Synopsis: Found in almost every pro shop, the mortising machine is also a great time-saver for hobbyist woodworkers. Tim Albers tried out several different types to see which ones deliver on the promise of producing an accurate mortise in a minute or two. Which type is best? It depends on your budget and whether you want a machine that can make more than just mortises. Hollow-chisel mortisers are straightforward, producing an accurate square hole, and they come in different sizes and categories. Horizontal slot mortisers are pricier, and the more complex joint-making machines are pricier still.

From Fine Woodworking #206

In almost every professional woodworking shop, even the one-man operations, you’ll find some kind of mortising machine. Making tight mortise-and-tenon joints is one of the most tedious parts of woodworking, and in the pro environment, time is money.

But time is just as precious for me, a hobbyist woodworker with an expanding day job and shrinking leisure time. Like many pros, I’ve struggled with the usual mortising methods. Drilling and chopping is OK for a mortise or two, but it is tedious and easy to foul up. For multiple workpieces, I turn to router jigs, but simple ones work for only one size of mortise, and more versatile jigs are complicated to build.

The answer is a dedicated mortising machine, and there is a host of them—from hollow-chisel to horizontal to super-jigs—all promising an accurate mortise in a minute or two. And some can do a lot more than mortise. I’ve always wanted to try them, seeing which ones deliver on their promises, so I was excited when FWW gave me the green light. This is not a brand-vs.-brand, apples-to-apples test. With a wide variety of equipment to test, I chose representative products in each category and price level, looking for typical features and specs. I focused on machines and jigs that can make a range of mortise sizes that a woodworker needs, and I left out jigs and tools, such as Festool’s Domino, that make only small mortises. In the end I found that every machine can crank out a perfect mortise, but some are much faster and easier to use than others.

HOLLOW-CHISEL MORTISERS ARE AN AFFORDABLE SOLUTION
These machines are the most straightforward. Pull down the handle, and you get a square hole. An auger bit leads the way, clearing out most of the material, followed closely by a square chisel that removes the corners. Make a row of these square holes, and you have a mortise. The category breaks down into three basic levels.

For the full article, download the PDF below:

Fine Woodworking Recommended Products

Makita LS1219L Miter Saw

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.

Buy at Amazon

Oneida’s Super Cell Dust Collector

30-Gal with Wall Mount

Buy at Amazon

Rikon 10-3061 10-in. Deluxe Bandsaw

The 1⁄2-hp motor has all the power needed to resaw at its maximum capacity of 5 in.

The saw has two speeds: 3,280 sfpm (surface feet per minute) for wood and 1,515 sfpm for soft metals and some plastics.

Buy at Amazon