Small morticer

[dunbarhamlin]

Hi chaps
I have 11 ash doors to make (4 1/2" wide stiles) and time constraints mean that I can't really do these by hand (curses)

Am looking at the Axminster AW16BM Bench Morticer.
Can it really handle a 5/8" (16mm) chisel, given the low power, or would I need to consider using a narrower chisel and taking two passes?
(Or are there better options at around the same price point)

Thanks
Steve

 

[OPJ]

From what I can gather, although this has a front 'hold-in' cramp, the bed is still fixed and you will have to move the timber manually from side to side, which soon becomes a right PITA... I'm not a fan of hold-downs either, as all the waste chippings gather inside and make the horizontal movement even more frustrating! :x

Have you considered the AW16BMST? This has a moving table and will take 16mm chisels. Maximum timber height is 120mm - you might just be able to get away with that... :?

I have a Fox mortiser (similar motor size) and I've managed to cut 5/8" mortises with that. With ash, as with most hardwoods, you're going find it a struggle whichever sized chisel you use! I'd always recommend you buy the correct sized bit for the job, if you can afford to do so. Using a smaller bit in two passes can create uneven wear on the 'teeth' of the chisel which can lead to the chisel slipping in future use. At this point, they'd need re-grinding and, well, those things aren't cheap either!! :shock:

 

[JonnyD]

I have no direct experience of the smaller benchtop machines but I would imagine they would struggle with a 16mm mortise in hardwood. It depends on how thick your doors are as you may get away with a 1/2inch mortise if your doors are 44mm thick and 1/2 inch mortises should be easier to cut with a small machine.

As has been said a moving table is desirable on a mortiser.

cheers

Jon

 

[dunbarhamlin]

Thanks, chaps
Aiming for 1 7/8" finished thickness though I haven't seen the (now acclimatised) stock. I specified 2 1/4" sawn, which should have been fine for hand work, but using plug in wood munchers?
I'll get a 5/8" bit, and do some tests, and if too much for it use a 1/2"

Concerned about wood capacity of the alternative, and so since I'd have to double the outlay to get both capacity and table, think I'll have to suffer without a sliding table for this job, though I do see how this will be a pain - clamp, cut, unclamp, shift a smudge, clamp, check, unclamp, tinker, clamp...
(Wallop, wallop, wallop sounds like so much more fun)

Presume a sliding table could be jury rigged for future use at the price of a little lost capacity (not by me - this is a one off - brother will be getting custody.)
I have a slightly obscene 5/8" laminated pigsticker (makes any modern 1/2" mortice chisel look like a child's toy) and a monster mallet which are my tools of choice.

Thank you again - much better to knowingly get a less than optimal solution than find out on the job.