Can anybody beat this for old equipment

[Trextr7monkey]

This is my old Mortiser which looks identical to that in the original post. I used one when I was a student making gates on an estate so thought I would have one! We had 2 of the new fangled electric machines at work but used to cut mortises on a vertical miller which was faster.

 

[Cabinetman]

Yes I reckon you’re right, and it’s interesting to see how it would’ve looked before the motor was added so now I can work out which are the "new" bits. Any idea as to year of manufacture?

 

[wallace]

The old morticers used a solid chisel to pare the wood away, a very rare version has the facility to do tennons.
I recently aquired this lovely thing which dates from the 2O's. It was a line shaft machine but was converted to electric very early on.

 

[Cabinetman]

Hi Wallace, now that’s a beast it makes mine look like a toy!
Could you explain how it was used to cut tenons please?

 

[Trextr7monkey]

Yes I reckon you’re right, and it’s interesting to see how it would’ve looked before the motor was added so now I can work out which are the "new" bits. Any idea as to year of manufacture?

Hi I don’t have a make or date of manufacture from working with old Drummond lathes I think easily 100 years old. I did start looking one night and collected a load of picturesand discover all kinds of firms from the past who had made mortisers but yours is the first one that is exactly the same. Haigh, Macpherson and Reynolds were the prime examples.
Apart from a few snapped bolts and the chisel turning lever being lost it seems in good shape. The chisels have a taper but not morse. I am looking forward to using it soon.

 

[Cabinetman]

Thanks Tmonkey, your base has a different spar across the bottom but a lot of other bits are identical, they were probably making these things for quite a few years and just changed and adapted as they went, or maybe foundries turned out lots of different parts, you can almost imagine a catalogue of cast parts and picking out the bits you want then machine them up to suit . (Probably not)
I’m sure you’ll have a lot of fun rebuilding it. Ian

 

[wallace]

Hi Wallace, now that’s a beast it makes mine look like a toy!
Could you explain how it was used to cut tenons please?

This one doesn't do tennons, this has a removeable head so you can make it into a chain morticer.
The tennon one I've seen was of similar vintage to the manual ones, their would be a double edged chisel, like two fingers which would be pulled down a start of the timber and then the timber would advance a by a ratchet and you shave off another slice, from both sides of the tennon at once.

 

[Bm101]

Haha bm, yes you certainly went through it with that one, it’s so similar but obviously a different make, the bottom half is very similar indeed but just not quite the same, are you still using yours?

I'm probably looking to get rid of it tbh CM although I'm quite attached to it. I just got a dust extractor from a forum member and space is getting tight. Tbf It works really well it just doesn't get the use here to justify its footprint. I have a good selection of heads which are probably more valuable than the machine as they are seemingly quite rare. Anyone interested feel free to twist my arm by pm.

 

[SammyQ]

Here you go Ian:

Sorry I cant show you the full beast, but mote, no transverse strengthening bar, no makers name.
I have seen photos of a finished identical one, will.post when I re-locate them.
Sam

 

[SammyQ]

Look at this thread:
The Triumph
Thread starterNicknoxx Start date16 Oct 2011
Post no12.

Sam

 

[Doug B]

Look at this thread:
The Triumph
Thread starterNicknoxx Start date16 Oct 2011
Post no12.

Sam

Did you mean this sammy
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/the-triumph.55035/

 

[SammyQ]

Yes, thanks Doug.

Sam

 

[Cabinetman]

Thanks Doug, unfortunately the eBay link no longer works but that really is the original machine, looks like it’s in a museum? And I’m still using the motorised version and it works just fine, probably over a century old.
I can cut 1 inch mortises on my beast of a morticer, but it’s just as happy with the 1/4” hollow cutter. It just shows you doesn’t it, big old heavy equipment built properly lasts for ever. In one day in the relatively small sample of the membership here we have come up with four machines – unbelievable.

I have always spelt it Morticer, but I noticed on the old adverts it’s spelt mortiser, what say you Gentlemen?

 

[Cabinetman]

Thanks for the pics Sam, some lovely castings. I immediately thought of the 1910 fruit gum company lol

 

[Lons]

I've had this sitting on a shelf for years meaning to clean it up, not the same as some of the lovely old machinery already shown but still seems a nice little drill, I'd guess at maybe 50s or 60s vintage but really don't know. Serial number is 124 no motor or belt which I believe was a round section type.
I must get around to doing something with it.

EDIT: It belonged to a model engineer who I believe bought it new and looking at the 2 rear pulleys they look as if perhaps have had a modification to adjust the belt and although not sure about that either it's the sort of thing he did.

 

[Cabinetman]

Lons, I don’t know how old you are, but I can remember – just- the dentists drill ( no let’s not go there, please! ) being powered by belts that were like a tiny version of a shower hose, and similar to the drive belt on a mammod steam engine, shiny, spiral wound and it went round twin pulleys, your drill reminds me of that sort of set up. It must’ve had a motor with two pullies mounted somewhere behind it. Ian

 

[Vann]

...I estimate its age at about the turn of the century?...

I'd suggest it's a year or two older than that. 2000 is a bit recent...

But seriously, here's mine.

It's a Carron "Colonial". It's difficult to find dating information, but I believe it would date somewhere around the other turn of the century - give or take 20 years.

And it came with a full set of chisels.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[Cabinetman]

Haha, Very nice thanks Van, that is a heavy piece of equipment, what are the two chisels on the right for? Ian

 

[toolsntat]

Haha, Very nice thanks Van, that is a heavy piece of equipment, what are the two chisels on the right for? Ian

If I'm not mistaken they are the often missing core pusher tools for clearing the through mortice out.
Cheers Andy

 

[Benchwayze]

Had the whole range of attachments in the 60s. The lathe bed could be used vertically as a drill stand. Gave it all away to a neighbour when I bought my Coronet Major in 1971. Still have the Coronet and the Stanley Bridges drill both working in top order. The neighbour scrapped the attachments as the saw made him nervous.

John