Restoring one of the great classics. Robinson mortiser.

[Pass the screwdriver]

They don't make 'em like this any more son.
My wife said " You've already got two of those, why do you need another ? "
" It's a Robinson darling, the plus non ultra of Mortisers" was my reply. So here she is as I saw her at point of purchase. The magnificence, the glory, the umatched quality that is the TH-E.

 

[Pass the screwdriver]

Not sure how old she is but the test stamp number suggests 1955. I had to break her down to get her out of the owners shed. To heavy to move otherwise.
Chain and chisel mortiser. Currently set up with the chisel head. No bars or chains but I can buy new ones. 4 hp motor. Must weight at least 1.5 tons.
Motor still runs.

 

[RobNichols]

You're looking to make a lot of holes then

 

[Doug71]

I never miss a chance to post a photo of my Robinson mortiser as it is a thing of beauty, mine is the smaller chisel only version but I see a few similarities.

 

[Pass the screwdriver]

I never miss a chance to post a photo of my Robinson mortiser as it is a thing of beauty, mine is the smaller chisel only version but I see a few similarities.

View attachment 186752

Nice one Doug. Very similar but they slimmed down the main chassis. I'm going to post more pictures soon.
I've stripped her down and wire brushing her with an angle grinder.
We can swap notes. Cheers mate .

 

[Pass the screwdriver]

More pictures of THEresa in bits.
It's the first machine I've given a name. She's just so damned hot !

 

[deema]

You can see why they are so rare, such a flimsy design, parts will clearly wear out in about 1000 years

Did yoi get the chain Morticer head too?

 

[Pass the screwdriver]

You can see why they are so rare, such a flimsy design, parts will clearly wear out in about 1000 years

Did yoi get the chain Morticer head too?

Lol. The chain head is a cast iron adapter bracket that goes behind the bar and no, sadly it's disappeared. But I can get another milled up or make my own. If the bar has a milled slot it can bolt directly on to the existing head. As far as I can see anyway. The chisel head has a matching shallow channel milled in to the back face to register on the mounting bracket. I'll put some pictures up soon. The chain sprocket is still on the motor shaft with its nut in pristine condition. This suggests the machine may never have used the chain much. But I need the chain set up to do timber framing and this machine is superbly suited to heavy framing lumber. It's designed to handle it.
God I can't wait to get her up and running again.
The helical drive gears are in good nick. Bearings are all tight and smooth.

 

[Pass the screwdriver]

More random pictures

 

[Pass the screwdriver]

The main carriage is insanely heavy, everything is engineered to handle continuous duty use. The arbor for the operating lever runs in bronze bushes. Nice. Needs a new pressure activated switch but apart from that everything else is good. The magnetic starter switch is a Siemens. The mains isolating switch is fine too.
Two name plates. One on the rear and the classic Robinson logo cast in Aluminium. That will get full restoration.

 

[duke]

Oh, the beauty of old machines!
Glad your wife understood the importance of having it.

 

[Pass the screwdriver]

Oh, the beauty of old machines!
Glad your wife understood the importance of having it.

She may not understand it entirely but she knows what I can do with my tools. New kitchen, new furniture, new house. So yes, I'm lucky, she knows I know what I'm doing and indulges my machinery fetish because she gets results she can enjoy. And the price was right at $ 500.
My Grandfather had a few Robinson's and Wadkins. I grew up with this stuff. It's the dog's nut's.

 

[duke]

Nice work, love the oven and cook top cabinet.

 

[Pass the screwdriver]

Nice work, love the oven and cook top cabinet.

Standard 600mm install oven and induction top. Way cheaper than buying the whole unit and looks so much nicer than stainless steel or panel product. The misses likes it. My personal taste in furniture is usually simple. But when I make chairs and Harpsichords I go mad.

 

[Pass the screwdriver]

Things you can do with a good mortiser.

 

[johnnyb]

Whilst I've heard of Robinson they aren't as well known as say wadkin. What's there story? Bit like cooksley there almost victorian machines. I do know colliery maintenance depts loved dominion Elliotts.
My Sedgwick does a job(albeit the dual use handwheel inaccuracy is a bit annoying) the extra heft must allow it to take heavier beams and bigger chisels I suppose. Does it have a more sophisticated way to repeat place multiple mortices?

 

[Pass the screwdriver]

Whilst I've heard of Robinson they aren't as well known as say wadkin. What's there story? Bit like cooksley there almost victorian machines. I do know colliery maintenance depts loved dominion Elliotts.
My Sedgwick does a job(albeit the dual use handwheel inaccuracy is a bit annoying) the extra heft must allow it to take heavier beams and bigger chisels I suppose. Does it have a more sophisticated way to repeat place multiple mortices?

That's very interesting what you say about colliery joinery. They probably did mortise and tenon pit props and beams. Makes perfect sense. It's obvious this Robinson was geared up to heavy timbers because the traversing carriage is lower to the ground and the pedestal below it is very heavy duty. Robinson built steam trains as well as machinery for woodwork. They actually started out as a joinery shop who made their own machine's.
Plenty of them around back in the seventies. My grandfather had a Robinson resaw and table saw. Super tough reliable machine's.
I've never used Sedgwick that I recall. I don't like dual use wheels though. Asking for trouble.
I have a Multico for small work. Excellent machine. I use an oscillating chisel Muti for bigger jobs. Mortisers tend to be biased towards certain types of work. That is to be expected.
As to setting up stops for repeat work, honestly I never use them because they can wander. I just gang mark the work with large gauges or a marking knife and do it by eye. It invariably works out more accurate. Plus it takes time to set up the stops. Usually not worth it unless your doing really big production runs in a big joinery.
I mark all my stiles face and mirror otherwise you can end up screwing up and getting mortises of the wrong width at the wrong end on doors for example.
Marking out saves you worrying about zoning out and screwing up. Do what works best for you. Err on the side of caution unless your a full time mill hand. Milling all day every day is the worst job in the woodshop. It's hard work, boring and lonely.

 

[HappyHacker]

I to have a Robinson morticer for renovation. I bought it over six years ago and since then maintenance on my house, garden, my 3 daughters houses and gardens, cars and a pile of other stuff has ensured I have got nowhere near it. I had plans for what I was going to use it for and have not had time to even make a manual mortice since.

It was going for scrap if no one wanted it. The seller also had a large planer and table saw. Both too big for my garage. He started the planer, it was over 12" wide, and you could feel it as much as hear it. I also got a few chisels with it. I can't take a photo the whole thing as some of it is buried under the piles of rubbish I am accumulating that is too good to throw away, my wife believes I am a hoarder.

I look forward to seeing the renovation.

 

[deema]

Robinson were the brand for wood working machines. The quality eclipsed Wadkin, they were huge and their machines sold around the world. Given a choice between a Robinson and a Wadkin, the Robinson machine will be far superior. It’s funny how such a major brand has just disappeared from peoples consciousness.

 

[Pass the screwdriver]

Robinson were the brand for wood working machines. The quality eclipsed Wadkin, they were huge and their machines sold around the world. Given a choice between a Robinson and a Wadkin, the Robinson machine will be far superior. It’s funny how such a major brand has just disappeared from peoples consciousness.

True true. Robinson just went that little bit further. They made their machines beautiful as well as functional. Some would say that's not important but I dont agree.
Wadkin Bursgreen did actually come up with an excellent range of machines in the seventies and eighties. I admire Wadkin but Robinson had that little something extra. When men are given permission by their employer to take pride in their work it makes a difference. It's not vanity or ego. It's squaring away your work with your conscience.
Those who don't understand that are not craftsmen.