record BM16 morticer - experience?

[condeesteso]

Hi - i am considering getting a morticer - needs to be benchtop, and will get occasional and fairly light use. I like the look of the Record BM16 for its table, clamps etc, and they are still in D&M for £200

http://www.recordpower.co.uk/index.php? ... ng%20Table

Does anyone have one? I'm not even convinced I need one, and don't have loads of space left. At the moment I chop them out by hand, and if there are a few, or they re deep, I pre-drill on the pillar drill. Should I even bother?? Also like all other cutting tools, they are as good as the chisels - I imagine the Clico ones are pretty good but again any thoughts welcome please

 

[mailee]

Well for years I had the Record RPM75 benchtop morticer and it worked fine and did what I asked of it. It was a little small for some of the work I do like making gates so I upgraded it to a Record Ridgeway RPM200 floor standing machine and it is brilliant and can handle everything I throw at it. I would say go for one you will not be dissapointed. It makes mortices so easy and quick once set up. HTH. :wink:

 

[Eric The Viking]

I had a close look at one at Yandles about a year ago. Apart from the colour scheme, it looks identical to the Axminster one, which I have and like a lot. The rest of the comments relate to Axminster's version...

The castings aren't brilliant-rough round the edges but functional. The sliding table works nicely. I've moved one of the locking grub screws, so that I've got front-back lock rather than left-right. The clamp works well, but you need to mod it with sandpaper glued to the face so it grips well. The motor has plenty of power for a 1/2" chisel in idigbo, but I haven't tried oak yet. It tends to stick a bit in softwood, but I'm told they all do. I haven't got mine bolted down, and so far that hasn't been necessary, and it's just about luggable on and off the bench. I've taken the chuck covers off completely as they strike me as a waste of time.

I had a duff motor initially, and the whole thing was quickly replaced by Axminster (excellent service). The new one is fine.

Axminster sell a riser block to increase the depth under the chisel. I've bought one but not fitted it yet. I suspect you might end up swapping it in and out (PITA), as otherwise you can't put very thick blocks under the workpiece, because of the clamp. I also have the adaptor chuck (turns it into a pillar drill) I can't say yet how useful this will be, but my pillar drill is some distance away (upstairs!), so I'm hoping it will save a bit of mucking about until I get the workshop sorted out properly.

On balance I'm really pleased with it. I can't tell if the Record version is better or worse though.

E.

 

[condeesteso]

thank you both - I'll now look closer at the Axminster, but it's likely I'll get one or the other. Always happy to modify things a bit so the tweaks sound v useful to know.

Really helpful, I'll let you know how I get on.

Douglas

 

[jim_hanna]

I have the BM16, well pleased with it.

Note, the Record BM16 uses 13/16 shank chisels, the Axminster lookalike uses 3/4.

You can use 3/4 chisels in the BM16 with a spacer but you can't use 13/16 chisels in the Axminster. I haven't bought any third party chisels for the BM16 but I have no complaints about the Record chisels.

 

[Eric The Viking]

I have the BM16, well pleased with it.

Note, the Record BM16 uses 13/16 shank chisels, the Axminster lookalike uses 3/4.

You can use 3/4 chisels in the BM16 with a spacer but you can't use 13/16 chisels in the Axminster. I haven't bought any third party chisels for the BM16 but I have no complaints about the Record chisels.

That's really interesting.

The Axminster reduction sleeve is an eye-stretching £18.12 (incl.). I assume Axminster's one is 3/4" for compatibility with their chisel sets, etc. I don't think the morticer could use bigger than the 5/8" (16mm) chisels they specify.

I note also that there are a couple of big improvements in the new Axminster 16BMST2 one: It now has a handwheel, instead of the 'fall-out' lever, for left-right adjustment, a screw-adjustable depth stop, and a set of central peg-holes for adjustment of the screw clamp.

The first is a really good idea, as the lever isn't wonderful, I can't see the point of the second, but the last might be good. depending on how much adjustment you still have.

The one thing I'd have preferred above all else was a better left-right stop system. They're now also using slightly smaller Bristol levers, which will help, but repositioning the bars, so that they're further from the workpiece vertically, would have been great.

Having said all that, if the Record BM16 is the same, it would be a tough call as to which was best. If it doesn't have the handwheel, it's a no-brainer: assuming you don't want to use 13/16" shank chisels, I'd go for the Axminster one.

E.

 

[condeesteso]

many thanks everyone - more to digest now. I thought the Clico bits would be good, but I've just seen the price!! I may end up with the RP and their bits, as I will be an occasional user. Or buy a couple more Ray Isles mortice chisels and get back to banging them out. Whatever I decide, I will feedback with a user review. You are a seriously useful lot

douglas