Vintage Drill Press as Hollow Chisel Mortiser????

[John Bradley]

They were just playing with you, English. ;^) Either that or you thought you were hiring the Amish, but what you got was Irish Travelers.

I noted that you'd have to have some decent skill for working straight, which an experienced hand tool worker has. (Analogously, if I asked you to draw a circle by hand, you'd probably come up with something that looked like a child's drawing of a sun, but a skilled artist could draw something that was actually round.) I tend to reach for a hand tool before I'll turn on the machine, but like you I too am getting old.

Re accuracy in drilling, I've been doing car repair and restoration for most of my life as an avocation, and many a time have had to drill (and thread) holes in engines or transmission housings etc., and I do it by hand with a power drill, and it always works out well. Some hand/eye coordination and mechanical sensitivity is helpful.

LOL! Irish Travelers! Guess they travel in buggies with horses and live on farms that grow tobacco?

Nope, these were Amish. They live about 5 miles from me. I am in the heart of Amish country in Southeastern PA. That community has really become watered down as far as trade skill in the past 20 years or so. Now they just toss any kid who can hold a hammer out in the trades. Probably greed, as they are not selling as much crop as they used to and farming for them has decreased. They are turning more to retail/craft work. Kinda sad. They used to be slam dunks as framers.

[Jim Andrew]

Grizzly is now selling a slot mortiser.

[John Bradley]

Thank you, Jim.
I will check it out!