Drill Press vs. Dedicated Mortiser

[Matt Lentzner]

I'm trying to plan out my future purchases so I need some help from the sawdust sages.

I know its possible to drill mortises with a DP and the requisite hollow chisels, but how does that compare to a dedicated machine? IOW, should I plan on getting a dedicated mortiser eventually or is it possible to get good performance out of a DP?

Thanks,

Matt

[Mike Henderson]

I only used a drill press chisel mortiser a couple of times, but the problem for me is the time and effort to change it over. If I don't have access to a mortiser (like a slot mortiser or a dedicated chisel mortiser), I'll just drill the mortise out and clean it with a hand chisel. For me, that's faster than the set-up of the chisel mortiser on the the DP - and then converting it back to a DP.

Mike

[glenn bradley]

I have neither but have heard others state the the mortising machine is faster and more accurate. The bolt-ons are a bit of a pain to put on and off from the ones I have looked at. This has caused me to wait to see if I will do enough mortising to qualify a dedicated machine for my tool $$$.

[Tony Scolaro]

The drill press is like post above said. The trouble with the mortiser is getting a good one without breaking the bank. The PM at Garrett Wade are nice but cost. I have a used vintage floor model but I have switched mostly to loose tenons. Good Luck Tony

[lou sansone]

the drill press morticers are a joke. don't waste your money on them. either do as mike does and finish them with a chisel or get decent floor model if you can afford it. I have the Powermatic and it has been great. I would love a vintage Wysong & Miles Co. 284, but it will have to wait

lou

[Marion Rood]

I have used drill press. Pain to setup. Hard to get leverage to cut the mortise.
I have also used plunge router. Very noisy.
I now have general tilt head benchtop. It works better than the drill press and is so much quieter than the router. I got a set of sharpening stone to touch up the chisels. I like it.

Marion

[Tom Grice]

I have also only used the DP mortiser, and will have to agree with everyone else that setup can be time consuming and leverage can be a pain at times. That being said - the price difference between a used dp mortiser (close to free) and a dedicated machine makes up for some of that setup time. I am a hobbiest so the setup is not a big deal to me - but I can see where it would be not worth it if you were kicking out a lot of mortises.

As far as quality goes - they can do a bad job or a good job. Like every other machine, the setup is what makes the difference. I was having a horrible time with mine and was going to throw it away when I came across a website with tricks to setting up a dp mortiser. I don't remember the site - but I very satisfied with the quality I am now getting.

A couple of the less obvious tricks I learned: Mount the rear fence to a piece of plywood and clamp the plywood to the dp table - makes it much easier to adjust. Use a front fence to keep the work tight to the rear fence - I use a straight piece of wood clamped to the table. There is also a sequence to the way the "holes" are drilled - but that may be common to dedicated machines too - I don't know. I also use a slow speed. The obvious stuff is getting the chisel square to the fence and cutting from both sides to make sure the mortise is centered.

[Darl Bundren]

I have the Steel City Benchtop mortiser, and I marvel at ease of setup and accuracy. I, too, am a hobbiest, and because of this I am glad I do not have lots of setup time since shop time is usually at a premium for me. I'd rather get the tool set up quickly and accurately if I can and work instead of setting and resetting the tool up until it is right. In my mind, paying a little more (say, the $270 or so for the mortiser I bought) is worth it.

[Mike Henderson]

This is somewhat of a highjack, but for those people who have a dedicated chisel mortiser that would be good for a hobbyist (read "not too expensive"), please post what you like and don't like about it. That will help Matt and the rest of us decide which dedicated chisel mortiser might be a good choice.

Thanks,
Mike

[Darl Bundren]

...for those people who have a dedicated chisel mortiser that would be good for a hobbyist (read "not too expensive"), please post what you like and don't like about it.

Thanks,
Mike

As noted earlier, I own the Steel City mortiser. There's lots for me to like about it, but the thing I probably like the most is the security with which you can clamp the wood in place with the rollers and the ease with which you can adjust the fence. It also has these outrigger deals to support longer pieces that I like. It also came with four mortising chisels.

The one thing that you have to keep an eye on is the depth stop--you keep it in place by tightening it into place, and if you are not vigilant it can sometimes vibrate loose.

[Reg Mitchell]

Matt think about the price for a good DP and then another chunk for the attachment and then the hollow cutters. Now if you arn't going to do a lot of mortises use a chisel. The attachment, I had at one time wasso bad I threw it away and saved a fe buck and bouth this for $700
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d99/male_man/myrtelwoodtbltop111.jpg
Its a powermatic model 10. Money well spent if you look at my earlyer post at all the mortises I had for that cradel. Onec it was set took about 30 min to do tham all
Reg

[Mike K Wenzloff]

Depending on whether speed is important or not, you can simply use appropriately sized Forstner or similar bits, drill the waste and pare to your layout lines. It isn't that slow once you get into the groove.

Course, there's also just banging them out by hand using an oval bolstered mortise chisel...but before I get hung in this forum for mentioning hand tools <g>...

A dedicated mortiser is the fastest surest method. The Jet benchtop, as well as the General are both top models--and I would give a nod to the General. Felt more solid in use.

No idea what inexpensive means to others and pros can be just as bargain hungry as any hobbyist. Despite my use of the benchtops for a bit, I choose to buy a floor standing PM and they are simply great.

Take care, Mike

[Roy Bennett]

You'all are missing the goodie - a Harbour Freight mortiser + a Harbour Freight X-Y vise. Hone the chisels and you are GOOD TO GOl

That combo has worked wonders for me, all for less than $150.

[Mike K Wenzloff]

You'all are missing the goodie - a Harbour Freight mortiser + a Harbour Freight X-Y vise. Hone the chisels and you are GOOD TO GOl

That combo has worked wonders for me, all for less than $150.
Depends on how one defines missing and goodie...

http://www.wenzloffandsons.com/temp/mortise_chisels1.jpg

For less than $150...and they don't ever need to go back to HF [but HF is good about that], get an aerobic workout, and great for taking out any frustration not caused by mortise making ;)

Take care, Mike

[Merle Clor]

I have a Jet benchtop and a Jet DP mortiser. I have never used the DP option. The dedicated unit is a very worthwhile tool since I make mostly Craftsman style furniture. It is easy to set up and is reasonably accurate. If I could afford a PM floor model, I would buy it in a heartbeat. Since I have limited shop time, any barrier I can remove is worth it to me, but as a hobbiest, there are financial constraints.

As an aside, I did spend a fair amount of time sharpening the chisels that came with both units to a mirror smooth finish. That is one of the critical success elements I have found with the benchtop machine for ease of use.
Merle

[Dave Malen]

This is a great machine for the hobbiest. 3/4 hp,fence with rack adjustment,high low hold down,rollers that help to hold the stock against the fence yet allow you to move the stock, a hone to touch up bits,long sturdy handle to get lots of leverage. I've been very pleased with this machine. Occasionally on sale at amazon for 329.

Dave

[Allen Bookout]

I cannot comment on drill press mortiser attachments as I have never had one.

Mike suggested that we list the kind of machine that we have that is not to expensive and does a good job and what we like about it and what we do not like. I guess that not to expensive is a relative term but I have a the one listed in this thread and say what that I think about it: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=45373

To me it seems that if you are going to spend three or four hundred dollas that you might as well add a couple of hundred more and get one that really works for you without having to add xy vises and such to make it work like you want it to.