# I hate my mortise machine



## BernieL (Oct 28, 2011)

I see enough posts about mortise machines and most of you folks think the world of your machine. Most of my tools are good quality - high end tools, but my mortise machine is an exception. When I try to make a mortise, wood chips always clog my chisel, no matter how slow go. 

So i came up with an easy solution to cut my mortises and using my cheap machine. I hog out the mortise with a drill bit and a dowel-it jig. 








This jig is perfect for mortises - it automatically centers the cut and the machined bit ensures the right size. After hogging out the mortise, I take it to my cheap mortise machine to square out the mortise.


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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

Have you tried adjusting the space between the end of the chisel and the end of the drill bit? There needs to be a gap there or it will plug up. I think all the mortising chisels are about the same. I just have an old drill press I've converted to a mortise machine.....works fine. Don't give up on it!

Bret


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I hear Ya Bernie*

When I first got my Powermatic benchtop mortiser I couldn't make it work at all. I didn't realize you had really push down on that big long handle for the first hole and then the successive holes were a lot easier. As Bret says the amount of bit protruding from the chisel is critical...usually about a 1/16" works for me. The other problem I have is the chisel wants to lift up the work as you retract it unless you have the top hold down properly adjusted.

I recently had to make dozens of 1/2" wide mortises around 3" long and 1/2" deep, so I used a plunge router to remove 99% of the material first. Then I hand chiseled the radiused corners square, rather than use the mortise machine. I could have used the machine to square the corners, but the hand mortising chisel was just as fast and it felt more like woodworking, than wood machining. :laughing:


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

good advice so far. i would also venture to say that the quality of the chisel and bit are important. when i had cheaper sets, i would try to polish the flutes around the drill for easier chip travel. also polish the inside of the chisel. you can also get a cone shaped stone to polish the bottom of the chisel. spend some time on your tooling and setup, it will be worth it.


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## BernieL (Oct 28, 2011)

Thanks for the info about the bits and I will try it. Although my doweling jig has proven to be a quick and easy set up and and always on center (fool proof for me), I'm always learning more by trying different methods. So I will try adjusting my bits and maybe try a better bit since I burnt the ones I have. And I'll try polishing. Thanks for the tips.

Just watched the clip woodnthings and that router method is just like my dowel jig method. I drill out a line of wholes on the drill press and clean out the mortise with the mortise machine.


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## jacko9 (Dec 29, 2012)

I used to use a horizontal mortising attachment to my table saw with end mill cutters. That worked great until I upgraded my table saw and lost my mortising capability. I got by with a router and jigs and also cutting the joints by hand with chisels.

Four years ago I bought the Festool Domino Joiner with dust extractor and I love it's accuracy and versatility. Wanting to cut larger and deeper joints I bought their larger Domino 700 and the quality and usefulness is better than the original.


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## Robby Brewer (Feb 19, 2012)

I know exactly how you feel Bernie. I bought a Craftsman Mortiser used and thought i had gotten screwed. I finally bought the cone shaped sharpener from Rockler and spent some time buffing the sides of the mortiser chisel with the WorkSharp. Sprayed some dri-coat on the bits. Building the wife a bedroom suit and used it for the first time after the sharpening process which was about 2 months ago. It worked flawless and now i fell in love with it. Will be using it much more. No need to drill holes. Cut 1/2 inch mortises inch and half deep in red oak. Took longer to set up the mortiser for proper placement than it did to make them.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Nov 25, 2008)

I like mine...


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## craigwbryant (Jan 22, 2012)

Just curiously, what mortise machine do you have? My dad has a Delta that he's "fed up with" and has said I can liberate from his shop, I'm considering doing it b/c who doesn't like free tools, but if its really a headache machine and not a mortise machine then it's probably not worth the gas to go get it!


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## BernieL (Oct 28, 2011)

Reluctant to say cause some folks will strongly defend their tools, but then again, if I own a crappy tool, it is what it is. I own a Craftsman. Some of my problem is due to the fact that my chisel depth setting for the bit was not right as this thread has taught me. But my machine is still a crappy one. For instance, the depth gauge is terrible. It is lined up yo hit a raised portion of the base around the column and when the depth post makes contact, it's on the edge of the raised portion and slips off. I had to lay 2 flat corner braces on the lower part of the base to make the difference in height so it has no place to slip deeper. When I see the braces slip and pop up a bit, I know I'm at the bottom. Sorry Craftsman users, but this particular tool sucks!


