact high quality workhorse.


The newer version' The Micron



The mate to the 2Cap is the 2TAO tenoner
Photos from my shop in the eighties, making chair parts.




Mortiser, tenoner in the background, leaning on an old 24" German jointer /planer.



There are several newer version.
The tenoner, changed to the TO then the Pico
I currently have one of the TO but haven't tried it yet, so not sure on what the changes mean. Also have an old 2Cap Mortiser.
If/when i ever get them done i will do a thread, to show you what they can do.
All my machines were purchased used, I tinkered with then and got them working well, but mostly never totally rebuilt and painted, except machines to sell. You can get great equipment for a reasonable price, if you are willing to work and deal with the issues.

Mark, those round end mortisers and tenoners would be ideal for chair building and a lot of furniture making. I dabble in a little chair making for myself as a hobby and think about those machines when I am doing that.
it’s easy enough to make angled tenons and even compound angled tenons on a tilting shaper with sliding table but if they need shouldered that is where it gets labor intensive and complicated.

446653
446654

[Brian Holcombe]

Only out of Japan

Notice of the pictures show up for the underprivileged.

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?224601-Mortiser-chisels/page2

They are made by Nakahashi, I have a bunch of Nakahashi chisels but I’ve yet to find someone who retails this part.

I pay to use this site and I’m quite fine with that, as when the service is free it is because you are the product. The annual fee ensures that the website remains the product and my personal information does not.

[jack forsberg]

They are made by Nakahashi, I have a bunch of Nakahashi chisels but I’ve yet to find someone who retails this part.

I pay to use this site and I’m quite fine with that, as when the service is free it is because you are the product. The annual fee ensures that the website remains the product and my personal information does not.


I used to get this kit through Chris Hall . I sure do miss him . if you know how to speck Japanize and can pay Yen you my be able to contact them .

[Ron Selzer]

"I pay to use this site and I’m quite fine with that, as when the service is free it is because you are the product. The annual fee ensures that the website remains the product and my personal information does not."

VERY WELL SAID

Ron

[Mark Hennebury]

Hi Joe,

I couldn't imagine doing chairs without them. With chairs you have lots of curved parts and compound angles, these machines are excellent for this work, with the twin tables, you can set one up for the left hand and one for the right.
On the tenoner I mounted a flat plate that was the reference for the shoulder cut, then i would make all of my chair test parts without joints, so i could assemble the parts , by just butting them in place, that way i could check that all of the shoulders were tight and the correct angle, then to set the tenoner tables to the correct compound angle, you just place your part on the tenoner table and adjust the tilt and fence angle until the shoulder buts up tight to the reference plate. It made setup very easy to get precise tight fitting joints, in complex parts. Experimenting with chair designs is a lot of fun. With the Balestrini machines you have a lot of freedom, they don't take long to set up and can whip out 100 mortise and tenons while you drink your coffee. The tenoner, scribes a crisp clean shoulder, and a chamfered end, and is infinitely adjustable, so you have total control of the fit of the joint. You can make the fit a snug slip-fit on the width and a tight fit on the length, you have quite incredible control. Once you get used to them and sort out your system it's a blast. I always made a few of spare parts and scrap stock for test setups, then you are good to go.

446668 446669 446671 446673 446676 446661 446662446663



Mark, those round end mortisers and tenoners would be ideal for chair building and a lot of furniture making. I dabble in a little chair making for myself as a hobby and think about those machines when I am doing that.
it’s easy enough to make angled tenons and even compound angled tenons on a tilting shaper with sliding table but if they need shouldered that is where it gets labor intensive and complicated.

446653
446654

[Joe Calhoon]

Thanks for the detailed explanation Mark. That is very interesting. Those are some nice chairs you made!
Now that I am semiretired working solo, chairs and furniture look inviting compared the the heavy entry units I build. Maybe I should trade the Maka in:)

[Brian Holcombe]

The Maka is useful for chair making in my opinion, but you have to make fixtures to turn at part at an angle, which can be a PITA. I do the same for the hollow chisel.

