Feedback on Your Benchtop Mortiser, Please...

[Caleb Dietrich]

Hello All,

I'm looking into purchasing a benchtop mortiser. I would like to know which ones have been well recieved, and which ones to stay away from. Finewoodworking rated the General the "Best Overall." They don't include the Powermatic in their testing... I wouldn't mind saving the money if a less expensive one will be comparable. However, I don't mind spending a little more if it means I'm getting a quality machine.
Is the General Made in Canada?

I'll appreciate any feedback

Thanks

[Peter M. Spirito]

I am very pleased with the Shop Fox mortising machine I purchased from Grizzly. Woodworking Magazine did a review on the chisels and I opted to purchase the chisels from Lee Valley. ;)

[Jim Becker]

I have owned the Jet for a number of years and in the infrequent times I've used it, it has performed well. The real secret is having the proper honing stones for the chisels so they can cut cleanly...and you need them for "new" chisels which are NOT sharp enough out of the box. The drill bit does most of the work, but you need a keen edge to square it off without tearing, especially in softer woods.

[Scott D Johnson]

I know that many people do not like Harbor Freight tools (and they do have many poor quality tools), but in my limited weekend warrior experience the $99 (on sale) Harbor Freight and a $50 sliding cross vise works for me. Honing the chisels (any chisels) using Scary Sharp method made a huge difference.

[Tim Malyszko]

I have the Delta Benchtop Mortiser (actually just received my $50 rebate check in the mail today). At first, I was dissappointed at its performance and then I realized I needed to hone the chisels. After doing that, its a tool that I cannot imagine being without. It makes cutting mortises so easy that even I can do it.;)

Looking back, I would have purchased one with a larger motor - the 1/2 hp doesn't have quite enough power to blast thru very dense wood like oak or cypress, but has worked fine on other woods like maple. I can still cut a mortise in denser material, but it requires a little more care when doing so.

Like others have said, sharp, honed chisels make all the difference.

Good luck with it. From my experience, it collects dust the majority of the time, but is a great asset to have when using mortise and tenon joinery.

[Nancy Laird]

We have the Woodtek, great machine right out of the box--except that the mortising chisels did need work.

Nancy

[Dave Malen]

I have this one. It'd nice to have the extra 1/4 hp. It also has a great fence and hold down.
Dave

[Eric Wong]

I have the Jet JBM-5, and it served me well for a couple years. Now I have the Leigh FMT (lots more precise, but $$ too).

Anyhoo, the Jet was a little finicky, but careful setup usually avoided any problems (I guess you could say that about anything in woodworking). And I was never satisfied with the chisels that came with it. They were lower quality, and very difficult to keep sharp. My mortise sides always had torn surfaces that need a little cleanup with a hand chisel.

With any square chisel mortiser, be very careful that the chisel is set up parallel to the sides of the mortise. Even a hair off and you'll end up with rough or jagged sides.

[Brian Ross]

I purchased a used Crescent floor model mortiser a year ago and I am one happy puppy. I bought it through an On Line auction for $513. USD. It is at least 55 years old and works like a charm. I realize used equipment is not for everybody but if you have the shop space I seriously would consider one. It weighs about 650 lbs so getting it into a bsmt may be a challenge.

Brian

[Jules Dominguez]

What is considered to be a proper honing stone for a mortising chisel?

[Ken Milhinch]

These work well. http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=11153&filter=sharpening
Not sure how you could sharpen a mortising chisel using scary sharp method, when it's the inside of the chisel that you have to sharpen.
In answer to the original question, I use the Delta machine and I am very happy with it. The key to a happy relationship with your mortiser is definitely good quality, sharp, chisels

[Tim Malyszko]

These work well. http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...ter=sharpening

I found that this set works best (at least for me) when I place the honing bit into my drill press at its lowest speed and then use the drill press vise to align the chisel with the bit. I tried doing it with the hand tool, but didn't seem to get good results. Again, maybe its just me, but the drill press works great.

