Replies

1. 
   Jeffnv | Dec 13, 2005 03:36pm | #1

   I used to hate doing mortises - by hand, drill press, router jig. So I recently purchased the Jet benchtop mortiser. It came with chisels and works good. I have seen people post that they have problems with the fence. I did not experience any problem. I layed out my mortises on the wood aligned the blade with the fence and presto square holes. I have only used it on one project so far and the mortises were in tan oak. I am happy with my purchase and would recommend the machine.

1. 
   alanplanesaw | Dec 16, 2005 03:07am | #4

   Showing my ignorance -- what is tan oak?

   Alan - planesaw

1. 
   tinkerer2 | Dec 16, 2005 03:29am | #5

        I scratched my eyebrow as I read tan oak.  Must be two of us in ignorance.  I don't think it is common in West Virginia.

2. 
   Jeffnv | Dec 16, 2005 04:39pm | #8

   Tan oak is a California native hardwood. The club I am in did a group purchase of a few a thousand board feet years back. It is a great wood to work and I am sad to say my supply is almost exhausted.http://www.windsorplywood.com/nam_hardwoods/tanoak.html

2. 
   BilWil | Dec 13, 2005 06:33pm | #2

   I have a PC.  Used a Jet, a Fischer, and a Powermatic before I bought.  I couldn't afford the Powermatic so I bought the PC because it went on sale when they changed styles.  Has its limits and so long as I stay within those limits I am happy with the results.  I can't "power" through mortices like I could when I tried the Powermatic floor model, but, as I said I couldn't afford it.

1. 
   CWilson | Dec 15, 2005 11:47pm | #3

   thanks guys.  I'll ponder over it for a while.

3. 
   forestgirl | Dec 16, 2005 03:37am | #6

   The responses here have been pretty sparse so far.  In hopes of buying one someday, I've read any articles that come out in the mags, and any threads that show up here/WWA on benchtop mortisers.  There's a world of difference between the various models, re: ease of changing chisels, squareness of the fence to the table, capability of the hold-downs, capacity, on and on.  I'll suggest you keep fishing for first-hand experiences and also read up on them (2006 Tool Guide(???) had a review I think) so you get an idea of what specific questions to ask.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
   Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

4. 
   dstonner | Dec 16, 2005 04:20am | #7

   i just got a delta 14-651 table top mortiser for $225 at amazon with free shipping.  i like it a lot and it beats hand chopping or chain drilling (with a drill press and the attendant side and corner cleanup) the 40 or so mortises in the cradle and i am almost done with.  it is a very specialized machine.  square holes...that's it.  i initially thought i could use it as a table top drill press for various purposes, but the fact that the table height is fixed and so are the RPMs (at 1725) pretty much limits it to the mortiser work.  if you make lots of mortises in your woodworking, i think table top mortisers are very handy.  if it is just a few mortises now and then, for my own money i would stick with a drill press, forstner bits and chain drill 'em.  if you get a mortiser, you will eventually have to pick up a set of conical hones to keep the chisels sharp.  lee valley has a set of two (one for the initial grind angle and the other for a secondary bevel to keep the corners beefed up).  one thing i really like about the delta 651 is the geared fence...very small adjustments are a snap. all in all i am quite happy with the 651 (note: this is not the "shopmaster" version but the stouter model). 

   dave

5. 
   RickL | Dec 16, 2005 06:54pm | #9

   Consider making the horizontal slot mortiser in FWW #141. Slot mortisers are superior to chisel mortisers in ease, speed and accuracy.

1. 
   AndrewLunn | Dec 18, 2005 05:38am | #10

   I also own the Delta 14-651. It does a good job. I use the quarter inch chisel a lot so I upgraded from the stock chisel. The fence is perpendicular to the table. You need to clamp your work very securely to the fence. The holes it drills need a little cleanup but not much. The unit is fairly hefty. Upgrading the chisel/bit made a big difference in performance and was very worthwhile. Good luck!