# Rikon Mortiser with XY Table



## jumbojack

I think part of your problem with cutting is you have not advanced your bit beyond the chisel. The off set you produced with the magnet was either insufficient or you neglected to push the chisel home after installing the bit. Your chisel is engaging your work before the bit has a chance to clear the bulk of waste. The force you were applying to cut seemed excessive, so I went back to observe your set up. The bits cutting edges should extend below the chisel cutting edge. IMHO.


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## pintodeluxe

Thanks for the great review. It was detailed, honest, and informative.
Thanks again!


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## philba

Good review. I looked at it when I went to my local Woodcraft. It was set up next to a powermatic floor standing mortiser. That's one way to discourage a purchase!

I've resisted getting a mortiser and since I built a little jig for my router, I have no need for one. Router is plenty fast though you don't get square ended mortises. I don't mind rounding over the tenons so it's not a problem.


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## NormG

Thank you for the review, I have never used one, but am looking as I want to make a Morris chair


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## felkadelic

Thanks for the review. The more of these benchtop mortisers I see the more I'm convinced that they're all sub-standard tools. Poor fit and finish, under-powered motors, and cheap chisels and bits.

I'll be selling my Woodriver as soon as I get around to it.


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## CypressAndPine

I own the Shop Fox and I also was frustrated initially. Then I bought some new quality bits. Now I cannot imagine the $1200 machines working any better. The quality bits make all the difference. Don't be afraid to let the bit extend way past the chisel also. It makes a huge difference and no one will ever see the bottom of the mortise anyway.


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## camps764

Good review. The XY table is a nice feature. I wish my Grizz mortiser had one.


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## woodmaker

I have this same machine and initial response. However, I realized the bit was not past the mortise chisel. Once I set that right the machine performed well, but better chisels are in the future for sure.


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## Bobbal

I just watched your review, and I think this is the mortise machine for me. From what I could see (and I could be wrong) I think the chisels are the root of the problem. I have a mortising attachment for a Delta bench top drill press. I have never had to pull on the much shorter handles the way you had to lean into that mortise handle. As far as the run out, I can live with 15 thousandths of an inch. Nobody has a table mechanism and hold down like this in this price range. Thanks for the thorough review. Nice shop BTW. I will let you know how my experience turns out.


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## woodmaker

yep, need quality bits, the 1st use with the 1/4" bit and the tip broke right off.
Make sure the tip of the bit does extend slightly beyond the mortise chisel or it will not work well at all and takes a lot more effort.


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## robscastle

Hello Alan,

This is exactly the same HCM That I have except it has a different name

I like yourself bought it because of the price and application I have for M & T work.
I doesn't get a lot of use, but I still use it due to the many hours of time spent making it work correctly.
Agree with the motor rating and its annoying stall feature.

The manufacture of the chisels same well enough said about them.

Of importance is the fact the auger cuts a moon in the chisel side and ruins a good well layed out mortice.
I will look into the handwheel bolts they are a good upgrade.

Good post.


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## jwoodcraft

I got one of these used, and have a couple of tips.

1: Don't use the depth stop adjuster bolt, but rotate it out of the way so that the traveling tab lands on the part that that adjusting bolt screws in to. (sorry) This gets rid of a bunch of useless deflection.

2: Buy an inexpensive sharpener set on Amazon- two different grits of cone shaped burrs. Chuck in drill press & sharpen chisel cutting edges. This allows decent performance from even cheap-o bits.


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## therealSteveN

Mortisers are simply a lever to exert down pressure of a spinning drill bit, which does the cutting out of most of the wood, great power isn't needed here. The real deal on a mortiser is the outer chisel surrounding the bit, and proper placement, usually about the thickness of a dime is needed. But most of all as jwoodcraft explains above, is that that chisel is razor sharp. It's really no different than any chisel, dull they aren't worth squat, sharp they do work almost effortlessly. 

Even the really high priced mortiser chisels come to you pretty dull, and if you do not sharpen them, then even the high priced PM isn't going to do great work. However, with really sharp chisels, the old really cheap HF mortisers did a fine job.

Having an XY table is luxury item.

I'm betting if the reviewer did a good sharpening, the above review would have been ranked higher.


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