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## craigwbryant (Jan 22, 2012)

I understand you're reluctance on admitting to owning Craftsman on here. I have an old Craftsman table saw my dad gave me that I'm sentimentally (and stupidly) attached to. When I first joined the forum there were lots of folks downing Craftsman (and likely still are) one guy even had "Friends don't let frieds use Craftsman" as his signature. The hatred was so intense it scared me away from the forum a bit as I felt "ashamed" of my "inferior" tools. I couldn't understand why folks were more interested in dogging a brand and its owners than they were in sharing and helping folks enjoy wood working. Not all of us can afford fancy new tools, doesn't mean we should be ridiculed for buying what we can afford. Anywho, soapbox rant over, sorry to hear your mortise machine is so frustrating/disappointing but it sounds like you've found a way to make it work.


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## BernieL (Oct 28, 2011)

Very good rant craigwbryant - you make a very good point about "what we can afford" and working with that. WarnerConstInc has the mortise machine I would love to own, but it's out of my budget range for now. A good quality tool is worth more then a cheaper knock out version. When I was working, I use to pocket my coffee money to buy tools and I would be patient and buy top notch. I'm glad I passed on the coffee and donuts for 5 months to buy my Tormek sharpening sys because every time I go down to my shop, I have sharp tools to work with.


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## Midlandbob (Sep 5, 2011)

Several years ago I switched to the Leigh M&T machine. It has been great and easy to use. Designing with M&T joinery is less worry some and the cost has been more than paid for in time saved cutting with the other techniques I used to use.
. I use the old square chisels to cut square holes for pinning tenons that warrant show.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

here is my mortising machine. any problems i have with it are the fault of the user.


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## Midlandbob (Sep 5, 2011)

At least you could find or buy a mortising chisel. 
Used a lot for adjusting mortise but lots of work, time if you need to make a lot of mortises. Just finishing a pair of hall tables each with 16 mortises.
Agreed that one or two are faster with a morticing chisel. The jig of which I spoke will cut the mortise and tenon perfectly in less than a minute+- .


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## WarnerConstInc. (Nov 25, 2008)

I only had 100 bucks in that machine.


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## timmybgood (Jan 11, 2011)

I use the delta mortising attachment for my delta drill press. It was only $70 and has worked really well for hundreds of mortises in a variety of woods. I would like to get a second drill press so that it is set up all the time.


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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

timmybgood said:


> I use the delta mortising attachment for my delta drill press. It was only $70 and has worked really well for hundreds of mortises in a variety of woods. I would like to get a second drill press so that it is set up all the time.


Just goes to show you, one man's junk is another man's treasure. This is my mortising set up. An old bench top drill press with a Craftsman mortising attachment and drill press vise. Then I built a stand for the drill press. I like it just fine, just a little boring to use. It usually requires a little clean up with a chisel.

I like to camfer the ends of my tenons. It make the joint slide together easier and give a little room for the excess glue

Bret


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Midlandbob said:


> At least you could find or buy a mortising chisel.
> Used a lot for adjusting mortise but lots of work, time if you need to make a lot of mortises. Just finishing a pair of hall tables each with 16 mortises.
> Agreed that one or two are faster with a morticing chisel. The jig of which I spoke will cut the mortise and tenon perfectly in less than a minute+- .


A bevel edged chisel works just fine. For me, it's a hobby I pursue that is sort of like therapy, so I have no need or desire to rush through the job. Even, it is not hard to do one in a couple of minutes. There is nothing more satisfying than to know I did it 100% by hand. Where is the art in using a machine?


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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

Where is the art in using a machine?[/QUOTE]

Race car driving, space shuttle driving and woodworking to name a few.
Doesn't have to be done by hand to be art. 

If you did not use a chisel or mallet and just used your teeth for creating beautiful mortises, would that be even a higher art form? Ha.

No really, I know what your saying. Hand work is it's own reward. But I don't think anyone's work is less worthy of praise because they used power machinery to aid the construction.

Bret


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Lola Ranch said:


> Where is the art in using a machine?
> 
> Race car driving, space shuttle driving and woodworking to name a few.
> Doesn't have to be done by hand to be art.
> ...


agreed. a beautiful and well made piece of furniture is worthy of the same praise without regard to whether the maker hand cut it or used machines.


