Comments on: Cheap-Ass Tools: A Mortising Machine For $40 http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/17/cheap-ass-tools-a-mortising-machine-for-40/ All tools. All the time. Your source for news, information, and reviews of hand tools, power tools, and tools of all kinds. Thu, 22 May 2008 20:01:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: Jon http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/17/cheap-ass-tools-a-mortising-machine-for-40/#comment-132028 Fri, 19 Oct 2007 00:26:11 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/17/cheap-ass-tools-a-mortising-machine-for-40/#comment-132028 For what it's worth, Northern Tool had this for $32 back in August and $30 in June (both times "regularly $39.99)! Maybe they'll put it on sale again soon? For what it’s worth, Northern Tool had this for $32 back in August and $30 in June (both times “regularly $39.99)! Maybe they’ll put it on sale again soon?

]]> by: Sheldon http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/17/cheap-ass-tools-a-mortising-machine-for-40/#comment-131966 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 21:49:48 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/17/cheap-ass-tools-a-mortising-machine-for-40/#comment-131966 I had the delta one and about ten minutes into setting it up I broke one of the black handles that you use to attach it to the press. I ended up taking it back. It was too easy to break. For $40 though this may be worth it. I had the delta one and about ten minutes into setting it up I broke one of the black handles that you use to attach it to the press. I ended up taking it back. It was too easy to break. For $40 though this may be worth it.

]]> by: Joe http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/17/cheap-ass-tools-a-mortising-machine-for-40/#comment-131902 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 17:21:42 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/17/cheap-ass-tools-a-mortising-machine-for-40/#comment-131902 I have the Delta one, and it works pretty well, but it is kind of a pain to set up. I have to take off the factory depth stop on the drill to have someplace to attach the chisel holder. If I'm only doing one or two mortises I'll probably just use hand chisels. I'll also second avoiding the cheap bits/chisels. I bought some harbor freight ones that can't even hold an edge when cutting pine, and they require re-sharpening frequently in hardwood. I have the Delta one, and it works pretty well, but it is kind of a pain to set up. I have to take off the factory depth stop on the drill to have someplace to attach the chisel holder. If I’m only doing one or two mortises I’ll probably just use hand chisels.

I’ll also second avoiding the cheap bits/chisels. I bought some harbor freight ones that can’t even hold an edge when cutting pine, and they require re-sharpening frequently in hardwood.

]]> by: Rob http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/17/cheap-ass-tools-a-mortising-machine-for-40/#comment-131842 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 14:10:47 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/17/cheap-ass-tools-a-mortising-machine-for-40/#comment-131842 These work pretty well. I've had one for years (Delta's made them for a while now). Not quite as nice as the single purpose units but usable. The one thing you want to watch for on the cheaper units is the chisels. The steel is not always as good as the higher priced ones. These work pretty well. I’ve had one for years (Delta’s made them for a while now). Not quite as nice as the single purpose units but usable. The one thing you want to watch for on the cheaper units is the chisels. The steel is not always as good as the higher priced ones.

]]> by: PutnamEco http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/17/cheap-ass-tools-a-mortising-machine-for-40/#comment-131837 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 13:53:14 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/17/cheap-ass-tools-a-mortising-machine-for-40/#comment-131837 Re: Ivan Real mortisers are not totally unaffordable and are much more pleasurable to use, as they are designed to put a lot more leverage into the quill then a drill press. If you only have a couple to do why not just drill the material out and clean up the hole with a chisel? If you have that many to do, save yourself the aggravation, and buy a real mortiser http://www.grizzly.com/products/G9976 http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=4496 or a scary, cheap http://www.amazon.com/Professional-Woodworker-HP-Mortise-Machine/dp/B000TD2KH4/ref=sr_1_19/103-6618063-3413468?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1192715171&sr=1-19 P.S. article refers to a Delta not a Chiwaneses clone. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000223B4/wwwjeffgreefwood Re: Ivan

Real mortisers are not totally unaffordable and are much more pleasurable to use, as they are designed to put a lot more leverage into the quill then a drill press.

If you only have a couple to do why not just drill the material out and clean up the hole with a chisel? If you have that many to do, save yourself the aggravation, and buy a real mortiser

http://www.grizzly.com/products/G9976
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=4496

or a scary, cheap
http://www.amazon.com/Professional-Woodworker-HP-Mortise-Machine/dp/B000TD2KH4/ref=sr_1_19/103-6618063-3413468?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1192715171&sr=1-19

P.S. article refers to a Delta not a Chiwaneses clone.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000223B4/wwwjeffgreefwood

]]> by: Ivan http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/17/cheap-ass-tools-a-mortising-machine-for-40/#comment-131815 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 12:51:13 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/2007/10/17/cheap-ass-tools-a-mortising-machine-for-40/#comment-131815 Not being that much in the woodworking, I googled the mortise and found some nice implementation of an usage for this tool http://www.jeffgreefwoodworking.com/pnc/Boxes/OrientMT/index.html. Also, checking out the article it seemed that this is not a new tool just not as advertised. My interest is triggered and I might pick one of these up for my next venture. Not being that much in the woodworking, I googled the mortise and found some nice implementation of an usage for this tool http://www.jeffgreefwoodworking.com/pnc/Boxes/OrientMT/index.html. Also, checking out the article it seemed that this is not a new tool just not as advertised. My interest is triggered and I might pick one of these up for my next venture.

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