[Mark Hennebury]

Brian The Maka is great for doing chairs, especially Arts and crafts, or Japanese style stuff.

The Balestrini combo takes care of the tenons, and setting up for complex parts a little easier and makes things a bit more efficient overall.
It would be best from my perspective to have both Maka and Balestrini, That is my idea of a great setup. But everyone works differently and has different ideas and situation.
You can get by with a little bit of equipment if you are a little innovative. My first slot mortiser was a plywood cross-slide table hung off the side of a Makita 2040 thickness planer, and a chuck mounted on the end of the cutterhead. I had a machine shop make an adapter to mount the chuck. I adjusted the height of the table by cranking up the planer table. and i used endmills for cutters. Worked great. Lots of ways to do stuff. My first hollow chisel mortiser was a Canadian Buffalo drill-press with a foot-feed and hollow chisel attachment.

I still like that Makita thicknesser, it did a great job, it was a light duty machine and you had to be patient with it. I put a slow feed sprocket set on it and it did nice work. A beautiful little machine.

If you get your system set up and it works well for your needs, there is no need to change it.

The way you get set up your is a very personal thing; it depends on many factors; if you are trying to earn a living, and what your financial situation is, What is your interest and motivation for doing woodwork, what your market is etc..
I wasn't famous, there wasn't any support or much appreciation for custom made stuff where i was, so i didn't get paid big bucks for stuff.
I had to get stuff done to survive, so you have choices, either cheaper faster construction methods or get the best equipment to do high quality work efficiently.
The best solution of course would have been to get famous, then your stuff sells for ten times the price, but I was way to busy trying to survive to chase that dream.




The Maka is useful for chair making in my opinion, but you have to make fixtures to turn at part at an angle, which can be a PITA. I do the same for the hollow chisel.

[Charlie Jones]

There are some great machines here. I can imagine what any of them would cost. If I was running a large commercial shop I would have one. Us hobbyists can't afford them or don't have the room. I built this little slot mortiser for less then 500.00. It does a great job. The loose tenons are easy to make. It can do through mortises but is limited by the length of the router bit. If you are cutting a through mortise in thick material you may have to go from both sides. I use it for most of my joinery.

[Carl Crout]

I had the Jet mortiser about 10 years ago. I spent lots of time sharpening the chisels but never could get smooth walled mortises. finally sold it and now I use my router and homemade mortising jig

[Stephen Henson]

Always turn material and don't burst straight through, keep chisels sharp, for 6mm you shouldn't have any problem if chisel is sharp, and square to the fence as someone else has mentioned. You won't get a "dressed " interior though if that's what you are after.

Stephen

[Stephen Henson]

I'd suggest your auger is too far below the chisel to be honest.

[Doug Dawson]

I'd suggest your auger is too far below the chisel to be honest.

A dishonest auger. I’ll have to remember that the next time something goes horribly wrong! ;^)

[Marty Gulseth]

More just a random comment than a contribution. I have one of those “get back to” projects in the queue which will require 36 (if I recall correctly) mortises, with at least eight of them through versions. I’ve only so far cut practice mortises by hand, and I’m not looking forward to the notion of doing them all this way. As usual, the Creek is a great resource for learning, thanks all.

im beginning to see a proper mortising machine in my shop in the not too distant future...

[Tony Shea]

I've always wanted a mortising machine but still have always cut my mortises by drilling then cleaning up by hand. This requires very accurate layout and the use of marking gauges and knife lines. I enjoy the process but there are times that I would much prefer to bang them out with a machine accurately. I've always longed for a horizontal mortising machine and most recently I have been very intrigued by the Pantorouter. I like the idea of being able to cut mortises and tenons on this machine at any angle.

Having said this I would also really enjoy having a floor model Hollow Chisel Mortiser, something like the Powermatic 719T. That machine really looks like a beast and with some really sharp chisels could create really accurate mortises.