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## Midlandbob (Sep 5, 2011)

The art is in the design and the final product. There are a lot of ways to get there, all have there advantages and disadvantages. 
back to topic- I have a fancy machine to help with the M&T joinery using a router. i find it quick and easier on the final morticing to drill out the bulk of the mortise. e.g.-Using a 3/8 inch fast drill to drill for a 1/2 inch mortice takes the load off and makes chip clearance and heat non issues.
This would probably help. 
i found it was also important to have the drill set slightly proud of the square chisel in that system.


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## TylerJones (Dec 4, 2011)

I agree with the comment that the art is the final product. Plus, some of us are trying feed our families through furniture making, hand chopping every mortise is not an option.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> I only had 100 bucks in that machine.


You suck!


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I was asked for details on my jig*

So here's the photos. It's basically an adjustable paralleogram that will accept what ever wood width I need. The gap you see is because the piece of scrap I threw in there was not squared on the jointer first.... I saw the gap and wondered ...what?
Ran it through/over the jointer and the gap closed right up.

The "micro" adjuster is a standard Porter Cable edge guide. You snug up the stock in the jig using the knobs, then center the bit on the stock with the micro adjuster. 
A spacer is need to support the long end of the guide, depends on the hight of the stock.
It's a little "gimicky", but when I have 30 mortises to make, I'm not gonna use a mortising machine. I have a nice Powermatic, but it's just too much effort. I could use it to square the rounded corners from the router bit, however, I didn't do that either, just used a mortise chisel.

The router and edge guide are free to move on the top of the workpiece since it's attached only on one edge of the jig.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*router mortise jig*

Here's the photos you asked for nbo10. See post above. :smile:


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## mike1950 (Aug 29, 2010)

craigwbryant said:


> Just curiously, what mortise machine do you have? My dad has a Delta that he's "fed up with" and has said I can liberate from his shop, I'm considering doing it b/c who doesn't like free tools, but if its really a headache machine and not a mortise machine then it's probably not worth the gas to go get it!


I have a delta- works perfect- I agree with all- it is in the set up and sharpness. Not a production machine-but then again I am not a production shop.


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## BernieL (Oct 28, 2011)

Woodnthings - I like the way you combined your jig to with the PC micro guide I already own. I believe that is the method I will be using from now on so thanks for the pictures. :thumbsup:


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## kjhart0133 (Feb 4, 2009)

I bought a Powermatic bench top mortiser and was very disappointed in how difficult it was to make a mortise: excessive downward pressure needed, chips clogging the chisel, burning, etc. I was about to give up on it when I happened upon a video on YouTube (I think) about sharpening and setting up the chisel and the auger. I figured I'd give it a shot and whadda ya know! It made a huge improvement!!! It's now so easy to make a mortise, even in hardwoods. I love my mortising machine.

Unfortunately i can't find the exact video I saw, but there are many others on YouTube and other places. Try it, I don't think you'll regret it.

Kevin H.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*maybe this is it?*







OR this?


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## nbo10 (Jan 26, 2011)

Thanks for the pictures Woodnthings. I've been making more than a few mortises with the router lately. While I have plans to go the mortise chisel route :laughing:, I've gotta use what's available. 

Does anyone know if the PC micro guide fits other routers? I have a craftsman professional with a really crappy guide. I'm happy if I get within a 32nd of my marks with it.


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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

Kinda proud of our "mortising machine".....in my normal twisted sort of way.

It was a "freeby" Jet 17" DP that had been litteraly "gutted" in a smallish furniture plant in N.C.They were using it as a dedicated M&T setup for some particular "part"....choosing to buy and leave it setup for this one operation vs using one of their really nice "old arn" models.

They basically messed up every dang part on this machine except the base.Table was off a Delta...because they fried the original....etc,etc,etc.

I fixed it.....it works O.K.


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## clpead (Oct 10, 2012)

woodnthings said:


> So here's the photos. It's basically an adjustable paralleogram that will accept what ever wood width I need. The gap you see is because the piece of scrap I threw in there was not squared on the jointer first.... I saw the gap and wondered ...what?
> Ran it through/over the jointer and the gap closed right up.
> 
> The "micro" adjuster is a standard Porter Cable edge guide. You snug up the stock in the jig using the knobs, then center the bit on the stock with the micro adjuster.
> ...


That is perfect timing. I just bought that edge guide this weekend and planned on making some sort of jig next week.


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