Machine Morticing Question

[John Padgett]

Hello. I bought a morticing attachment for my shopsmith drill press and have never used anything other than a mallet and chisel.
When I start to drill, the bit starts to cut and then stops as soon as the square bit touches the wood. I have tried adjusting the gap between the drill bit and the square bit with no success. Anyone know what I am doing wrong? Thanks. John.

[Dick Sylvan]

Have you honed the chisel?

[Alex Elias]

some woods are pretty hard. Beach wood being one of them I experience that not long ago. I had to press pretty hard to start the cut and then it went easier once you're in. I don't know your set up but make sure your not at a very high speed otherwise you'll burn the bit.
Also you need to sharpen the chisel. Start with the outside 4 cheecks till they are polish then sharpen inside (there are this cone shaped attachments for the drill) once the chisel is nice and sharp is not a bad idea to sharpen the auger bit as well.
Hope this helps
regards,
Alex

[John Padgett]

Thanks for the help. It is pretty sharp out of the box, but not polished. I pulled down as hard as I could, and it still didnt start. I am 6' 8" tall and 335 lbs and still couldnt get it to cut. I must still be doing something wrong.
I will sharpen and hone the chisel and see if that helps. How far out at the bottom does the bit need to stick out? (I hope I asked that right as I am a total neander!)

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

R U stalling the motor?

[John Padgett]

The motor is not stalling. The bit is still spinning in the chisel. When I raise the chisel back up, there is a round hole about 1/16" deep and you can see four little indentions where the four corners of the chisel were. I will try to take a pic and post it. Thanks. John.

[John Padgett]

Here is a pic. It looks like it is trying to cut, but not enough of the wood is being removed from the center?

http://www.carolinacraftworks.com/images/pic.jpg

[Steve Clardy]

Drop your bit about a dimes thickness from where it seats in the cutter.

Make sure the bit is tight in the chuck. Drill speed needs to be fairly slow.

[Kent Fitzgerald]

Here is a pic. It looks like it is trying to cut, but not enough of the wood is being removed from the center?
I agree, John (considering your size, I think I'd agree with you just about anything you say). But seriously, it does look like the bit is undersized. Normally, the bit diameter is equal to, or very slightly greater than, the chisel width.

[Alex Elias]

I agree, John (considering your size, I think I'd agree with you just about anything you say). But seriously, it does look like the bit is undersized. Normally, the bit diameter is equal to, or very slightly greater than, the chisel width.

I think the bit is the right one. What wood is it that you are working with. Poplar would be a good practice subject, firm but not to much. Try sharpening the bit.

[John Padgett]

I am using white oak here. That is what the bedroom suite will be made of. I did not want to get a dedicated morticer just for this set of furniture so I tried this route. If I cant get this to work I guess I will just cut them all by hand.

[Jay Jolliffe]

Have you made sure your not hitting the stop. Even a dull bit will cut something. Sounds like your against the stop.....Just a thought

[John Padgett]

I took off the 3/8" and put on the 1/4" and it cut just fine. It did take a lot of pressure, and the edges were rough, but it cut. I think something is wrong with the 3/8" set. I will send them back.

Thanks for all the help. John.

[Randy Denby]

I may be wrong, but could it be the handle on the shopsmith? ....I have a shopsmith....are rather, its at my dads house 5oo miles away on loan;) . All morticing machines I've seen have a rather long handle for leverage and it still requires good effort to chop the wood. THe shopsmith handle is rather short and not very substantial...so I'm thinking that might be contributing to your problem. Just a thought....

[John Padgett]

I may be wrong, but could it be the handle on the shopsmith? ....I have a shopsmith....are rather, its at my dads house 5oo miles away on loan;) . All morticing machines I've seen have a rather long handle for leverage and it still requires good effort to chop the wood. THe shopsmith handle is rather short and not very substantial...so I'm thinking that might be contributing to your problem. Just a thought....

I think that is a very good possibility. Even the small 1/4" chisel required a lot of force to move it through the wood. I now believe that the handle just isnt designed for morticing with anything larger than 1/4". Thanks. John.

[Al Killian]

I made my own handle that was about 18" long. It made a big difference on how it cut. I don't think SS offers a handle for the mortise attachment.