Grizzly/Shop Fox dilema

[Mark Hollingsworth]

I have a Shop Fox bench mortiser that I bought a couple of years ago from Grizzly and if I buy other import brand chisels some of the bits are too short(7 inches) on the 3/8 and 1/2 bits to reach the chuck and I have to have 1 inch extensions welded on to use them. With the smaller bits(1/4 & 5/16), the bits (6 inches in length) will still reach the jaws(just barely) and can be chucked but would probably be better if they were longer also. I'm wondering if any of you guys that have this machine have this same issue and what you did to compensate for it. I haven't called Griz, kinda thought they might tell me to just stay with there bits or be sure the ones I buy are longer.Maybe thats not a bad idea but when you can get a deal on some other bits and it doesn't state the length it's nice to be able to order and use them right out of the box. And I'm definitely not raggin on Grizzly. I have several of there larger tools and will be buying more (when LOML isn't looking).:cool:

[CPeter James]

I believe the Lee Valley ones are long enough. There was a post recently about cutting them off for some machines because they were too long. On my Fisch mortiser, I had to cut off some of my old bits to use them. This makes me believe that longer ones are readily available.

CPeter

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I have to have 1 inch extensions welded on to use them.

Whoooweeeee baby.

Have you tried looking at OSG and other company's end mills? I have use some really long end mills as long as 7 - 10" in the past so I am sure they exist.

[Allen Bookout]

One good place to buy a set of imported bit and chisels or individual bits and chisels is Wilke. Like the Lee Valley ones, they are long also. I had to cut down the length of some to use in my Yorkcraft mortiser (both Lee Valley and Wilke). I cannot measure the full length now as they are all modified but I could measure the length of my modified ones if it would help you. I just cannot imagine that either brand would be to short for the Shop Fox.

Here are some of my cut down bit lengths:

Lee Valley - 3/8" 8 inches long
Wilke - 1/4" 7 1/2 inches long
Wilke -5/16" 7 7/8 inches long
Wilke -3/8" 7 7/8 inches long
Wilke -1/2" 8 inches long
Wilke - 3/4" 8 5/8 inches long

I probably cut off between 1/4" and 3/4" on most of the bits. Of course this also depends on the length of the chisel.