Hollow Chisel Mortiser

I’ve got a Delta and I can say nothing but good about it. I has save me bundles of time. I saw the Craftsman when I bought mine, but for reasons I can’t remember, I wasn’t impressed.

-- Working at Woodworking www.VillageLaneFurniture.com

I have the Delta also and I am happy with it.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

I have the Jet and am happy with it. Unless you plan on doing a lot of mortises it is a tool that isn’t used much, and as such I store mine in a cabinet most of the time. There are other alternatives such as hand cutting and using a router, Festool domino and loose tenon, which work well so you are not limited solely to a hollow chisel mortiser.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

Thanks for responces.
Scott : I have used the router do cut mortises. Arthritis curtails using hand method (not crippling but sure is painful on cold days). Router does disperse lots of dust where drilling doesn’t.

Thanks again for comments

Bill

-- Bill - If I knew GRANDKIDS were so much fun I would have had them first.

I think I probably already know the answer to this, but anyone have an opinion on the (really cheap) Harbor Freight model: CHEAP!

I’ve seem the thing as low as 99 bucks, and if you have one of their 15% off coupons laying around…

Dan

Trust me do NOT get the Harbour Freight I’ve tried their power tools and they were not up to par. The 4 1/2” grinder produced a shower of sparks and smelled burnt when 1st started and failed at that point. The garage sale bandsaw has to have the wheels readjusted every time you retension the blade and the wheel bearings sound like the bearings are not lubricated (sealed bearings), but when tuned properly does a nice job cutting and resawing.

-- Only the Shadow knows....................

I’ve used both the Harbour Freight band saw and the mortiser. The band saw I have been happy with (five years and counting), the mortiser isn’t worth the money. I have used it enough to pay for itself and then some, but definitely plan on upgrading it to a real tool. Cuts the square holes ok, but the fence is sloppy and not very functional.

I’m planning on buying the Steel City Toolworks mortiser. It has some really nice features not found on other machines in the same price range. I would have bought it this past weekend but I ordered a lathe instead.

-- Owen Johnson - aka IowaWoodcrafter

Probably right about the HF mortiser. I’ve found some HF tools are OK if they are not of the “precision task” variety, e.g., I would never consider a HF jointer, and if you don’t have the need to use the item rigorously. I have a SDS rotary hammer drill I got for $39 which has been fine for drilling holes in & chiseling concrete. I also have a 120 volt impact wrench which is great for lug nuts, but I doubt it would last long in a tire shop. I also have a HF drill press that seems fine, particularly for the $$$ I paid, and a 7 drawer end cabinet roller tool chest which is actually quite nice.

Dan

I have a Jet and almost never use it. I have thought about selling it to get something else that I will use more.

-- making sawdust....

Three or four years ago one of the magazines (Popular Woodworking, Fine Woodworking, or something) did a big comparison on these drool-inspiring gizmos. I wish I could recall the bottom line, but I can point you to their websites for back issues…

-- There's no tool like an old tool...