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Benchtop Mortisers-Which one?

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6K views 15 replies 13 participants last post by  longgone 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I am a weekend hobbyist, but I am admittedly picky about my tools. I just don't have time to waste on bad tools. That being said, I have a birthday coming up and can't decide which benchtop mortiser to get. The Delta seems like a great deal with the $50 rebate, but should I splurge and go for the Powermatic 401 which is quite a bit more expensive? Is it worth the extra cost? Thanks in advance for any opinions and input.
 
#4 ·
I went with the Delta and it does what it's supposed to do just fine, but then again I am not cutting mortises all day everyday. Be sure to read up on sharpening/honing the chisels - ignoring that is just asking for poor performance and potentially broken bits!
 
#5 ·
I got the Powermatic 701 about a month ago to do a job involving four tables and a short schedule. It's my first mortiser and probably my last.

After a couple of hours to get it set up and run a few practice pieces, I ran all 16 legs (32 mortises), in about an hour - and every one was perfect. I'm sold! - lol
 
#6 ·
I have the Central Machinery (HF) and aside from the hold down design, which I modded, it's fine. HOWEVER, it wasn't my first choice… Or even my second, but rather what I came up with in a trade deal on an old Delta miter saw I refurbed after finding it on the curb on trash day… Long story…

So since the HF is in my shop, and wasn't even honestly on my wish list, you have to ask what was… And that's easy… The Shop Fox 3/4 HP sold by Grizzly as the G9976. Highly rated and reviewed. One thing about the Shop Fox that is a bit odd, at least in the specs, it doesn't include bits/ You would need to buy a set separately.

Whatever you get, spend some time setting it up right, and you will be well rewarded with quick, easy, and accurate mortises…
 
#7 ·
+1 on Tom's comment; heat is your enemy in this tool.

At the time I was shopping, a decade or more ago, the only 1750 one in the tier you're looking at was Jet. That may have changed.

The Jet has been a good tool for me. Not everyday use, but dependable and survived several classes that involved lots of mortising.

This group has a certain wariness about Craftsman tools, moreso for HF tools, but there are success stories here around those brands.

Kindly,

Lee
 
#8 ·
I don't know what your total shop situation is so I cannot opine intelligently. Nonetheless I will challenge you to ask yourself if a mortising machine is the top priority for your shop?

I have one and it may be the least used power tool in my shop. Through experience, I have determined that I much prefer to cut mortises with a plunge router and jig.

Also, if you have a good floor standing drill press, you will find that the benchtop mortising machine offers very little value over what a mortising attachment for a good drill press will do for you.

Finally, if you get a mortising machine, you really need it to run at 1750 rpm. That is fairly common now, but it was not when I bought my machine a few years ago. I bought the Jet because it was one of the few (at that time) that ran at 1750.

I don't mean to be negative. I just advise you to think about these points.
 
#11 ·
I have the Delta and although I love the function of this tool and use it often, I have had reliability problems. The cast cog and gear assembly on the handle broke. Then an internal pin on the main ger fell out. Evey time it breaks, it costs $50-60 at tool parts direct.
In use it cuts well with the 1/4" and 3/8" chisels that I normall use. The hold down is not the best, and it lacks the rolling wheels on the table that other models offer.
I have been interested in the Wood River from Woodcraft (Steel City manufactured). It offers table extensions and the table rollers. Has anyone used the Wood River mortiser?
 
#12 ·
I'm with Rich on this, for a weekend hobbyist it seems to me (obviously a personal perspective) that a mortiser is an overkill and a tool that will see very little use.

I thought about it when I saw one locally for real cheap and asked myself this question - how many mortises am I (are you) making a week? would that justifies bench space, periodical maintenance and additional tooling/expenses that a mortiser will require?

my answer for myself was 'no'

for that once in a while that I cut mortises they aren't that many that a mortiser would really make that big of a difference.

just a different perspective to consider.
 
#13 ·
I recently acquired a Shop Fox 3/4hp mortiser complete with 3450rpm motor and a set of burned up bits.
I have had a 1/2hp 1725rpm Delta which cuts well but I was disappointed with the hold down arangement.
Long story short-the Shop Fox now has a 1/2hp 1725 motor and the bits and all from the Delta all interchanged.
Reason for the change was the better hold down set up. Change only took a couple of hours cause I had to add a sub-base to accomodate the larger Shop Fox foot print.
The 3/4hp motor will soon be fitted to an Incra horizontal mortiser attachment.So really nothing goes to waste.
tom
 
#14 ·
I also agree with Rich on this. I mill mortises on my router table and have always found this to be more than adequate. I use solid carbide spiral bits with 1/2" shank and this setup makes short work of mortises. I would be surprised if a dedicated mortiser saved me an hour per year, and I can't see taking up space in my shop for something with such limited incremental value to my woodworking.
 
#15 ·
Thanks for all of your excellent responses. I'm really into building mission/arts and crafts style furniture. I think I have it down to either the Powermatic or the General. The jet, delta, craftsman, steel city seem to have issues with the hold down mechanism according to my reading of several reviews.
 
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