At under 50 lb., the Jet JBM-5 and its close relatives are truly portable. Most come with a set of bits and chisels up to 1/2 in. However, the 1/2 -hp motors work best with 3?8-in. sizes or smaller, and chisels have to be kept sharp to work well. My main complaint with these entry-level benchtop units is that the fence and hold-down are fussy to set up accurately. With a single clamping point, the fence on this entry-level mortiser goes out of parallel each time you move it, meaning you’ll have to square the chisel to it again. Also, the fence is a bit short. If you don’t mind some fine-tuning for each new job, then one of these machines is for you. By the way, shopmade stop blocks can be used to line up the fence accurately in various positions, and additional clamps will help with tall workpieces. The JET- JBM-5 hollow-chisel mortiser is available for about $350 from www.jettools.com.
Fine Woodworking Recommended Products
Ridgid R4331 Planer
Priced nearly $300 less than the DeWalt 735X, the Ridgid R4331 is an excellent value. Its three-knife cutterhead left wonderfully clean surfaces on plainsawn white oak and white pine. It did not perform nearly as well on curly maple as the 735X.
This is the saw I want in my shop. For one, it’s easy to use. All of the controls are easy to reach and manipulate, and the glide mechanism is both robust and smooth. The handle works well for righties and lefties. Then there are added bonuses that no other saw has. For instance, its hold-down is superb, as it can move to different locations, hinges for a greater range of coverage, and actually holds down the work. In addition, the saw has two points of dust collection, letting it firmly beat the rest of the field. The one downside was the saw’s laser, which was so faint we had to turn off the shop lights to see it. Still, all these pluses in a package that fits tight to the wall? That’s a winner for me.
You’ll need help to get this heavy unit onto its bracket, but if you’re looking for a central dust collector that won’t gobble floor space, this may be the unit for you.
Has anyone come up with a good design for a bench to mount a mortiser like this on that allows it to be used either in its normal configuration or reversed on the column to accommodate mortising wider stock?
With its graceful curves, cabriole legs, and ornamental back splat, a Queen Anne side chair is a bucket list build for many woodworkers. Dan Faia had a very specific Queen…
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Has anyone come up with a good design for a bench to mount a mortiser like this on that allows it to be used either in its normal configuration or reversed on the column to accommodate mortising wider stock?
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