[Mike Cutler]

Caleb.

I have the Delta 14-651. It's a nice mortiser and does what it's supposed too.
In retrospect I would have bought one with a tilting head. I do a lot of Arts & Craft style type projects and the tilting head would have been a time saver.

I have to agree with the others. Sharp chisels and bits are a must.

[Brian Penning]

I have the General non tilting model. Quite satisfied with it and the supplied chisels worked great for me out of the box.
Not sure if it's made in Canada or not. Probably isn't and for me where something is made is a non issue. It's the quality of the end product that counts.

[Scott D Johnson]

Clarification. I do also own and use the mortising honing stones from Rockler. My comment regarding the Scary Sharp method was related to the fact that getting all 4 of the "outside" edges perfectly flat is important (just like back of bench chisels). After that is done, of course, honing the inside of the chisel is done using the stones. Again, take my comments commensurate with my level of experience, (I am only a weekend warrior).

[Ron Blaise]

and really like it, Meets my needs very well, very study and well built.

[Mike King, Sherwood Pk., AB]

Some General is made in Canada, however, the mortisers are not- Taiwan, I believe. Our Canadian magazines also speak highly of the General mortisers. On some models, the tilt-head is unique, and highly suited to chair-making if that's your line..

I'm al bit surprised that there aren't more General mortiser owners commenting on their experience. I would, but mine's still in the store. heh.

[Mike Seals]

I have the Shopfox, can't remember the model right off hand, around $250. It cuts good but my main complaint is the fence system. The Delta in the same price range had a better fence but was 1/4 hp weaker. I don't beleive the hp would have been a big issue. I did like the fact that the SF could rotate the base for cuts in longer pieces of wood. I'm going to add some guides to the fence, something that should make me happier.

[Rod Sheridan]

I have the General International mortiser, which I purchased in 2001. I have been very pleased with it, most of my work has been in white oak.

It has a great fence, good clamping vise, good chisels and bits as well as adjustable gib dovetail ways to take out any wear in the column.

General is made in Canada, General International is made in Taiwan, and appears to be designed to be a better product than Delta, which also is made in Taiwan.

Regards, Rod.

[Fred Floyd]

I have the Jet benchtop. It has seen occasional use, but worked fine every time. I just finished cutting 75 mortises as part of my plantation shutter project. I'm quite happy with the performance for the Jet. I spent five minutes aligning the chisel. The mortises are looking good.

[Daniel Rabinovitz]

I have a Fisch bench top mortising machine and like it very much
I also use their mortising machine chisels
Used it quite a bit last fall making windows.
Very nice folks and customer service was delightful. :D
Daniel :)

[Maury Morneault]

Another vote for the Shop Fox. I've had mine for about a year now. My only complaint so far? Ah..well I don't have one. But when do, I'll let you know.

Maury

[Gary Keedwell]

I have the Jet JBM-5 and found it inferior, until I modified it. I replaced the cheap little MDF table with a 1/2" aluminum 12" X24" plate. I also drill & tapped a series of holes to hold a toggle clamp which secures the wood by pushing it against the fence. I have never sharpened my original chisels and I machine QSWO 90% of it's running time.
Way back when I purchased my machine, they didn't have the nice cam clamps that pushed stock to fence. They only had the hold-downs that only prevented the stock from rising with the chisel.

Gary K.

[Bill Fleming]

I have a Delta and it has worked fine and at a fair price. Since I love to build and use A&C style furniture if I had it to do again I would get the way more expensive Powermatice with tilt capability, etc. If I were to stay in the same relative price range of the Delta I would go with the General - I originally thought that the Delta's bigger table would be a plus, etc. but frankly I think the clamp setup on the General would be more helpful.

At any rate - shart chisels and careful setup and results will be outstanding!

Cheers - Bill

[Darl Bundren]

I have the Steel City mortiser and like it a lot. You might check it out.